Past BHA News
BHA News, Vol. XIV, No. 2 Summer 2004
Brickell
Traffic Improvement: Myth, Moving
Target or Mobilization?
Over the couple of weeks, BHA
has met with FDOT and City of Miami
administrators in an effort
to get a realistic timetable for implementation of the planned
improvements to facilitate
traffic flow and to ascertain
what steps, if any, can
be taken to accelerate completion of these
projects. First of all,
it should be noted that traffic congestion
in Miami is a serious problem
with dire economic consequences. That said, it should also be
recognized
that traffic concerns are
often raised as a ploy to
delay or
prevent development.
The Two-Waying of SE 8th Street
This is a City of Miami project
even though it is US 41. The City took it over in the belief
that under City auspices the project could be completed sooner
than if done by FDOT.
The best current
estimate of the completion
date is the second or
third quarter of
2006 – two
years from now. This
is to convert just
two blocks, from
Brickell Avenue to
South Miami Avenue. Only after there
is some experience
with how the two blocks as two-way work will
the mandatory study
be initiated to extend
the two-way on to
I-95 and perhaps eventually
on to 27th Avenue.
The two-waying of SE 8th Street
is just one of the traffic improvement projects planned by the
City.
FDOT’s
Planned Brickell
Improvements
The repositioning of signalization
at the intersection
of Brickell Avenue and SE 15th Road with improved approach
lanes for turns should be completed within
90 days.
The Brickell
Project Development & Environmental (PD&E)
study which covers
Brickell from 26th Road to the River
with all intersections and adjacent traffic flows is
scheduled to commence
in October 2004 “and the Department will try to
accelerate it so that it may be
completed in 12 months
[4th quarter 2005].” FDOT
further comments: “The timeframe provided is an
estimate; the actual final timeframe
will be influenced
by public input and
subsequently may
increase significantly if there is a lack
of consensus.”
It will require
heavy doses of public input
to modify the FDOT
mindset for Brickell from U.S.
1 to an urban thoroughfare serving local needs.
Upon completion
of the PD&E study, the next set of steps will
take six months
to a year or
two, depending on the complexity of the construction.
FDOT plans in terms of fiscal years ending
in
June. (The neighbors’ expectations are in terms
of weeks, so
it is no wonder that the
community is
rife with frustration.)
There are three
facets to traffic
improvement:
1)
Projects & Programs initiated by the City, County or
State to enable usage
of current streets to be more efficient.
2) Instead of automobiles,
more use of alternative
modes of transportation, including walking and public transit.
3) Realistic expectations.
Perhaps our
point of reference should be
midtown Manhattan today rather than the pace of Brickell
a quarter-century ago.
BHA vows to
redouble its efforts
to monitor both FDOT and the
City’s progress in implementing
the traffic
improvement projects and programs. We will be
zealous in
our efforts to speed-up the process.
We have been
patient
long enough. See
related story on “New Coalition
Reflects Neighborhoods' #1 Problem .”
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Save the
Date: Thursday, August 19
Brickell Homeowners
Association, in partnership with the Miami-Roads Neighborhood
Civic Association, South Miami Avenue Homeowners Association
and the Brickell Area Association,
will host its annual Candidates Forum, Thursday, August 19, 7:00
p.m., at Miami Museum of Science & Planetarium,
3280 South Miami Avenue (across
from Vizcaya). All neighbors are invited and urged to attend.
Candidates have been invited from each race in the Brickell, South
Miami Avenue and Roads neighborhood districts. All non-judicial
candidates in county-wide and state races who will appear on our
neighborhood ballots have also been invited.
This year marks the 13th year of Candidates Forums hosted by BHA
and partners as a means for residents to hear from and question
candidates about matters of particular importance to them. The
format includes a brief presentation of three to five minutes by
each candidate in a particular race. Then, attendees are invited
to ask questions of the group pertaining to that specific office,
issues, qualifications and experience.
There are several races in BHA districts this year and many candidates
for neighbors to hear from. The seat for Miami-Dade County Commissioner
of District 7, which encompasses Brickell Avenue, has drawn five
contenders looking to replace current Commissioner Jimmy Morales
who is running for Mayor of Miami-Dade County. The School Board
District 3 seat is also up for grabs with the retirement of Chairman
Michael Krop leaving the Board after 24 years. Miami-Dade District
5 Commissioner Bruno Barreiro, whose district includes Brickell
Key, faces a single challenger.
