Neighborhood Walkabout -- Pennsylvania Avenue at Seventh Street -- Wed at 9am sharp

Final Time -- 9:00 am sharp!
Neighborhood Walkabout
Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 9:00 - 9:30 am
meeting at 730 Pennsylvania Ave

Our neighbor, Tim Coleman has raised a number of quality of life issues in the vicinity of Pennsylvania Ave at 7th Street. Lynn Berstein and Neighborhood Resource Officer Deborah Doty have organizaed this Neighborhood Walkabout that will include CMB Police Dept, Code Enforcement and other city personnel to assess the situation and formulate a corrective action plan.

Tim has extended an invitation to anyone else living in the vicinity with some insight into the problems to join him to help formulate solutions.

Neighborhood Walkabout -- Pennsylvania Avenue at Seventh Street

Neighborhood Walkabout
Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 9:30 am
meeting at 730 Pennsylvania Ave

Our neighbor, Tim Coleman has raised a number of quality of life issues in the vicinity of Pennsylvania Ave at 7th Street. Lynn Berstein and Neighborhood Resource Officer Deborah Doty have organizaed this Neighborhood Walkabout that will include CMB Police Dept, Code Enforcement and other city personnel to assess the situation and formulate a corrective action plan.

Tim has extended an invitation to anyone else living in the vicinity with some insight into the problems to join him to help formulate solutions.

Discussions of Memorial Day Weekend / Urban Beach Week

"URBAN BEACH WEEK TOWN HALL ON TAP

"Miami Beach Commissioner Jerry Libbin will host an Aug. 24 town hall meeting at The Loews Miami Beach to discuss ideas on how to best deal with large-scale events such as Urban Beach Week and Spring Break.

"The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at 1601 Collins Ave.

"The public can submit written questions to a panel.  Those who cannot attend but want to submit a question can send an e-mail to Jerry@jerrylibbin.com".


The City Commission Neighborhood Committee will also be discussing Memorial Day Weekend / Urban Beach Week at its meeting on September 1, 2011, 3:00 pm, in the City Manager's Large Conference Room in City Hall.

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will meet on Monday, August 1st, at 5:30pm

Meeting Notice

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association
Monday, August 1, 2011, 5:30pm
At The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Avenue


AGENDA

Presentation of 2011-2012 CIP Project Plans
• Aaron Sinnes – CMB CIP Department So Beach District Manager
• Rick Saltrick -- Design Program for 6th Street & 16th Street

Other Recurring Agenda Highlights --

 

Preservation and Planning Programs -- Jeff Donnelly & Mark Needle

Flamingo Park Masterplan Project Implementation -- Wanda Mouzon
Neighborhood Capital Improvement Projects -- Denis Russ & Judy Robertson
Flamingo Family Priorities -- Adam Shedroff
Crime Prevention and Safety -- Aaron Sugarman & Ben Batchelder
Communications and Outreach -- Tammy Tibbles

Flamingo Park Neighborhood -
from 5th Street to Lincoln Road
from Washington Ave to Alton Road
 

 
All residents of the neighborhood are invtited to attend and encouraged to participate.

The Miami Beach Police Department will host Community Meeting

Thursday, July 14, 2011, 6:30pm
Normandy Park, 7030 Trouville Esplanade

The Miami Beach Police Department invites all Neighborhood Organizations, Crime Watch Groups and residents to attend this Community Police meeting.

Topic:  Hurricane Preparedness, registration and evacuation presentation;
Open Forum to answer all Police related questions.

Flamingo CIP Stakeholders Meeting on Monday, July 11, 2011, 3 to 5pm

Flamingo CIP Stakeholders Meeting
Monday, July 11, 2011, 3 to 5 pm
Mayor's Conference Room, Miami Beach City Hall

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will convene the Flamingo CIP Stakeholders Meeting on Monday, July 11, 2011, 3 to 5 pm, in the Mayor's Conference Room, at Miami Beach City Hall, 1100 Convention Center Drive.  All residents of the neighborhood and other interested persons are invited to attend and to participate.

