City Commission - Regular Meeting

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hey, hey. down. Don't Hey, hey, hey. Please take your seats. The meeting is about to begin. Remember to speak into the microphone as this meeting is being recorded for public record. Please stand by. We are going on air in 5 4 3 2 1.

Good morning everyone. Welcome to the March 30th, 2026 meeting of the public safety and neighborhood quality of life uh committee. I'm going to pass it over to our committee liaison Stephanie to read announcements into the record.

Good morning. Today's meeting will be a hybrid meeting with members of the committee being physically present at the commission chambers. Members of the public who wish to attend this meeting or provide public comment in person may appear at the commission chambers. Members of the committee who want to participate or provide comment virtually during the meeting may join via Zoom. Today we have two addendum items that were added. We have addendum number one which is discuss the Green Jefferson Avenue bicycle lane with the transportation mobility department and Miami Beach Fire Rescue. And we have addendum number two which is discuss take action regarding renaming Venetian way to honor Hazel Abrams siphon pursuant to city code section 82-503. We will also be deferring item number four which is discuss regulations and recommendations surrounding micromobility devices. And those are all the notes we have for today.

Thank you. Is there a motion to set the agenda? I make a motion.

Okay. It's been moved. It been second. Can we show that adopted by acclamation? All right. So, um before um before we go into today's meeting, I want to just briefly uh outline how I intend to structure our meeting today so we can have a more focused and productive uh discussion. As I reviewed the items that were discussing, it became clear uh that many of the items before us uh they're not isolated. They're actually in fact very interconnected items. Uh so rather than taking them uh one by one or in silos, I thought it would be better that we would all be better served by grouping them into certain clusters that kind of uh reflect yes that kind of reflect uh how these items actually show up in the real world. So um so today I'll be organizing our discussions into um into about four parts. Um, first we will be uh taking up items related to micromobility policy and enforcement. Um, we're going to be talking about microobility infrastructure and accommodations. Third, we're going to be looking at certain North Beach related items uh related to log cabin and the west lots. Um, and finally, we will take up uh the North Beach affordable housing pilot program. Uh so my goal is for us to be able to have these conversations holistically because they are very much inter interrelated. Um before we move into our agenda however I'm going to open up as we always do uh for the senic citizens forum residents uh wishing to speak uh will have two minutes uh to speak. If you're on Zoom uh I simply ask you to raise your hand on Zoom. If you're present in person and wish to to speak, uh, you're welcome to approach the podium. Without any members of the

public wishing to speak at this time, you're welcome to approach the podium. I see Johan Moore has his hand raised on Zoom. Good morning. Good morning, uh, commissioners. Uh I'm uh pleased to see that there is in fact dialogue around uh the Jefferson Avenue bike lanes happening. Um but I would make two critical comments. Um while this discussion is rich and important and should go forward today, I would ask that uh the uh commission or uh the um let's say sponsoring commissioner of this of this discussion uh contact FPNA's chair uh our convenor uh in order to place the item on our agenda since this concerns our neighborhood first and foremost. Uh I would also make the critical comment um as I very much look forward to the discussion as it happens a little bit later um that the consideration of either moving the bike lanes to another avenue or splitting them up uh with one on each side of of Jefferson uh is something that should have been considered carefully in advance rather than having this conversation. Now, I understand concerns sometimes arise after a project is completed, but if in fact we're worried about the fire trucks, a legitimate worry obviously uh not being able to su successfully maneuver on Jefferson, that is something that should have I think been obvious ahead of time. So, thank you very much for placing this on the agenda. Uh I will ask again, please that you uh contact FBNA to make sure that this is on our agenda next Monday for community input. Thank you very much.

Any other members of the public wishing to speak at this time? Seeing none in Zoom, seeing none in person. With that, I'm going to uh close uh the Sunnick uh citizens forum. And uh let's begin by taking up items number number one and number two together.

Okay. Item number one is discuss ordinance amending chapter 70 of the city code entitled miscellaneous offenses by amending article 2 entitled public places by amending division 2 entitled bicycling, skateboarding, roller skating, inline skating, motorized means of transportation, electric bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles, motorized bicycles and motorized scooters by amending section 70-67 entitled prohibited activities by prohibiting the operations of motorized means of transportations in city parks. This item was sponsored by Commissioner B. Item number two is discuss a resolution of the mayor and city commission of the city of Miami Beach, Florida, directing the city administration to create and deploy a specialized police task force to be more proactive, address and enforce any violations of laws committed by rogue groups of individuals entering the city riding dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles, bicycles, electric bicycles, and other devices in a reckless or unlawful manner in violation of various traffic laws and with a blatant disregard for other roads users and pedestrians. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Suarez and co-sponsored by Commissioner Magazine.

Thank you, Stephanie, and thank you, Commissioner Bod and Commissioner Suarez, uh, for for placing these items on the on the agenda. They're separate items. Um, but I do think that they are connected because both deal with the growing challenge of how mobility devices, whether they be ebikes and scooters or other off-road uh vehicles, are being used in ways that impact the safety of our residents, quality of life, and the experience of our public uh places. Um I if if if any of the sponsoring commissioners want to um state something on the record uh and and then we'll pass it over to our parks director and our transportation team, Commissioner Bod, and then I'll recognize Commissioner Suarez.

I actually see these as fairly different items. Um and I'll let my colleague speak on his item. But this is um about people using their devices lawfully. Um, and we are working very hard to make it safe to be a pedestrian in the city as well as to use your micromobility device safely in the city. And we have a long way to go on on all of these points, but a lot of progress has been made already. Um, this item came up as a request from residents trying to keep evices out of Flamingo Park. And um I think the pinnacle of it was when it was reported that somebody on an e device was using the track to circumn um in Flamingo Park. And that's wildly not appropriate. And so um you know the the crux of this issue with micromobility devices is that when ebikes became a thing, they were legislated from the federal level as bicycles instead of motorcycles. And that's where a lot of this crisis of lack of um infrastructure, legal infrastructure to manage these originates from. So, um, in in this neighborhood in particular where there are so many resources on the roads with slow streets and bike lanes and, um, you know, less trafficked streets. Anyhow, um, I I think it's really important that we keep Flamingo Park for pedestrians and regular bicycles and put micromobility devices into the bike lanes where where they belong. The more we see people using the bike lanes, the more we all collectively will get used to seeing them there. the more we'll be able to train drivers to share the road with these devices and um the the better we'll get at at doing this. We are a city that is leading the nation counterintuitive. Um, but when we have

done research with other cities around the state and around the country, we are pretty far ahead of the game in terms of trying to legislate and figure out how to share our space among all the constituents, whether they be on feet on un electrified wheels or on electrified wheels. So, um, I just, you know, park should be for unelectrified devices and, um, bike lanes should be for electrified devices. So, with that, I'll turn it over to John. Let me let me just recognize Commissioner SW because I want to take these two items together. Uh because I do I I don't see them as really that different. I do believe that there is one underlying issue which is we need clear rules and with that we need clear and effective enforcement strategies. Um and

but may I just say one thing? We have a whole separate item that I've deferred. Thank you for permitting that. Um talking about the lawful use of ebikes. Um it has been something that um Mark Fishman and I and um folks from the police department including the chief have been working on for months. Um and that is going to talk about the lawful use. Um this item number two is about unlawful use. And so I I do want to and I think it's a really important item because it is it causes pandemonium. Um I I think it's very important but it I see them as totally different items. For now, I will grant you the courtesy, but commissioner, I am the chair of this committee and when and I'm happy to accommodate the requests of my colleagues and as the chair of this committee when I set a structure is for a purpose and so in the in the future I just kindly ask you to please respect that. Uh John, good morning. Welcome.

I'd like to separate the two items. Good morning. Good morning. Yes, the the the commission and sponsors cover it well and in part the parks department administration is recommending that we pass this ordinance that would prohibit electrified means of transportation um motorized in in parks and keep it just a foot traffic and um regular bicycles in all parks.

Okay. Let me let me just ask you something because um when I see this item uh and I see we have a number of locations where we already prohibit uh the the the operation of these uh motorized transportation devices in parks. Is that correct? I I didn't catch everything. We're we're asking for a full prohibition within parks. Right. So today today right now in the city code, Mr. attorney. Right now in the city code, there is a list of locations where um where motorized transportation is prohibited.

Yeah. Yes, chair. That that's correct. And specifically with with regard to parks, they're currently prohibited on the interior pathways of Collins Park and also South Point Park. Okay. And then I see in the code, for example, the beachwalk, we we already prohibit these devices. Lumis Park prominade from uh Fifth Street to 15th Street. Yes. Correct. Uh the sidewalks on the east side of Ocean Drive between South Point Drive and 15th Street. Correct. Okay. Uh the South Point Cutwalk, correct? The Baywalk, the Marina Walk, South Point Park Pier, and the Miami Beach Prominade, which is formerly Miami Beach Drive. Correct. And so then now this will tell me the language that we're inserting into into the code.

Well, what we'd basically be doing is prohibiting the operation of any micromobility device on in any city park uh specifically including but not limited to uh the track in Flamingo Park uh and the pedestrian power in Ocean Terrace Park except for maybe you know parking area uh or any other uh area specifically designated for the operation of such devices. Okay. So, I'm supportive of the item. There's just um two things that I just want to be mindful three things I want to be mindful of. I do see in in Flamingo Park. In Flamingo Park, I don't want to necessarily see these devices in Flamingo Park, but you do have an intersection in Flamingo Park. 13th Street. 13th Street goes into Flamingo Park on the west side, goes out on the east side or or vice versa to me. And and you see that natural intersection there. Then you see Jefferson Avenue, Jefferson Jefferson Avenue that cuts into Flamingo Park. Um I don't want to interrupt that flow. So you know that I would like us to see you know how can we how can we facilitate and do enforcement because what I don't want is people who don't know better um who and there will always be people who don't know better. all of a sudden they're cutting through Flamingo Park to get to work to take their kids to school and and and all of a sudden they're they're you know they're engaging in activities that that is a violation of the law and that's why I see this that this is why I see this interconnected these two items because in essence here we're making a prohibition that if someone violates this this prohibition you know they could potentially fall into the category

that we're trying to address in item number two. Um and so and so I I would like to have some sort of leniency as it relates to Flamingo Park, the intersection that's created there, not in the green space itself, but on the concrete that you know extends south to north uh on Jefferson Avenue, then east to west along 13th Street. So, with all of the micromobility items that we've been working on for the last two years, um there's a huge amount of education when we initiate a change um enforcement to intercept and educate rather than um um penalize people. And it's really when we have repeat offenders that then it becomes an enforcement item. We've been really successful. Julio Blanco is here someplace. Um there he is. uh super successful with this approach um on the beachwalk where we've had and Julio has the the statistics but we've had very few repeat offenders um and and the amount of usage of e devices on the beachwalk has been cut back dramatically um through education enforcement reinforcement um and so the approach is not to punish people but to educate them

Mr. Chair. Yes, I'm going to recognize Commissioner Matos Selenas, who's a committee member, and then Commissioner Suarez. I agree, Commissioner Fernandez, with you. I I think that I would prefer to have um Flamingo Park be exempt from this because I do think that it is a cut through for folks as long as they stay on the concrete um to get east to west. So if the um item sponsor would be amendable to exempting Flamingo Park as well as what's the name of the park that's um connects Rum Room to that Collins Collins Park I have it on my list of items too. Yes. Yes.

Um okay. So if we could just maybe uh in Collins Park as well. So, if we could uh look at those, I would be much more supportive of this item.

And I and I agree with those because Collins Canal Park stretches from Convention Center Drive all the way to Washington Avenue. And then you have uh along the uh Botanical Garden and along Collins Canal, you have there's there's like a prominade, what do we call it? Um and so and so I agree with you madame uh vice mayor and then Collins Park you know what would be hypothetical Liberty Avenue um that connects to the new prominade that's been created there. I think I think those are two important exceptions to this to this proposed ordinance in addition to that cross intersection in Flamingo Park. Commissioner Suarez.

Thank you Mr. Chair. Um maybe police can answer this. Do you guys have any data on any accidents related to e-mobility in Flamingo Park? No sir, we don't have any data on accidents involving e-mobility in Flamingo Park because Thank you. So you don't have any actual data to suggest that this is a problem. Alex, we do not sir.

Okay. Um, so you know what I think Flamingo Park is different, why I think Flamingo Park is different than the Beachwalk, for example, is that, you know, Flamingo Park, as the chair said, is an intersection of really a residential neighborhood. The Beachwalk could be a composition of tourists and residents, but in Flamingo Park, it's it's really just residents. And if you look at how it's set up, I mean, it's dead center in the middle of uh Flamingo Park, obviously. Um, but we just built one of the best bike lanes on Jefferson Avenue, which intersect into the middle of Flamingo Park. And so what you're what you're telling you know microobility users is that once you get you know and I Jefferson only spans or it gets cut off from fifth street or really sixth street to 11th street and if you're taking your kid to school or you want to get somewhere safely within Flamingo Park you know you're getting pushed onto the street uh you're getting pushed on to 11th Street and then you can take Meridian which doesn't have any bike lanes. Um, you can get to Uklit, which the bike lanes aren't very secure because, you know, anyone opening their car door can accidentally, you know, hit you. Um, and unfortunately, what I think this does is it really just pushes the problem and the risk onto the onto the microobility users. And and look, all with all transparency, I'm a big scooter guy. I go there probably at least a dozen times. I don't go through the park. Um, but I I mean it I see people on their on their bikes, on their scooters, on their mobility devices, and I've never seen an issue in in Flamingo Park. Um, you know,

I understand Commissioner Bot said there was someone riding it on the track. Obviously, I'm I'm not in favor of that. If if they're riding it on the track, I think that's a whole other separate issue. Um, but you know, philosophically, you know, for every scooter on the road, there's one less car on the road. And that's something we should be championing and encouraging, not making it harder. I'm okay with, you know, certain with with with a little bit of regulation perhaps, you know, in the park you go no more than walking speed. I I think that's I think that's a possibility. Um, but to outright ban them, you know, I I I just don't want this to be like a nanny state where we're we're we're we're telling everyone just just no because we we we don't feel like it's the right thing to do, especially when there we don't even have data to suggest that this is a real problem. So, you know, look, I I I'd like to keep this I mean, I'm not on the committee, but if this comes to commission, I'm I'm certainly not going to be in favor. But I I think Flamingo Park is a very important intersection for uh residents. It's not really a tourist visit, you know, place to go. So, um I'd like to hear what my colleagues have to say.

Thank you, Commissioner. As far as Commissioner Bot,

um Assistant Chief Morgal, could you explain why we don't have data on this because we don't the UTC does not allow for this data to be captured? So, the uniform traffic citation doesn't have a specific box for an e-mobility vehicle. Um, we have to list it as no vehicle and then in the narrative section of the UTC write in that they were operating a uh a uh an e-mobility vehicle and there isn't a at this time a requirement for documentation of crashes involving e-mobility vehicles. That is actually changing and it goes into effect with the new state law in October. So any type of crash involving an e-mobility uh device whether it's on a roadway or not will have to be captured in a uniform in a in a a traffic crash report.

Right. So it's taken at least two years of working on this to have the state recognize that this data needs to be collected. Um furthermore a number of near misses I mean near misses don't get captured as accident reports but we've all seen them. We've all been part of them.

Yeah. Um, near misses are are blessings in disguise because it it means that you have not actually been hit by or you have not actually hit somebody, but it doesn't mean that it still doesn't affect you. Moreover, and I don't remember if it came from Jose in the transportation department or Alex and in your colleagues at police, but we have a ton of data um anecdotally and and from um um uh studies across the country that show the number of accidents of e-mobility devices, e-mobility v pedestrians, e-mobility v vehicles has skyrocketed. That is precisely why the state is finally taking action. That is precisely why other states around the country are finally taking action. And I I'm sure that in the next few years we'll see it on a f federal level too. So it is a complete fallacy to say that there is no data. We don't have it collected per se for this meeting but we can provide that and we will provide that because we have had it in other um in other meetings as part of other documents. So, um, this notion of there's no problem is incorrect. There is a problem. I'm very open to the idea of having the main thoroughfare of, uh, Flamingo, the cross streets, be be um, uh, open because it it connects. But to have these e devices on the interior paths of a park is dangerous. And I am not trying to be a nanny state. I'm trying to make sure that people who are strolling in a park are not going to get run over by somebody who's on their phone with their kids sitting at their feet on a on an escooter as we've seen too many times. I mean, the the accident reports that we do have when we get a sin, I don't know if people read those, but they're

horrific. They are horrific. So, to pretend that this is not a problem is just putting your head in your sand in the sand. With all due respect, colleagues, we're not going to do this here and we're going to have a policy discussion focused on the item that's in front of us. PJ, do we have uh the image that I emailed you? All right. So, so this is uh one of the exceptions, Commissioner Bod, I would respectfully request for your item uh echoing what the vice mayor stated. Um intersecting through Jefferson Avenue at 13th Street.