And then, of
course, there’s the hotly contested county-wide
race for Miami-Dade Mayor with
a field of nine candidates. Mayor Alex Penelas who is term-limited
is running for U.S. Senate.
The Candidates
Forum will take place in the Museum of Science’s
Theater off the main lobby
for optimal attendee space
and presentation capabilities. Refreshments will be served in
the lobby.
The Primary Election is Tuesday,
August 31, and the General
Election, including any
needed run-offs and the race
for U.S. President, is Tuesday, November 2.
Candidates
List Brickell-Roads
Miami-Dade
County Commission District
5
John Michael Alphonso
Bruno A. Barreiro (Incumbent)
County
Commission District 7
Clyde
Cates, Jr.
Carlos A. Gimenez
Hector Morales-George
Andres Rivero
Xavier L. Suarez
Miami-Dade County
Mayor (County-wide election)
Carlos Alvarez
Deliverance Charles Blue
Jose C. Cancela
Miguel Diaz de la Portilla
Maurice A. Ferré
Jay N. Love
Jimmy Morales
Dave Slater
Alejandro White
School Board
District 3
Randy Heimler
Martin Karp
Michael Kosnitzky
United States
Representative District 18
David Y. Patlak (DEM)
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
(REP) (Incumbent)
Sam Sheldon (DEM)
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President's
Column By T. Sinclair (Tory)
Jacobs: City Ordinance Should
Cover Construction
Sprawl
At first glance,
we were sure that an Ordinance
on a June City of Miami Commission agenda would address “construction
sprawl.” If
you live or work in the Brickell
and Downtown area, you know
what we mean by this: equipment, materials, trucks and other
forms of
blockage on the streets and
sidewalks that have somehow
become the norm, but not a phenomenon that most find an acceptable
usurpation
of public rights of way.
The
11-page ordinance was on
the agenda as an “emergency” item
(EM.3 [04-00556]) and had a preamble that began:
“
WHEREAS, the City of Miami
has a substantial and significant
governmental interest to keep its streets and sidewalks
open and available for the movement of
people and property, which
is the primary purpose of (for) which the streets are
dedicated; …”
We thought that
the language would continue
to the effect that construction sprawl
would be prohibited and
that sidewalks adjacent
to buildings under construction
or repair would require protective
cover so that pedestrians
would not be forced out
into the street. We’re all familiar with
such accommodations,
we’ve even seen them here in our
hometown in the past:
passageways constructed for people,
often with attractive
signage or a graphic montage of imagery to hide the
unattractive, messiness
of construction,
and most important, to
protect the safety, and
right-of-way, of pedestrians.
We were expecting
language that would prohibit the
blocking of traffic
lanes by equipment and trucks as a means
to help alleviate much
of the traffic snarls
that we experience daily. These
exasperating tie-ups
where
the construction company
seems king and those
needing access are
an afterthought, are causing many to call for putting
the brakes on development.
It’s causing folks to say, “We don’t
want whatever it is you’re building if we’re
expected to forego fundamental quality of life matters for
months on end.” But,
no, blocking streets
by construction crews wasn’t there
either. Instead, the
language went on to discuss parades and
constitutional matters
of assembly:
“No person
shall obstruct, close, or cause to be obstructed
or closed, any street or sidewalk, or park in this city or impede the
general movement
of vehicular or
pedestrian traffic
without first having obtained a permit approved by the police department, the
public
works department, the parks
department and fire-rescue
department. After approval by the departments of police, public works,
parks and fire-rescue, the city manager
or designee, shall
issue a permit.”
It really sounded
like ideal language for a
Construction Sprawl eradication
ordinance, but that’s
not what the focus
of the ordinance was about at all. (And where are the guidelines
and criteria for each department’s evaluation
of requests for
permits?)
It’s especially
disappointing to see construction sprawl still overlooked after
the Brickell Homeowners Association’s
appearance before
the City Commission in January 2002
with a Resolution
requesting remedial action by the City on this very problem.
We thought
it was a “slam-dunk” for this ordinance,
but actually
we weren ’t in the game at all.
