Alton Road Zoning Changes -- Tues, Oct 27, likely around 5pm -- City of Miami Beach Planning Board

The City of Miami Beach Planning Board is scheduled to meet from 3pm on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, in the City Commission Chambers.  Among the matters to be considered is a proposed ordinance creating the Alton Road Historic District Overlay District.

Among the purposes of the proposed legislation is to require a more compatible relationship of scale and massing between new development along the east side of the Alton Road corridor and the adjoining residential neighborhoods.  A copy of the Staff Report & Recommendation and the proposed ordinance may be found at -- http://flamingomb.org/AltonRoadHistoricDistrctBufferOverlay102709.pdf .

While the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association is supportive of the setback requirement proposed in the draft ordinance, there remains considerable concern over the failure to permit adequate community input into the development of the proposal and the following substantive issues:  Use, Height, FAR, and Aggregation.  A copy of the Association's recommendations may be found at --  http://flamingomb.org/FPNAResolution011209.docx .

Join the Safe Community Walk -- Wed, Oct 28, 6 to 8 pm -- Take a Bite Out of Crime

The Miami Beach Police Department Community Affairs Unit will host the Safe Community Walk on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 6 - 8 pm, meeting at the Police Department Community Room, 1100 Washington Avenue.  You are encouraged to join us for the discussion and a short walk; Flashlights and Refreshments will be provided. 

 Access the informaiton at
http://flamingomb.org/MBPDCommunityWalk102809.doc

Community volunteers are requested to meet together starting at 6pm at the Police Department and then to walk together to 9th Street and Meridian Avenue to focus attention on safety and crime prevention.  In attendance will be Assistant Chief William Riley, South Captain Marc Causey, Neighborhood Resource Officer Deborah Doty.  Please RSVP to deborahdoty@MiamiBeachFL.gov.

This special event sponsored by the Community Affairs Unit of the Miami Beach Police Departments is a part of October is Crime Prevention Month. Each October our nation celebrates Crime Prevention Month. What does that celebration mean to you? To your family? To your school? To your community?  In our community it means joining togehter to help create safer places to live, learn, and play in October and all year long.

NCPC’s National Citizens’ Crime Prevention Campaign has been the hub of crime prevention activity in our country for 27 years. NCPC has been guided in its work by America’s beloved symbol of crime prevention, McGruff the Crime Dog®.
Together McGruff and NCPC have encouraged citizens to get involved in community safety through ads on television, radio, and in the newspaper; trained law enforcement officers in crime prevention; provided teachers and students with information on how to help create safer schools; shared safety tips with millions of children through the www.mcgruff.org website and with millions of adults through the www.ncpc.org website; and helped countless communities mobilize neighborhood groups and volunteers to fight crime.

Citizen involvement has played a vital role in helping communities stay safe. There is still work to be done. We know that young people are vital resources to their communities and can do a great deal to keep themselves, their homes, and their schools safe. If you or your family needs more information about how to prevent crime and build a safer, stronger community, please visit NCPC at www.ncpc.org or call 800-NCPC-911.

Short Term Rentals in the Flamingo & Espanola Historic Districts

Much discussion and controversy has arisen regarding Short Term Rentals in residential districts -- both single family and multi-family zoned neighborhoods. Planning Department staff opined that the rental of multi-family or town-house propeties in districts that do not permit hotel uses for period of less than 6 month and one day as transient use, probhibited under existing regulation.

The City staff recommended a revision to the current code which would allow short-term rentals in RM-1 and TH zoned neighborhoods excluding the Flamingo Park Historic District.  At its September 9, 2009 meeting, the City Commission arrived at no concensus and did not adopt the proposed Ordinance.

Following the City Commission meeting, a group of residents concerned with short term rentals and a group of property owners currently engaged in short term rental of their properties conducted a series of meetings to evolve a compromise proposal. 

At its meeting of September 26, 2009, the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association adopted a resolution urging the City Commission to take the following action as soon as possible:

Preserve the current policy limiting rental periods to a six month and one day minimum in the RM-1 and TH zones only of the Flamingo Park and Espanola Way Historic Districts, as well as the exception allowing Bed and Breakfast facilities, while allowing the issuance of a "grandfathered" short term rental license to those property owners who qualify according to specific enumerated criteria.

The full text of the adopted Resolution can be accessed, as follows:
http://flamingomb.org/FPNA_ShortTermRentalResolution_ADOPTED_9-26-09.doc

How to Identify Problems with Walking Conditions in the Neighborhood

To be able to walk safely in the neighborhood, pedestrians need:

• A safe space to walk
• The ability of see or detect traffic
• Access to sidewalks and crossings
• Enough time to cross streets
• Signs and markings designating the pedestrian route
• Continuous facilities

Chapter One of the Resident's Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities covers these three Section Topics:

1. Types of Pedestrian Problems
2. Ways to Assess Pedestrian Problems
3. Linking Problems to Solutions

The discussion of Problem Identification will culminate with developing plans to Identify Pedestrian Safety Concerns in the Flamingo Neighborhood Using a Walkability Audit.

The materials serving as a resource can be accessed at the following:
http://flamingomb.org/ReadersGuideCh1ProblemIdentification.pdf.

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association Meeting on Mon, Oct 12th, at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Avenue

5:00 pm – Pedestrian Safety Project.  This meeting will focus on Ch 1 of the Residen't Guide for Pedestrian Safety, which emphasizes Problem Identification leading up to plans for conducting a Walkability Audit.   We will continue to examine problems that can be identified, solutions proposed and tracking implementation in the short term.  Pedestrian Problem Identification materials can be accessed from the following:  http://flamingomb.org/ReadersGuideCh1ProblemIdentification.pdf.


6:00 pm – General Meeting.  Our special guest is Commissioner Jerry Libbin who is taking leadership in expanding the City of Miami Beach Veterans Day Parade and we will discuss the event and opportunity for participation.  We will also provide update on other important project initiatives, including -- Alton Road Plan, Short Term Rentals, and CIP Neighborhood Infrastructure and Streetscape Improvements.

Special Guests:  Student  Project Team from University of Miami, School of Architecture, Graduate Program in Real Estate Development + Urbanism will discuss their class / team project at Fifth Street and Alton Road seeking input from members of the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association.