We will be discussing the Capital Improvements Projects currently underway and planned for the coming year in the Flamingo Neighborhood.  Discussion will include: 

Completion of Phase I  -- 7th to 9th Streets, Washington to Meridian;
Flamingo Park Project Implementation;
Meridian Avenue Tree Trimming Program;
Next Year Project Areas -- likely Sixth Street and Sixteenth Street
Flamingo:  Becoming Florida's Most Pedestrian Friendly Neighborhood
Traffic Calming, Increased Trees, Landscaping and Greater Shade Tree Canopy

Please Note:
Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will NOT meet on Monday, July 4th and will meet instead on Monday, July 11th, 3 to 5pm, in the Mayor's Conference Room, in Miami Beach City Hall, 1100 Convention Center Drive.

FDOT Presentation of Alton Road Redevelopment Program raises great conceern

FDOT Alton Road Redevelopment
Public Information / Input Meetings 

Scheduled and Confirmed:
FDOT Public Information Meeting
Thursday, June 23, 2011, 7 to 9 pm
Miami Beach PAL -- 999 Eleventh Street
Flamingo Park, Miami Beach

*Tentatively Scheduled

Planning Board Presentation*
Tuesday, June 28, 2011, 1:30 pm
City Commission Chambers

Presentation to the City Commission*
Wednesday, July 13, 2011

REPORT FROM BEN BATCHELDER
on previous presentation held on Wed, June 8th

Hi FPNers,


I just wanted to give my quick read of FDOT’s presentation on Alton Road last Wednesday at the Commission chambers.
Meeting Notes

First, Denis very helpfully provided a printout of FPNA’s priorities, including a nice visual of a bike boulevard going down Alton.


1) Among FPNers, Denis spoke first, gently pressing the FDOT presenter on the bike lane issue, as he had apparently never heard of a bike boulevard before. Denis also supported reducing the speed limit from 35 to 30 and raised the possibility (seconded later by our City Manager) of upgrading the area to a Livable Community, which apparently could facilitate achieving a number of these goals. Over a half dozen public comments subsequently demonstrated how crazy bike lanes on Alton would be: no sane biker would use them, all European experience and research shows bike lanes between parked cars and moving traffic to be the most dangerous (contradicting the speaker’s assertion bike lanes are the safest solution), having bikes compete with buses every other bus-stop block is ludicrous, and so on. When the concept of bike boulevard was made clear to the presenter, he asserted that it would take too many curves (perhaps he thinks it has to follow the curb line) and due to bicyclists crossing in/near pedestrian crosswalks, particularly against traffic, be a hazard to turning cars.


2) Another subject which elicited public outrage was the fact that FDOT plans to cut 113 trees and presently has no idea how many will be planted according to spec. A landscape architect, who worked on Wash. Ave’s upgrade, pointed out that due to required ‘cone of vision’ studies very few shade trees are likely (he mentioned perhaps only one per block).


3) The next FPNer to speak was Adam, who probed FDOT on their assertion new laws ‘require’ bike lanes, rather than ‘mandate consideration.’ The incomplete reply was, besides reiterating that a bike frequency study supported bike lanes, that the more space available there is available for bike lanes, the more required they are. Adam also lamented the loss of 90+ parking spaces. He then expressed the room’s growing feeling: if the proposed design is so contrary to residents’ wishes, why bother wasting $20+ million on it? FDOT asserted that due to the storm drain work (Alton at 5th, 10th and 14th) slated for 4/2013, the surface design must be completed prior – which the landscape architect contradicted.


4) My questions centered on pedestrian safety, after I introduced myself as a member of a local neighborhood association that is working on a pedestrian safety initiative and commented that Alton Rd. is generally considered South Beach’s most dangerous road for pedestrians. As the presentation lacked any detail on each intersection’s treatment, I asked a) would all intersections receive pedestrian crosswalk stripes, and b) would all have on-demand pedestrian signals? Contradicting in their own Project Notification fact sheet which promises "installing bush button countdown signals at all intersections along project limits", FDOT replied that the first was impossible (fast cars vs. pedestrians’ right of way) and that a 2008 warrant study did not justify any other pedestrian crossings. At this point the French Urban Design professor (whom Denis had introduced me to) went ballistic, suggesting that FDOT should stop the presentation it was so pathetic. When a break allowed me to return to my questioning, I respectfully requested that FDOT perform a new pedestrian study, having already highlighted the 75% increase in auto on pedestrian accidents in South Beach. When the presenter couldn’t commit, I implied that without reconsidering such a pedestrian-unfriendly design, pedestrian accidents will only increase. (Although I had it with me, I resisted showing a chart which ranks Florida as the worst state in the nation in pedestrian fatalities, or faulting FDOT’s irrational warrant process for some of the responsibility.)

