Loading...
Meeting Minutes - April 9 2024 1700 Convention Center Drive Miami Beach, FL 33139 www.miamibeachfl.gov/northbeachcra MEETING MINUTES NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ADVISORY COMMITTEE Tuesday, April 9, 2024 – 4:30 pm Normandy Shores Golf Club 2401 Biarritz Drive Members in Attendance: Chair Jose Smith, Vice Chair Ronnie Issenberg, Romina Orozco Encio, and Tom Richerson Members Absent: Manning Salazar Special Guests: County Commissioner Micky Steinberg, Commissioner Tanya Bhatt 1. Commencement & Attendance At 4:50 p.m., Chair Jose Smith opened the meeting and greeted the attendees. Committee Business 2. Approval of March 12, 2024 Meeting Minutes Motion: To approve the Committee’s March 12, 2024, meeting minutes Made by: Tom Richerson Seconded by: Ronnie Issenberg 3. Committee Member Appointment: David Sexton On April 3, 2024, the City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 2024-4615, adding a representative of the Normandy Fountain Business Association (NFBA) as a nonvoting, ex officio member of the Committee. Chair Smith acknowledged the presence today of David Sexton, who has been nominated as appointee by the NFBA, once the appointment is ratified by the City Commission. Mr. Sexton offered an overview of the NFBA’s efforts over the past five years to unite businesses and foster economic development through various initiatives and events. 4. Appointment of Committee Chair and Vice Chair Motion: To reappoint Jose Smith as Chairperson of the Committee for the next year. North Beach CRA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes – April 9, 2024 Page 2 of 5 Made by: Tom Richerson Seconded by: Romina Orozco-Encio Motion passed by acclamation Motion: To appoint Ronnie Issenberg as Vice Chair of the Committee for the next year. Made by: Chair Smith Seconded by: Romina Orozco-Encio Motion passed by acclamation 5. Review Ethics Commission Opinion Chair Smith provided background on the continuing item regarding an ethics inquiry initiated by Committee member Romina Orozco-Encio, on whether her business may apply to the Commercial Façade Improvement Program. Chair Smith believes that the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics does have jurisdiction, despite informing Ms. Orozco-Encio that it did not. Chair Smith mentioned that State law provides authority for the City Commission, by a two-thirds vote, to waive any conflict, as long as Ms. Orozco-Encio recuses herself during any voting by the Committee on a recommendation concerning her business’ application. Interim City Attorney Ric Dopico concurred with Chair Smith's assessment and offered to follow up regarding the suggested approach for approval, emphasizing the need for full disclosure of the transaction to the CRA Board. Mr. Dopico took the opportunity to introduce Ms. Farosha Andasheva, Senior Assistant City Attorney, who shall be assisting with liaison responsibilities on behalf of the City Attorney’s Office. Ms. Andasheva expressed enthusiasm about working with the Committee, highlighting her previous involvement with drafting a Committee ordinance, and her affinity for North Beach. Chair Smith noted the presence today of District 4 Miami-Dade County Commissioner, Micky Steinberg, who warmly greeted the Committee, assuring them that, as a North Beach resident, she is committed to the North Beach CRA affairs and the betterment of North Beach. New Business 6. FY 2025 Budget Priorities & Opportunities Luis Wong, Administrative Services Manager, Economic Development Department, provided an overview of the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, emphasizing its preliminary nature until Miami-Dade County publishes property values in July 2024. Mr. Wong covered key budgeted allocations among seven different program areas: Beautification, Enhanced Services, Arts and Culture, Small Business Development, Administration, Workforce & Affordable Housing, and Future Projects. Interim City Manager Rickelle Williams commented on the conservative nature of the five percent (5%) growth projection, referencing previous years' growth rates of ten (10%) and eleven (11%) percent. North Beach CRA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes – April 9, 2024 Page 3 of 5 North Beach resident Isabel Viteri, a member of the public, inquired into the prioritization of future projects. Ms. Williams explained how the Redevelopment Plan, approved in 2021, provides flexibility for scheduling projects in a manner that balances the needs of the community. James Quinlan, Executive Director of the Rhythm Foundation, discussed plans for the Seaside Summer Celebration 2024, an event series at the Miami Beach Bandshell, and requested marketing funding support from the CRA. David Sexton acknowledged certain statutory constraints on the use of CRA funds for arts and cultural events and Justin Karr, Economic Development Manager, shared that the Florida Redevelopment Association (FRA) discourages CRA expenditure for marketing and promotional activities. Ms. Williams noted that the promotion of cultural arts in North Beach is a redevelopment strategy highlighted in the Redevelopment Plan; therefore, CRA funding support is legitimate, as long as promotional materials reference the CRA. Ms. Viteri inquired into the existence of plans for improving the North Shore Branch Library on 72nd Street. Interim Assistant City Manager David Martinez clarified that any upgrade or improvements plans would be determined pursuant to an independent administrative decision- making process by Miami-Dade County and not the City. When Ms. Viteri asked whether the CRA could fund library improvements, Chair Smith suggested consulting County Commissioner Steinberg given Miami-Dade County is responsible for library maintenance and operation. 