Um if we can show the next image. Uh PJ, the next one, uh Collins, um we call this Collins Canal Park. Um and and uh transportation. This this pathway actually continues westbound Collins Canal Park. Is that correct? We have a shared use path uh along the Collins Canal and Date Boulevard. So So it would make sense for this uh would it make sense to keep this area here uh open for devices? Well, Day Boulevard is a shared use path. So, uh, however, it's not officially signed. If you notice, it's not signed or designated as and that's the challenge that we have. Yes.

Yes. Okay. Miami date county. Um, and and lastly, but it is a continuation to your point.

And, uh, PJ, we could put the last one. Uh and there of course you know what would be the continuation of Liberty Avenue through through Collins Park um which of course connects to the prominade that we've developed there and then when you go further north actually there you have the pedestrian bridge uh that goes into Flamingo Drive. So I'd like to propose if you would if we could amend your item to create those exceptions. So, um I'm okay with this and with the Flamingo Park major thoroughfare through the park. I want to make sure we have ample signage, Jose, and I know we can create that internally to make sure we've got shared use signage. I'm not okay with the um Collins Park because it is um not super well lit anyhow. Um it's not super easy to see what's going on there. And there is um Dade Boulevard is is a shared use boulevard and I we again we can effectuate signage almost immediately to reinforce that. So can we make a compromise on that?

I I I would strongly encourage the inclusion of the Collins Canal Park. Um

Mr. Chair may if I may if I'm speaking if I could finish my thought. I believe that's important. Collins. Um, Dade Boulevard is a busy roadway. It is a very busy roadway and it's not a safe roadway, I believe, for for for bicyclist, for for anyone, frankly. Um, and so I I think just having that alternative there is very important because you do have a lot of people that do ride their bicycles to through there to connect to the hotels, to the restaurants, to all the different hospitality options that are there because they work there. Uh, not because they're going there even to entertain themselves. It it is it is used it is used by members of of of the public. So to the to the extent that I can support this item and I want to support this item, I'd encourage you if you could consider the request of Vice Mayor Selenas and myself to amend the item to include them. Madam Vice Mayor and then Commissioner Suarez.

Sure. I yeah, I just want to point out that all three of those locations are not really heavily track trafficked by pedestrians with Flamingo Park a little bit, but they're not, you know, the Beachwalk is very different because there's so many pedestrians that walk on the beachwalk, but the three locations that we've suggested are it's just not heavily trafficked by a lot of foot traffic. So, it makes sense to allow the ebikes to go through there because every ebike that we have on the road and I understand um you know that that's where they should be in general, but that is now increasing the risk of an ebike user being hit by a vehicle which is which is I mean you know frankly you know much more tragic that outcome than a pedestrian being hit by an ebike which is also you know unfortunate and should not happen. Um, but it just the risk increases as we force ebike users to be on the road. And I think those three areas are safer routes of travel for folks on ebikes that want to just get to and from someplace safely. Um, and if we force them onto the road in those areas, then we're now looking at bigger um, you know, risk. So, I'd like to Commissioner Bot, if you would be okay with keeping those three areas open to ebikes.

And then, Commissioner Suarez, and then I want to bring the item in for

Thank you, Mr. Look, I saw the again, I'm not on the committee, but what you made an an exception for is basically the whole park, right? Because just to the north of that that T line is like the baseball fields and the soccer fields and you know, I mean, and now we want to put signage more signage in a park. I I mean, look, I I understand the we're going to finally collect data. Maybe maybe we should wait till we collect actual data. I'm not saying that doesn't exist, but let's start collecting data before we start making these these rules. That's just going to confuse our code enforcement really. I mean, like, so so they're going to have to now enforce where the ebike is going or the scooter at this T intersection or on Collins Park. I mean, the one next to the one next to the convention center, that's that's it. I mean, I Yeah, I mean, if you want to say like you can't ride a scooter in the grass, sure. But I don't I don't think that's the intent of this of this item. But, I mean, what are we doing here? Why are we passing laws that are just basically uninforceable and then you're going to have to create all this signage everywhere? I mean, thank you, Commissioner. Uh, all right. So, um,

I'm not on the committee, but I'd like to make a motion to defer this or have somebody make a motion to defer this. We I I don't want to keep on deferring items. The this item it's it's before us today. I I don't want to keep items lingering on the agenda. This is important policy. I do think that there is a need for it because we have parks in our city that do get overwhelmed by by by bicycles. And we do hear from residents and from seniors and from from people with children that they do get concerned that this is an issue in our in our city. For example, I know people that have children, their pets, and they don't want to see, for example, through Beayshore Park. They don't want to see uh motorized vehicles, especially in areas in a park like Beayshore Park where you where you have a certain level of of topograph of topography or North Beach Open Space Park or other parks. So, I I do think this is important. I don't think that that the requests that my colleagues are making of you uh or that or that Commissioner Selenas is making of you is is is unreasonable. I think it's still a good piece of legislation. Uh John, how many parks do we have in the city?

45. Okay. So, out of the 45 parks, we're we're we're we're asking for a minor exception for three parks, which I think it's it's it's not it's not an unreasonable ask. I think it's very mindful um and uh and and I and I think you it still maintains the core and the strength of this ordinance John though um through the chair if I may. Yes. Um this was specifically the parks are already off the table for for e devices, right? This was specifically to include Flamingo Park. So therefore, do we even need this legislation? Um, I'd have to I

I don't think we do. And I I just want to also point out to my colleagues that with just a downloadable app or a screwdriver, you can buy an e device off of Amazon and take it from, you know, a 19 mph device, which is what a a good bike rider will be riding, um, to a 59 mph device. And so I would suggest that getting hit by an ecooter or an ebike as a pedestrian is catastrophic. can be catastrophic. We have seen it. We You talk to the people who've been in hospital for three months. I don't want anybody to get hit. That is not the goal. The goal is to set this city up so that we have clear delineation between where you can ride a motorized vehicle and a non-motorized vehicle.

So if if I wanted to come back to Commissioner, if I may to John so he can answer the question though. But but if if if I may because you're strictly focused you are strictly focused on motorized transportation and I'm going to ask the attorney to please come back to the podium. When we look at this item section 70-67 of the code, is that correct? Yes. All right. We're not just talking about motorized devices. Is that correct?

Talking about motorized means of transportation. Okay. But this section of the because my problem my my fear is the moment we open this up and we make this illegal for motorized transportation then it's going to be the next concern is going to be well this prohibit bicycles and then prohibit the roller skaters and then prohibit the skateboarders. That's that's my concern and that's why for me it's so important because this this section of the code generally generally speaks not just about motorized transportation. It also speaks about skateboarding. It speaks about roller skating. It speaks about inline skating. It speaks to a number of other things including bicycling. And there's this this is a very comprehensive part of the ordinance of of of this ordinance. Of course, here we're talking specifically about motorized transportation, but it's very easy for someone in the future to come in and amend this and say, "Well, we now solved the issue with the motorized bicycles, but now we need to go back and make make um I don't know, make roller skating illegal here in in in these areas." or I want to go back and make skateboarding illegal in in these areas. I and I know that that's not your intent, but it's it's what happens with these ordinances. We set up the possibility for these things to happen in the future. Um and so and and so that's why I do believe, you know, it's important to make these these exceptions to make it clear that these connector points, they serve as as as connector points. Yes, they go through a park, but they are a connector point. And to the extent that they're a connector point, we don't we don't want to overburden, overregulate them because then in the

future, anyone can come back and say, you know, now let's let's make other, you know, things, you know, harmless things like roller skating. But someone was going to say, well, you know, my grandma got hit by a rollerblader, you know, um, skateboards or someone could say, you know, it it opens it it opens that door. So, so I would like to I like would like us to entertain a motion to move this back to the city commission. Uh, staff is recommending this item.

Yes. So I would like to move it back with a favorable recommendation uh with with with a recommendation that we make the three exceptions uh that we've discussed here. I can make the motion but mad visor you mentioned some of these locations. I would like to make that motion then excluding the three locations of Flamingo Park, Collins Park and what is the name of the park again? I'm sorry. The one that's north of the convention center canal park. Collins Canal Park. That's the one. That would be my motion. So, with a favorable recommendation with the exclusion of those three locations. Correct. Okay. Is there I'll I'll second that.

All right. And is there any members of the public wishing to comment on this item before we take a vote? Seeing none in person, none in Zoom, can we show this adopted by acclamation? All right. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Bon. It is it is a good piece of legislation and we will build from here. Uh with that, let's go to item number two. And I wanted to take these together, but I understand Commissioner B that you wanted to take this separately. So So let's introduce now item number two. Mr. Chair. Okay. Is that Yes. Commissioner, my queue.

Okay. Good.

Is um is police here to Come on, Danny. So Danny, well, you know, I put this on quite a while ago. Um, and I don't see these roving gangs go through parks. I do see them on the street. Um, and we wanted to know what could you do about it, right? I mean, I know, look, and it's unfortunately they're all just like teenagers, right? And I'm glad they're on their bikes instead of doing other bad things. It's not like they they can go to a water slide. It's a joke. Um, you know, what are we doing to really combat this sort of uh, you know, very dangerous behavior on the roads, not only for car for for people in the cars, but uh, these children.

So, good morning, Mr. Chair, commissioners. Um, so this particular item encompasses a couple of different groups. There's the ones that are on motorized, gas-powered, non- street legal um that oftentimes fall under an umbrella of wheels up, guns down, that particular group. And then we have this other group that's kind of very loosely, not really associated, not really organized, um that comes through periodically on the weekends. They were last here on Saturday. and and and I can relay to you how we handled it on Saturday because it kind of will become the model moving forward of how we're going to deal with these groups to avoid them escalating, fleeing, becoming even more dangerous because we realize that the overwhelming majority of them are kids between the ages of 14 and 18. Um there are some adults that are part of these groups that we're trying to focus on on the investigative path to get an idea of who they are and who's the organizers behind this because as this problem has evolved over the last six years we've seen there's been instances where they were they were bringing kids down from Broward and Palm Beach County on the Bright Line and then when they were getting in downtown Miami giving them bikes and going off and riding throughout the city of Miami and Miami Beach.

Who's they exactly? And that's the key. I mean meaning like is it like an organization? You don't just give someone a bike.

It it it's they don't give it to them. They let them use it for the the ride that day and then they bring it they basically turn it back in. So it's identifying who the organizers are behind it because there is a certain level of lawlessness that some of these kids engage in under the opaces of whatever organization is putting this together. So throughout the years we've tried to give them designated areas where they could ride and do stunt riding. We've tried to organize it through pals to give them a a pathway to demonstrate their riding skills because some of them are very gifted on a bicycle, but they're using those skills and those gifts that they developed to pretty much terrorize the the, you know, the pedestrians and the motoring public. So, Saturday when they came through, um, we had no notice that they were coming through. We have no intel that they're coming through. We find out they're here when they're here.

And we were able to quickly mobilize our DFR. And

what's a DFR for the drone? drone as a first responder in the real-time intelligence center and we started to observe what they were doing and utilizing the video feed to document the individuals within the group that were being the most egregious in how they were riding. And then they stopped at Flamingo Park for a little bit for a water break. Um park rangers were monitoring them as they started to leave Flamingo Park. We continued observing them and then we observed some pretty egregious riding against traffic riding uh you know on one wheel. They they do this maneuver that we describe as you know they basically play chicken with a car and they're on one wheel at a high speed going towards a vehicle and at the very last second they avoid hitting that vehicle. They've done that in the past with pedestrians. They didn't do that on Saturday. But what we ended up doing is we observed the the the the compounding traffic infractions and then when they made another stop at Lincoln and Washington, we directed officers in to stop the one individual that we got the most egregious behavior on and wrote that individual multiple tickets, a 17-year-old. Then we took advantage of the opportunity to speak and engage with one of the adults that was part of the group and explain to them and point out the cameras that we have in the city and let them know that we're going to continue to use our technology advantage that we have in the city of Miami Beach to conduct enforcement. And every time they enter our city, if they continue to enter our city, we're going to continue to ramp up the enforcement activity moving forward. Now, that's

when you gave that ticket, was it UTC ticket? UTC's. We gave them four UTC's for every one of the infractions that we were able to record. And part of the problem we have is being able to identify the individuals that are committing the infractions because many of them look the same from above. This individual had a very distinct shirt on. We were able to identify him. We were able to keep visual on him throughout. So we felt comfortable the the officers in the Arctic articulating the probable cause for the citations that were issued. And uh how did they how did they respond once you told them, "Hey, look, we got eyes in the sky now and we're gonna this is going to keep happening."

They were surprised. The actual individual that got the citations um was saying, "Well, what about everybody else that was doing stuff? How come I'm the only one that's getting tickets?" And we explained to you're the only one that's wearing the distinct shirt that you have on that we were able to identify. You know, I wouldn't really Now they're going to be all wearing the same stuff. Well, no, because then then we'll have other ways to to identify them. It it the the purpose of Saturdays really was to convey to the group that if they come to the city of Miami Beach to engage in in unlawful behavior, we have technological assets at our disposal to be able to conduct enforcement different than our neighboring

jurisdiction. You were you were able to successfully stop them because they came to a stop. But, you know, if time and time again we see these sort of roving gangs just kind of willy-nilly on the street is the police the police won't go they won't pull someone over there because they're afraid they're just going to

it it's based on experience. So, I I was one of those guys in the beginning that was very gung-ho to stop every one of these guys and and arrest them. and you quickly realize that you're highly likely, most of them flee when you try to pull them over in a traditional manner. And because they're young kids, they start to flee with a level of recklessness that is a they don't even realize they're a danger to themselves.

Um, so law enforcement owns the responsibility for any injuries that they incur to themselves or to anybody else when they flee like that. So we started to look at it from a perspective of okay let's try and monitor them before we had the technology monitor them using bike patrol officers monitor them using motor officers which was very successful in the past um and to the point that when they would see that we had motors on a particular day that they tried to come into the city they made a U-turn and they went right back to Miami. Um the problem is we it's difficult for us to predict when they're going to come through and the scheduling of the motors at the same time these guys are coming through is not something that we're able to predict simply because they're they're very haphazard with when they're coming into the city.

Yeah. But you have real time cameras on the Venetian, right? Which is mostly where they come from. Usually they come across the Venetian. Rarely do they come across the the MacArthur. Yeah. So, I'm assuming you guys have some sort of notification system where you see, you know, more than 20 bikes in a row, they're it's coming.

I don't know if we're there yet technology-wise to make that notification. I know we have a 24-hour presence with an officer along the Venetian causeway. So, that's usually how we find out. um the conversation of establishing the task force has created conversations between us and Miami and Miami Dade and FHP that there's times where we get information specifically with the wheels up guns down group because of their level of organization and the methods they use to communicate. So we get a heads up when they're coming in and we're able to mobilize resources to be able to deal with them. The ones the young younger kids on the bikes have been more difficult to uh to predict. Commissioner Selenus. Hello, Chief. Morning.

Good morning. Um, a couple questions. They always come in and out on the Venetian or do they ever take a different route? They have in the past come in and out through the MacArthur, but it's rare. Most of the time it's the Venetian. My understanding is they usually meet up in downtown Miami or in the the Windwood area and then they ride across on the Venetian, but they don't always come to Miami Beach. Sometimes they'll stay on the Miami side. And the times that we've been able to have motors in the city where it coincided with them that we could get motors to the Venetian. When they see motors uh as they're hitting city limits on the Venetian, they make a U-turn and they head right back out.

And is there any type of arrestable offense that we can the the adults that are in the group over age of 18, is there any type of arrestable offense that we can arrest them with for putting juveniles at risk? We have multiple ways that we're looking at this now. We're not looking at it as just individual traffic and infractions. We're kind of trying to look at it under the organizational umbrella and to see if we can reach the probable cause threshold to identify adults engaging in contributing to delinquency of minors and things like that. Um we haven't been able to get to that point because when we do engage the adults, hey, I'm just riding bike with these guys. You know, I'm not in charge here. I don't. So there there's a lack of a claimed structure or you know group affiliation and lack of a a clear um leader in the group. So we're moving towards that investigative wise but right now we haven't gotten there yet.

Thank you.

So and just to build upon that uh so you're not able to you haven't found a way to be able to arrest someone for this. Um, are you allowed to confiscate these these bicycles if they're using it to commit a crime? Um, yes, we are. So, if we reach the probable cause to be able to say they utilize that bicycle as an instrumentality of the crime that they're committing, then yes, we can impound it. um or if it's in the case of the the you know wheels up guns down group if they're not street legal that they're operating then yes we can impound those and we have in the past when we've made arrests of those groups so yes

yes Dominguez

so I've been seeing these um bicycle groups for a long time I live on the Venetian Mark used to call it in um I have seen an improvement they're less than they used to be at its worst it during COVID. Um, but it's still a problem. I know that residents on the Venetian um, call the non-emergency police. I text you whenever I see them and tell you exactly which direction they're going and what's happening. Um, but the major offense that they're doing is a traffic violation. Um, but it's a matter of catching them in the act. Um, I know in the past, and you may have mentioned this, uh, the Miami police will notify you, will notify us when they're coming over the Venetian. Um, are there cameras there to see them as well? Um, on the Miami Beach side, maybe near the sign, so that our intel group, Arctic, can see them coming in.