Tentative Conclusions

A) It appears as if the Livable Communities designation is the only way to meaningfully impact FDOT’s design. It was suggested that it would facilitate narrower lanes (from 11' to 10' at least), the speed limit reduction, and reduce the ‘cone of vision’ problems. My feeling is that FDOT performs studies when it believes they will support their preferred design.


B) FDOT’s design appears based on such outdated standards and is so car-centric that any project delay should be encouraged. The landscape architect’s suggestion to allow storm drain work to be done independently of surface design agreement appears compelling.

C) Lastly, Adam’s suggestion that the $20+ million project be cancelled (just repave, repaint, and leave street layout as is) would be a less bad solution than the current 60% design and, if need be, I’d gladly support that outcome with organized civil disobedience.

It will be very important to attend subsequent FDOT presentations.

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will meet on Mon, Juen 6th, at 5:30pm

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association

Monday, June 6, 2011, 5:30 pm
at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Ave

AGENDA


1. Flamingo Park Project Implementation – Matti Reyes


2. Project Introduction – 600 block of Washington Ave – Wayne Pathman


3. Discussion of Memorial Day Urban Beach Party Weekend


4. Other Matters


     4.1. Status Report: Enforcement of Short Term Rental


     4.2. Status Report: Becoming Florida’s Most Pedestrian Friendly Neighborhood


     4.3. Discussion of Recurring Odor at 11th and Meridian Ave



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



Recurring Agenda Highlights --

Preservation and Planning Programs
Flamingo Park Masterplan and Project Implementation
Flamingo Park Neighborhood Capital Improvement Projects
Flamingo Family Priorities
Crime Prevention and Safety
Communications and Outreach

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will meet this Mon, June 6th, 5:30pm

FLAMINGO Meeting Notice

Monday, June 6th, 5:30pm

at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Avenue

 

Recurring Agenda Highlights --

• Preservation and Planning Programs
• Flamingo Park Masterplan and Project Implementation
• Flamingo Park Neighborhood Capital Improvement Projects
• Flamingo Family Priorities
• Crime Prevention and Safety
• Communications and Outreach

All restidents of the Neighborhood are invited to attend and participate

NOTICE OF TREE TRIMMING, AND TEMPORARY DETOURS AND PARKING RESTRICTIONS ON MERIDIAN AVENUE

June 1, 2011 -- Tree Trimming
Dear Miami Beach Resident:

As the result of cold damage in January 2010, the large trees lining Meridian Avenue between 2nd St. and 15th St. have numerous dead branches that need to be removed for public safety and tree health.


The trimming of these trees is scheduled to start on Monday, June 13, 2011 and will continue for approximately three weeks, although bad weather could extend the required time. During this period, it will be necessary to implement vehicle detours and designate “No Parking” areas for the block(s) where tree trimming is taking place. It is expected that:

- Only one or two blocks of Meridian Avenue will be affected by detours and parking closures on any specific day.


- Individual blocks will be affected for only one to three days, depending on how long it takes to trim the block’s trees.


- The detours and parking closures will be in effect from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

During the tree trimming, heavy branches will be dropping to the ground. The parking closures are necessary to prevent damage to parked vehicles and to provide the trimming crew with access to the trees.


Tree trimming will start on June 13 at 15th Street, and will move southwards along Meridian Avenue to 2nd Street. Notices will be posted on the day before parking closures are implemented. When your block is scheduled for tree trimming and parking closures, please relocate your vehicle from the “No Parking” area before 8:00 AM.


We thank you for your patience and cooperation. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Chris Latt at 305-673-7000 extension 6391.


Best regards,   Chris Latt
CMB Parks & Recreation Department

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will meet Monday, May 2nd, 5:30 pm, at The Seymour

Regular Meeting --
Mon, May 2nd, 5:30pm, at The Seymour
All residents are invited to attend and participate

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will meet on Monday, May 2nd, 5:30pm, at The Seymour. All residents of the neighborhood are invited to attend and participate.

