Minutes of the BHA Directors Meeting
October 15, 2003, One Tequesta Point
Directors/Alternates Present
T. Sinclair (Tory) Jacobs/Brickell 25
Berdie Archer, Gloria Konsler/One Tequesta Point
Jan Jones/The Palace
Sheila Zemsky/Brickell Key I
Mac Seligman/Brickell Townhouse
Michael Harned/Santa Maria
Herbert J. Bailey/Brickell Forest
Ronald K. Smith, Esq., Deputy General Counsel
Natalie Brown/ BHA Communications Director
Associate Members Present
Danny Ponce/Brickell Key Master Association
Jerome Hollo/Florida East Coast Realty
Richard Basila/St. Jude Church
City of Miami
Mary Conway/Transportation Director
Javier Fernandez/Chief of Staff to the Chief of Operations
Commander Rudy Llamas, Officer Jeffrey Giordano/ MPD
Miami-Dade County
Commissioner Jimmy Morales/District 7
Joseph Pinon/Director, Homeland Security Division, Office of the County Manager
Silvia Vago-Caviglia/Commissioner Morales Staff
Also Present
Joseph A. Bier/Brickell Place, Phase I
Marilyn Goldaber/Brickell Townhouse
Christine Heller/Brickell Key I
Phil Levine/Manager, One Tequesta Point
Meeting was called to order at 6:25
Ron Smith moved and Mac Seligman seconded that the reading of the September minutes be waived and the minutes accepted as published. The motion passed unanimously.
President’s Report
Lots of good news of BHA initiatives moving forward:
- Development Bonuses. The City has an ordinance before it for consideration in November in response to the BHA Board resolution from Nov. 2001 in which we asked the City to reduce the old, no-longer-needed bonus incentives for development in the Brickell area.
- Construction Guidelines. In 2001, BHA asked the Commission for the establishment of urban construction guidelines to ease traffic flow. Now, Javier Fernandez, chief of staff to operations chief, Alica Cuervo Schreiber, is spearheading their formulation and enactment.
- Traffic Study. Mary Conway, new Director of Traffic for the City, replacing Clark Turner, was introduced. She has reviewed our traffic study proposal. She said that the City is committed to coordinating with the county and FDOT to advance the study and take whatever measures are necessary. The City will have to abide by its own procurement guidelines, which involves an RFP for the project.
- Radar Speed Reader. BHA purchased its own to have on Brickell and Brickell Key to rotate around the neighborhood for traffic calming. It is now operative.
- Sidewalk Repairs. FDOT’s Steiner said they’d take a look, assess it and in this calendar year will do some work. Or, maybe the City, using some county and/or state money, will organize repairs or replacement sooner.
Ballot Item for Nov. 4. Commissioner Johnny Winton is advocating a charter amendment to set Commissioners’ salaries at 60% of the Mayor’s salary, which would be $58,200 instead of the token $5,000 per year they are presently paid. BHA has supported this effort in the past.
October Police Report
Officer Jeff Giordano reported there were no burglaries, no robberies in Brickell area in October, although there was a theft on Brickell Key and two on Brickell Bay Drive. There were a few robberies on Coral Way… mostly Stolen Cars. Commander Rudy Llanes said of the 15 stolen cars in the Coral Way area last month, four were at gas stations. He advised to never leave keys in the car at the station, even for a few moments.
Speeding on Brickell Key Bridge Question. Commander runs four details a month and writes a bunch of tickets. The answer has to be environmental, not enforcement. Commander will look into possible humps or dips…will speak to Commissioner Regaldo’s office.
Immanuel Lutheran Church – School Proposal
The Church is asking for the City of Miami to grant them a Special Exception to lease space to a school/daycare center for operation at the site. The school would be a Montesorri School serving about 60 elementary age children. The South Miami Avenue Homeowners Association is against the request, due to the additional traffic the school is expected to generate and due to the commercial nature of the request in the midst of a residential neighborhood. Brickell Place Phase I board members are opposed to the exception, Joe Bier said, and Santa Maria reported some of their board members are against a special exception, although they had not passed a resolution.
Ron Smith made the following motion:
WHEREAS, members of the Brickell Homeowners Association have long valued their collaborative, supportive relationship with the Immanuel Lutheran Church, particularly relating to our common efforts to serve and enhance our residential neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, BHA members want the Church to be able to grow to better serve our community and have supported efforts and events at the church in the past;
WHEREAS, BHA members have adamantly opposed non-residential, commercial establishments on Brickell Avenue throughout its entire history;
WHEREAS, the proposed project would be a for-profit, commercial venture;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that BHA members are opposed to the granting of a special exception to allow for the construction and establishment of a daycare center/school at the Immanuel Lutheran Church site.
The motion in favor of the Resolution passed by a wide margin.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Jimmy Morales Accompanied by Joe Piñon, Miami-Dade Director of Homeland Security.
The Commissioner gave an update on projects, issues and governmental matters including:
- The new Beethoven Promenade established at the Brickell Metrorail Station shortly after defeating the Greyhound Bus Terminal relocation there
- Transportation issues, now that the transit tax is approaching its one-year anniversary since passage
- Water and Sewage infrastructure needs in the near future
- Parks and greenspace
Joe Piñon discussed the efforts underway to prepare for the FTAA meetings Nov. 17-22, which are expected to be heavily protested with downtown traffic rerouting and congestion. He said security forces are going to be well prepared, and have learned from the mistakes of other cities that did not anticipate the violence, damage and disruption the protesters would cause.
There will be meetings where specifics are discussed about openings, closings and general expectations. On Oct. 29, the Downtown Bay Forum topic is FTAA; on Nov. 4, the Brickell Area Association will discuss it. The police have an in-depth presentation. There will be areas where you’ll need credentials to get in; where traffic will not be allowed, etc.
The November BHA Board of Directors Meeting has been cancelled on advice of MPD due to possible protest activities in connection with the FTAA meetings to be held at the same time.
