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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting November 15,2012 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida <br /> Mayor Edelcup said compounding that also with the fact that we have not finalized the <br /> design of the Park itself. City Engineer Gray said that is correct,the only thing we know for <br /> sure is that we are going to finish that storm drainage system because it is the one thing that <br /> is at least 90%done. Mayor Edelcup said typically when we do the Parks they are gated and <br /> closed with a fence all the way around it. He asked Cultural and Community Services <br /> Director Susan Simpson if her plan on this one is as a Kayak Park as well and he would <br /> assume that we are fencing this one in. Ms. Simpson said the original design required <br /> fencing. Mayor Edelcup said that he cautions everybody that we should not make decisions <br /> rapidly particularly in the instance where there isn't any construction even set at this point as <br /> to when the Chabad is going to start construction on this, and to try to rush something <br /> without a proper study internally would create some problems for ourselves as well as to how <br /> we intend to handle it if we were to grant such an easement how that would be handled <br /> within the confines of over developing this Park to be. Before we can make an intelligent <br /> decision we would have to know what it is that we are building in this Park and how this <br /> easement may or may not affect those particular plans. <br /> Vice Mayor Thaler asked if staff has any other alternatives that can be incorporated in this or <br /> so we can get everything out on the table. City Engineer Gray said she is not an architect but <br /> she had suggested swapping that exterior terrace with the tower and that way the stairs would <br /> exit out onto the loop road for Sunny Isles Boulevard. She is sure there are some very valid <br /> reasons why the architect would not want to do that but that was pretty much discounted. <br /> The other thing they could do is shrink their building down and put the stairs on their <br /> property. Commissioner Aelion said he had asked for a total visual perimeter that includes <br /> the square footage of the west side, inclusive of the Bella Vista Bay Park so that we would <br /> have a comparative between the easement square footage compared to the whole Park,and <br /> City Engineer Gray said she would put that information together. <br /> Mayor Edelcup said for the record, going back to when we purchased this property and <br /> Commissioner Scholl was not a Commissioner at the time but he was instrumental in <br /> negotiations and he believes we paid something like $3.3 Million for 22,000 square feet of <br /> upland,and Commissioner Scholl said yes,and about 14,000 square feet of submerged land. <br /> Mayor Edelcup said he believes we paid roughly$150 a square foot. Mr. Kasdin said that <br /> they understand of course that as with any building or structure that is approved in the City <br /> and they are only seeking approval of an easement,an area,that it would have to go through <br /> all necessary building permitting, and environmental permitting approval processes but <br /> again,all they are seeking this evening is a discussion and then direction to go forward with <br /> respect to an easement covering 252 feet. That is an area that would be taken out and be able <br /> to be used for this specific purpose. He would suspect that this is probably one of the <br /> smallest structures that have ever been approved or discussed by this Council and it is a <br /> staircase, and any of the issues that can be raised are easily dealt with in the permitting <br /> process. However,if the easement is not granted it would require them to change their plans <br /> for the building. Mayor Edelcup said no,we approved the building without that. Mr.Kasdin <br /> said he understands,but the design of the building would change because they are predicating <br /> it upon being able to have that as an extra spot for egress and ingress. So it is very important <br /> to them in terms of being able to move this project forward, we are talking about a 252 <br /> square foot plot of land which would hardly do any damage or even have an impact on <br /> whatever Park or other proposal is there. Any structure that is built,however minimal, it is <br /> 26 <br />