R9I-Discuss Permanent Closure Of 400 Block Of Espa�ola WaylD MIAMI BEACH -=-
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
MEMORANDUM
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: October 16, 2013
SUBJECT: A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE P RMANENT CLOSURE OF THE 400 BLOCK OF
ESPANOLA WAY BETWEEN WASHI GTON AVENUE AND DREXEL AVENUE.
This item was referred by the members of the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee (NCAC)
on September 30, 2013, for consideration and further discussion.
BACKGROUND
Currently, the 400 Block of Espanola Way (between Washington Avenue and Drexel Avenue) is
closed from 6:00 PM to 6:00AM every day and functions as a pedestrian mall with numerous
sidewalk cafes, retail venues, and restaurants. When open to traffic, the 400 Block operates as a
one-way street in the westbound direction only.
In May 2012, City officials attended an Espanola Way merchants meeting with representatives of
property owners and business owners. At the meeting, Espanola Way merchants requested the
extension of the street closure duration from 11 :00 AM to 6:00 AM in order to enhance the
commercial viability of the corridor and improve pedestrian safety; thus, this one block of portion
Espanola Way would be closed to traffic for nineteen hours each day. During this meeting, the City
was informed that most deliveries occur from Drexel Avenue and Washington Avenue because
trucks cannot operate safely on Espanola Way. Pursuant to that meeting, the then Director of
Public Works authorized engagement of a traffic engineering consultant and commencement of a
traffic study to evaluate the impact of the full closure of the 400 block of Espanola Way on the
community and the adjacent roadway network. Subsequently, if the closure was deemed feasible
from a traffic perspective, the item would be presented to Commission Committees for discussion
and direction.
In February 2013, City staff met with representatives and property owners of the 400 Block of
Espanola Way to discuss the requirements for the street closure. During this meeting, the
representatives and property owners were advised of the process to be followed pursuant to the
County's Traffic Flow Modifications/Street Closure procedure. Essentially, the process consists of
the following six (6) steps:
1. A traffic study must be conducted to identify the impacts (if any) of the street closure on the
adjacent properties and roadway network.
2. Ballots must be completed by property owners affected by the proposed closure and
concurrence must be obtained from two-thirds (2/3) of all respondents.
Agenda Item R q I
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3. City review and approval, including Fire, Police and Public Works Departments.
4. A public meeting to inform property owners regarding the proposed closure.
5. A City Commission Resolution approving the street closure (Resolution may override ballot
results).
6. Approval from the Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste Management Department
ANALYSIS
Pursuant to the departmental directive, on February 11, 2013, the City engaged The Corradino
Group, one of the firms providing general transportation planning and traffic engineering services on
an as-needed basis under rotational contract, to conduct the required traffic study. The cost of the
traffic study is $24,811.00 and is approximately 75% complete at this time. The traffic consultant has
concluded the preliminary evaluation of the data collected and determined that the permanent
closure of Espanola Way between Washington Avenue and Drexel Avenue will have negligible
adverse impact to parking, access to properties located on the 400 block, and traffic conditions on
the surrounding roadway network.
In May 2013, the City initiated the balloting process. Ballots were mailed to 53 property owners
within the area bounded by 14th Street on the south, 15th Street on the north, Washington Avenue on
the east and Pennsylvania Avenue on the west. The Administration received ballots from 14
property owners within the study area. Ten (1 0) of the votes received were in favor of the closure
and 4 of the votes were against, thus satisfying the required 2/3 concurrence from the property
owners. It is worth noting that there are only two (2) property owners in the 400 block of Espanola
Way and both voted in favor of the closure.
If directed by City Commission, staff will meet with the City's Fire and Police Departments to obtain
input on the closure and present optional treatments for closure. Subsequently, the City would need
to host a public meeting with property owners and tenants/residents of the 400 Block of Espanola
Way to present its findings and recommendations regarding the closure.
As stated above, as part of the closure process, Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste
Management Department, the entity with jurisdiction over traffic flow modifications and street
closures throughout the County, must review and approve the traffic study, ballot results, and
recommended method of closure if the closure is found to be feasible.
NCAC DISCUSSION
This item was discussed at the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee (NCAC) on September
30, 2013. At the meeting, with Commissioners Tobin, Libbin, and Exposito present, Commissioner
Tobin inquired as to the impetus for a traffic study evaluating the permanent closure of the 400
Block of Espanola Way and whether there had been any previous Commission directive on this
matter. A motion was made by Commissioner Libbin requesting the Administration search for
previous Commission action/discussion on this item and, unless prior Commission action on this
item was found, referring the item to the October Commission meeting for further discussion and
direction. Further, the NCAC recommended that the Administration conduct some outreach to the
business owners to be present during the October Commission meeting and that the Commission
item should be time-certain so that residents may be present to opine on the permanent closure of
the 400 Block. The item was seconded by Commissioner Exposito.
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CONCLUSION
The following is presented to the members of the City Commission for consideration, discussion,
a~ direction
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