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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNBCRA Advisory Committee March-10 minutes 1700 Convention Center Drive Miami Beach, FL 33139 www.miamibeachfl.gov/northbeachcra NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NBCRA) ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, March 10, 2026 Normandy Shores Golf Club, 2401 Biarritz Drive Members in Attendance • Tom Richerson, Vice-Chair • David Cohen • Romina Orozco-Encio • Sam Latone • Laura Veitia • David Sexton, ex officio 1. Call to Order & Attendance NBCRA Advisory Committee (“Committee”) Vice-Chair Tom Richerson called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. Committee Business 2. Election of the Committee Chair & Vice Chair Motion 1: The Members re-elect Ronnie Issenberg as the Chair and Tom Richerson as Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee. Motion made by: Sam Latone Seconded by: Romina Orozco-Encio Vote: Passed unanimously (5 – 0) 3. Approval of January 2026 Meeting Minutes Committee member Sam Latone made a motion to approve the minutes for January 13, 2026 meeting, and Committee member Romina Orozco-Encio seconded the motion. The minutes were approved by acclamation. 4. New Member Welcome and Introduction Committee Vice-Chair Richerson introduced Laura Veitia as the newest member of the Committee. Ms. Veitia has long been an active Miami Beach resident and in North Beach as a commercial property owner and board member of the Normandy Fountain Business Association and property owner. North Beach CRA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes – March 10, 2026 2 5. Legislative Update • Presenter: Nick Kallergis, Chief Deputy City Attorney City staff provided a brief update on the status of the Commercial Façade Program application item that did not get heard at the March 4, 2026 Commission/CRA Board meeting. A discussion ensued about ways in which the program could be made more efficient. Ex-officio member Mr. Sexton informed the Committee about a potential opportunity in partnership with the Tourism Department Art in Public Places Program (AIPP) to paint a large mural on the east façade of the Bay Supermarket building. Mr. Kallergis provided an update on the legislative session concluding in Tallahassee and informed the Committee that this year there hasn’t been any legislation advanced that directly affects the State’s CRAs as was the case in the legislative session last year. A brief discussion followed in regard to sunsetting CRAs and how that process is performed. Vice-Chair Richerson asked Mr. Kallergis about the Beachfront Management Plan Ad-Hoc Advisory Group meeting that occurred earlier in the day and again raised concerns about beach concession management by City vendor Boucher Brothers in regard to the rental of chairs and umbrellas and the operation of these concessions on public beaches. Mr. Kallergis explained that the City’s main concern is the effect of these concessions on the public rights of use, access and enjoyment. The Committee then raised concerns on how to ensure responsible usage of the space and prevent the vendors from overcrowding the space by placing chairs and umbrellas in spaces that are not occupied by clients, especially since based on previous presentations to the Committee there is only one City employee that monitors the whole beachfront. Following a brief exchange, the Committee motioned. Motion 2: Exploration of using NBCRA funds for beach concession enforcement officer in the CRA area. The Committee recommends that the City and NBCRA staff explore the possibility of augmenting the patrolling and enforcement of beach chair/umbrella concessionaires in the NBCRA area using CRA funds. Motion made by: Sam Latone Seconded by: Romina Orozco-Encio Vote: Passed unanimously (5 – 0) 6. City Liaisons Updates • Presenter: David Gomez, Director of Capital Improvement Projects Department North Beach CRA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes – March 10, 2026 3 Mr. Gomez provided a brief update on the Normandy Fountain shade project. At the request of Vice-Chair Richerson, Mr. Gomez also updated the Committee on the status of the Tennis Center project. New Business 7. Security and Safety Updates • Presenter: Neighborhood Resource Officer Julio Blanco, Police Department Officer Blanco reported positive trends in recent crime statistics, noting that the NBCRA has seen a 20% decrease in crime in Fiscal Year 2025 compared to 2024. He also noted that the city is currently reporting the lowest number of recorded homeless individuals in recent years. Officer Blanco credited this progress in part to the NBCRA enhanced funding—not only for policing, but also for code enforcement and sanitation services—which he described as a determinate factor in the overall improvement of the area. 8. Good and Welfare Mr. David Sexton invited the members to attend the presentation of a new business welcome certificate by the Economic Development Department to the new restaurant Ezio’s. Members inquired about and discussed the status of the Byron Carlyle Project. City Staff introduced the newest member of the Economic Development Department team, Annie Norris, Office Associate, who provided a brief introduction to the Committee. Committee member Romina Orozco-Encio thanked City staff for participating in the 100-year anniversary celebration of the Normandy Fountain. Mrs. Orozco-Encio then initiated a discussion regarding the struggles faced by businesses along the 71st Street corridor, followed by a brief conversation about several new restaurants that are opening in the area. Committee Chair Mr. Issenberg, participating remotely, requested an update on the 71st Street Lighting project be provided at the next meeting. Member Romina Orozco-Encio then inquired about the possibility of installing an electronic digital kiosk in the fountain plaza. After a discussion among the members and City staff, it was agreed that staff will conduct some further due diligence and report back to the Committee. Action Item • Staff to follow up with the Public Works Department in regard to the City’s vendor contract for IKE digital kiosks and report back to the Committee. 9. Adjournment A motion to adjourn was approved, and the meeting was adjourned at 5:25 p.m. Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. – Normandy Shores Golf Club