Isn't it now
time to act?
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Condominium
Acts
Florida
Legislature
establishes ombudsman office, discards most other
proposed changes. . .at least
until next session Of the more than two dozen Condominium Act changes proposed by
a House committee this past legislative session, only a few items
actually made it through both the House and Senate and were signed
into law by Governor Jeb Bush. “What
ultimately passed was a good balance,” Senator
Gwen Margolis told BHA Directors
in June. “The changes are not dramatic, but we’re
looking forward to seeing the existing
laws enforced.”
Senator Gwen Margolis at
BHA Board meeting answers
questions posed by Ernesto
Cuesta and Herb Bailey.
The establishment
of the Office of the Condominium Ombudsman,
with funding for a half-dozen
staff members, was enacted
to speed up the process of investigating complaints
and resolving disputes
among boards and owners out of court.
Historically and notoriously
slow in arbitrating condo clashes, the Division
of Florida Land Sales,
Condominiums and Mobile Homes (DFLSCMH) will
get the new Ombudsman Office
to cut the turnaround time in half, she said.
“The ombudsman
will train condominium boards and represent groups
of condominium owners to try to alleviate any problems before they go to court,” Senator
Margolis said. “Everyone
is going to have an opportunity
to be heard more rapidly. ”
Brickell Homeowners
Association members were
in support of the new Ombudsman
Office only if it came
with appropriate funding
to enable the division to
carry out its busy role. Senator
Margolis said she’s confident
that at $500,000, appropriate
funding has been allocated. In the past,
there have been different
perspectives as to
whether inadequate funding, too few staff, lack of training,
poor management or lax
enforcement caused
such an inefficient and ineffectual DFLSCMH. Some have suggested
that the division’s responsibilities
have been conflicting,
too diverse and cumbersome,
(not unlike its name), and that was a cause
of its bureaucratic
crawl. If the new office is able to resolve
disputes faster without
court involvement,
however, most agree it will be a welcome new resource.
The
new acts also include
the creation of the
Advisory Council
on Condominiums to receive
public input and make recommendations
for changes in condominium
law. Other changes were outlined
by Senator Margolis for BHA
as follows:
Authorizes 15%
of the total voting interests
of a condominium
association or
six unit owners, whichever
is greater, to petition the ombudsman to
appoint an election
monitor to attend the annual
meeting & conduct the election
of directors.
Amends
the Condominium Act to
provide that a resale purchaser
is entitled to
receive from
a nondeveloper a question
and answer sheet upon entering
into a contract for sale and
to require related disclosures
in the resale purchase contract.
Provides
that any amendment
restricting condominium
unit owners’ rights relating to the
rental of units
applies only
to unit owners
who consent to the amendment
or unit owners who purchase their
unit after
the effective date of the
amendment.
Requires notice
to home owners and members
of all board
meetings, and requires
an association's board to
address an item of business
if 20% of the total voting
interests petition the
board. The board would have
to take up
the petitioned item at
its next meeting or special
meeting.
Requires
associations to maintain
a copy of their governing
documents and records,
and to
provide parcel owners with
copies requested, if a copy machine
is available,
during
an inspection
if the entire request is
limited to no more
than 25
pages. Requires associations
to adopt reasonable
rules that govern the inspection
of the associations ’ records.
BHA Directors
asked
Senator Margolis
if the
measures proposed by
Representative Julio Robaina
this past session are
still under consideration
and whether
they would be re-introduced
in the next legislative
session and have any
chance of making their way
into law.
“You’re
not going to see the punitive legislation that was proposed,” she
said. “They never
filed
anything in the Senate…it was
a House
committee. ”
While
the
changes
would not
have
applied to associations like
the BHA
that is voluntary without
enforcement powers, many
BHA
condo
association members were
concerned that several
of
the
proposed
changes would
limit
or discourage participation
by residents
on their condo boards, among
other
issues.
Many condo owners statewide
spoke out against
the proposal this past
spring.
Representative
Robaina and
proponents of
the measures had
cited findings
of condominium boards out
of control and
run like dictatorships in their travels around
the state,
which now has more than one million
condominium units.
None of
the BHA
members – some 31 condominium properties – had
heard
about or participated in the hearings that precipitated the
Robaina bill.