So, the the there are cameras on the Venetian that we can monitor. Um the problem comes in that the technology to alert us to look at that particular camera at that particular time with you know x number of bicycles or something being coming that we haven't gotten to that point technology-wise. So ideally, I would love for us to get to that point. And I know that the folks in the Arctic and our tech services folks are looking at different technological solutions that utilize AI to understand the normal picture that the camera is seeing day-to-day and then alert you to anomalies. So hopefully we're getting to that point, but we're not there yet.

Okay. So, um, where do we go from here? What can we do to do to support uh the police department and its enforcement efforts? So, one of the things we looked at is to see if there was any kind of technological uh innovative stuff out there that we could use to kind of disable one of these bikes if they flee from us. At this time, there's nothing out there that we've been able to find that's safe and accepted for us to use. Uh in the United States, um we are But you said in the United States, that means it's safe to use in other countries. Other countries may have a different standard. Uh so one of the things that was brought up at a commission meeting a few months ago was these things that were being used um in Southeast Asia to stop mopeds. Um unfortunately

the roadway net uh it was something involving a net that was discharged at you know e either from a roadway or or from another vehicle to stop deployable nets to trap the wheels. Right.

Right. The problem we have here in the United States is that laws and and any of the intervention items that are available to us are designed to stop cars or designed to tag cars to track cars. When we start to involve ourselves in deploying some type of a device to stop an individual on a two- wheeled vehicle, a bicycle or an e-mobility vehicle or whatever, we elevate the risk of them falling off that vehicle and sustaining a serious head injury, potentially death, uh, as a result of us intervening to stop them when the initiating factor is a either a traffic infraction or them failing to stop for So the level of seriousness of what the offense is does not allow us to intervene with that particular method to stop them because of the potential for serious injury.

Do we have uh police officers stationed at the at the entrance of the city at our causeways? Not all the time. I know during certain special events or during certain high impact periods, we do have uh dedicated presence on 41st Street on MacArthur and we do have a 24-hour presence on the Venetian

because if the I I understand that our team is working uh with the technology that we have available in the Arctic uh to implement that artificial technology so that so that you can easily identify these groups as they're coming into our city. But if the technology is not there yet, I'm sure I'm sure there must be, you know, if we look at the pattern, I'm sure we can determine, you know, these groups probably are not coming during school hours. That's it. They're probably coming weekends, you know, they're coming weekends, during certain hours and that type of stuff. Couldn't we have police officers stationed? Couldn't we have police officers stationed? Uh, one one police officer stationed, you know, and we know the issue is the Venetian cer. We know they come in by the Venetian causeway. Have a police officer permanently stationed at the entrance of the causeway. Uh when we know that that this is an issue weekends mainly um so that as they see this come in, they can notify the Arctic. The Arctic can deploy the drone, the drone can follow them and communicate on the ground, you know, to kind of like what we saw with a motorcycle that was stolen uh in in real time. Couldn't we do something like that?

We can absolutely explore any and all possibilities to try and be able to get us that notification. Don't we already have police officers assigned to the Ven? Like don't Isn't there always there's a permanent police vehicle uh that's on the Venetian causeway? Is that vehicle staffed usually or no? Yes, there's a permanent Venetian officer assigned on all ships 24 hours a day, but that officer is also responsible to respond to calls on the Venetian and to patrol the Venetian. So, we can explore ways to have an increased presence on the Venetian during the hours that these kids have come into our city most regularly

to get uh that earliest notification possible and also continue collaborating with Miami. And just to make sure I understand the kids that are coming in through the Venetian, these these are the kids that are coming in on bicycles. Correct. Are those the same kids that are coming in on dirt bikes and ATVs? Are they coming in through uh through the Venetian C? No. And they've been even less predictable from when they're coming into the city. Uh they've come in from Surfside into our city along uh Harding and and that area. So from the north to the south, they've come across 71st Street. They've come across the Venetian, not the Venetian, the Julia Tuttle, and they've come across the MacArthur in the past.

So, that one's a little bit harder to predict where they're going to come from. However, we do have better intelligence as to when they're going to be riding. Okay. Pitcher Selenus, Chief, um the toll booth that's on the west side of the Venetian, um have we explored maybe a relationship with them? That way they can notify when they're coming in and you can send a unit to prevent them from coming in or I don't know if you know but maybe that's a a viable option because they'll all see them uh come in and if we could connect with um I don't know if that's also Coast Guard or if that's the county that does that toll on the on that side. Absolutely. Okay. So then

yeah, absolutely that's an option and then we stop them even before they get in and we say listen we we're familiar with this and please turn around. I don't know how if that's even legal to not allow them. I I don't think the the bridge operator can turn them around but he can No, no, but police like notify police and then police really turn them around. We just make our presence known from the moment they're coming into the city and when they see a motorcycle that can keep up with them and has the same agility as their bicycles and things like that, they realize they can't ride in the manner that they like to ride in. So, they usually elect to leave the city. So, it's not that we're telling them to leave is they choose to leave.

Let me ask you something, Chief. Um, number one, I you know, and I've said this consistently over over the years, I have always believed that we should have a police officer assigned to our main entrances. Yeah. So whether it be on Collins Avenue or on 71st Street on, you know, on on the Venetian on uh on MacArthur, I think it makes sense. um as as it is already on 41st Street, we have a high, you know, police visibility presence on 41st Street, but on our other entry points, I think we should definitely have police officers stationed there at all times. I do think it sends a message, a message of deterrence, a message that, you know, you come here, expect to follow the laws because, you know, we are we take public safety very seriously. So I do think we should have a police officer always assigned to the MacArthur causeway at the entry points to the Venetian causeway. You know, we have them uh on Arthur Godfrey. Um have it on 71st Street. I think that that's very important. Um but you know I know that that also takes resources and our resources are often very scarce but I would venture to say for example with with the dirt bikes and the ATVs and and these groups of bicycles we've discussed um a lot of times they happen mainly on the weekends you know and that's probably weekends we probably our police are probably in more demand I would imagine. Yes sir.

Um

couldn't we partner for example I would imagine the school district Miami Day County Public Schools would imagine their officers are busier during the week because that's when schools are open but they're less busy on the weekends and nights um when perhaps they are in less demand. Couldn't we enter into some sort of interlocal agreement, intergovernmental agreement um that where you know we could partner with them, use use some of their men and women um when when we might be busier um weekends and nights

because I don't want to I don't I don't I don't want to take away from one neighborhood to now all of a sudden put a police officer stationed on the Venetian causeway. at the at the entry point. But, you know, maybe maybe you know, we could use resources that might be underutilized during certain times. And I'm just assuming I don't know that they're underutilized or or not, but I'm just assuming, you know, schools is Monday through Friday. Uh why not, you know, use some nights and weekends uh when we might need every once in a while some extra support.

Thank you, sir. So when we have utilized Miami day schools police to supplement our uh our operations here. We do have anou with them. Um we have to compensate them for uh for the time. So the city hires them off duty to help supplement our ranks during high impact weekends. Um we can speak to them to see if that's a possibility, but the problem then becomes the financial um aspect of it in having the resources to pay them the offduty details. Now, we are moving towards being able to expand our traffic enforcement capabilities and things like that as more people come out of the academy over the next few months and years. And the the plan uh that Chief Jones has outlined is to have more resources deal with traffic enforcement. So I believe in the concept of having resources deployed to be highly visible like you suggest and to set the tone when people enter the city but also task those resources with being productive by conducting traffic enforcement in a high visibility fashion. So it's kind of getting the best of both worlds. People hit city limits and they see officers highly visible conducting traffic enforcement and it sends the message that they need to basically follow the law and and operate their vehicles at a correct speed. Commissioner Dominguez,

these uh bicycle groups, some of them, they tend to be the same people that come, same kids that come over and over. Is there an opportunity to uh build a relationship and get an informant? So I I don't want to reveal um any potential um investigative uh options, but I can tell you that any and all options are on the table for us to have a better understanding of the organizational structure behind the group, who the leaders are of the group, and you know, that could potentially be an option at some point, but we absolutely are open and exploring ways to be able to understand how this group is working and who the leaders are behind it. All right. Um, so I want to bring this in for for for a landing. I I like Commissioner Matil Selenus's idea of working uh with the operators of of the of the toll boothy even. I think they have a little office that's there. Um, and perhaps entering into into some sort of interlocal agreement with them. Um, I think and and I would like us to bring an item to commission. I would like us to bring an item to commission at every entry point to this city. People need to be welcomed by law enforcement. I think it just sets an image. It sets a message. We they all know that the LPRs are here and all that or at least we all know that that that the LPRs are here. But I but but the visual the presence of having a police officer at every entry point is something that I've been mentioning for for for a long time. But I do think it's important. And I would like I would like us to to to to bring an item to commission directing that especially during certain peak hours especially

during certain hours when we know that these gangs are are are coming in. Commissioner Suarez. Thank you. Um Mr. chair, you know, Commissioner Senos brings up a really good idea and I don't know if you, this is something you have explored, but if you know that a lot of these, you know, certain people within these gangs are committing some atrocious um, you know, violations and put a lot of public safety at risk and they're going to be going on the Venetian. If you are going to be engaging with some of these bridge operators, perhaps when they're going west, you ask that west bridge to open up and then you ask the east bridge to close and then they can't go anywhere and then you don't have to worry about them fleeing and they're in a contained area. I don't know if that's something that you guys are willing to try. So that that is something that we used to be able to do in the past. Um especially when vehicles were trying to flee across the Venetian and unfortunately uh they they have declined to uh to do that for us in the in subsequent years. But that was something that was very very used years ago. Um there was a phone call made to the bridge tenders to raise the bridge and then we would catch people trying to stop that.

Uh my understanding is that they say they're not allowed to open the bridge for that purpose. Look, we've been having some issues with the Coast Guard, right, Commissioner? But I mean, they were very unresponsive, unfortunately. Well, I mean, they're on furlow at the moment, so I don't even before that. I mean, just Well, maybe we can. Would you be interested in having discussions with because with the admiral at the uh Coastg Guard station? Yeah, absolutely. We're we're open to anything that's going to help us resolve this problem in a safe manner and have people riding legally in our city.

Okay. So, so the takeaway from this item are three and and colleagues feel free if there was anything else that we're missing, but you know, some sort of ILA with with public works at the county uh for for for coordination and communication from the toll booth at the entrance point to the city at the Venetian causeway so that they can communicate to us what they see during certain peak hours. uh identify permanent police presence uh at our at our at our entry points uh throughout the city. And on item number number three would be uh to collaborate uh or to urge uh the Coast Guard to work with our police department uh in I in in when possible opening up the bridge to be able to uh to stop these bicycle gangs and bicycle groups uh as they're making their way into into the city. Um are we are we good with these three uh takeaways from this item? All right. Does this need to go back to commission for for ratification?

Uh yes. The uh well the um if the administration is willing to put police at every uh uh entry point, but I believe what he said was that they would need funding to do that. Um, and so that of course needs to go back to the commission uh approaching the Venetian Causeway uh for help with the operator there. I believe they could do it on their own if they're willing to do it.

And um collaborating with the Coast Guard to open the bridge I think would take a resolution of the city commission. So I think um I think we should take so we should send we should put an an urging on the on the agenda for the city commission uh on the uh Coast Guard uh coordination. Um I would like to put an urging on the agenda that I of course I'd like to to speak with the with the chief about it but about our entry points. uh I would like for us to work on a on an urging to put back on the on the agenda based on this conversation and then uh and then I you know I don't know if you need direction but I do think it's good to formalize you know I think a lot of times we can get our our elected officials for example we need to uh take action with with with a toll office we can work with the commissioner of the district at the county who's in charge of of that area uh to testices with us. So I think we should bring these back as action items to the commission. Sorry.

Okay. Second by the chair. We can show and seeing any members of the public wishing to speak. Seeing none in person, none on Zoom, we can show this item as adopted by acclamation. All right. Thank you colleagues. And we can show this item closed. Yeah. All right, perfect. Before we go to item number three, I'm just going to take addendum number one out of order. Uh Stephanie, addendum number one is discuss the Green Jefferson Avenue bicycle lanes with the transportation and mobility department of Miami Beach Fire Rescue. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Fernandez.

Commissioner Dominguez. Addendum number one. Oh, this one. Okay. The one about the Venetian. Yes. Yes. It's addendum two. Sorry. Okay. Yeah. I'm sorry. Let me Let's just have Stephanie read it into the record. Okay. Addendum number two is discuss take action regarding the renaming of Venetian way to honor Hazel Abrams um siphon pursuant to city code section 82-503. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Dominguez. I'm happy to second your motion. I think it's a no-brainer. Thank you. I'd like to move the item.

Second. Any members of the public wishing to speak on this item? Seeing none in person, none in Zoom. Can we adopt this by acclamation? All right. With that, let's call item number three. Item number three is discuss the potential implementation of I'm sorry, no. Item number five and six. Okay. Sorry.

No. Item number five is discuss the potential creation of a safe and strategically located bicycle and other microobility devices parking sites in South Beach. And item number six is discuss the potential extension of the six-month pilot program for bicycle and microobility devices storage at largecale events on public property. Thank you, Stephanie. Um, so this is an item that um that that I want to take together five five and six um because it it relates to micromobility and where and how these devices are are parked in in our public spaces and in our events. Uh, one item focuses on expanding bicycle and microobility uh, parking in South Beach. Uh, while the other item looks at storage requirements for largecale events. But again, it is the same theme of encouraging people to use their their bicycle and microobility devices um, and providing for them a place where to put them. From reading the memo, we've we've done meaningful progress uh over over over the years, but it seems like our approach is rather reactive rather than than proactive. Uh and and at the same time, the pilot program that we did for for events uh for storage of microobility devices at at events showed very little usage of of that temporary storage. um which kind of indicates to me um that that the issue is not the demand because there are people using using bicycles. It's just

that the policies haven't been designed properly that we need to go back and look at these policies and uh and making clear um ma making clear that the the structure that we want uh for for for parking of bicycles whether it's holistically throughout the city or whether it be when we have events like scope or untitled or art baso or the boat show or any of these of these other events that we have a holistic plan to accommodate this. So with that, I want to recognize Jose Gonzalez to uh lead us in this conversation. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning, commissioners or committee members. Jose Gonzalez, transportation and mobility director. So, I'll speak to the portion of the uh item number five uh bicycle parking and and I'll focus on just the day-to-day um demands and and opportunities for uh not just bicycle parking but micromobility parking as well. U so the first the first really comprehensive effort to expand bicycle parking in our city came about as a result of the 2016 transportation and bicycle master plan. That was really the first effort. At that point we took a look at the city. We uh surveyed where every bicycle rack was located and the master plan identified areas for uh opportunities for expanded bicycle parking. Since then, so this is 10 years ago. Since then, there have been over a thousand bicycle racks installed throughout the city. We currently have over a thousand. Um the the city's standard bicycle parking device is the standard URAK. Now

it's it looks like like this and uh it could be used by microobility devices as well. U so that was really the first concerted effort. Since that time, Commissioner, and you are correct, it's been more a demandbased, needsbased. Wouldn't necessarily call it reactionary, but it's based on, for example, if a a business opens up and they call and they say, you know, I'd like a couple bike racks in front of my establishment, then we'll go and we'll we'll install those. So, that's been the approach uh for the past few years. Um, we've also focused on long-term bicycle parking because bicycle racks are more for the, you know, you're only going to you're going to go to the coffee shop, you're going to go to a store for a little while and you want to park your bike close and uh and you know, in a convenient way, but um some, you know, some folks commute to to to works. We um commute to to work via bicycle and they need to store their bicycle for several hours, eight hours, for example. So, we've established vertical parking facilities in seven parking garages throughout the city with wayfinding signs pointing people to where the vertical parking facility is. And so that allows um bicyclists to store their bicycles or microobility devices for you know longer periods of time.

Um

let me ask you something. Do we um I know with cars for for example using cell phone technology and Google maps and all that we're able to track you know our areas of highest traffic where people start where people end. I would imagine if I'm using a bicycle, I I know when I go out for a walk and I want to walk somewhere, especially if I'm a tourist or or or even here, um I'll put on my Google Maps, you know, how do I get from point A to point B, the best way to get there walking or even just to time myself. Um I would imagine a person on a on a bicycle is probably doing doing the same thing, especially if they're not from the area. Um is there do we have a heat map? Can we use that technology? Is there a way to to to get a heat back of where micromobility demand, bicycle demand um exists uh in in our city spec specifically in South Beach?

