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R7N-Set Public Hrg Permanent Closure Of Street-Sidewalks Fronting St PatricksCOMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY Condensed Title: A Resolution Of The Mayor and City Commission Of The City Of Miami Beach, Florida, Accepting The Recommendation Of The Land Use Development Commiftee At lts July 9, 2014 Meeting, And Setting A Public Hearing ln Order To Provide A Recommendation To Miami-Dade County Public Works Department To Consider The Permanent Closure Of The Street And Sidewalk Fronting St. Patrick's Church and School, N. Meridian Avenue Between Barry Street and 39tn Street Mobility Plan Which Gives Priority Recommendations (From Non-Vehicular to Vehicular and Environmental Scan, etc.): The Road Closure Traffic Study found that no traffic is utilizing this segment of the conidor for through traffic during the day and the Level of Service is not affected with the closure. Data collection demonstrated thal onU 7 vehicles park in this block in the evenings and parking capacity was identified in close proximity. Pedestrian data collection revealed of N. Meridian for school related Item Summary/Recommendation : St. Patrick's Church and Private School is located at Avenue and has an enrollment of 274 students from Pre-K through The church and school campus extends from Garden Avenue on the west to the Biscayne Waterway on the east and is bisected by N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and W. 39th Street. While all the classrooms are located west of N. Meridian Avenue, the gymnasium, library, field, and cafeteria are all located east of N. Meridian Avenue, thus resulting in a high number of children crossing N. Meridian Avenue each school day. ln 1995, the City issued a twenty (20) year revocable permit for the installation electrical traffic control arms along with additional parking and landscaping on N. Meridian Avenue. Cunently, the street is closed by way of electrical arm gates that block vehicular access when school is in session (approximately 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM). When school is not in session, the gates are opened to allow the public to use the on-street parking along N. Meridian Avenue. Cityltaff met with representatives from the St. Patrick's Church and School Administration to discuss the school's concems with the safety of students given the characteristics of the cunent closure. The Church and School Administration requested authorization from the City to fence-off the public right-of-way along N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39th Street in an effort to minimize the threat of unauthorized pedestrians or animals from entering the school Glmpus and potentially jeopardizing the safety and security of the school children. On October 23,2013, this item was discussed at the Land Use and Development Committee (LUDC) meeting. The Committee passed a motion instructing the Administration to issue a Right-of-Way permit immediately for a fence and gate and to perform a traffic and parking analysis for the permanent vehicular closure of N. Meridian Avenue. The Committee directed the Administration to issue the permit for 120 days and present the traffic and parking study once completed. Following further coordination between the City and school administration, it was determined that the Parish would retain the services of a traffic engineer to conduct the required traffic and parking analysis. The draft traffic study was submitted to the City's Transportation Department and Public Works Department for review in June 2014. The results of the traffic study were discussed at the June 12,2014 LUDC meeting. At the meeting, the Committee was informed that the traffic study found the closure to have negligible adverse impacts on vehicular traffic circulation and pedestrian circulation. The Committee was also informed that the traffic study would be forwarded to the Miami- Dade County Public Works and Waste Management's Traffic Engineering Division for its review and approval. The Committee proffered he closure of N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39'n Street via a fence during school hours. Following the LUDC meeting, the St. Patrick Parish School-Gated Road Closure Draft Traffic Study was forwarded to the County for its review. The County determined that the impacts of the proposed street closure on vehicular traffic were negligible and expressed no objections to the road closure for only vehicular traffic; however, the County objected to the full closure of the right-of-way to pedestrians. Additional comments pertaining to operational requirements were submitted by the County. These comments have been shared with the school's traffic engineer and were discussed at the July 9,2014 LUDC meeting. At the meeting, members of the clergy, school administration, teachers, and parents expressed @ncerns with the safety of students given the cunent "open" ltreet conditions. Members of the clergy, school administration, teachers, and parents expressed the desire to permanently close N. Meridian Avenue, including the sidewalk, to befter protect the children from possible extemal threats that may result from unauthorized pedestrians or animals entering the school campus, wtrich could jeopardize the safety and security of the school children. Pursuant to Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners Resolution No. R-545-97 authorizing the implementation of the County's Traffic Flow Modification(s/ Street Closure(s) Procedure Manual (Manual) and subsequent extension granted under Resolution No. R-66-00, the County has jurisdiction over all trafftc flow modifications and closures within unincorporated Miami-Dade County or municipalities. Pursuant to Section 1.6 of the Manual, a municipality may pass a resolution after a public hearing requesting the Miami-Dade County Public Works Department to consider the proposed traffic flow modifi cation/street