Directors/Alternates Present
T. Sinclair (Tory) Jacobs/Brickell 25
Jorge Iglesias/Brickell Mar
Bruce Cotten/2000 Brickell
Celestino Pena/Brickell Harbour
Robert Kohn/Brickell Key II
Mac Seligman/Brickell Townhouse
Cathy Coates/Brickell Key I
Norman Mininberg/Brickell Place Phase I
Jay Morton/Bristol Tower
Natalie Brown/ BHA Communications Director
City of Miami Present
Otto Boudet-Murias/Office of the Mayor
Frank Balzebre/ Commissioner Winton’s Office
Officer Jeffrey Giordano, Commander Frank Fernandez/Miami Police Department
Also Present
Dale Simpson, Georgina Pardo, Sam Gil/Camillus House
Alberto Waisman, Guillermo Victoria/Sarmiento Outdoor
Ernie Guiterez/Bristol Tower
Estelle Sorkin/Brickell Harbour
Linda Baker, Joseph A. Bier/Brickell Place Phase I
David Thompson/Brickell 25
A motion was made by Mac Seligman and seconded by Jay Morton to waive the reading of the June minutes and accept them as published. The motion passed unanimously.
President’s Report
Noise Abatement. The City has hired an airplane noise specialist to advise on the task force and keep pace with the Miami Airport people. We are optimistic that having a professional in aviation will help in dealing with this ongoing problem.
FAR Bonuses. In January BHA passed a Resolution asking the City to reexamine the program for its efficacy today. On Sept. 11 the City Planning Dept. presented recommended changes to the bonus structure which is now in the approval process (to be codified).
Candidates Forum. Very successful; standing room only on Aug. 29th. At our Oct. 16th meeting, Mayor Alex Penelas is coming to One Tequesta Point to talk about the Transit Tax proposal to be on the Nov. 5 ballot. The City of Miami is for it.
Welcome to Otto from the Mayor’s office.
Police Report-Officer Jeff Giordano & Commander Frank Fernandez
Two robberies in Brickell area. One appeared to be an abduction but it was really a robbery. 801 Brickell Avenue – homeless on homeless.
September 11: Huge flag drapped down from Four Seasons. 62nd floor facing north…you may have seen it.
Dale Simpson, Camillus House.
Founded in 1960 originally to deal with immigration influx. Well beyond the “soup kitchen” that most people perceive as the organization’s single mission. The goal is to end homelessness. Has treatment program, housing services, work program. Camillus is the largest transitional housing provider in Miami. Proposed site for new facility at NW 7th Avenue and 12th…near the jail, Jackson Memorial Hospital. It’s a $20 million capital project with $15 million projected to come from the federal government and only $5 million local funding (about half of which will be realized from the sale of the current facility in Downtown). Asking for the support of BHA for the proposed site. Camillus believes that they can eradicate homelessness, but needs the right facility to do its work.
Homeless people in Brickell is one of our biggest complaints from the neighbors. Frank Balzebre of Commissioner Winton’s office urged that the BHA support the move and pressure the commissioners to support it as well.
Bus Bench Advertising
A recap of the program: Was to include 1,500 benches, 900 with advertising panels. 60 structures installed already. They know BHA is not happy with those installed in our area. They’re working on alternative designs. Will be working with community shortly. Will present different design to Commissioner Winton’s district. We want to solve the problem in residential Brickell. In 4 districts they’ll get wooden. 3 alternatives for wooden, steel and wire mesh that they’ll be presenting for Winton’s district.
Q: are you going to remove the advertising panels that are on Brickell now?
A: Yes, definitely.
Other comments:
“The first one that came out blocked 75-80% of the sidewalk.”
“We are fighting to keep our area residential and will boycott any advertiser.”
“The sidewalk is our park, our recreation area.”
Sarmiento’s plan is now to keep the same count of benches and advertising panels but separate the panel from the benches and limit the panels to commercial areas.
1900 Brickell Avenue – The Plastic Surgeon’s office
Surgeon wants us to support his effort to have the “no surgery” covenants removed and then he’ll landscape the place more to our liking.
Norm Mininberg moved and Jay Morton seconded a motion that said no deal, the BHA is not interested in this proposal as none of the surgeon’s previous promises have been kept. Passed unanimously.
Meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
Next Meeting: Wed., Oct. 16, 2002, One Tequesta Point. 6:00 p.m. with Mayor Penelas to talk about the transit tax proposal on the ballot.
