Reso 2014-2199 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

SOtANY tS4 City of Sunny Isles Beach ° a9 18070 Collins Avenue, Suite 250 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160 * (305) 947 -0606 City Hall * (305) 949-3113 Fax yF iD9, * F l OR\0 5`C (305) 947 -2150 Building Department C 305 947 -5107 Fax ,rY OF SUN Pa o MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable City Commission FROM: Christopher J. Russo, City Manager DATE: February 20, 2014 City Commission Norman S. Edelcup, Mayor Isaac Aelion, Vice Mayor Jeanette Gatto, Commissioner Jennifer Levin, Commissioner George "Bud" Scholl, Commissioner Christopher J. Russo City Manager Hans Ottinot, City Attorney Jane A. Hines, MMC, City Clerk RE: Resolution authorizing acquisition of the designated property from the Plaza of the Americas for the Pedestrian Overpass Bridge for the Gateway Park to be a Public Necessity RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Commission approve the attached resolution: (1) declaring that the acquisition of property from the Plaza of the Americas for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a pedestrian overpass bridge for the Gateway Park to be a public necessity; (2) authorizing the City Manager and City Attorney and all those acting on their behalf to contract with real estate appraisers, engineers, title examiners, legal counsel and other expert witnesses and consultants; and (3) authorizing the City Attorney and all others acting on his behalf to initiate eminent domain proceedings. REASONS: Several years ago, the City Commission requested a study to determine whether the City complied with the Open Space Element in its Comprehensive Plan. The study prepared by Luft Consulting, Inc. revealed that the City had not fully satisfied its Open Space Element due to the lack of multi - purpose recreational parks on the west side of Collins Avenue and south of 172nd street. Consequently, the City acquired approximately four (4) acres on Sunny Isles Boulevard to satisfy the Open Space Element of the Comprehensive Plan. During the development process of building a multi- purpose park commonly known as Gateway Park on Sunny Isles Boulevard, the City quickly realized that more than one thousand residents and visitors would not have safe access to the Gateway Park because the park was separated by a five -lane (5) highway from the North Bay Road residential area. As such, the City is seeking to build a pedestrian overpass bridge to provide safe access to Gateway Park, The City is in the process of constructing the Gateway Park in between the east and westbound lanes of Sunny Isles Boulevard (SR 826). The residents of and visitors who currently reside in the North Bay Road corridor between Sunny Isles Boulevard and 172nd Street do not have a safe and adequate means of pedestrian access to the park.