closure. THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVING THE RESOLUTION t-anO Use and Development Committee recommended that the City Commission set a public hearing in order to provide a recommendation to Miami-Dade County Public Works Department to consider the permanent closure of the street and sidewalk fronting St. Patrick's Church and School N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39th Street. Financial lnformation : Source of Funds: Amount Account 1 2 3 Total Financial lmpact Summary: run n-Offs: Dryqrtment Director Asslstjy/fity Manager Gity Manager JRG ]E&KGBT0rP-,JLM \--.,rl t 1 D* rrErrr R1NMIAMI BEACH a^rE )13-/q964 g MIAAAIBEACH City of frtiomi Beoch, 1700 Convenlion Cenler Drive, Miomi Beoch, Florido 33139, www.miomibeochfl.gov COMMISSION MEMORANDUM Mayor Philip Levine and Members Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager July 23,2014 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AT ITS JULY 9,2014 MEETING, AND SETTING A PUBLIG HEARING IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO MIAMI.DADE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO CONSIDER THE PERMANENT CLOSURE OF THE STREET AND SIDEWALK FRONTING ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH AND SCHOOL, ALONG N. MERIDIAN AVENUE BETWEEN BARRY STREETAND 39TH STREET. BACKGROUND St. Patrick's Church and Private School is located at3716 Garden Avenue and has an enrollmentof 274 students from Pre-K through th grade. The church and school campus extends from Garden Avenue on the west to the Biscayne Waterway on the east and is bisected by N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and W. 39th Street. While all the classrooms are located west of N. Meridian Avenue, the gymnasium, library, field, and cafeteria are all located east of N. Meridian Avenue, thus resulting in a high number of children crossing N. Meridian Avenue each school day. Currently, the street is closed by way of electrical arm gates that block vehicular access when school is in session (approximately 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM). When school is not in session, the gates are opened to allow the public to use the on-street parking along N. Meridian Avenue. ln 1995, the City issued a twenty (20) year revocable permit for the installation electrical traffic control arms along with additional parking and landscaping on N. Meridian Avenue. Prior to the approval of the partial closure via the electrically operated traffic control arm gates, barricades were deployed every morning to close the road. While vehicles cannot enter N. Meridian Avenue while the arm gates are lowered, the current means of closure allows for pedestrians to enter the school campus with no restrictions. lt is worth noting that south of Barry Street, N. Meridian Avenue is permanently closed to vehicular traffic by way of curbed street closure. City staff met with representatives from the St. Patrick's Church and School Administration to discuss the school's request for permanent closure of N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39ft Street. The School Administration expressed concerns with the safety of students given recent violent events that have occurred in other schools in the nation. The Church and School Administration requested authorization from the City to fence-off the public right-of-way along N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39th Street in an effort to minimize the threat of unauthorized pedestrians or animals from entering the school campus and potentially jeopardizing the safety and security of the school children. On October 23,2013, this item was discussed at the Land Use and Development Committee (LUDC) meeting. The Committee passed a motion instructing the Administration to issue a Right-of- Way permit immediately for a fence and gate and to perform a traffic and parking analysis for the permanent vehicular closure of N. Meridian Avenue. The Committee directed the Administration to TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: the City 965 St. Patrick's School Permanent Closure of Street and Sidewalk Along N. Meridian Avenue Between Barry Sfreef and 3dh Sfreef July 23, 2014 Page 2 of 2 issue the permit tor 120 days and present the traffic and parking study once completed. Following further coordination between the City and school administration, it was determined that the Parish would retain the services of a traffic engineer to conduct the required traffic and parking analysis. The draft traffic study was submitted to the City's Transportation Department and Public Works Department for review in June 2014. The results of the traffic study were discussed at the June 12, 2014 LUDC meeting. At the meeting, the Committee was informed that the traffic study found the closure to have negligible adverse impacts on vehiculartraffic circulation and pedestrian circulation. The Committee was also informed that the traffic study would be forwarded to the Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste Management's Traffic Engineering Division for its review and approval. The Committee proffered the closure of N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39h Street via a fence during school hours. Following the LUDC meeting, the St. Patrick Parish School-Gated Road Closure DraftTrafficStudy was forwarded to the County for its review. The County determined that the impacts of the proposed street closure on vehiculartraffic were negligible and expressed no objections to the road closure for only vehicular traffic; however, the County objected to the full closure of the right-of-way to pedestrians. Additional comments pertaining to operational requirements were submitted by the County. These comments have been shared with the school's traffic engineer and were discussed at the July 9, 2014 LUDC meeting. At the meeting, members of the clergy, school administration, teachers, and parents expressed concems with the safety of students given the current "open" street