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Activist Gains
Chance for Residents to Be Heard on
New Noise Ordinance
When Commissioners
were considering increasing the allowable levels of noise in
the City of Miami this past spring, nary a peep was
heard. Fortunately, Venetian Causeway
resident Barbara Bisno got wind of the pending new ordinance
before it made its way into law
and in time to inject citizen input
into the process.
It’s a
good thing, because any relief neighbors would have been optimistically
expecting from late
night loud music coming
from concerts at Bayside and Bayfront
Park, or by too-early construction
starts, or by drag racers in the wee hours of the morning, wasn’t
there. In fact, the new proposal – which had already passed
on first reading – would have extended construction time
by four hours, to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
six days a week instead of the
current 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. It would have allowed 85-90 decibels
after
11 p.m. and placed no limits up
until that hour.
Ms. Bisno and
a small team of concerned citizens
have been working with city staffers for several months
to create a noise ordinance that
considers residents’ quality
of life as important as commercial
ventures and developers’ interests.
They’ve raised funds to hire a noise expert to represent
these interests and delayed the
fast track approach the City
was taking to upping the levels.
Noise Pollution
Defined
How
disruptive is 85-90 decibels?
According to the Columbia Electronic
Encyclopedia, it’s hearing-damage
loud:
“Subjected to 45 decibels of noise,
the average person cannot
sleep. At 120 decibels the ear registers pain, but hearing damage begins at
a much lower
level, about 85
decibels. The duration
of the exposure is also important. There is evidence that among young Americans
hearing sensitivity
is decreasing
year by year because of
exposure
to noise, including excessively amplified music. Apart from hearing
loss, such noise can cause
lack of sleep, irritability,
heartburn, indigestion, ulcers, high blood pressure, and possibly heart disease.
One burst
of noise,
as from a passing truck,
is known to alter endocrine, neurological, and cardiovascular functions in
many individuals;
prolonged or
frequent exposure to such
noise tends to make the physiological disturbances chronic. In addition, noise-induced
stress
creates
severe tension in daily
living and contributes to mental illness.”
One can safely
conclude that loud noise is more
than merely an annoyance, it’s a serious quality
of life and human health
issue.
Next Steps
Citizens
are calling for more reasonable
allowable noise levels during the day and
at night, variable
according whether it’s a neighborhood
or commercial area.
They are trying to keep construction
hours to the current times and not
allow Saturday or Sunday
construction as well as add provisions
covering car stereos, motorcycles
and boom boxes.
Ms. Bisno
explained the current status: “Consideration of
the noise ordinance
has been deferred by the
Commission until September 23. A
form is
being distributed
[and below] whereby
citizens can indicate when
and where they have been disturbed
by noise and the source
of the noise, if possible.”
Ms. Bisno and
others working with the
noise consultant
hope the city will consult
the expert as well. A draft of
the Citizen’s
Noise Ordinance,
with the benefit
of suggestions by the consultant,
is expected to
be ready for distribution in early August and will
be accessible on
the BHA Web site.
Neighbors
should plan to attend
the September
23rd City of Miami Commission meeting.
. .and be heard
on this important issue.
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Security
Seminar: Police & Fire-Rescue Cover the Basics & High-Rise
Specifics
Knowing
your neighbors is always a good
practice,
not just to make life more pleasant,
but for added neighborhood security.
It’s an important safety measure
whether your home is situated horizontally
or vertically. Neighbors that know
one another, know each other’s
patterns, schedules and out-of-town
dates, are more apt to notice when
something isn’t right, watch
out for one another and call authorities
if something doesn’t look right.
   
Several
Miami Police and Fire-Rescue officers
came out to share information and
address concerns for BHA building
managers. BHA extends its gratitude
to Officer Giordano, Haydee Regueyra
and all the officers who participated
in the security seminar.
This
practical crime prevention tip
was one of many shared by City
of
Miami Police at the BHA security
seminar held for building security
managers, property managers, BHA
reps and residents in June.
The
BHA Security Committee led by
Mac Seligman organized
the seminar with the assistance
of Officer
Jeff
Giordano and NET Administrator
Haydee Regueyra to
learn about prevention
and safety measures specific
to
high-rise living.