So that's a very interesting question. I I would say yes. I believe the technology is there because a a lot of the the the technology that's used to to detect trips origin and destinations is based on cell phone data. There are also you know some vehicles now that are bringing that technology built in but uh how it started was just basically uh pinging your your cell phone your IP address on your cell phone. So, if a person on their bicycle or microobility device is using a cell phone, the trick is going to be, can we differentiate? How do we know that they're in a vehicle versus a bicycle versus a scooter? Um, let me get back to you on that one, Commissioner. I think that's a very interesting question

because what I think you know the challenge is what you mentioned the challenge is that we do have a fragmented system we have a fragmented system whereas it is individuals who are calling who are asking for bicycle racks and then we're coming in to put the bicycle rack whereas it should be it should be number one I I believe and and I might be wrong number one we should be uh putting into Google Maps. For for example, in preparation for this item, I went into Google Maps and and I put got me to uh I think I put Smith and Winsky in South Point Park from my house on a bicycle. It shows me the route, but it doesn't tell me where I can store my bicycle. It doesn't tell me where you have placed one of these U racks. And so I got to Smith and Wiski, and then what do I do? I'm not going to go into Smith and Winsky with my bicycle. I'm certainly not going to just leave it out there. I'm not going to put it I'm not going to, you know, lock it to a to a to a pole because you're not allowed to do that. Um so I think you know we need to see the heat map of where is the consumption where where are people using bicycles you know in this throughout our city frankly not just South Beach but but I think South Beach is a good case model because I think there we probably do see the the higher use. Then number two how do we make it easier for for for people with the infrastructure that we have today? Can we work with Apple Maps, with Google Maps? I saw online there was another um there's an there's another there's another uh website

there's another website that that that tells you locations of of bicycle ramps and it's populated by the users. maybe we can collaborate with them as as well, you know, so that so that when people go to use uh these these maps to get from point A to point B, it tells them, okay, that this is the nearby storage locations. I think I I think that that's very important, but also seeing throughout our city, I think there should be a certain level of predictability. There should be a certain level of predictability that if you're going to a commercial corridor the same way that you know you're going to have a freight loading zone. We have the antiquated uh taxi stands that we still have a few around this city. Um there should be a certain mass master master plan that creates a certain level of predictability that you know if you're if you're going to to Whole Foods I don't need to be guessing well is there going to be a bicycle rack or not if I decide to go to Whole Foods on my bicycle. I just know that based on the way that we planned, I should be able to expect that probably within a block or half a block of of Whole Foods, it should be easy for me to be able to locate to locate uh a a bicycle rack. Um is that something that we have done some sort of of master planning like that? U commissioner, we have not, but the timing is is perfect because as you may know, we're in the process of updating that 10-year-old master plan from 2016. So, and it will incorporate and it will be a unified master plan that will incorporate all modes, including bicycle. So, we'll make sure, you know, since technology has, you know, really gone a long way in the

past 10 years to see how we can incorporate and and integrate not just the bicycle routes, but as you're mentioning, the bicycle parking as part of uh a mobile app. We have uh a mobile app that integrates our trolley service, our freebie service. We're in the process of of having the water taxi show as well. So, the modes are there. We could add a bicycle and but this is in a separate app. This is the uh Well, no, it's it's it's the it's Google if if I'm not it's it's through Google. We're entering into Google because that's the key thing. We need to meet people where they're at.

We can't be sending people to, you know, numerous different apps. We need to as as much as we can centralize and meet people. So if people are using Apple Maps, well then I want to make sure that in Apple Maps in Apple Maps it shows them, you know, where where the bicycle parking is at. If they're using Google Maps, I want them Google Maps to uh to to to show them. In fact, we need to be working with ride share because, you know, we do know that microobility and bicycles is that first last mile that closes that gap uh when individuals want to want to use uh ride share. And so even to that extent you know uh Uber Lyft and the ride share platforms um so I'd like us to uh to to to look at integrating that so that we have something holistic we have something that is driven by the current patterns and that's why we need those those heat maps but we need to create predictability predictability so that the person who is familiar with a neighborhood that is not going to use a map to go out there, they can count that with with with some sort of reliability that okay, I know how to get there, but I don't know where where to park. Well, no, that should be easy because the same way we have parallel parking and parking garages within a certain area. We should also make it somewhat predictable that whenever wherever we have on street parking somewhere close it any block that has on street parking within a certain proximity should have public parking p public uh bicycle racks I believe available to them. Colleagues I'm open to your feedback comments and I don't know if commissioner magazine is on Zoom uh this is his item. I want to thank him for for for placing this item

because I do I do think that this is a type of of item that that helps ensure you know that not only are we encouraging uh people to to use micromobility but that they do it safely and that that their devices are kept safe.

Yes, Commissioner Selenas. I'm just looking at the um image that was provided to us in the in the packet and you know I just is this the only what other what else I I I just feel like it's Listen I support having public parking for bikes. I 100% support it in the right areas and I like how this is not taking up a parking spot but I I don't know if this is the right thing. I I worry that well number one it's ugly but whatever. I mean and I just worry that it's going to sit there empty and unused. So, this is too big.

Yeah. So, maybe it's something about half the size and then that way it can still handle I just don't think we're going to have the volume to fill this up and then it just becomes an obstruction, an unsightly obstruction. So, I'm assuming there's better things that we could agree just to um give a little background on this. So what you're referring to um commissioner is the bicycle corral that was installed at Drexel and 14th uh right there in front of Fineberg Fiser at the request of Fineberg Fiser. There was actually a very similar item a few years ago at the quality education committee that led to a motion which then led to a commission resolution to focus on uh bicycle parking immediately around all our schools.

Wonderful. And so we worked with each school independently with the principal of each school. And um the reason that that is there is because I would venture to say the the city specific I'm sorry the school specifically requested it. Um yes in this picture obviously there there are no uh bicycle racks there. I'm not sure if school was in session or not. I took the picture once we installed the bike. Sure. And listen, I support this is a great location where it will be used in front of the schools, but elsewhere in our city, I worry that we won't have the capacity to fill this and then it'll just kind of be a clump clump clunky um structure, metal structure. We only have three of these. So, you know, we only have and they're all around schools city.

No, the second one on Puravida on Washington and first always packed and the third one in Lumis Park where the muscle beach. So, it's always always packed. But that's where I believe that the technology and the heat maps from from user data can help drive where these uh where these bicycle storage infrastructures can be placed. In fact, let me ask you something because you know, one of my biggest frustrations and you all have heard me express it is the amount of parking that we lose when we redesign roads in order to comply with the new FDOT standards. And we end up we we end up losing parking and then you end up with striped areas. And and it's understood that you have those striped areas because of course a vehicle, an SUV, a truck parked there could very well block the uh the uh what is it called? The line of sight.

Line of sight. It takes an engineer. Uh the line of sight uh of of of vehicles. Apparently now line of sight is more sensitive than what it was 40 years ago, you know, but so now we have less parking because of it. But couldn't we go to those yellow striped areas and rather than use losing completely their public utility?

Couldn't we use them for something that is lowcale? I mean a bicycle is not a car. A bicycle you can see through bicycles. A bicycles are not tall. micromobility scooters, uh, like the ones that Commissioner Suarez uses. They're not bulky, so you can still see through them and they shouldn't impair someone's line of sight. Couldn't we look at some of these striped areas that we have lost as parking to repurpose them for this for uh, micromobility parking?

We could, Commissioner. And those areas that you're referring, some are required for line of sight. Others are just little what we call dead zones, you know, areas that are not big enough to do anything meaningful in them. And in some of those dead zones, these that I'm referring to, we have sometimes installed, you know, bicycle racks and and um you know, or or scooter parking. Parking will will install scooter parking. uh if it's a line of sight issue, if it's a safety line of sight issue, it's a little more sensitive, but we can take a look to see if there's any wiggle room. There are limitations in terms of the height that something could be, how bulky it could be. Sometimes if you have too many even conceivably, you can have bicycles in a row that can create almost like a fence-like. But that's where but like but but but that's where you know to Commissioner Matselinus's point if you don't use a corral but if you use more of the subtle infrastructure

you know that isn't as visually imposing might it be able to to fit I don't know 20 or 30 bikes the way that this can no but might it be able to fit four or five or six

maybe well that's that's four or five or six cars now off the road and those are four or five people that now you've you've you've offered them the predictability and the convenience of giving them the infrastructure to encourage them to continue using micromobility the way that we want to get to. Um and that's what it takes to change culture. You know, sometimes we want to rush and create the bicycle lanes without providing the infrastructure for people to park their bicycle so that we can start changing the culture. And sometimes it's like putting the egg ahead of the chicken. you know, you got to you got to foster the behavior and encourage the behavior before we go ahead and redesign all of our roads uh to to to to accommodate it. So, so I'd like for you guys to look at that as part of this. Commissioner Suarez,

Mr. Commissioner Fernandez, I mean, that's a great idea because it also does something. Well, that you may not have thought of, but if we put a bicycle rack in those sort of striped zones, then we don't see it's not you're not going to have an Amazon truck parked there because they physically can't. And I see that all the time,

even even with the new updated parking rules, they just they since that area is free, you know what? we're just going to park there because that's where we're going to park the box truck and then it defeats the purpose of having that line of sight. And that happened to me the other day. I was actually riding around Flamingo Park and there was this huge FedEx truck and I almost, you know, got hit by a car because they couldn't see um around the corner. So, you know, having literally a physical barrier there where these box trucks can't park, I think would be a well idea. And what ends up happening is that now the residents lost a permanent parking space.

Um, but, you know, good luck towing FedEx, you know, it's not easy. Or good luck, you know, towing a a, you know, a Cisco truck.

Yeah. Actually, Cisco, believe it or not, I was I was on Ocean Drive this week and I actually took a picture of it because I wanted to bring it to the commission of of a a to of a parking enforcement taking a picture and citing a Cisco truck literally on on Ocean Drive on on this strip path and they didn't want to move it and they just they said, "Look, we're just going to take the ticket." And I actually took a picture of a parking attendant taking a picture of their license plate and doing his job, which is what we we discussed at the last commission meeting. Um, but if there was no if there is a physical barrier there, they're not going to do that. It's just impossible. So, I think that's a really good idea. Commissioner, understood. We could take that.

Commissioner, look at that. Um, in other

in other countries that are more advanced than we are in um, micromobility, they have garages, entire garages that are dedicated specifically to bicycles. And we're not there yet, but they are well lit. They're safe. They are secured with security guards. They are so clean you could eat off the floors. They have artwork installed. We're not even close to that. However, we do have garages, structures all over the city. And I would like you to work with Will McDonald from the parking department to install bike corrals into the first floor so they don't have to negotiate with ramps that are already hair raising on the best day even if you're in a car. Um to park for free in our garages. Um because sure, it's lovely to be able to cycle up to the door of the store that you're going into, but um it's also pretty nice to be able to park your car, your your bike in a centrallylo garage and then continue on foot. Um so no time limit. I mean, obviously we don't want people parking their bikes there for days, but it's not something you'd have to pay for per hour. um it's out of the rain, it's easy to access, and there's a lot more room. Um on first floors, typically you have, you know, gators of various sorts or other types of utility vehicles. Um I'm quite sure that we can find a way certainly in our municipal lots to to start there and then work with private lots to see if we can have them extend that courtesy as well. I and and I gotta tell you that is such a great idea because it's the way that we should be functioning to create that predictability. Yep. If you know that the garage at I don't know which is the one that we have on on Collins Avenue uh the G3

Collins if you if if you know that the Collins Park garage for example right let's say Collins Collins Park garage has uh corral parking um you know I'll be more likely to take my bicycle

to the Collins Park garage to go to the Bass Museum to go to I don't know to go to Blue Ribbon Sushi, to go wherever because I know where to leave my my my my bicycle. Um, the problem is that I'm not going to go use my bicycle to go have lunch or dinner or to go to the picnic at the bass on Saturday at 4 p.m. which I missed. Uh, unless unless I know unless I know that I can leave my bicycle somewhere. Actually, PJ, I just sent you an image. um if you can display that image and zoom in there. Let's let's zoom in on that image a little bit. Okay, this is this is the parking garage on 17th Street. Okay, so right here across from city hall um by um uh this this this parking garage where the New World Center is at. Um it tells you that it's a Miami Beach parking garage. It tells you that is that you have a blink charging station. It tells you all all of that there. You know what it doesn't tell you? It doesn't tell you whether whether you can park your bicycle there or not.

And and we you can and that's and but you see and that's that is that is the irony of it all

that that right there on the northeast corner of that garage. Okay. We have a huge two-level corral. a huge two-level corral, but people do not know that they can use that corral, but they know and they go look for a charging station. They know they can take their car there to get charged and they know they can park their their their their vehicle there. But what we're not telling them is that they have the alternative of being able to park their bicycle there. And that's where we really need to integrate with, you know, Google Maps, Apple Maps, Uber, and Lyft, and all of these other uh all of these other platforms to make sure that we're not just providing the infrastructure. We're letting people know we're meeting the the consumer where they're at, which is in these platforms, to tell them, hey, listen, you have this convenience that we've placed there. So to bring this in for a landing, I don't I don't I don't want to uh delve into this much much more. Um you know, as the outcome of this item, I'd like to send this back to commission with with the following recommendations. Um looking at the striped areas that we have lost from parking and repurposing them as as uh as parking for for for bicycles. Creating predictability by master planning bicycle parking throughout our city so that people know every block you you're going to find uh one of these U racks. So they know every garage you're going to have this sourcing heat maps from Google Maps and and and other applications to determine

where is the use where is the consumer using uh bicycles where are they starting at where are they going to and lastly integrating with with the technology to be able to tell people okay now that we've provided you with the infrastructure let me tell Let let us tell you. Let us tell you uh the same way that we tell you where the Blink is at the Blink charging station. The same way we tell you where you can park your car, we're going to tell you in these maps that you're already using where you can park uh your your bicycle.

Yes, Commissioner Matselinus. I just have one last comment that I'm going to make. Um because I think it's important to note that um the metal structure that's in the that's in the item. Um can you can you do people lock up and store ebikes at that structure or is that not a thing? Because I I don't own an ebike and so I don't know how those get locked up. Pretty much on everything that we have you can lock ebike. It's the same bicycle just with a battery. And do people do that or do they have other means of locking an ebike?

Some do, but I see them less cuz they're more worried that it's going to be stolen.

Okay. only because um someone pointed out to me recently that that regular bicycles are are um you know we're people are using them less because they purchase something that can go both from ebike to non-ebike. So um if we are you know building out these bike parking stations I think it's important to keep in mind that traditional bicycles will be used less and less as the future moves on and people want to get a hybrid mode of transportation and so what can be what makes sense for 5 years from now 10 years from now um will bicycles even exist really um or will everything be an ebike that you can go from two different modes um I don't Oh, thank you.

All right. Um, so with that with with with this item, we have these four recommendations uh that I think we could send back to commission as action items um uh per perhaps as action items uh sponsored by this committee because I unless we have any concerns. Do Commissioner Dominguez, you have any thoughts uh on these? You're good. No, I'm good. Um the thoughts I had were similar to uh the vice mayor where um if it's not utilized we'd have a huge structure with um not a lot of yes bikes. All right. Uh so with that can we uh send these four recommendations back uh to to to commission by acclamation? Yes.

All right. So with that, let's and and this takes us right into item number six, which which which is the same issue of predictability. We need to create the predictability when we're having these largecale events that the public knows whether you be a tourist or a resident that we've made it convenient for you to get to your events using using micromobility. Now um at the during during the pilot uh period what occurred uh I guess there was not high usage if you if you could guide us uh through this.

Thank you Mr. Chair. Francis Viceu assistant director of tourism and culture and I I absolutely agree that it goes handinhand with the previous item. The pilot program went into effect in June of last year up until December and it was meant for large-scale events which typically have more than 5,000 attendees. It was meant to have free parking on the footprint of events. And so what the program included was waiverss of fees so that these events can add space. It was the feedback that we got so far was that like you mentioned there was not a lot of utilization of the spaces. It was not too uh uniform between the different events. They were mostly in the spoil area. There was mention of uh concerns of liability by the events because they have to accept the the the devices. Um it was we did not make a distinction now that we hear all this conversation between traditional bicycles and ebikes. Ebikes were meant to be included and we even um reviewed it with the fire department for storage what the event would need to do. Um but as you mentioned there was not a lot of utilization.