conditions. Members of the clergy, school administration, teachers, and parents expressed the desire to permanently close N. Meridian Avenue, including the sidewalk, to better protect the children from possible external threats that may result from unauthorized pedestrians or animals entering the school campus, which could jeopardize the safety and security of the school children. ANALYSIS Pursuantto Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners Resolution No. R-545-97 authorizing the implementation of the County's Traffic Flow Modification(s/ Street Closure(s) Procedure Manual (Manual) and subsequent extension granted under Resolution No. R-66-00, the County has jurisdiction over all traffic flow modifications and closures within unincorporated Miami-Dade County or municipalities. Pursuant to Section 1 .6 of the Manual, a municipality may pass a resolution after a public hearing requesting the Miami-Dade County Public Works Department to consider the proposed traffic flow modification/street closure. As such, the LUDC made a recommendation, at its July 9, 2014 meeting, that the City Commission set a public hearing in order to provide a recommendation to Miami-Dade County Public Works Department to consider the permanent closure of the street and sidewalk fronting St. Patrick's Church and School, along N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39th Street. CONCLUSION The Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission approve a resolution accepting the recommendation of the LUDC at its July 9,2014 meeting, and setting a public hearing in order to provide a recommendation to Miami-Dade County Public Works Department to consider the permanent closure of the street and sidewalk fronting St. Patrick's Church and School, along N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39th Street.,fr \ilL J.r, D 'KGB/JRG/ETC/JFD T:\AGENDAUoI4uuty\St. Patrick's School Pemanent Closure of Street and Sidewalk Along N. Meridian Avenue Between Barry Street and 39th Street.doc 966 RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AT ITS JULY 9,2014 MEETING, AND SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO MIAMI.DADE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO CONSIDER THE PERMANENT CLOSURE OF THE STREET AND SIDEWALKS FRONTING ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH AND SCHOOL, ALONG N. MERIDIAN AVENUE BETWEEN BARRY STREET AND 39TH STREET. WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach holds a right-of-way dedication to a street and sidewalks fronting St. Patrick's Church and School, along N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39th Street (the Street); and WHEREAS, St. Patrick's Church and School is located at3716 Garden Avenue, and has an enrollment of 274 students from Pre-K through 8th grade; and WHEREAS, over the years St. Patrick's has requested the City's assistance in dealing with traffic, safety, and security of its students in accessing the Street; and WHEREAS, in 1995, the City issued a 20 year revocable permit for the installation of the electrical traffic control arm along with additional parking and landscaping on N. Meridian Avenue, and in the interim allowed the Street to be blocked by barricades to ensure no traffic during the time the children were going to school; and WHEREAS, currently, the Street is closed by way of electrical arm gates that block vehicular access when school is in session from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and when school is not in session, the gates are opened to allow the public to use the on-site parking along N. Meridian Avenue; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 1.6 of the Miami-Dade County "Traffic Flow Modification(s)/Street Closure(s) Procedure" Manual (Manual), of the Miami-Dade County Public Works Department Traffic Engineering Division, a public hearing of a municipality may be held, and a request for street closure may be transmitted to the County for consideration; and WHEREAS, Section 1.6 of the Manual provides that the County Public Works Department will make the determination to close a street, upon a municipality passing a resolution, after public hearing, on the issue of the proposed street closure; and WHEREAS, the Clergy and school administrators from St. Patrick's Church and School have expressed concerns for the safety of the vulnerable student population; and WHEREAS, the Clergy and School, Congregation, parents, and teachers are seeking to permanently close the Street to better protect the minor children from 967 possible external threats that may result from unauthorized pedestrians or animals entering the school campus, which could jeopardize the safety and security of the school children; and WHEREAS, during the July 9, 2014 Land Use and Development Committee meeting, the Clergy for St. Patrick's, as well as many parents from the Congregation and School, supported the aforestated Street closure, due to security and safety concerns; and WHEREAS, the Land Use and Development Committee recommended that the City Commission schedule a public hearing to hear from the community as to whether it is in the public interest to permanently close the street and sidewalks fronting St. Patrick's Church and School, along N. Meridian Avenue between, Barry Street and 39th Street. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA that the Mayor and City Commission hereby accept the recommendation of the Land Use and Development Committee at its July 9, 2014 meeting, and sets a public hearing in order to provide a recommendation to the Miami-Dade County Public Works Department to consider the permanent closure of the street and sidewalks fronting St. Patrick's Church and School, along N. Meridian Avenue between Barry Street and 39th Street. PASSED and ADOPTED this ,day of 2014. PHILIP LEVINE, MAYOR ATTEST: RAFAEL E. GRANADO, CITY CLERK APPROVED AS TO FORM & TANGUAGE t-t4-/ - DoleCitvAttornev -*" 968 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 969