7. Legislative Discussion: Proposed Hotel Prohibitions Debbie Tackett, Historic Preservation Officer, initiated the next discussion with background on the Land Use and Sustainability Committee's (LUSC) March 5, 2024 meeting on hotels and transient uses. Ms. Tackett shared that the LUSC discussion included potential zones where hotel prohibition might benefit adjacent residential communities. The LUSC highlighted zoning districts for consideration within North Beach, including the North Beach Town Center (TC-C, TC-1, TC-2, TC-3). City Commissioner Tanya Bhatt was present to observe discussion of this topic and emphasized that the LUSC’s consideration of the topic is motivated by a desire to prioritize residential housing over transient uses. Several Committee members expressed concern relative to the inability to regulate the short-term rental of apartment units and noted that short-term rental properties have had more adverse impacts than hotel properties in the neighborhood. Committee members also expressed a desire to encourage development in the Redevelopment Area and expressed concerns regarding limiting hotel uses in the entire town center. Finally, Committee members noted that much of the town center area is currently being developed with approved projects and were not convinced that the hotel prohibition would have any significant benefit to the area. Committee member Tom Richerson inquired into budgeted funding for the Commercial Facade Improvement Program. Mr. Wong shared that the Fiscal Year 2024 allocation for the Commercial Façade Improvement Program was $170,000, with an additional $350,000 carried over from the previous year, totaling approximately $520,000. Mr. Wong indicated that five (5) applicants are currently in the pipeline with potential for an additional two (2) more, each with a maximum funding limit of $20,000. Considering the substantial budget allocation for the program, discussion ensued North Beach CRA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes – April 9, 2024 Page 4 of 5 about including Collins Avenue into the Commercial Facade Program boundaries. Ms. Williams indicated that an extension would need formal approval by the CRA Board and the Committee could motion to endorse a proposed change. Motion: To recommend that the Chair and Board of Directors of the North Beach CRA expand the Commercial Façade Improvement Program, to include commercial properties along Collins Avenue within the North Beach CRA district. Made by: Vice Chair Issenberg Seconded by: Tom Richerson Motion passed by acclamation (This motion was transmitted to the City Commission via Letter to Commission (LTC) 159-2024.) 8. North Beach Sanitation Services Bradford Kaine, Sanitation Division Director, Public Works Department, summarized an overview of the enhanced CRA services provided by his department, which are enabled through CRA funding support. This includes collaboration between the Sanitation Department and Code Enforcement which is vital to resident quality of life and focuses on remediating code violations such as illegal dumping. Vice Chair Ronnie Issenberg inquired about protocol for sidewalk pressure cleaning, specifically the Collins Avenue retail corridor, and Mr. Kaine detailed Sanitation’s pressure cleaning process, including schedules for specific crews in different areas and a prioritization of responding to public complaints. When Mr. Issenberg emphasized the conditions on Collins Avenue, Mr. Kaine discussed future acquisition of specialized equipment for pressure washing and gum removal. The Vice Chair expressed interest in joining Sanitation's walkthroughs and Mr. Kaine gladly welcomed him to join and provided Mr. Issenberg with his mobile phone number. Chair Smith inquired into the Sanitation Department's role in maintaining North Shore Open Space Park and Mr. Kaine clarified that responsibility for park space falls under the Parks and Recreation Department. Committee member Romina Orozco-Encio raised concern over a potential alleyway hazard involving overgrown brush and electrical power lines, and Mr. Kaine suggested reaching out to the Greenspace Management Division Director, Michael Atkin, for assistance. 9. Committee Member Comments Drawing a parallel to the notoriety of the “SoBe” label, Tom Richerson proposed that North Beach be rebranded as “NoBe”, to enhance recognition and eliminate confusion with similarly named localities. Chair Smith asked about potential steps involved and Ms. Williams pointed out that a strategic approach would be prudent, while respecting the relatively young brand identity of the North Beach CRA. Vice Chair Issenberg proposed experimenting with variations of the CRA logo design to achieve an effective visual representation of the proposed branding. Ms. Williams suggested starting with pole banners to gradually introduce the new branding. Committee Member Romina Orozco-Encio expressed excitement over the Facade Improvement Program and anticipates enhancing her florist shop with a new awning. Chair Smith assured her North Beach CRA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes – April 9, 2024 Page 5 of 5 that he believed she would be deemed eligible for the program upon a simple 2/3 majority vote of the CRA Board. Ms. Orozco-Encio emphasized the importance of leading by example and believes that successful improvement of her storefront would serve to encourage greater participation in the program by others. 10. Public Comments No public comments at this time. 11. Adjournment Motion was made and the meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m. Next Meeting: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 – Normandy Shores Golf Club