Residents
should also be aware of the building’s
procedures and maintenance
schedules so that they
are able to recognize when
something is amiss.
Another
important element for
successful security is being
ultracautious
with who is hired to work
at the building,
whether employed by individual
property owners or the building’s
management. It’s always
good to get references in either
case.
“The majority of the crimes we encounter
in the condos are the result
of an ‘inside
job’,” Officer
Giordano explained.
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Hurricane
Preparedness for High-Rise Residents With
hurricane season upon us, the City
of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue Disaster Management/Public
Affairs prepared the following information
for BHA building managers and residents.
If
you’ve lived in Miami for more than 12 years, you know
that a hurricane is something to
take seriously, and to prepare
for. We’re now into the
2004 Hurricane Season, which
runs through November, so families and
businesses should have their hurricane
plans and kits ready to go now.
Residents of
high-rise buildings such as in the Brickell corridor face special
risks, and should
prepare accordingly. Along
with precautions taken by residents
at street level and inland locations,
high-rise residents should
consider the following: Actions Recommended
for Boards of Directors and Managers of High-Rise Buildings
Have a reputable engineering
firm inspect the building, including the foundation, to determine
if the building can withstand the erosion and battering of
water, wind, and waves that a hurricane brings. If the foundation
is safe and the building is sound, then residents can consider
staying unless local safety officials recommend evacuation.
If the safety of the building is in doubt, then all occupants
must plan on going to a shelter. If your building is structurally
sound, it may be used for vertical evacuation.
Organize a group of responsible residents to develop a plan
that will:
•
Monitor the hurricane’s course using information from
NOAA Weather Radio and local
officials.
• Set up guidelines for the safety
of cars.
• Provide for emergency power in
case water floods the building.
• Make certain that elevators are
not operated during the storm.
• Locate a safe area for the occupants
to congregate, encouraging them
to stay away from windows and to wedge patio doors to prevent the vibration from
ripping
them loose.
• Consider providing shelter for
other people in the area who
might be trapped when evacuation routes are closed by the effects of the approaching
hurricane.
• Provide each floor with a floor
captain or captains who have
been educated in hurricane preparedness and evacuation procedures and are able
to instruct the occupants
of their floor on what to do
in the event of a hurricane.
Actions
Recommended to Residents in High-Rise Buildings
• Know
who your floor captain is. Listen to his/her suggestions.
• Be familiar with the location
of all exit stairways.
Count how many steps you are from the door to the exit door in case the lights
are
out in the hall.
• Do not use the elevator.
• Choose a location outside the
building where members
of your family will meet if asked to evacuate.
• Rehearse your evacuation plan;
it may save lives during
a hurricane threat.
• Remove all loose items from your
terrace or patio.
•
Close and lock all windows, sliding
glass doors, and shutters.
If you do not have shutters, tape the glass in an “X” fashion
with cloth-backed tape. Glass that is coated
with a plastic sunscreen
is already somewhat protected.
Pets and
Disasters
The City has specific recommendations
for pet care planning
before, during and after the storm.
This information is included
in the online version
of BHA News at Pets
and Disasters
A
Few General Notes
Remember, City of Miami
emergency vehicles,
including fire apparatus and
rescue squads will not be allowed to respond
to calls once the winds exceed
45 mph.
Don’t
forget to establish a “point
of contact” well
outside the South
Florida area, preferably north of the
state of Florida with a friend of relative you
and your family here
in Miami can check
in with, in case you’re
separated from
loved ones during the course of a storm
or in its aftermath.
If
you are ordered to evacuate, it
may be preferable
to stay with friends or family inland
here in South
Florida to prevent
being stuck on
the road in an effort to out-run
the storm.
For any
other questions about preparing
for emergencies
or disasters, please contact City
of Miami Dept. of Fire-Rescue,
Disaster Management/Public
Affairs at (305) 416-5439,
or on
the Web: ci.miami.fl.us/fire/DMPA/
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Pets
and Disasters
Make
arrangements for your pets as part
of your household disaster planning.
If you must evacuate your home, always
take your pets with you. But remember
pets will not be allowed in public
emergency shelters.
BEFORE
Contact your local animal shelter,
humane society, veterinarian or
emergency management office for information on
caring for pets
in an emergency. Find
out if there will be any shelters
set-up to take pets in an emergency.