Let me ask you this. Did tourism and cultural development collaborate with uh with our transportation department to create a fra framework uh a policy that that could be shared with the with the events as here we are we're telling events okay we want you to provide these uh bikes bicycle and microobility device uh storage in your in your events but this is how you do it like like giving them the vision for it. No, in terms of more uh structure with the specifically with the transportation department, no, we focused more on safety um and liability issues regarding the event. We did consult with the production industry council multiple times from before the resolution passed to after to get feedback from event producers and in general I think the idea that they were mostly sharing that was they were hoping that would come of this was more permanent structures. So hearing the conversation today, I think it leads to an opportunity of that because it would be more of permanent structures along with uh more communication because events typically will say if you're coming to our event, these are the parking garages that you can use. I think it goes hand inand if we do have more physical structures that the events could do that. So, I I like for us to coordinate uh perhaps uh tourism and cultural development can sit down and work with um with our transportation department on a policy on a on a policy because if you know it it might be depending where where where the event is at. you know, if the if the event is right next to where you have a large, you know, bicycle facility, well, you know, the if we're if the public is already providing it, if the city is already providing it, you know, we

shouldn't be putting the event through the, you know, hoops and hurdles of having to recreate uh the wheel, but but there's times that you don't have anything close by, like for example, on the beach,

you have events that take place on the each and and and I'll use um I'll use um scope and untitled as as an example. People who take their bicycle, they don't want to have to park at a garage, their bicycle, and then walk over. No, they want to be able to leave their bicycle as close as they can to where they're at. And I think we need to create that framework uh that that greater direction of what does that look like? You know, what does that look like? How big are these spaces? Are they manned? Are they are are they not manned? Um and so and so I would love for you guys to work together on a policy, bring something back to the committee that we can review, that we can vet so that so that we give uh these event or organizers clear clear guidance on on what this is. And it's also not just providing it, but making sure that people know that it exists. And so so just how I'm mentioning with uh with our other bicycle infrastructure, you know, looking at the heat maps and putting it on Google Maps and Apple Maps where these are located. Well, with special events, making sure that in their in their parking plans or when they're promoting people where to park that they also include in there, you know, if you're riding on a bicycle, this is where you can park. It makes me think of when we did it with Art Basel that we had I think it was with Art Basel at some at one point we had a B a bicycle ballet for for Art Basel. Was was that the event?

I can't speak to that. Do you do you have any information on that? Yes. A few years ago it was a a pilot. I I recall that it was not very effective. It was not used. There was a fee associated with parking.

There you go. The fee. Well, and that and and that that that's part of that's part of of the thing. Number one, you need to promote it. Number two, it needs to be conveniently located, but number three, you can't have a fee. So, let's work on a strategy on a on a strategy of the guidelines for the event of of how to do this and the requirements for them to staff it uh and to and to to get the word out about it. The the other thing I would say is I got complaints from people that rode their bicycle to FA.

They had the beautiful exhibit on on on the sand. They wanted to park their bicycles. Fina didn't provide the storage facility. And when and then when when when asked well Fina said, well, you know, they didn't meet the threshold. The threshold that we had was 5,000. How do they not I mean that fine exhibit attracts thousands of people. Um and so and so maybe we need to go back you know look at how the the structure is how the threshold is structured. Um maybe we need to lower the struct the threshold to you know a daily uh a daily number of attendees or you know 5,000 in the aggregate of of the total event because when you look at fina that had to have had attracted more than 5,000 people over over over the period of of the installation. So let's take a look at that as well. the the the threshold that triggers um the requirement to provide for this bicycle storage facilities.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I think that's a great opportunity and and working with the transportation department. As you mentioned, there may be areas that already have spaces that um events can take advantage of. Okay. Very good. Colleagues, any comments on this? I will just say that um you know the water taxi worked incredibly well and that was sort of an unproven um uh undertaking and I think part of it was that it was super well communicated and that it was free

and so I think the same has to apply here that it's you know it's a convenience factor. God knows traffic is disastrous during that week and so the more we can do to take cars off the road and to make it easier um and I like the idea of um the threshold being in aggregate not per day because you know it's it's a minor blip for the organizer. It's a big impact for residents and visitors.

Yeah. And if we need to reduce frankly I mean any any of these large events that are getting a special event permit you know I mean we've required special event permits for a lot of things but we know you know FA having a special event like that we know that this is what we have in mind you know even if they say they're not going to have the 5,000 people it's clear you know it's events like these that draw the attraction that we want to create uh this this convenience for

understood. Yes, thank you so much. If there is no other comments from from my colleagues, any comments from the public, seeing none in person and none in Zoom, we will continue this item so that we can get feedback from the administration. All right, with that, let's go to item number three. Item number three is discuss the potential implementation of a bicycle lane on the west side of Collins Avenue as part of an upcoming Florida Department transportation resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation project on State Road A1A Collins Avenue from State Road 90763rd Street to 75th Street. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Fernandez. Transportation will be presenting.

All right. Uh, thank you, Stephanie. So this item um is ex is is is exactly you know the challenge that we're facing. How do you balance you know safety the safety of the bicyclists with mobility availability and the economic vitality of businesses that could potentially suffer if you take away uh parking. So, you know, I think we all support we all support the expansion of our bicycle network done the right way in a very balanced way. Um, and so we need to find how do we do that responsibly to implement it in the most thoughtful way possible that that provides for connectivity without unintentionally uh harming the very businesses like in this area in North Beach that really make North Beach so vibrant and so special. Um, and so right now the FDOT project, Jose, correct me if I'm wrong. We tried, we explored the feasibility of doing this through the FDOT uh project, but but but that doesn't work. Is that correct?

That's correct. The DOT project is constrained in terms of scope and budget. It's simply a a resurfacing more of a resurfacing project, not a reconstruction project. So to incorporate a bicycle lane on Collins Avenue from 63rd to 75th would require a redesign of Collins Avenue, redesigning the sidewalks, the travel lanes to incorporate a um a bike lane. And you know, as such, FDOT said that they would work with us to program a future project that would include the bike lanes. Um, and if you recall, um, the the commission took action on this item and passed a resolution endorsing the the FDOT resurfacing project to move forward without as is, as designed without the bicycle lane because the bicycle lane, by the way, would have also uh eliminated 70 on street art parking spaces. It was just too impactful. So I believe at the at the time we had given direction for there to be um a uh let's see here a community meeting.

Yes. Uh be hosted jointly by the city and FDOT on option number two. Um if you could walk us through what option number two uh was and what feedback we got from the residents.

Sure. Well um Commissioner the community meeting has not occurred yet. We've been working with FDOT. They um I recall that it was scheduled at one point but had to be postponed uh because of an unforeseen situation and so we're in the process of rescheduling that. It would be a hybrid meeting. DOT and city staff would be in person. We wanted to do it at the Northshore Community Center to present and really FDOT will be presenting um what a bike lane on Collins Avenue could potentially look like. It would require narrowing the sidewalks a bit

and and that's what makes option two different that rather than taking away the parking spaces, we're now accommodating for the three modes. You're providing bicycle, vehicle parking, and pedestrianism, but taking away from the sidewalk a little bit. From the sidewalks. Yeah. So, exactly what that would look like, FDOT was actually developing some concept drawings to show at the community meeting. Um, we can we can follow up once we have a date for that community meeting. But, but we discussed this, I believe, at our February 2025 public safety committee meeting. Yeah, it's been over a year now. We haven't had this meeting with with FDOT.

Well, we've we have met with FDOT, but the public developing the the concept drawings. What they wanted to show, if I'm if I recall correctly, was a role plot, you know, and they wanted to lay it all like out on a on a long table as to what the corridor would look like. Uh and so they've that does take time for them to develop those those concept drawings and uh but we'll we'll make sure to to try to expedite this and have this

and and I'll tell you why we do need to expedite this because option two is something that would have to be incorporated as part of a future reconstruction project of Collins Avenue because it involves changes to the curb to the gutter to the built environment of the sidewalks and to the extent that we would do a future future project out of this. We would have to incorporate this into into into our funding. We would have to identify do any FDOT FDOT grants exist? Does the TPO have any dollars? Are there any other uh funding sources besides our own at a time when we're also facing uh potential potential changes in our in our revenue sources and so and so we need to be having this conversation because we really can't start you know one thing. Yes, is is the is the engineer planning of this, you know, them putting together their preliminary designs and their traffic studies and all that. But that's only one component of it. We need to be on a parallel track looking at uh at, you know, what makes the world go round and round, which is uh what makes bicycle wheels go round and round on uh on on unsafe infrastructure, which is money. money and budget to be able to uh put this into into into motion. So, how long do you anticipate it could potentially take to get this community meeting done?

I would say within a couple months I think we should be able to do it. We need to coordinate closely with FDOT. They need to be present. So, you know, they're they would need to be available. Um, and you know, at least a couple weeks of advanced notice to the community. So, I think within the next two months is realistic. Through the chair. Yes. Um, Jose, if this is an FOD project, wouldn't FD do be funding it? Well, is that that just a pipe dream?

Uh, that's what we're going to advocate for. Uh however, upon having preliminary discussions with FDOT on this, they were looking at more of a partnership and a joint project where the city would pay a portion and the DOT would pay a portion because the need for the reconstruction is because of the bicycle lane.

Okay. Now, so let me ask you this because you know obviously there's the long-term strategy of of reconstructing this this built environment in the in the interim part of this um you know the state is is doing of their resurfacing and restoration and rehabilitation uh project but what can we do uh are there improvements to the crosswalks that we can make uh to make conditions better. Is there, you know, added signage? Can we do shros to do we have or do we even have sharos right now u alerting alerting um drivers to share the road with w with bicycles? What can we do

you know in the meantime? Well, sheros as you mentioned commissioner that that is a minimum requirement that is minimum standard. But do we have that today? Uh it will be part of the the project. Yes. The the project is actually the one that we resurface the resurfacing project from 63rd to 75th. Yes. Yeah. And and that and that's the one where we tried initially to incorporate the the bicycle lane, but because of the impacts, we weren't able to do it. But the because of the 75 parking spaces we were going to lose. We weren't able to to do it because of that. That's correct. But as part of of this implementation, we're going to have showers. What is the date of commencement for that uh project?

Okay. So, u summer of this year and we'll we'll triple check that. Okay. And you know with them placing shar we going to have to plan for for any signage or does FDOT come in and provide the signage? they will provide it. Okay.

And how about uh the moment that we have that that shared in the short term and hopefully eventually someday we'll have a true bicycle infrastructure uh from from 63rd to 75th. Uh what are we are we starting to think about the east west connectors 72nd Street, 73rd Street, 71st Street. uh what what are we doing in terms of planning to to start to get ahead of that? Sure. So, very good question. So, 72nd Street has bicycle lanes already. Okay.

Um 73rd Street, we're on the verge of starting the of implementing the bicycle lane along 73rd. Um probably within summer as well, we're thinking the project has been fully designed. We're just going through the procurement of a contractor. Uh and that will be a green bicycle lane on 73rd. So that's two east west streets right there that will provide some some connectivity. Um North Beach is very challenging, very difficult because it's it's uh you know it's it's it's just very challenging to eliminate on street parking in order to accommodate a bicycle lane. And the streets are such that you know they're not very uh some are not very wide. So uh there may be opportunities for one weighing some streets for example and gaining some area but that will require more of a master planning effort. So, our our transportation updated transportation master plan that I referred to before will be looking at North Beach at at the grid there and seeing ways of accommodating some bicycle facilities in that area.

I love that because it just ties into I guess the point that I want to finish this conversation with. Uh, you know, we often hear about the responsibilities of the state. We often hear about the responsibilities of of of the county, but what exactly falls under our jurisdiction um under under our control, under our purview as as a city. And so, you know, for for our next meeting um and and I don't want to do the next meeting this item, maybe we can bring this up uh in three or four months because I want to give you time to to schedule the community meeting and I would like to get an an update uh the next time we have this conversation about that community meeting. But I I'd also like to to to get a comprehensive list from the administration that you know gives us an itemization um a complete uh a complete list of the creative solutions or the innovative ideas that we can pursue as a city to enhance our long-term goal. But, you know, in these earlier phases before we get there, we know that potentially, you know, even even when we're talking about option two, you know, very superficially without any designs, we know that that could potentially be up to $9 million that we haven't budgeted, but we don't know what the real numbers are because we haven't seen a design. Um, so in the meantime, you know, by the time we go through the community vetting and by the time we go through the design and the funding process and all that, it takes years. Uh so you know these short-term uh wins that we can jointly achieve uh I think would be great to have them have them uh itemized out at our next conversation on this item which I think four months does that give you sufficient time to have a community meeting and bring it back

time. Yes. Yes. And and Commissioner to your point, just want to mention um we had a a or Commissioner Bot sponsored a town hall meeting on microobility several months ago. And at that meeting, we talked about some lowhanging fruits and you know, interim improvements, even if it's just signage, you know, on the pavement, you know, the green box. uh you know they're they're they may not be dedicated lanes for bicycle uh for bicyclists but they raise awareness and

you know and and it's and it's it's great because uh the work that you're doing Commissioner Bod how is being implemented by the administration throughout the city. It's so important because we have so many tourists that come here from so many different parts of of of the world. Even the conversation that we started off today, you know, are you we going to allow motorized ebikes in parks or not? You know, Miami Beach may have one culture, another city somewhere in the United States may have a different culture and in Europe they may have a completely different culture, but educating people and and and even, you know, simple signage, you know, you're leaving the beach and you're telling people to look, a lot of people don't realize that our that our um shared use path, our our beachwalk, high use of of bicycles. And it's it's common sense, but sometimes common sense is not that common. you do have to remind people to look or to stay right. So really it's been a great implementation because just with the diversity of cultures that we have coming in and out of our city is good to give people that very simple and basic guidance. Well, thank you for that and and I will also add to that if I may that um last year I spoke with colleagues in this field um from Paris who have been instrumental in totally re prioritizing bicycles and micromobility in that city and they use co and the Olympics as an an opportunity to really change the infrastructure and other colleagues from the Netherlands and um uh Denmark which also obviously have super strong bike cultures and They all raved about Miami Beach and the Beachwalk and other initiatives, which I thought was sort of amusing because to us, we're frustrated that it's not good enough and not as as good as we want it to be. And they think it's one of the best cities to ride in in my in the country and, you know, hold it up as a shining example. I'm like, "Oh, okay.

Well, we need to do better." But it is um it it's good to come out of our, you know, little bubble and see how it's how it stacks up against other places. So um it's not where we want it to be, but it it is a lot better than it could be and and we're working together for the most part to get it get it there.

Yeah, we're so privileged because we do get accustomed to paradise. We become desensitized to it. You know, this really is paradise. People from all over the world when they come and visit things that we've just have gotten used to and accustomed to and is our minimum and bare expectation for them is the greatest amenity, the greatest finished product uh compared to what they have at home. And sometimes home might be just across the bridge here in Miami Day County or sometimes home might be in the other side of the world where we think when we go over there that it's so amazing. But you know here we really we have a beautiful paradise to to your point uh we often times take it for granted and sometimes that is the beautiful thing of being a destination that we have these visitors that come here and that remind us of how beautiful this great community that we live in is. So Jose thank you for this. Let's bring this item back uh in in four months uh the feedback from the community meeting from FDOT and a full list of of the itemization of what we can do as short-term uh wins uh as it relates to this in this corridor. Okay. Uh colleagues, we're going to uh take uh next items uh 7 8 9 and 10. But what I would like us to do, can we take just a five minute break just to use the restroom, get some coffee because we've been going at it since uh since 9:00 a.m. Cuban time. Uh because I did get here a little bit late. Um let's take a 5m minute break and we can come back to uh to take these

Please stand by. We are going on air in 5 4 3 2 1. All right. Welcome back everyone. Uh we took a recess uh the public safety, neighborhood, and quality of life committee. We're actually going to start off with item number 12. But before we do that, I'm going to take a moment of personal privilege and uh recognize Sarah from from Commissioner Bot's office, who would be remiss to let the day go by without highlighting the fact that yesterday it was the birthday of our dear colleague, Commissioner Tanya Bod. And so she's going to lead us. Why don't Why don't you lead off in the singing, Sarah?

All right, we're going to do it in English and we'll do it in Spanish. Okay, there you go. Birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear. Happy birthday to you.

All right. All right. And to many more. And to many more. Happy birthday, Commissioner. I know, right? Yeah. You got to share those brownies with everyone. And and and Commissioner, since it's your birthday, we're going to grant you your birthday wish of having item number um 13. It was 12. Item number 12 uh called Okay. Uh first.

Yes. Thank you. And I wanted to do this because the the gentlemen who are here to present on it are the only folks who are here who are not actually city staff. So I don't want to have them sit through the entirety of the meeting. So um a hot topic for a lot of us is affordable housing and ways to do it without destroying the um uh buildings that we love and care about in our city and without having other people from without our city coming in and forcing their views on us. Um and so Jason Balsario and his business partner are here to talk about their um uh their vision on how to help us do that in an organic way. And with that, I will turn it over to Stephen Anthony from the um the um uh economic development organiz uh department and to Jason. And I will remind everybody that this has already been vetted by this. If I remember correctly, the CRA wanted to start off with a $200,000 pilot program and we decided we're going to start off a little smaller just to work the kinks out. Um uh and I know that Jason and team have been working with other folks throughout the city to um in in other fields, banking and development and affordable housing to um fine-tune this program. and I'm extremely excited to get this off the ground and and start proving uh the concept. So with that, I'll defer to you fine gentlemen.