Major agenda items will include:

Alton Road Zoning Overlay District -- zoning proposal

Preliminary Discussion on FDOT Alton Road Reconstruction Plan

Other Matters

Details on FDOT Proposal for Alton Road -- Public Hearing Meeting Schedule

Policy Action Alert

FDOT plans for reconstruction of Alton Road from 5th Street to Michigan Ave / north of Dade Blvd., now include bike lanes and keeping the sidewalk width essentially the same as existing width.

While there will be bumpouts and landscaping added, FDOT has not agreed to requests for additional pedestrian crossings at 7 St, 9 St and 13 ST, nor have they agreed to lowering the speed limit.

FDOT Alton Road - Public Meeting Schedule

·         Tuesday, May 17th at 6 p.m. – Meeting with Project Advisory Group and Associations (Homeowner/Condo/Neighborhood, etc.)
Location:  City Hall Commission Chambers, 1700 Convention Center Dr.
·         Wednesday, May 18th at 7 p.m. – Meeting with adjacent business
Location:  Miami Beach Police Athletic League, 999 11 Street
·         Wednesday, May 25th at 7 p.m. – General Public Information Meeting
Location:  Miami Beach Police Athletic League, 999 11 Street

 
 

Florida Department of Transportation proposes narrowing sidewalks, widening Alton Road

Jeff Donnelly reports --

Today, FDOT appeared before the Planning Board and said that they have decided to change the 2008 width of Alton Road, narrowing the sidewalks and lengthening the pedestrian east west crossing distance. The Planning Board will hear this again next month.

 
Stay tuned. Jeff Donnelly -- Apr 26, 2011

Flamingo Park Handball Court and Friendship Corner -- Review of Schematic Plans

Wednesday, April 27th, 3:00 pm
at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Ave

Matilde Reyes, the Project Manager for Flamingo Park CIP Project Improvements, has asked to meet with us on Wednesday, April 27th, 3:00 pm, at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Avenue.

To review schematic plans for the Handball Court and Friendship Corner.

The Project Architect / Engineer will be present at the meeting to discuss the schematic plans and to answer questions about the project.  Representatives of Parks and Recreation have also been invited but they have a conflict and may be available only at the end of the meeting. 

Matti Reyes has asked that we focus on the handball court project at the meeting, keeping other matters to a minimum.  While she can respond to questions regarding other matters, discussion about the Tennis Center bathrooms will take place at the next City Commission meeting.  What guides the project scope at this time is the adopted Basis of Design Report and the Master Plan. 

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

Florida's Statewide Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan

May 11th, 5:30-7:30pm
Broward County Historical Commission
West Side School, Ft Lauderdale

The Florida Department of State's Division of Historical Resources will sponsor a series of meetings around the state in April and May, to solicit public comments and input for the development of Florida's Statewide Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan. 
 
In order for Florida to be eligible to participate in the federal historic preservation program, every five years the Division of Historical Resources revises and updates the plan.
 
The primary purpose of Florida's historic preservation planning program is to provide guidance for the implementation of sound planning procedures for the location, identification, and protection of the state's archaeological and historical resources. It will provide guidance for everyone involved in historic preservation throughout the state.
 
The South Florida Meeting will be held at --
  
May 11, 2011, 5:30 -7:30 pm -- Broward County Historical Commission (West Side School) Fort Lauderdale. Contact:  Michele Williams (FPAN Southeast, Regional Office), mwill167@fau.edu, 954.357.5553
 
Individuals who would like to participate in the planning process but are unable to attend the public meetings are encouraged to provide their comments and opinions by completing a related online questionnaire on historic preservation issues in Florida at:
www.surveymonkey.com/s/HistoricPreservationCompPlan2011-2015
 
Meetings will be facilitated by Jeannette Peters of Nonprofit Management Consulting LLC (www.getfunded.org)

Home Energy Savings Workshop

Thurs, Apr 28th, 6:30pm
Mia Bch Regional Library

The City of Miami Beach in partnership with Miami-Dade County and Dream in Green will be hosting a Home Energy Savings Workshop. The workshop will be held on Thursday, April 28, 2011, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM (registration begins at 6:00 PM) at the Miami Beach Regional Library, 227 22nd Street, Miami Beach, Florida. The purpose of the workshop is to educate residents on energy efficiency and conservation and provide homeowners with information, resources and incentives to reduce their utility costs. Participants will receive a free energy savings toolkit valued at over $100 and learn to track household energy consumption/reduction. More importantly, residents will save money by learning how to reduce energy use in their homes by 20-30 percent.