Also, see if your veterinarian will accept
your pet in an emergency.
Decide
on safe locations in your house
where you could leave your pet in
an emergency.
You will
need a pet carrier that allows your
pet to stand up and turn around inside. Put familiar
items such as the pet's normal
bedding and favorite toys inside.
Train your pet to become comfortable
with the carrier.
Use a variety of training methods
such as feeding it in the carrier
or placing a favorite toy or
blanket
inside.
If your
pet is on medication or a special
diet, find out from your veterinarian what you
should do
in case you have to leave
it alone for several days. Try
and get an extra supply of medications.
Make
sure your pet has a properly
fitted collar that includes current
license and rabies tags, including
an identification tag that
has your name, address, and phone number.
If
your dog normally wears a chain link "choker" collar,
have a leather or nylon collar available
if you have to
leave
him alone for several days.
Keep
your pet's shots
current and know where
the records are. Most
kennels require proof of current
rabies and distemper vaccinations
before accepting a pet.
Contact
motels and hotels in communities
outside of your area and
find out if they will accept
pets in an emergency.
When
assembling emergency supplies for
the household, include items for pets.
- Extra
food (The food should be dry
and relatively
unappealing to prevent overeating. Store the food in sturdy containers.)
- Kitty
litter
- Large
capacity self-feeder and water
dispenser
- Extra
medications
Trained
Guide Dogs
In most states, trained guide dogs
for the blind,
hearing impaired or handicapped will be allowed to stay in emergency shelters
with their
owners. Check with
local emergency
management
officials for more information.
DURING
Bring your pets inside immediately.
Animals
have instincts about severe weather
changes and will often isolate themselves
if they are afraid. Bringing
them inside
early
can stop
them from running away. Never
leave a pet outside or tied up during a storm.
Separate
dogs and cats. Even if your dogs
and cats normally get along,
the anxiety of an emergency situation can cause
pets to act irrationally.
Keep
small pets away from cats and dogs.
If you
evacuate and plan to take
your
pets, remember to bring your
pet's medical
records
and
medicines with your emergency supplies.
Birds
Birds
must
eat daily to survive.
In
an emergency, you may have
to take
your
birds
with you. Talk
with
your veterinarian or local
pet store
about
special food
dispensers
that
regulate
the amount of food a
bird
is
given.
Make
sure that the bird
is
caged and the cage is covered
by
a thin cloth or sheet to provide
security
and
filtered light.
AFTER
If
after a disaster you
have to leave town, take your
pets
with you.
Pets are
unlikely to survive on their
own.
In
the first few
days after the disaster,
leash
your pets when they
go outside.
Always maintain close contact.
Familiar scents
and landmarks
may be altered and
your pet may become
confused and
lost.
Also,
snakes and other
dangerous animals
may be brought
into the area
with flood areas. Downed
power lines are a hazard.
The
behavior of your pets
may
change after an emergency.
Normally
quiet and friendly
pets may
become aggressive
or defensive. Watch animals
closely. Leash dogs
and
place them
in a fenced yard with access
to shelter
and water.
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Brickell Neighborhood
PAC Looks at Key Races
The Brickell
Neighborhood Political Action Committee is preparing for the
coming election season by studying candidates and their
positions on issues of importance
to the residential Brickell corridor.
The process
is carried out through research,
questionnaires and, for top contenders,
interviews. The
PAC is focusing primarily on local
races, the outcomes of which
have the greatest direct impact
on residents.
Candidates are
queried on about major issues of
county-wide importance such as citizens’ oversight
boards, ethics, education and
governmental structure. They are also asked
about issues especially critical
to residential Brickell and the surrounding areas, such
as infrastructure planning and
growth to keep pace with development.
Endorsements
will be made and publicized for
those races where there is a strong majority or consensus
among PAC screening members.
With the PAC representing the
interests of some 16,000 residents,
endorsement by the Brickell Neighborhood
PAC signifies a strong vote
of confidence for a candidate.
Serving the
Brickell residential community
from the Miami River to Rickenbacker Causeway, the
Brickell Neighborhood PAC
was formed in 1997 when BHA residents
became frustrated
by the lack of representation
they were receiving at City
Hall. Private developer and
commercial interests were consistently
winning out over the will of homeowners.