No, thank you, Commissioner. And um and and good morning. It's still morning. Uh good morning uh committee members, chair, uh certainly Stephen Anthony, economic development director, and so excited about the the opportunity that's in front of us with the uh the the Noah program. There's a number of different Noah programs throughout the country. So, um, what I what I want and you'll certainly see varying levels of success, uh, with natural occurring affordable housing programs, uh, throughout the country, but but one of the things that's that's specific and that's unique about about what's being presented here today is that there's a different way in terms of and typically what you will see with these types of programs is that usually there's some type of reimburseable grant program. Um that's basically saying, "Hey, landlord, you come over here, we'll give you a grant." Um in exchange for that grant to redevelop the property, you'll place some type of covenant um on that property that keeps it that keeps it mitigated at a certain price level uh for a certain number of years. And so that's what you've seen across the country uh with varying levels of success and and certain engagement from landlords in their participation in in those types of programs. Um but one of the things that that's unique with this program and certainly um Jason and and and Cornicopian will will give some some further details um is that there's there's an opportunity to look at how do we collaborate across respective partners. So how do we collaborate with landlords?

Sorry to cut you off. I think the the item on the screen is wrong. There we go.

Oh, there we go. Um, so how do we how do we collaborate against respective partners and and and banks and landlords um to to create a program that's a little bit more uh succinct and that's also it helps with uh the the city's any type of city participation in in this particular case with the the North Beach CRA and the participation um that we have and mitigates some some of the things in place some guard rails and guidelines around um how the how certain funs are used. In this particular case, the funds would be used to draw down um the interest rate. So, it would actually buy down the interest rate for those loans that the landlords would get from participating banks. Um so, that would help mitigate their costs. And in exchange for that, of course, there the the landlords are agreeing to a covenant uh for a certain number of years. And so with that, I'll certainly uh pass it to to Jason so he can give some further details on on their their their approach to national afford naturally occurring affordable housing.

Thank you, Mr. Anthony. Uh good morning everybody. Uh commissioners, uh Mr. Chair, happy birthday, Commissioner Bot. Um we have a short presentation um that I sent uh if it could be possible to put it on uh the screen.

So um as mentioned, my name is Jason Bellisari. co-founder of a startup called Cornucopian uh which exists to address uh some of today's most challenging issues in housing and I'm also a Miami Beach resident. I live on 21st Street at Art City. Uh we designed a capital efficient and scalable program to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing or Noah for short through lowinterest long-term renovation financing that multiplies public dollars by three to five times. So um once we get the presentation up um the main piece is the problem aspect which is on slide two. Um, PJ, do you guys have the link? They emailed it five minutes ago.

One moment.

It's less important visually, just for the sake of brevity and time. Um, the the key issue is that Miami Beach is losing affordable housing faster than we can build it. Right. So, one new construction city assisted project made it through in the last decade, which was the Anomar. was 80 units, about $10 million in city subsidy, and it took from seven years from concept to keys. A sample of just three buildings we lost, 700 Uklid, 6881 Indian Creek, and 1619 Lennox Avenue were enough to erase the gains of the NMR before they were even counted. 108 units were lost between these just these three projects in 2021 and 22, putting us at a net change of negative 28 units. I must emphasize that this is a small sample, not a full audit of all the buildings lost over the years due to deterioration, abandonment, or conversion to more expensive housing. A tenant at 6881 Indian Creek, this is slide, too. Um, a tenant at 6881 Indian Creek uh told the news crew that his rent was $800 and he loved living there. In the video, some people had to end up actually going to shelters. That building no longer exists and is being replaced by luxury town homes. We believe that every aging building hits the same fork in the road. You either renovate and raise rents or you maintain rents and watch the building deteriorate as expenses as expenses creep up. And we're offering door number three. So for slide three, how does it work? Uh an owner of a sub50 unit unsubsidized apartment building applies through noall.com. An independent bank makes that credit decision and the city buys down the rate from market interest rate to below 3%. A voluntary affordability covenant is recorded for 10 to 20 years which survive sale. And finally, we verify ongoing compliance throughout the bank term or throughout the throughout the term. It's important to know why a landlord would do this. On the revenue side, they'll pick up uh they'll pick a rent ceiling as a percentage above their current rents with room for rent growth

within limits and they'll have more stable tenants, meaning less vacancy, turnover, and leasing costs. On the expense side, you have a long-term fully advertising loan at the lowest rate on the market with no balloon payment, meaning no refinance risk. The alternative is shorter term debt at a higher rate that barely touches the principal. You refinance every time uh you sort of like on a five, seven-year term uh at nearly the same balance, paying interest on money you never really pay down until you eventually sell to a new owner with new goals for their hold period. Uh the covenants will be the price of the best renovation financing on the market. Next slide, please. The pilot structure uh we're looking at $100,000 in rate buyowns from the North Beach CRA, which mobilizes 3 to $500,000 in private lending. And our goal is to preserve 10 to 15 units over 12 months in North Beach, working with buildings at or below 120% of AMI. It's a fixed amount, a fixed geography, fixed timeline, and if nobody signs up, the money goes back to the city. Yes. Just to clarify, units, you mean buildings, not in not individual apartments within a building. Okay.

Apartment buildings. Yes. So, it would only apply to a landlord that owns the building. Correct. Right.

This is designed for people uh who plan on owning for the next 10 to 20 years, right? Not fixed and flow sort of uh you know, private equity, real estate, private equity, uh buyers that are going to hold for 3 to 5 years. Next slide, please. Uh, regarding city oversight, uh, city has full visibility into program records, receive quarterly updates, and real-time dashboard access from the program administrator. It's important to note what the city does not have to do, which is to build internal capacity to originate loans, manage contractors, hire extra staff, and build systems, and more. The program administrator would run operations, and city holds the administrator accountable. Next slide, please. Regarding risk mitigation, banks underwrite each loan independently. Covenants are recorded as separate standalone instruments and survive sale and foreclosure. Contractors are prevetted. Scope of work is locked in before closing and banks only release funds after inspection. Lastly, program funds would be uh sit in a designated account to be dispersed to the bank upon receipt of affordability covenants and loan closing docks. Next slide, please. We're almost there. Um this is ready to launch today. Uh this is not a promise. This is uh we we purpose-built technology for this that's live today. Uh application intake, deal pipelines, compliance monitoring, audit trails, readonly city dashboard, and much more. Uh they're all operational on noall.com and admin.no.com. Uh next slide, please. So the penultimate slide, uh the milestones are pre-launch. Uh we're working on pipeline building and outreach. It's a small pilot. So, we're targeting first properties being signed within the first 60 to 90 days. Our quarterly KPIs will be units preserved, dollars deployed, compliance rate, and cost per unit. And on month 12, we will have an assessment of the pilot, and the city would decide whether or not to expand the program. And lastly, the ask here is that the uh committee recommend the commission to move forward with a 12-month no alone uh

pilot in North Beach. And I want to thank you all for your time listening to my spiel. Um, we know that staff uh has been like instrumental in in helping us structure this thus far. So, we wanted to thank them as well. Um, and uh we're open for questions. Commissioner Selenus.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, Dr. Terry, thank you. um for being here and I appreciate the fact that you're a resident and you're you know there's a lot of things that you're going to help us with, you know, and the fact that you're a resident is very helpful because, you know, you see what we're going through in Miami Beach. So, I I do appreciate that and I also appreciate that you're al alumni of the affordable housing uh program through University of Miami. So, kudos. Um Dr. Terry, uh could you tell me and I understand um Jason, right? Yes. You've been working with our economic development department. Yeah. But you've also met with Dr. Terry and the

So, we had a meeting in November uh with Commissioner Bot uh Jason Green and uh and Rick uh from the city attorney's office and and so just a couple questions. When you have you already identified the some buildings and reached out to or are you waiting for the funding to be approved in order to uh so it's kind of twofold, right? So, we through our network have reached out to to owners. I think uh more uh more succinctly we've we've done owner outreach generally in Miami Beach uh to speak to owners who own you know you know sort of in totality hundreds of these units to understand their reality of ownership. With regard to North Beach specifically, we've done research into the area. There's around 156 buildings uh totaling 2,26 units

that are um that that sort of qualifies as uh you know what typically is Noah, right? you know, built before 1996. So, 30 years or older, sub 50 units, right? Um, so that's how sort of how many units exist today in that area, specifically within the North Beach C bounds. Uh, but yes, like we would be, you know, sort of pending a full program to marshall resources for direct. So, you have been reaching out, you have identified buildings and have they have shown interest?

Uh, yeah, I mean I look in North Beach I have an owner who has seven buildings in the area, right? uh three like multiple of which are in the specific CRA uh boundary some like literally a street outside uh but uh like you know very very sophisticated owner um you know sees a lot of value even on the construction like on the renovation side he personally needs no help right but he sees a lot of value in sort of that that uh that that infrastructure around managing construction uh on Friday I had lunch with a developer very prominent one that I can name at a later time that uh would even be willing to buy a building in North Beach just for the pilot um So yeah, it's it's look, I think the main takeaway on on the benefit for the landlords is that the loan structure itself like being very long-term fully advertising when you compare the sort of interest payments uh over the life of the loan relative to if you go down the treadmill of refinancing every time your five years, seven years comes up, uh the interest expense is like absurd, right? And so you basically do not uh build equity in your property. Um, so you know, I think the the argument here is is that yes, there are benefits to your sort of profit and loss statement, but there are like massive benefits to your balance sheet, right?

I I just want to make sure and this is the reason why I'm asking is because I want to make sure that the $100,000 is going to a property owner and a landlord owner who need it and who without that h 100,000 or without your assistance because they can't take on some of the roles that you guys are going to help them with. um you know that building is going to end up either being sold at some point because they just can't manage it and or they can't afford it instead of you know a developer although well-meaning um you know wants to you know just kind of um use that that allocation. So I just again want to you know caution to make sure we're we're using the funds appropriately and then Dr. Terry, will you be will will the it's naturally occurring occurring affordable housing? So, do these people have a current covenant on the building and do they use case workers to monitor the AMI and the residents that live there or

Yeah. So, so Noah is the most at risk because it is unsubsidized today, right? Rents are Okay. And you'll keep it unsubsidized then. Well, this is introducing a subsidy uh which is the covenant. Yeah. Which is the rate buy down. subsidy is the right bite on the Sure. But other than the covenant then are you going to then put you know standards on the um occupancy that folks need to be a certain AMI? Uh so so or is it just the covenant?

Just the covenant on the rents of the building itself. I think operationally once you start to introduce um you know sort of uh income restrictions on specific tenants right then you introduce an avenue of attack of like fraud right you have to like you know vet their sources of income etc right and so I think uh the better thing and sort of the the more straightforward thing is to vet the the rents themselves so then how do you put those controls on I understand you know but how do you ensure are you just going based on market rate and you're asking the landlords to sign a covenant for how many years?

Uh so so it's 10 to 20 years and and uh contrary to typical affordable programs, right? Where they say let's say I'm going to use 6881 Indian Creek as an example, right? So um doesn't exist, right? But at the time when rents were like $800 and I'm going off of the news, right? That is 34% of AMI, right? So even if we were to say a program is capped at 80% of AMI, right? Technically, that guy could go from $80 $800 to $1,800 and be within the limits, right? Uh here we are anchoring to their current rent, right? And and allowing them to set a cushion uh that helps them and their ownership uh sort of experience, but also more so helps the banks, right? Feel comfortable underwriting this. Uh but yes, their their restriction will be based anchored to their current rent, right? uh less so on just a overall program ceiling that then just allows them to you know

because you can say then yes it's affordable but it's like is it right because well right and that's why I'm asking what type of you know restrictions we're going to have because again I don't want the $100,000 to go to good use rightfully so but then the landlord says well now this has increased the value so I'm just going to increase the rents which you know in default it' be in default with a covenant and then it would trigger acceleration plus like any any teeth we put on it and it's only 10 years

uh 10 to 20 years and and the way we so we're big on incentives right uh and so so the basically the way it's sized is that the let's set some boundaries of like 20,000 per unit up to 50,000 the longer term you sign up for the more money you have access to and then also like depending on how you sort of structure your rent cushion that affects your interest rate right um and so there is a direct disincentive to you know sort of apply for 10 years at a at a higher rent right you're not really going to get them any benefits out of this. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner. Um, you know, I I think that this is a great test of whether Miami Beach can pro preserve affordability uh in a in a way that's uh that's sustainable because as you well mentioned, we are already a builtout environment uh and relying solely on new housing uh to solve the affordability issue. It's unrealistic. So unless we find a way to preserve the existing housing uh then unless we find a way to preserve the naturally occurring affordable housing if we don't find that um then we should really throw out all of our affordable housing goals because they're just not it's not going to be re realistic. So obviously the question always becomes um you know how do we how do we um preserve what we already have. Um so just just a few questions because in a in a high cost market like ours where where uh insurance is high, operating costs can be high as well and continue to rise. How are we ensuring that the program actually is attractive to property owners? Because I think that's, you know, the numbers look good. It looks real. It looks it looks substantive. Uh but but if your if your insurance continues to inflate and your operating cost continues to go up, you know, how you know, how do we make sure that it's not only good on paper, but it's good realistically for for for the user?

Yeah. So um I want to u sort of draw attention to the memo that we shared uh in that we pose a question to the city attorney's office right around the concept of a targeted pass through right uh we believe that if you uh do not allow for a a a pass through for non-controllable expenses within reason right uh focusing on property taxes and and insurance you're effectively asking a property owner to become a better you know on the weather in 10 years right and where will insurance rates go and uh you they they uh can suffer you know quite quite u you know in a pretty negative way like

so they'll be able to pass through to the tenants certain increases that they encounter. Sure. Yeah, there's a few caveats there, right? So, so number one, on property taxes, you must uh you know, you must show uh intent that you appealed your property taxes, you made best efforts, right? And then on the insurance side, you will have have to shop rates as well and show that you you truly made an effort to show that this increase on insurance is is the, you know, is the reality of your situation. And then uh caveat as well is that we spoke with a landlord in uh South Beach right who owns like 300 of these units and he made a point that it is the market won't allow in a lot of ways for you to pass through that cost right so there's a natural buffer against it however you do need a release valve in a worst case scenario and uh generally landlords will not want to test uh sort of uh you know tenants resolve to to leave right because uh turn costs sometimes are a lot higher uh than than you know just simply passing this cost on, right? You'd rather you'd rather eat the cost yourself than than pass it on,

right? U because an empty unit is going to hurt you way worse than any um than any increase in property taxes or insurance. But it is worth noting that without that release valve um this becomes untenable for people, you know, just they don't want to become a better on where this will go in 10 to 20 years. Right. So, and and let me ask you, uh the rank covenants, they're potentially 10 to 20 years. Uh yes, 10 to 20 years. That's the goal. I'm sorry. That That's the goal. Yeah. 10 to 20 years. 10 to 20 years. Um how are we accounting for um you know how they need to have certain growth and now they're going to opt out of of of the program? Yeah.

What's what's the formula for that?

So, uh the way it would work is let's say your rents are $1,500, right? Uh typically if in like I mentioned before in another uh sort of program, uh if you were to just say you're at 80% of AMI, right? and your cap is 120% of AMI. When you frame that uh sort of for a landlord, then they say, "Oh, let me set my cap at 90 100% of AMI." But in reality, that's pretty far off from what the market would allow, right? And so, like I like I mentioned, let's say your rents are at 1,500 today, right? You want to set a cushion of let's say 5%. Right, above your current rents. Um that is your starting ceiling. Then on you would grow at AMI, right? Uh AMI historically over the past 30 years in Miami County has grown at like 3% per year, right? So you still have access to rent growth. Uh but it is it is at a you know um typically at a lower clip than inflation or or what we've seen uh sort of in the in the general private markets.

And so and and and lastly since this is a pilot program, you know, what does what does um what does success look like at the end of of the pilot program? How do we how how do we measure the effectiveness of it? Is it the number of units preserved? Are we tracking participation rates, financial per performance? Like what is what does success look like at the end of the pie?

