038-1999 LTC
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
http:\\ci,miami-beach,fl.us
L.T.C. No. 38-1999
LETTER TO COMMISSION
February 12, 1999
TO:
Mayor Neisen 0, Kasdin and
Members of the City Co mission
.
FROM: Sergio Rodriguez
City Manager
SUBJECT: CITY WINS "FLORIDA SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY AWARD"
The City of Miami Beach has been awarded the 1999 Florida Successful Community A ward by 1 000
Friends of Florida, the respected environmental and growth management organization, The award
recognizes the City's efforts to protect and preserve its historic character, neighborhood scale, and
economic vitality through the comprehensive changes to its zoning regulations that the City enacted
last year.
1000 Friends of Florida, a statewide, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to promoting
saner, more sensible planning for the state's rapid population growth, credits the City's 1998 zoning
efforts for directly benefiting the quality of life for residents of the City, and helping to ensure that
the special characteristics which have made Miami Beach so popular are preserved for future
generations, (See attached correspondence),
The award will be presented at 1000 Friends annual Award Ceremony and Legislative Reception on
Wednesday, March 17, 1999 at the Old Capitol in Tallahassee, Media Relations is preparing a press
release to highlight the City's accomplishment.
c: Murray Dubbin, City Attorney
Janet Gavarrete, Assistant City Manager
Planning Board
Design Review Board
Historic Preservation Board
Zoning Board of Adjustments
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Attachment
II-l-tll
FRIEN1)S
ofFL()RIDA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nathaniel p, Reed
Chairman
John DeGro\'e
President
Mary A, Kumpe
Vice President
Jerry Sokolow
TreaJurer
Lester Abberger
James Apthorp
F. Gregory Barnhart
Robert S, Davis
Joel E, Embrv
Belly Corcoran Fleming
Roy Harrell. J r,
Robert W, Hopkins
Timothy Jacbon
Curtis Kiser
Lenore :'.lcCullagh
Robert L. Parks
Carol Rist
Donald Ross
Jim Shore
Earl M, Starnes
Victoria J, Tschinkel
C, Allen Watls
Jack Wilson
Harry C, Adley, Emerilus
Charles G, Pattison, :\ICP
E,teculit'e Di"ctor
000 FRIENDS OF FLORIDA
Post Ornce Box 59-l8
Tallahassee, Florida
:l2:~ 1-l-5948
Telephone: (850) 222-6277
Fax: (850)222-1117
www,IOOOfof.usf.edu/
January 28, 1999
The Honorable Neisen Kasden, Mayor
City of Miami Beach
1700 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Dear Mayor Kasden:
Each year, 1000 Friends of Florida recognizes communities that commit to
smarter planning for the future, It is both my privilege and pleasure to inform you
that the Board of Directors of 1000 Friends of Florida has chosen the City of
Miami Beach as recipient of our 1999 Florida Successful Community I> ward.
This award is in recognition of the City's efforts to protect and preserve its
historic character, neighborhood scale, and economic vitality through
comprehensive changes to its zoning regulations, Mr. Sergio Rodriguez, AICP,
City Manager, submitted this nomination,
This year, our annual A ward Ceremony and Legislative Reception will be held on
Wednesday, March 17 from 6:00 until 8:00 p,m. at the Old Capitol in Tallahassee.
We look forward to presenting the award to you on behalf of the City at that time,
and ask you to also let us know of any other representatives who should be invited
to attend.
1000 Friends of Florida will be distributing a press release in early March to
inform the media about the award recipients and their accomplishments. We will
be pleased to work with your press office to ensure that the appropriate media
contacts are made,
1000 Friends is a statewide, nonprofit membership organization that was
established in 1986 to promote saner, more sensible planning for this state's rapid
population growth. I have enclosed some of our recent publications for your
information.
Again, on behalf of 1000 Friends, congratulations on your many fine
accomplishments, We look forward to seeing you at the March reception, Please
give me a call at (850) 222-6277 if! can assist you in any way,
SCLk ~~~~
Charles Q, Pattison, AICP
Executive Director
cc: Mr. Sergio Rodriguez, City Manager
Thl.l JIUll.drur! iJ pranud on rt'r"d,.rl P'l ;.,.
lO
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Date: February 9, 1999
Contact: Nannette Rodriguez
Phone: 305-673-7575
http://ci,miami-beach,fl, us
CHANGES TO ZONING REGULATIONS WINS CITY PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
Miami Beach -- The City of Miami Beach has been selected as this year's winner of the 1999
Florida Successful Community A ward by 1000 Friends of Florida, a respected environmental and
growth management organization, The Florida Successful Community A ward is awarded for a
project or a community that shows extraordinary effort to create a special place to live,
The award recognizes the City's efforts to protect and preserve its historic character, neighborhood
scale, and economic vitality through the comprehensive changes to its zoning regulations that the
City enacted last year. 1000 Friends of Florida credits the City's 1998 zoning efforts for directly
benefiting the quality of life for residents of the City, and helping ensure that the special
characteristics which have made Miami Beach so popular are preserved for future generations,
"We are honored to receive such a prestigious award for our extensive and arduous planning and
zoning efforts over the last couple of years," said Miami Beach City Manager Sergio Rodriguez,
"Each year, we are pleased by the caliber of the applicants and the quality oftheir accomplishments,
Our awards committee was very impressed by the City's nomination for the Florida Successful
Community Award," said 1000 Friends of Florida Executive Director Charles G, Pattison, AICP,
The award will be presented at an awards ceremony and legislative reception to be held on
Wednesday, March 17, 1999, at the Old Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida,
In 1998, after much public input, the City of Miami Beach enacted a far-reaching package of zoning
changes, This project included reducing floor area ratios and allowable building heights for districts
-- more --
page 2/press release/1 000 Friends of Florida Award
City of Miami Beach
throughout the City, and rezoning various areas to reflect more accurately their existing character.
The character and intensity of new development in the City had necessitated the rationale for these
sweeping changes, which was not in keeping with the existing built pattern,
In the recent past, some development proposals within the City did not harmonize with the existing
scale of the surrounding neighborhoods, or the historical character of Miami Beach, The goal of the
project was to reduce the possibility of redevelopment that is not in keeping with the established
character of the City and out of scale with the surrounding neighborhoods,
The benefits accrumg to the City from implementation of these changes will include the
improvement of existing neighborhood property values, the appropriate and compatible use of land
vis-a-vis surrounding uses, the preservation of existing neighborhood character, predictability with
regard to new development, the reduction of traffic congestion, and increased access to light, air,
open space, and view corridors, This is especially important when viewed in the context of the need
to ensure adequate hurricane evacuation and traffic concurrency,
1000 Friends of Florida is a statewide, nonprofit membership organization that was established in
1986 to promote saner, more sensible planning for this state's rapid population growth,
###
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