The PAC, allowed to raise
funds and support candidates and
issues that align most closely
with its constituents, has proven
effective since its formation
in garnering the attention
of elected officials.
At the same
time, the Brickell PAC empowers
homeowning taxpayers with vested
interests in the Brickell neighborhood but
who are not eligible to vote.
The PAC provides a voice in the
election process for Brickell residents.
The Primary
Election is August
31 and the General Election
November 2 which will
include any runoffs needed. BHA
and the Brickell Neighborhood
PAC encourage all registered
voters to get to the polls on these
two days.
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New
Coalition Reflects Neighborhoods’ #1
Problem All
the commonly touted visions of
what the renewed Brickell corridor and Downtown Miami will look
like when all the new developments
are built include pedestrian friendly
streets where strolling
to nearby amenities becomes the
norm. It’s a place where all the needs of home and office
are within blocks, within walking
distance. A luxurious, yet leisurely way of life, where cars don’t
have to be integral to daily living.
Somehow, a U.S.
Highway just doesn’t seem part of the mix.
But, it is.
Main Street
or Highway
Miami’s main street, whether you call it Brickell Avenue,
Biscayne Boulevard or South Dixie
Highway, is U.S 1 to the Federal
Highway Administration.
The Federal
Highway Administration is a bureaucracy
with books of rules and regulations governing
highways that do not take into
consideration that a designated highway
may also be an urban thoroughfare.
Our
Florida Department of Transportation
is mandated by the Federal Highway
Administration to monitor federal
highways in Florida and maintain
compliance with the federal
regulations.
The Florida
Department of Transportation is
forced to abide by the federal regulations because
the Federal Highway Administration
controls the disbursement of federal
funds, which are by far the
major source of highway funding
for both construction and maintenance.
Actually, the federal funds that
are awarded back to the State are
about 85% of the gasoline taxes
that originate from Florida, but
this is another
story for another day.
Federal insistence
on treating our main street as a highway
is why we do not have
traffic signals and delineated
crosswalks where they
are needed; why pedestrians are treated as second class;
signage and signalization
favor commuters and tourists
over local traffic, those
who live, work and pay
taxes here.
BHA has a major
stake in this issue as Brickell
Avenue from the Miami River to Rickenbacker
Causeway – 22
blocks – is a prime example of the problem.
To gain control of its main
street, BHA has called
for unity of message and the use political
pressure.
Coalition
Reflects Similar
Frustrations
Homeowner associations
and groups who identify
with the U.S. 1 problem
are joining hands
in a new coalition
to take on the challenge. It’s an informal network – “Network
U.S. 1” – with no meetings, no officers,
no dues, but one
for which surrounding neighbors are quickly signing
on.
A story published
in Miami Today in June generated responses
from residential
groups all around
U.S. 1, as well as from business groups who
share our concerns.
Shorecrest Homeowners, Morningside, Miami River,
Coconut Grove,
Silver Bluff, Miami-Roads,
Brickell Area Association,
Biscayne Corridor
Chamber of
Commerce…the list continues
to grow.
“Fighting
FDOT is not what we’re all about,” BHA President
Tory Jacobs said, “but rather about creating
awareness and
building a critical mass of people who can
make that viewpoint
heard, understood
and acted upon.”
A Model Plan
The planned reconstruction
of Biscayne
Boulevard in the Upper
Eastside area
is the result of a group
that lobbied for
action, successfully, and
serves as a model for
what can and should be done
further south. Plans
for the boulevard includes
new drainage, sidewalks,
ramps, streetlights,
landscaped
medians and signage for both
drivers and pedestrians.
Safer crosswalks,
more pedestrian
friendly
sidewalks and increased
signalization
to slow down traffic are all
needed along Brickell
Avenue. Implementation of the
conversion
from a highway
into an urban
thoroughfare
would enable
Miami to fulfill its destiny.
Join
the Effort
Those interested
in working
with Network
U.S. 1 are encouraged
to contact
BHA’s Communications
Director
Natalie Brown, who is maintaining
the communications network. Please
email your comments,
a bit about your group and
your interest in participating
to nbrown@brickellhomeowners.com
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