Success is to me speed and leverage, right? Uh if we uh you know deploy dollars in in weeks, right, instead of uh you know months or years, uh to me that's success. If we uh showcase that you know we preserve for instance the Anamar as an example, right? It was $125,000 per unit in city subsidy. if we, you know, bring a unit online through preservation for a fraction of that, right? Um, and we show that for every dollar that went into this program, we mobilized three to 5x uh private dollars, right? Um, the higher that number is, that that to me looks like success as well. All right. Um, if I Commissioner Bond and then Commissioner Suarez,

you know, when I was knocking on doors in North Beach, um, there were what used to be um, naturally affording affordable naturally occurring affordable housing units that had been definitely gussied up. And um you know, a couple of the people I spoke to in in some of those units said, you know, I still live here, but most my my neighbors have left because the owner has ownership has changed and they've really increased the rents and yeah, they've made some upgrades, but now the people who are living here can't live here anymore. So, it's not the same kind of naturally occurring affordable housing. And I think the success becomes that the inventory stock is upgraded. So you got better windows, air conditioning that works reliably, new roofs, you know, safer stairwells, you know, spalling repairs without displacing the residents. um and without the owners giving up and selling to um development companies who want to either knock them down and build something new completely or you know revise them, revitalize them so much that they no longer serve the residents who who work there. To me, in addition to everything that Jason has said, um the sign of success in North Beach is that it works so well that we're able to do this in Flamingo Park as well, where we have such a beautiful collection. You know, North Beach is uneven. We have some amazing, beautiful buildings and we have some that are not, you know, nothing great except they're people's homes, so they're wonderful. But in in Flamingo in Flamingo Park, we have so many really beautiful buildings that need that kind of help that doesn't require um you know a wholesale zoning change to to accommodate what we're trying to to do. So I, you know, for my part, I want to see this program tested as soon as as possible so that if there are tweaks that are needed, we can we can do that in in real time and, you know, start using this and ideally

become a model for other cities that have the same issues that we do that are trying to figure out how to provide very much necessary affordable housing without seating control of their city to big-time developers. Well, and that and that's what I appreciate about this about this proposal is that it's not asking the city to take on an outsized financial burden. You're getting a very modest very very very modest public investment and you're leveraging it to unlock the the private capital that you need uh and stabilize existing units. I mean that to me this is such a great great a win-win. um should it should it pass? It's it's just it's it seems like a sustainable model. When we met, I asked you guys, well, how do we how can we transfer this for naturally occurring individual units, naturally occurring uh affordable housing in individual units when you individually own a unit or you're an individual landlord of an individual unit where you have afford affordable rents. Uh and I know that you know you're you're getting there is the mechanisms are not all there yet but that's not to say that the bulk I think we have a bulk of people who rely on naturally occurring affordable housing that do live in these apartment buildings that are owned by uh by large landlords and I can think of multiple uh here here in our city. Um and and and the great thing about it also at the end of the day that is that it advances our goals for preservation as well. And that is you know the other public benefit here. We got to preserve uh the architecture of these buildings that when we know that that investment in preservation is not always cheap and at times it's expensive and it comes at the loss of the affordability and housing. Commissioner Suarez.

Thank you Mr. Chair. So um in a nutshell for those who are watching the the request is to take uh public funds and to give to multi-unit landlords to do what exactly? Uh to perform renovations on the buildings to address the correction. that the funds would actually be used, they would be set into a credit enhancement pool. That money would actually go towards the banks

to actually draw down the interest rates. The banks would lend the capital out to the respective landlords. So, I just wanted to make that

but the public purpose at the end of the day is for housing stability for to to set housing at a certain AMI and that is the public purpose of of the funds. Yeah. And due to the loan structure uh you you are sort of benefiting by by uh providing stability, right? And you know I did this math yesterday but like uh you know taking this loan structure instead of having you know like sort of going on the treadmill of refinancing right and so having all this sort of interest acrue uh and paid over many years um let's say if you if you compare conventional and refinancing every five years over a 15-year term um you you are able to basically keep rents where they're at you know currently. um and and still be cost competitive with uh there still be net benefit still have a net benefit relative to conventional financing, right? And so that that's what this structure allows you to do. This allows you to renovate your building in a way that doesn't allow doesn't require you to increase rents uh typically sometimes at all or even uh like a lot less than you.

Yeah. So the so so we would be giving taxpayer money to go into a credit pool. Okay. Which which the city would manage. We would we would manage that that pool account. Does that money ever get back? So money the money would technically never leave the city until an application comes through. That application is approved. The bank says, "Hey, this application is is approved for this for this program." Then the funds specifically to draw down that interest rate would then be dispersed to the respective bank. You're asking about grant loan program essentially, right? And that would be effective money. Not we we wouldn't be able to take that money back effectively. Yes. And so this program would be for 10 to 20 years or

years. Well, what's what is it? No, it's between 10 and 20 years. And uh the the term you decide upon for your personal ownership goals uh then will reflect uh the the uh loan funds you access. Right? If you need 20 30 40 50,000 a unit, then you'd have to go sort of higher in the commitment level. But this is only for 100,000. So how So the 100,000 unlocks x number of units. So then the limiting uh what gets constrained is the number of units you can do, right? The $100,000 will allow you to only do x amount of units, right? Uh if that makes sense because that unlocks three to 500k, right? So depending on what landlords sign up for, then the number is like, okay, do we do 10 units, 12, 15, uh 20, right? There's a world in which we can go,

right? So my only one of my concerns is that let's say they do the 10 year and 10 years goes goes by pretty quick. Um, and the landlord decides to do repairs that are good for, you know, he pick I'm just brainstorming pick and choose that it'll be good for 20 years, but not necessarily the air conditioning or the washer and, you know, washer and dryer, etc. Um, and then you still have an issue where the landlord could technically pass on more cost to the to the tenants that make it, you know, unlivable. Um, but it's capped. My understanding from what Jason said is that that's capped. Is that correct?

Uh, what are you talking about? Revenue or expenses?

The pass throughs. uh the pastor is based on on uh increases to property taxes and insurance again provided best faith efforts to to mitigate those costs. Right. Um I I would say that on the improvement side um generally we we uh look to enterprise preservation next the enterprise you know big nonprofit that is that has contributed a lot to affordable housing. um like you would rank the issues and opportunities at a building uh starting by like life safety then you know uh issues that affect sort of operating costs sort of going down the ladder down to preventative maintenance right and so if there's a roof about to fall uh I would not want to you know redo the kitchens right and so uh then we would we would require uh a longer term sort of uh commitment right to fund the the the most pressing issue in the building which is like let's say in this example the roof like 700 Uklid was a roof collapse

right and that's My concern though is that you know it let's say they do the more obviously the life safety issues we've this the taxpayers have bailed them out because they would have never been able to get this sort of financing before to do that and after 10 years they can just go market rate. Uh, no, no, no. So, so they're they're tied to a covenant, right? And for how long? For, for, for, for, for, for, for, for, for, for, for that duration for, for, for, for, for, for, for, for, for, for, for, right? What I'm saying, so after 10 years?

Well, like the the idea, look, is is that, uh, because we're, you know, 10 years gets you 20,000 a unit. You can't do as much with that, right? But, you know, after in effect, we say, look, you've paid your dues, right, to the community, right? You you've you've given up a decade of uh sort of marking rents to market. Um, you know, at that point, it's your property, right? and and uh you know

and then that's what that's sort of where I'm trying to get around this is are we just buying temporary affordability? Is it are we just kick kind of kicking the can down the road or is this just something that you know it's just very temporary and we're bailing out landlords that should be doing these improvements anyways especially if they're life safety. I don't think we should be bailing out landlords who who decide not to do life safety issues. No, I would say I would say uh these landlords are they're funding their like they do care about their buildings and they care about stability. They are funding them somehow, right? Uh I know a landlord, she's redoing her windows in in South Beach on 23rd Street through a 401k, right? So, so they care about these properties. These are, you know, big assets in their lives, right? Uh they want to see them flourish. Uh right, it's it's giving them a better option to be able to do so. Allows them to do so in a way where, you know, if I took money out of my 401k, I want a return on it, right? And so now I'm going to increase rent this.

So and and another thing is but don't don't we by doing this potentially create almost like um an entitlement for some landlords to say, "Hey, there's this program out here. You know, we can just get we can wait for this to to to do improvements and get bailed out by taxpayers." Can I I mean I'd like I'd like to Jason I'm thinking uh I because if if this let's say it works and and every property owner is saying well the city's just going to give me money and all I have to do is just keep rents the same for 10 years after that you know I'm going

but I think but I think that's a big catch right there. You have to keep rents. Well, I mean, you're giving up tens of thou like if if you take, you know, even a $200 difference, right, across, let's say you own 25 units and you multiply that by 10 years, right? You're giving up tens of thousands of dollars, probably 100,000, like the six figures. Yeah. But the value isn't really like in the rent. It's it's in the property itself because, you know, in 10 years, the property values at its current rate, it's going to probably double. You know,

I have to say this is why I like the fact that this is a pilot program. you know, if this program does work, you know, the city does get a takeaway. We do get a return in investment. Is it a return on investment through a repayment? No. But it's a return on investment through housing affordability. It's it's it's no different, you know, uh, for example, back in October when we were talking about, you know, the surplus funds that we had from the previous fiscal year and we were looking, you know, whether we were going to send that to, you know, condominium owners and small business owners and, you know, to all these other groups, uh, and get no return from it, no lock in in in affordability. Here, we're actually getting we're actually getting something. They're just not getting this money for free. I mean, the city the city's investment, you know, unlocks financing and and and it's a very nominal investment by by the CRA. It's not even the city, it's the CRA. It's money that would have gone to the county that is staying within the CRA. And rather than putting it into into something else, we're putting in we're putting it into stabilizing housing and improving uh buildings. Uh I get I get where your cons where your concern is, but I don't I I don't I don't think I don't think that that that's how the program is going to work. I don't think any anyone's going to say, "Well, I'm just going to let my property get abandoned." Um, so that I can potentially participate and get, you know, a piece of the financing from the $100,000. You know, it there are there are safeguards in place and I don't think there is an entitlement. I think people have to apply and they need to qualify and there is a vetting process. Not everyone is going to be able to qualify

for this. Is that correct?

It's a typical bank loan, right? So, you still have to go through all the And I I would like to just add that by law 10% of our CRA revenue must must go to affordable housing. And so, you know, to take $100,000 of that and to put it into real life situations and figure out are there kinks that we didn't anticipate? Are there benefits that we didn't anticipate? How does it work? What do we need to tweak? Let's figure it out. This is not the only solution for affordable housing. This is a solution, one single a solution for affordable housing. And I don't see why we wouldn't try to um learn from this and grow with it if it does indeed prove to be successful the way we believe it will. And

it is a minuscule amount of money. And and and I just want al also want to clarify because I really would like if this program works, I would like to see it expand to individual ownership, you know, you know, the family, the person that owns that individual unit, uh where they're where they want to keep naturally occurring affordable housing. And and and I think the framing of it is so important because it's not a giveaway. What it is, it's an exchange. You know, the there is a public benefit here. there is a legitimate public purpose here uh where where yes we're offering better financing terms but in in turn we are getting preservation of affordability and if I would see that in our city we've been able to achieve you know massive amounts of of affordable housing then I would say you know this might not be worth exploring but knowing how difficult it is to achieve affordability in housing or simply decent, livable, naturally occurring affordable housing. Because the thing is, you know, we do have the naturally occurring affordable housing now. Uh but because it's it's it's affordable because it's not always wellkept. uh and so and so I think there's a there's a certain s an element here of giving dignity giving dignity to the people who live here and entering into an agreement where there is an exchange where the city does get a true public benefit a true public purpose from this investment

but it's only for 10 it's only for a short period of time uh 10 to 20 years right right so um

and usually I mean but There's a there's there there's always when when you look at development agreements throughout the county, you usually have covenants that run with the land that require a certain amount of units. You know, when this is done with zoning, you you look at zoning applications and at other types of regional governments that they'll have zoning come in, but they'll have covenants that run with the land where they get a certain amount of set aides of units for a certain AMI for a certain period of time and that's registered through through through covenants. Um, and eventually those covenants do expire. It's it's kind of a similar framework. No, I I completely understand, but usually when those those benefits are But my concern is that if we're going to be giving taxpayer money to landlords that are able to upgrade their building, but they normally wouldn't be able to do um at the end of 10 years, what's to say that they can just astronomically raise the rents after that and you're displacing I mean and then it's going to be even worse in 10 years from now than it would be from today and and I'm just

listen this is we're in a committee and so we're kind of just going back and forth you know I I don't but I want to get this into our landing because we I have to recess the meeting at 12:45 and we still have a number of items to go through.

So I say a couple couple points. Uh you you bring up phenomenal points. Um look I I would say uh f first on on the sort of length of these uh covenants right let's say you know covenants is 40 years right for argument sake it's a very long period of time I think uh then I I would argue here because of the the dollar amounts and and the sort of leverage you're getting on a per unit per year of affordability you're looking at you know hundreds of dollars to like low singledigit thousands so let's say $1,000 1200 $1500 per unit per year of affordability when you compare that I'm not trying to pick on the as an example let's say that was a 40-year covenant Right. Uh my only argument there

this is only for 1020 years though or depending on what they talking to if you normalize for per unit per year of affordability, right? Um it's a you know $125,000 divided by 40 years that's $31 $100 per unit per year. So you're still 3x uh sort of cheap run when you look at per year of affordability. And then I would say additionally if if an owner's plan is to own for the next 10 20 years even longer pass it down to their kids uh we want to create an experience that a landlord will want to then reop uh you know use this program at the end of 10 years to continue to sort of are they able to sell

I have to say that and I really want to bring this in for a landing if for a CRA investment of $100,000 I'm able to get any amount of units with an affordability covenant for 20 years I'll take I'll take it. It's better than what we have now. I've lived in this city for 20 years. Uh and and and I haven't I've only seen us lose housing affordability. Um and so I I'd be happy to entertain a motion if a motion is made and I I'll move it. So the the item's been moved by Commissioner Bod. Second. It's been moved by Commissioner Selenus. You make good points, but

I'd like to finish some of my questions, but fine. it. This item, I'm sure, will be heard and and at commission, but you know, we have to get to other items. Yeah. And we and and and it feels like this is death by by a thousand cuts. I'm not trying to kill anything. I just want I just want to get down to, you know, just some of the questions. And I think also the public wants to know more about this. I mean, people are texting me right now. They they're they're kind of, you know, um they they don't really understand the issue. And this is what the committee is for. I don't really want to just flush this out at a commission meeting, but you look at this. I'm not on this committee, so you make the call.

Yeah, I think I I I I think we've all reviewed the item. I mean, the the item is very well explained on the agenda. We have a presentation in the agenda about this that is that is very thorough. Um, and I and and again, over the past 20 years in Miami Beach, I have only seen us lose housing affordability. uh I have haven't seen anything that secures for any meaningful amount of time uh you know housing in in the city or that helps reinvest in the preservation of these properties and uh and for a very nominal amount not only are we doing that but we're also complying with the requirements of the CRA that a certain percentage of the CRA funds be reinvested into housing affordability. We have that requirement. And the best way the best way that we can do it is by partnering with people that can unlock more private capital to make our $1 go five times as far as as our loan individual investment would would be. So with that, we can see we we can show this item. Seeing no members from the public with their hands raised on Zoom and seeing no members of the public wishing to speak uh on the item, can we show this item adopted by acclamation?

And if I can just in the as we're teeing up the next item, you know, our colleague mentioned that he was getting all kinds of um text messages from residents. I don't know if you guys got any. I didn't. But if anybody has questions about this, happy to reach out to any one of us and we can share the presentation. We can share a link to this film. Um, you know, the goal is to make the city better for everyone, not to do things in the dark. Um, so if anybody has questions,

so there so so since we are in committee, I'm going to open up a public hearing on this item. Are there members of the public wishing to speak on this item, ask questions, make comments, express concerns? Please, if you're on Zoom, please raise your hand on Zoom. Uh you're welcome to speak for two minutes to ask questions of the body, to ask questions of our economic development director, of the presenters before us. Stephanie, do we have anyone on Zoom wishing to speak on this item? I'm seeing none right now

there. Okay. So being being that there are no members of the public attending in person wishing to speak on this item and being that we have no members of the public currently at the moment with their hands raised to speak on this item. I am going to close the public hearing on this item which committees usually don't have a public hearing but we had a senic uh opportunity to be heard at the beginning of the meeting and no one spoke on this item and once again we did a public hearing on this item now and no one else spoke on this item. we can show this item adopted by acclamation and sent back to the commission with a positive recommendation. Thank you. Thank you so much everybody. Thank you. Thank you.

With that uh colleagues, let's call items 7, 8, 9, and 10 together. Okay. Item number seven is discuss update on GOB log cabin project. This item was sponsored by Commissioner B. Item number seven is discussed relocating the log cabin to its original sites on its west lots. Uh this item was sponsored by Commissioner Bot. The next item is discuss using portions of the log cabin for community pantry with fridge. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Dominguez. And finally, discuss future programming opportunities at the log cabin. That item was sponsored by Commissioner B.

Thank you. And uh and I know Commissioner Bod may have ran to the restroom. Um I want to give Commissioner Bod a moment to uh to come into chamber. So perhaps if if one of my aids could please because these are her items. Let's just give a moment for Commissioner Bot to come in. But I'd like to take these items together uh because they all relate to the future of the log cabin in in North Beach. And uh while these items are are listed separately, they are all part of the broader conversation. And I think it's important that we approach them holistically rather than, you know, separately. Um and and it's about defining the vision uh of of of the log cabin. Where should the log cabin be located? Uh what should be what should be the purpose of of the log cabin? type of programming uh should be in it. Uh importantly, how do we do all of this in a way that is financially responsible and sustainable over over time? Um, so, so, so I think that, you know, these these separate items that Commissioner Abbot, uh, has brought forward together with, I believe, Commissioner Dominguez as as well, um, you know, they're they're they're all carrying this common theme. Um, so I'd like to uh recognize Commissioner Bod to to introduce these items and guide us uh in in the direction that we should be going in.

