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.

Candidate Forum -- Wed, Sep 30th, 6:30pm

City Commission Candidate Forum

Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 30th, 6:30 pm

At Historic Old City Hall

1130 Washington Avenue

Presented by

Miami Design Preservation League

ECOMB – Environmental Coalition

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association

All Candidates for Mayor and Commission are confirmed.

Moderated by Judge David Young

The next regular meeting of the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will take place on Monday, October 12th, at The Seymour, 945 Penn Ave., 5:00 pm – Pedestrian Safety Meeting – 6:00 pm Regular Meeting.  All residents of the neighborhood are invited to attend and participate.

Flamingo Neighborhood Meeting -- Mon, Sep 14th -- 5pm Pedestrian Safety Project; 6pm General Meeting -- Special Guest: Mayor Matti Bower

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association

Monday, September 14. 2009

At The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Ave.

All residents of the Neighborhood are invited to attend and participate.

5pm – Pedestrian Safety Project

All those interested in working on this special Pedestrian Safety Project are invited  as we kick off this full year project to advance pedestrian safety and create a Safer and More Walkable Community.



6pm – Regular Meeting

Special Guest -- Mayor Matti Bower -- confirmed

CIP Neighborhood Improvement Program –
Stormwater Drainage, Water Distribution and Streetscape Amenities
Flamingo Park Masterplan

Short Term Rentals in the Flamingo Neighborhood

Other Matters
Announcement of Candidate Forum
Co Sponsored by Flamingo, MDPL, E-COMB
Wednesday, Sep 30, 6:30pm – at Old City Hall

Flamingo Pedestrian Safety Project -- Mon, Sep 14, 5:00 pm

Creating Livable Communities: Safer and More Walkable

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will Kick-off its Pedestrian Safety Project at a meeting on Monday, September 14th, 5:00 pm, at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Avenue.  The University of North Carolina Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center is working with 15 communities across the country to help make neighborhoods more walkable and safer for pedestrians.

Participating communities will test the newly developed guidebook entitled A Resident’s Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities. At the meeting we will overview an introductory section of The Resident’s Guide, which is available online at:  http://flamingomb.org/ResidentGuideOne.pdf.

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will use the Resident’s Guide as a resource to develop greater awareness, to provide public education and to stimulate effective advocacy in support of pedestrian safety projects and programs, including advocacy for pedestrian amenities in the CMB Flamingo Street Improvement ROW program.

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood participates in this program in order to increase community awareness, public education and effective advocacy to build and sustain a more walkable community, safer for pedestrians.  Related Capital Improvement Projects offer the opportunity to advance an agenda supporting a more walkable community, safer for pedestrians. The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association is providing community support for a program of neighborhood improvements. These include streetscape improvements aimed at providing greater pedestrian amenities. Community recommendations evolved from a series of community charrettes and workshops. These have now been formulated into a proposed Streetscape Improvement Program authorized by the City Commission with plans being finalized by the City’s Capital Improvement Projects Department.


Highlights of the Capital Improvement Program advocated by the community include:
• Improve the way Flamingo Park relates to the community; Improve the neighborhood connection to Biscayne Bay; Create a strong pedestrian link from Lincoln Road to Espanola Way to Ocean Drive;
• Improve the tree canopy throughout the neighborhood with native shade trees to protect pedestrians from sun, rain, and off-course autos; Provide pedestrian scale street lighting throughout the neighborhood;
• Slow down vehicular traffic on neighborhood streets, narrowing traffic lanes, and introducing other traffic calming measures (medians, roundabouts, bulbouts, street trees, wider sidewalks, and special treatments and crosswalks;
• Introduce street corner bump-outs to facilitate a shorter pedestrian crossing of traffic lanes;
• Create a pedestrian Safe-way from Fisher-Fienberg School to Flamingo Park;
• Introduce neighborhood entrances and pathfinder signage;
• Repair and replace street pavement, sidewalks, curb & gutter and cross walks.

Flamingo Park Masterplan to the City Commission

The attached Flamingo Park – Master Plan will be presented to the City Commission at its  meeting on Wednesday, September 9th by the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee and the CMB CIP Department.

The Department has requested further comments be sent by Monday, September 7th to Progress@MiamiBeachFL.gov or to Olivia Almagro – 305-673-7071.  Comments can also be made directly to the Mayor and Members of the City Commission.

Highlights of the Plan include:

• New Tennis Center, 17 new hydro tennis courts and practice wall;
• Memorial Field -- Artificial turf, renovated running track and Concession Building;
• Renovate Existing Baseball Stadium;
• New Handball Courts and Renovation of Joe Rubin Building;
• Community Garden, Expanded Dog Park, and Skateboard Park;
• Restored Historic Lodge Building; New Restrooms with Office Component;
• New Boys and Girls Club Recreation Building;  New Bike Path;
• Upgrade Lighting, Security and Signage;  New Site Furnishings;
• New Park Entry Features, Improved Pedestrian Paths and Walkways;
• New Water Feature at Park's Center; Shade Trees Along Pedestrian Walkways;
• Remove the Australian Pines; Replace Chain Link Fences with Estate Fencing.

The Neighborhood has expressed continuing support for balancing the use of Flamingo Park as a recreational facility with the park's role as important open green space in the midst of our historic, urban residential community and the view that additional area-wide attractive uses should not be introduced into the Park.

Please let us know your comments on the Flamingo Park Masterplan which you can access through the following link:

Flamingo Park Masterplan  --   http://flamingomb.org/SitePlanL.pdf

Flamingo Selected for Pedestrian Safety Program

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association is pleased to announce participation in a special program to Create Livable Communities – Safer and More Walkable. The Flamingo Park Neighborhood participates in this program in order to increase community awareness, public education and effective advocacy to build and sustain a more walkable community, safer for pedestrians.

Fifteen communities from across the U.S. have been selected to receive technical assistance and modest grant funding of $2,000 from the Pedestrian / Bicycle Information Center within the Highway Safety Research Center at the University of North Carolina. Participating communities will test the newly developed guidebook entitled A Resident’s Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities. The Resident’s Guide -- designed to improve safety and walkability of neighborhoods -- is available online at: http://flamingomb.org/residentsguide.pdf.

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will use the Resident’s Guide to develop greater awareness, to provide public education and to stimulate effective advocacy in support of pedestrian safety projects and programs, including advocacy for pedestrian amenities in the City of Miami Beach Flamingo Streetscape program.

All residents of the neighborhood are invited to attend and participate in regularly scheduled meetings on the second Monday of each month, 5:00pm for Pedestrian Safety Demonstration Program and at 6:00 pm for other Community Livability matters. Meetings are held at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Avenue, Miami Beach.

Supporting Partner Organizations working on the project, include:Miami Beach Community Development Corporation;Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization / Bicycle / PedestrianCity of Miami Beach Department of Public Works / Transportation DivisionMiami Beach Police Department.

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association is providing community support for streetscape improvements aimed at providing greater pedestrian amenities. Community recommendations evolved from a series of community charrettes and workshops. These have now been formulated into a proposed Streetscape Improvement Program authorized by the City Commission with plans being finalized by the City’s Capital Improvement Projects Department.

Meeting Notice

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association
Monday, September 14, 2009
and Monthly on the Second Monday, at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Avenue

5:00 pm – Pedestrian Safety / Walkable Neighborhoods
6:00 pm – Neighborhood Association - General Meeting

If you would like to subscribe to our calendar to be notified of future events please go to the following link http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=flamingomb%40gmail.com&ctz=America/New_York