LTC 283-2008 Lake Pancoast Neighborhood CIP Project Parking Issues~~r`kl~~~(`'
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER LETTER TO COMMISSION
NO. LTC # 283-2008
TO: Mayor Matti H. Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: October 28, 2008
SUBJECT: Lake Pancoast Neighborhood CIP Project Parking Issues
The purpose of this LTC is to advise you of the background and current status of the Lake
Pancoast neighborhood Right-of-Way Project (ROW) and provide information as to the effects
to be expected to parking in the neighborhood once the project is constructed.
Parking has always been an issue in the Lake Pancoast neighborhood, just as it is in many of
the other neighborhoods in which we are doing ROW projects. The Basis of Design Report
(BODR) which the City Commission previously approved for this project states that for the entire
Lake Pancoast neighborhood (BP-8C), we had intended to provide "parking spaces for
approximately 120 cars." The 100% design drawings which we have reviewed with Miami-Dade
County and they have approved provide a total of 117 parking spaces for the Lake Pancoast
neighborhood. We believe the intent of the approved BODR has been met.
Although it is difficult to quantify the number of vehicles that park informally/illegally under the
existing conditions, this issue has been discussed with residents and stakeholders throughout
the project's planning and design phases, including additional neighborhood and Collins Park
Homeowners Association (HOA) meetings, and Historic Preservation Board (HPB) hearings. We
believe that all involved throughout the process have been aware of the issues caused by the
curtent informal parking conditions and the challenges thatwould occur once the ROW project
improvements are constructed. Beginning in the planning phase it was recognized that fewer
vehicles in total would be able to park in the neighborhood once the improvements were
constructed and the parking was brought into code compliance and formalized. CIP staff
has reviewed the parking situation in the Lake Pancoast neighbofiood and prepared the
following analysis based on some recent resident requests and comments:
1. The City would not prevail if it challenges the County and proposes installing angle parking
on Flamingo Drive from 24th Street to 25th Street. This design was actually proposed in an
earlier stage of the plans and not pursued. Due to the width of the ROW in this area, the only
way we could construct angle parking would be to not provide a sidewalk. This would create a
situation where pedestrians would be forced to walk in the street resulting in a design safety
issue that the County will not permit. The CIP Office discussed this issue with the City's Planning
Department and they were in agreement.
2. Proposing to remove some of the landscaped islands on 24th Street and Liberty Avenue to
gain an additional 3 or 4 parking spaces would require making another presentation to the HPB.
These islands were added to the project at the request of the HPB and we would have to go
before the Board at a public hearing to request the modification. Given the small number of
parking spaces that would be gained and since this was a significant issue to the HPB when we
previously presented the project, the City does not believe the change would be well received.
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The Administration could certainly take this issue to a hearing and reclaim the spaces if the City
Commission should desire.
3. The City could consider providing on-street parking on Flamingo Place between 25`h Street
and 26th Street. However, this area is all single-family homes and the Planning
Department states that at one time there was on-street parking on this block and that at the
residents' request the parking was removed and the swafe areas reclaimed by the
residents. The City would anticipate there would be strong resident opposition from this
area over any proposal to reintroduce on-street parking.
The project is currently at 100% design and is scheduled to begin the permitting phase. Any
significant revisions at this time would likely require additional services from the project
consultant resulting in additional delay and cost to the project.
As is typical with ROW projects, staff works with the consultant and the regulatory agencies,
when possible, to accommodate resident requests for minor modifications to the proposed
design. However, given the level of community interest in parking related issues we are in the
process of scheduling a community meeting in early November to review the completed design
and regulatory issues, discuss parking plan options and address any concerns. If as a result of
the meeting there is consensus for a significant deviation from the approved BODR, then this
request and its associated cost impact would be submitted to the City Commission for review
and consideration.
With regard to recent discussion concerning the numberof Parking Department Zone 11 permits
that have been issued, the Parking Department reports that as of September 29, 2008, 252
Residential Permits and 93 Visitor Hang Tags have been issued, for a total of 345. The total
number of permits issued as a function of total parking spaces available is not inconsistent with
other Zone Parking districts throughout the City.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to let me know
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