So, forgive me, but which numbers did you The log cabin items. All of them. Okay. Yeah. 7, 8, 9, and 10. Perfect. So, um, so they all sort of fold into each other. So, thank you for calling them together. I appreciate that. Um,

um, I think the biggest issue, uh, and we've talked about it already in in different formats, is putting the log cabin back onto the west lots. And I know that as part of plan NOI, it was envisioned as possibly a an amenity for the park. Um, I think where residents of North Beach are is that they want it reinstalled on the west lots. Um, I think the bigger conversation is that we are talking about how do we reimagine the west lots in their entirety as as a full park and um, you know, so let's imagine that the log cabin goes back into its spot um, and the park concept grows out around it. Um, we have a lot of uses that we're talking about for it. Um Alba has been talking with me with one of our residents who has this incredible concept um what that we're calling internally called the Thrive Hive which is a sort of a loose um um way of describing a number of different um functionalities within the log cabin facility itself designed to predominantly focus on people sort of 20 to 50 more or less but not exclusively. So, um there are a lot of different activities and resources and services and activities and activations that can be um developed for use um and sort of anchored out of the log cabin um with the input of the community. So, you know, we'll talk more about that specifically when when the item comes up. Um I would really like to get the log cabin up and running ASAP. Um I think the and you said this goes up to number 10, right?

Yeah. Okay. Um, you know, so the lighting, the um the community pantry item um can be folded into what we're calling the Thrive Hive at the log cabin um um with a way of of having it be monitored and it's not just successful 24/7 which leads to problems. Um so with that, I will turn it over to to David and to Alba. And and and I'm just going to say it again for the record. Um I need to recess the meeting at 12:45. Um, so if we could just be, you know, mindful of that, please, because I do want to finish all these items before we adjourn.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, Madame Commissioner. Uh, David Gomez, director, capital improvements. As an update to where we stand right now with the log cabin, as you know, during the dover coal study, which the commissioner referenced, it was proposed to go in the park itself. That was uh put forward at through FK and through the commission, which adopted that resolution to place it at the park. We've been moving forward with that assumption. Uh the progress of the project is about uh we will receive 90% submitts uh this month and anticipate going out to bid early this summer.

Let me ask you this. How much will it cost to uh move the project uh the log cabin from its current proposed site to a new site at the west lots above and beyond our prop our projected cost in the park? It's an additional million and change. Million and change. Should we make a motion to send this to the finance committee to see if we can identify funds uh to accommodate that so that based on what the finance committee tells us, we can determine whether whether you know it is indeed feasible to place into the west lots.

Yeah. Although I will say I'm I'm surprised because we've been talking about moving it back to west lots for quite some time. So I'm surprised that it hasn't sort of been paralleling traveling at a parallel path. making the preparations to move it to the west lots implies additional costs not only in the construction but in the design as well but wouldn't wouldn't it have been prudent to um make that decision before proceeding all the way to 90% completion without direction from commission on um moving forward with the plan that that we have and that's my concern that you know it's it's going to be an extra $1 million that northeast

up to a million up to maybe more. I I you know I'm I'm really frustrated because on this because I was um I think we've been very clear that we wanted to get it back into the west lots and I did not I was not aware that there hadn't been direction given to that um and that we were proceeding as if there was no desire to move it into West Lots when it has been very clear that there has been desire to move it into West Lots

and I and And and I have to say um my priority is the preservation of the log cabin, you know, because although the log cabin is not a designated his uh historic uh property, you know, when you read the memo, it's very clear in in in the memo the log cabin has been has long been considered a significant historic structure and a beloved community fixture for the residents of North Beach. So the priority is how do we preserve the log cabin? That is priority number one. Now is it on the east side of the street in the park or is it on the west side of the street? on the west lots to me it's a little bit you know it's it's that there is like technicality icing on the cake maybe and I think and and I think for a lot of people it's not for for a lot of people it'll it'll influence what you can do with with the property but how I'm seeing it the priority number one is to preserve this historic structure which is not designated and I wouldn't want to hinder its preservation, saving saving this project by relocating it across the street. And that's where understanding, okay, what are we going to sacrifice? What if we need a million dollars, at least a million dollars to move the lock cabin to the west lots? Well, then what are we not going to fund in order to in order to achieve that? and uh and and and does that ultimately jeopardize the long-term completion of this project? And so goal number one has to be preserve this, save it, bring it back to life. And then goal number two, icing on the cake, if the money is there and it

doesn't take away from other needs of North Beach, well then yeah, icing on the cake would be to put it in in the West lot. So I before I before we move it to finance, I would like to have this come back, I would like to have a meeting offline with you guys and understand all kinds of things. I have a million questions. Um can we find the money from CRA? Um if we are envisioning a a whole park reimagination, do some of those costs that would be necessary to move it into West Lots be able to be absorbed by a park uh redo? Right. So if smoothing things out and water and electric, all those things, um I I think we really need to understand that. I'm not going to throw it onto the mercies of of another committee without having those answers.

Of course, I understand. And um I will tell you that I I share your your goal in preserving this. Obviously, that's non that's

you're the leader. No, but my point is advocate in this is a very deep wound in the North Beach psyche. And for whatever reason, agree with it or don't agree with it, it is a very deep the fact that it was demolished for something that didn't materialize that was demolished literally after we had been told it was going to come up for commission discussion the very next week and it was demolished anyhow. I mean the documentation is rife. We were lied to. it was offensive and the fact that it's been sitting languishing uh because of a a pipe dream project that never came to light is a deep deep affront to North Beach. And so I you know normally I would be sort of in your camp um chair and say you know we're getting it back and that's what matters. I want to get it back in the right place and I want to do everything that we can to get it back in the right place.

I understand and I and I think we're more or less on on the same page. I just don't want to sacrifice. We have so many needs in North Beach and that if it's going to cost us an extra1 million plus dollars to move to move it from one side to the other at this stage that we're approaching 90% this

and that's why it should never have gotten to 90%. That's another conversation. So, and let's find out I don't Stephen I think just left but we'll figure out about CRA funds and um what we can do in that front. So, with your permission can we defer it? Yeah, we can defer seven um which goes together with eight. uh which goes together. I guess I want to talk about nine but seven and eight we can defer that but I see I'm going to on on seven and 8 which is seven is the um the update on the geo bond for the log cabin project and eight is um discussion re relocating the log cabin to its original site on the west lots before we defer this item. I'm going to open up the floor to anyone wishing to speak. Seeing none in person, I see Daniel Saraldo with his hand raised on Zoom. Good morning. Good afternoon, Daniel. You have two minutes to speak.

Good morning. Thank you, commissioners. Daniel Seraldo, 7:30 10th Street and the log cabin is an incredibly important part of North Beach. Thank you both for your concern and continued interest in its preservation. I did want to mention uh personally that I don't have an issue with it going in its planned location in the park. One thing that I remember when they were discussing it is that the park has a lot of foot traffic people going all the way even from Surfside and down and and from mid beach and up. And so if the log cabin stays there, it'll really be I think more visible and more used. And that was one of the challenges when it was in the west lots. I also would just want to mention that it is on the agenda for finance as a future item even on the th uh a sorry April 1 agenda F8. So um I I would suggest keeping it where it's currently planned. But either way looking forward to seeing it reconstructed. Thank you.

Thank you Daniel Clive. You have your hand raised on Zoom. Please unmute yourself. You have two minutes to speak. Welcome. Thank you, Commissioner. And uh thank you, Commissioner B, for bringing this up. You know, I feel like uh uh like Neil Armstrong going back in time that the Eagles the Eagles landed. Well, the Eagles almost landed, but I think it's landed on the wrong side of the street. And I think we have the opportunity to put it back where it was originally intentioned. I don't understand how it came about to get moved into the park. And I also don't understand that the geo bond I mean I've been sitting with this thing for a long time over eight years with uh Karen Reva back when the go bond was discussed and they came up with the financing for it and the intention at that time was to put it in the west lot. It wasn't in the park and the money that was set aside to it and the go bond was specifically for its location in the west lot. So, I don't understand how all of a sudden now it's another million dollars to put it back where it was originally uh proposed cuz that kind of bothered me. But we got to get it back. It's a wound like the commissioner Bat said in North Beach. People were lied to on this thing. It's been languishing for years. Let's just get it done. Please. I don't know why it's taken this long. I know people are busy. There's a lot of things on the on the on your plates, but uh the money's there. I don't know why it's another million dollars to put it back where it was originally intended. It just doesn't make sense to me. And uh and and and as far as the use of it, we're happy to have all the use. It's it's it's a great community center for the people in North Beach. It's a gathering spot. Always has been. I mean, I went for years there at the holiday time uh to buy the Reese and things. And you're going to have things across the street in the park. It's just doesn't doesn't fit there. That's not what the original intention was. Please, let's just put it back where it belongs. Thank you

Clive. Uh before you leave us a quick quick question because you you did mention that uh bringing it back was a priority for you and thank you for the work your collaboration with uh with a geo bond oversight committee. Um if do you still if let's say you know there is this added cost do you does your opinion change at that point? Should it still go on on the west lots? Uh if there is this added $1 million cost, knowing that that might take away from something else that we might be able to fund some other needs we might be able to fund in North Beach.

We're talking about history here, sir. It's a was was built there, was intended there, stood there for so many years, no hurricanes could knock it down. The city was able to knock it down. It needs to go back where it belongs. And I don't understand why there's another million dollar cost on top of a $2 million price already. It just seems exorbitant and I question that. But that's not my division. That's not my place. I I I I implore you, please put it back where where it belongs, where it originated. And that's what North Beach wants. We have petitions and people have been following this for years. Nobody's giving up on it. So, please please put it back where it belongs.

And thank you for your participation in today's meeting. Any other members of the public wishing to speak on items uh seven and eight? Seeing no other members of the public wishing to speak on this item, let's show this item deferred. Uh Commissioner Bot, would you like perhaps we can host uh if it's up to you a Zoom meeting where where we can have a presentation from staff and get feedback from the community. It's up to you. I'll take your lead. If there's time for it, we can do it. There's not time because we want to bring it back to committee before the wheels the wheels keep turning uh of different year. Yeah. Sorry. Let's play that by ear and let me get with with David and his team and and

I wouldn't want that to hold up the process of the item moving through. Right. Right. I I think we need to just understand where we are. I'm literally texting our director of economic development to find out CRA funds. So, this is super high priority. With that, uh we can show this item deferred. Uh Stephanie, let's call item number nine, which we have already called, but that's um discussing uh using portion of the log cabin for community pantry with fridge.

Yes. And I know this is Commissioner Dominguez's item. Um and and I I respectfully I'd like to defer this also to a time when Commissioner Dominguez is present because I think there's a way to achieve the goal of supporting the needs of the community uh because there are a lot of individuals that do have food insecurities um that could benefit from from from this program. I'm not sure if doing it through a pantry is the best approach. Uh Alba, I'd like you to see, you know, our partnership with Feeding South Florida and with Farm Share

and for the amount of money that it would cost us to operate a pantry, could we do a more modest type of distribution? Because a pantry, a food pantry serves how many people? Maybe a few hundred people. Um how many people can do we anticipate a pantry food pantry would serve?

Good afternoon about that office of housing and community services. Um it would really depend on the size of the structure of the pantry first and then with that we would have to have partnerships to build that capacity um with what the pantry could serve. So maybe possibly 20 30 40 it really would depend on the size of the pantry. So, what I would encourage us to do is perhaps if you could meet with the item sponsor and see, you know, what other alternatives there could be, how could we use the proposed dollars that would go towards operating a pantry towards partnering with entities that already specialize in providing uh support to this segment of the population, whether it be Farm Share or Feeding South Florida. Uh a lot of times when we see their events, they tend to be these big massive events that tend to be very logistically intense. Uh but perhaps, you know, we can do something more boutique um to serve uh to serve the population in in North Beach uh and get a good return on investment without having to recreate the wheel. uh because the reality the reality is that there are indeed you know a large number of residents in North Beach and in Miami Beach uh just how they're facing affordability challenges at home they're facing um food insecurities we need to address it I just don't know if the pantry model is the best one

yeah I mean I I'm curious because I know you've been working on how to do it if we were to do it at the log cabin and I do think actually item number 11 um where we were going to talk about the Thrive Hive concept could lend itself to having this kind of in-n-out service of of a pantry. So maybe we put those together and and and defer them together. Um bring them back. Yeah, bring them back because that would allow us to explain in better detail what the Thrive Hive is, how it would work, and how this could be a component of it as well as um you know a a separate but related conversation about or the food services part could be perhaps a different model entirely. But it I think it's more useful to have it in context rather than you know in the metaphorical shell of an empty log cabin which I don't think anybody is envisioning.

Okay. Uh so with that uh we we can show the two items relating um to the use of the log cabin parts of it for a community pantry and to discuss the future programming opportunities of the log cabin. We can show the deferred and before we officially defer it are there any members of the public wishing to speak on these items these two items? Seeing none in person and none on Zoom with their hand raised we can show those two items deferred. And are these two sets of deferrals to the next month? Okay,

that's my intent. Um, I do want to keep these North Beach meet items together because it's usually, you know, they I think it's it's beneficial, especially it's usually this the same stakeholders. So, I want to be uh courteous to them by keeping them together. Um, potential improvements u to the lighting at the west lots to enhance public safety. Uh, Commissioner Ba, you had placed this this item on the agenda that you want to guide us through this.

Yeah, this one and number um 12 actually are again kind of go together and I think that they I I would I think want to wait until we talk further about reimagining West lots as a park in its entirety. I mean, I I would like to know, Rodney, is there stuff that could be done tomorrow for no money that we can we can see some improvement in the in the interim because, you know, it's going to take a year or two to get this park built. But, um, I think the the the bigger goal is how do we reimagine the West lots as a park with better lighting, better safety, better pedestrianization, better bicycle modality, you know, better functionality and services and all those things. Um, but, you know, I think, um,

any quick wins there? Yeah, Rodney, low hanging fruit.

Good afternoon, Rodney Nolles, the assistant director for public works. Um, I think as far as quick winds go, our hands are kind of tied because we have um a variety of uses happening on the west lots. Um, for example, the composting, um, ocean rescue, parking lots, etc. And we really think that the best uh, path forward is a phototric study that's going to give us a true estimate of what it's going to take to do this, right? also taken into consideration uh sea turtle lighting because the um east facing elevation uh from the park across the street that varies as you're going from south to north and um any lighting that we put in those lots can't be seen from the beach. So um if we're going to do it I think we should do it right and if we can um identify funding to uh pay for that initial uh study um I think we'll be on the right right course.

Yeah. So I my my intent I think my vision is to not spend money on a study for something that perhaps would not be necessary or would be folded in as part of a park master plan, right? Because I don't want to spend money on on lighting if um if we're just going to have to redo it as part of a park. So I think the my goal would rather I would rather focus on fasttracking the the planning process for the park and getting this done as part of that. What what's your thought on that Mr. Chair?

Sounds good. Yeah. So so what we'll do is we'll bring items 7 8 9 10 and 11 and 12 back uh to committee together. Uh, so in essence, this second portion of the of the agenda, we still have work to to to do here. And I think 10 and 12 might need a little bit more time because we just need to figure out what's going on with the, you know, the parks desire.

Yeah. as I as as I mentioned um and and and this is for for staff and for for members of of the committee and my colleagues in general. Uh I'm only going to be placing items on the agenda once the sponsoring item once the sponsoring commissioner feels comfortable with the item being placed on the agenda. Right now we have a system where a lot of times staff and the administration work on items they get approved by the city manager then they end up on committee agendas but the sponsoring commissioner doesn't know that there are items being placed on the agenda and the sponsoring commissioner might not even might not have even seen the memo and might want to make tweaks to the program and all that. So once we get confirmation from the sponsoring commission that they're ready for their item that they sign off on their item because it's ultimately their their their item that they are sponsoring. I'm not going to be placing it on the agenda. So once we're ready for that, you let uh Stephanie know uh and we'll we'll bring it back. With that uh we have gone through many items on this agenda. I want to thank staff for your collaboration, for your partnership, for the amazing work that you guys have done during during spring break. I'd be remiss not to mention our fire chief DNA, who has been in the audience um uh and the 66% reduction in incidents that DNA's uh team, the Chief Abello's team has had to deal during spring break. It's incredible the incredible progress that has happened in our city uh during the month of March. So, thank you to all the employees of the city of Miami Beach that sacrificed tremendous amount of time from your families to be here to keep our visitors safe and to keep such a great positive vibe in our community. It's it it's not lost in us and on the residents the great work that you've done. And with that, I want to adjourn to today's meeting. wish all who are

celebrating a meaningful Holy Week as we prepare for for Easter for our Jewish community. Chag P. Wait, Chad Pesak Saga. Is that right, Tanya? There you go. Pesak. There you go. A meaningful uh Passover as they celebrate the liberation from Egypt. And thank you to everyone who participated in today's meeting. Our meeting is adjourned. Thank you.