To register for this workshop and for additional information please call 3-1-1 or visit http://green.miamidade.gov. The workshop has limited space, and is open to the first 50 registered residents. Each participant will receive the free energy savings toolkit, limit one per household.

Please pass on this informationto your friends and family in Miami Beach - this is a great opportunity for residents to save money and reduce their environmental footprint!

Report on Pedestrian Initiative; Taking the Next Step

Report from Ben Batchelder and Tammy Tibbles
on Next Steps for Pedestrian Initiative

As the next step in our neighborhood's Pedestrian Initiative to make Flamingo the most pedestrian friendly neighborhood in Florida, a document has been drafted to present the initiative to the City Commission.

The draft document Flamingo: Becoming Florida's Most Pedestrian Friendly Neighborhood will be discussed at our Monday meeting.  We recommend you take a few moments to review the document and provide comments in advance of the meeting.  This will facilitate our action on this item Monday.

The goal is to aprove this document Monday and send it on to the Commission via the Neighborhoods Committee and later a Resolution vote by the full Commission.

Flamingo CIP Stakeholders Meeting

Monday, April 4, 2011, 3:00pm,
in City Manager's Conference Room

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association will convene CIP Program - Flamingo Stakeholders’ Meeting on Monday, April 4th, at 3:00pm, in the City Manager’s Conf Room. 

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association
Flamingo CIP Stakeholders Meeting
Monday, April 4, 2011, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
City Manager’s Large Conference Room

Meeting Highlights:

Flamingo Park Projects

Streetscape Phase I – 7th to 9th Streets -- Landscaping and Tree Selection; Traffic Calming / Pedestrian & Bike Amenities

Storm Water Master Plan

Next Steps – Second Phase, Funding Information -- 6th Street, 16th Street, or Flamingo West ??

The proposed next steps in Flamingo: Becoming Florida's Most Pedestrian Friendly Neighborhood -- a proposal to the City Commission -- will be presented.
All members of the community – interested in the Park and the Neighborhood -- are invited to attend and participate.

Flamingo CIP Stakeholders Meeting on Monday, April 4th, 3 - 5 pm, City Manager's Conference Room

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association

Flamingo CIP Stakeholders Meeting
Monday, April 4, 2011, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
City Manager’s Large Conference Room

Proposed Agenda

3:00 Flamingo Park Project Overview

Projects Currently Underway -- Matilde Reyes
Overview of Additional Projects -- Wolfberg Alvarez

3:30 Current Project – 7th to 9th Streets, Washington to Alton

Status of Construction / Completion Target Thais Vieria
Slowing Traffic, Pedestrian Priority -- Christine Bettin,  Ayman Elbernawy
     Declassifying Pennsylvania as Collector
     4-way Stops, Reducing the Speed Limit

Swale – Ground Cover; Tree Selection Oldenburg, Latt, Gracie

4:00 Stormwater Master Plan -- Fernando Vazquez

4:30 Next Steps  -- Target Area(s) Rick Saltrick / Fred Beckman

Funding Prospects Kathie Brooks / Jorge Cano

Flamingo Neighborhood Meeting, Monday, Mar 7, 2011, 5:30 pm, at The Seymour

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association
Monday, March 7, 2011, 5:30 pm
at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Ave

Flamingo -- our historic urban residential neighborhood in South Beach -- from Washington to Alton, from Fifth Street to Lincoln Road.
All members of the Flamingo Neighborhood are invited to attend and participate. 

AGENDA

Preservation & Planning (Jeff Donnelly / Mark Needle)


Flamingo Park (Wanda Mouzon)


Flamingo CIP Streetscape s (Judy Robertson / Denis Russ)


Crime Prevention and Safety (Aaron Sugarman / Daniel Davidson)


Family Related Activities (Adam Shedroff)


Communications and Outreach (Tammie Young)