2008 0515 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes: Regular City Commission Meeting May 15,2008 City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida section would remain the same. For the bridge portion it would be narrower to stay within the current Porto Bellagio easement, but at some future point, we would at least have a bridge in place for two-way traffic which would then have another lane added with property acquired on the east of Porto Bellagio for two-way traffic. You are better off building either for the immediate future or for an infrastructure project knowing that it would be required at another future point in time. Carlos Gimenez, Esq. representing Porto Bellagio said right now there is no confirmed determination, no feasibility study, no economic study, no analysis of what the total cost of this bridge is going to be, so why are you going to amend the Comprehensive Plan prior to making a determination as to whether or not you even need to amend it depending on what your analysis derives at, whether or not you need this bridge to be two lanes. The first question is do we need this bridge in a matter that would violate the existing Comprehensive Plan, and if the answer is yes, then you need a feasibility study and go through the process. City Attorney Ottinot said that the Commission wanted to create flexibility. Mayor Edelcup said the Comprehensive Plan is a living document, and it is mandatory that we relook at it every five to seven years and take into account the things we know today that we didn't know five years ago such as building a school in Sunny Isles Beach. He said what we have to keep in mind is what is best for the entire community. It was the consensus of the City Commission to schedule the Local Planning Agency (LP A) meeting in August to give the Consultants/Engineers/Planner time to gather and analyze data. City Manager Szerlag said for clarity, this is a feasibility study of a full time two-lane vehicular bridge as opposed to a pedestrian/emergency vehicle only bridge, and the Consultants/Engineers needs three (3) months to complete that, staffwill need time to talk to the public, the City Commission will need time to analyze that report. He asked if he gets the report two weeks before the August meeting, is that enough time to review it and advise the residents? Mayor Ede1cup said we can design it as a two-lane bridge but ifit turns out for emergency only then it will be for emergency only, as you have the same bridge. Commissioner Scholl said he wants to make sure people have time to understand what our experts have to say, make an informed analysis, come to a meeting with the data and be able to make an informed decision. Carlos Gimenez said he would also like the opportunity to have Porto Bellagio engineers review the report, to analyze it and they would need time to do that, and City Attorney Ottinot said that he would obtain the information and forward it to him. Mr. Gimenez asked if the engineering report hasn't been submitted within 14 days from the hearing date, that it be deferred to the following month, and the Commission agreed. City Manager Szerlag said he needs one more element of the resolution to authorize him to exceed his budgetary authority to pay for the studies through a budget amendment. Commissioner Scholl said that he would move the resolution with the caveat that that date would be confirmed if we get the report two weeks from that date so it can be disseminated. Additionally, we are going to amend the resolution to give the City Manager authorization to spend the money it takes to get those studies done which will exceed his $10,000 limit. Mayor Edelcup said it will be a public LP A meeting in a form that is commensurate with the public understanding of this process, and the City Manager keeps designing the bridge, and the bridge is moving forward, it is just the matter of what kind of bridge and its use. 8