WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
A Singular Voice in an Evolving City
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AFTER VOTE, MIAMI AIMS TO START RUNNING A $5 FARE TROLLEY TO MIAMI BEACH THIS WEEK, pg. 3 PUBLIC RECORDS STUDY: The office of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez will study how to better streamline public records request fulfillment, as county commissioners last week directed Mr. Giménez to prepare a report to improve the process, as well as related efforts to increase transparency and responsiveness. Florida statutes state the public has a right to inspect or copy public records not labeled “exempt” or “confidential,” with costs associated with the use of personnel, supervisory and technological resources able to be passed on to the public records requester in accordance with public records law. “In fulfilling public records requests, the county tries to balance the goal of transparency with the administrative costs and time-consuming nature of fulfilling public records requests,” County Attorney Abigail Price-Williams wrote Sept. 5. The item, sponsored by Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, stipulates Mr. Giménez is to return to the commission with his findings within 90 days.
The Achiever
By Jesse Scheckner
NO BIG BANGS: The Coral Gables City Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to make “opposition to offshore drilling and exploration activities, including seismic air gun blasting” an active part of the city’s legislative agenda. This resolution moves against the Trump administration’s plan that could lead to expanded drilling off of the Florida coast and increased lobbying in Tallahassee from coalitions that support offshore drilling for oil and natural gas. The Gables’ resolution mentions that seismic air guns, one of the loudest manmade sounds in the ocean and a part of the move toward drilling in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, harm already endangered sea life. Coral Gables has over 40 miles of coastline and waterways. The resolution suggests pursuing renewable forms of energy for the city, such as solar and wind power. “I was very happy to put this on the agenda. We have to protect our environment,” said Commissioner Vince Lago. PASSING THE CAP: After contributing $500,000 earlier in August, the industry group Florida Realtors has put another $4 million into an effort to pass a constitutional amendment that would extend a property-tax cap for commercial and other non-homestead properties. The group contributed the money Aug. 29 and 30 to a political committee known as Amendment 2 is for Everybody, according to the state Division of Elections website. The committee had nearly $4.42 million in cash on hand as of Aug. 31. The Legislature placed the proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot. Voters in 2008 approved a constitutional change that placed a 10% cap on annual increases in assessed values of non-homestead properties. The limit will expire Jan. 1 unless voters extend it via this year’s proposed constitutional amendment.
David Armstrong
Photo by Cristina Sullivan
Aims to streamline St. Thomas University for growth The profile is on Page 4
City floats long-awaited plans for two marinas By John Charles Robbins
With appeals and challenges from rivals exhausted, a new company’s bid to take over the marinas on Virginia Key moves forward after a year of legislative limbo. Today’s (9/13) agenda for the Miami City Commission includes two proposed resolutions that will determine the fate of Rickenbacker Marina and Marine Stadium Marina on the city-owned barrier island. The controversial matter that has lingered for years has been hush-hush since last September, when commissioners opted not to rush awarding the project to get it on the November 2017 ballot. The first resolution is to accept the city manager’s recommendation approving the findings of the selection committee that Virginia Key LLC is the top-ranked proposer for the 2017 request for proposals for lease and development of city-owned waterfront property for marinas/ restaurant/ ship’s store uses, and authorizing and directing the city manager to negotiate a lease with the proposer. The second resolution is to approve a ref-
Trio of big productions to film here
erendum special election asking city voters to approve or disapprove of the long-term lease of the city-owned marinas to Virginia Key LLC. For many years the city has been trying to get a new operator for Rickenbacker Marina and the adjacent dry dock operation. A request for proposals on the marinas launched in 2015 resulted in months of controversy and contention, ending with commissioners rejecting all bids and directing staff to start from scratch. Commissioners also changed the process to handle bid protests in 2016, calling for all bid protests to be heard and decided by a special master. The latest request for proposals saw two prior competitors unite – Virginia Key LLC is a joint venture of RCI group and Suntex Marinas that plans to invest more than $80 million to create Virginia Key Harbour & Marine Center. A selection committee and former city manager Daniel Alfonso chose the partnership as top proposer. The second-place bidder filed a bid protest that was heard by a special master who backed up the selection of Virginia Key LLC.
The second-ranked proposer appealed to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. The court heard oral arguments and ultimately denied the secondranked proposer’s petition on July 30, effectively upholding the hearing officer’s decision to affirm the city manager’s recommendation of the proposer, according to the newest resolutions presented to commissioners. The proposed lease would run for 45 years with two 15-year renewal terms and payment of $2.2 million base rent annually plus 6% of revenues; additionally, the base rent would be adjusted annually by the greater of the Consumer Price Index or 3%. The lease could take effect only after the public’s vote of approval, and the deadline to put proposals on the Nov. 6 ballot has passed. Virginia Key LLC’s proposal includes 162 wet and 750 dry slips, parking for 630 vehicles under the dry stack storage, 24,000 square feet of commercial space for small retailers, and about 2,600 linear feet of landscaped baywalk. The company said projected revenues in the first 15 years would result in rent to the city of $60,479,022, plus about $5,962,971 in property taxes.
Three varied feature films may soon start work in Miami-Dade, provided commissioners OK a $100,000 incentive apiece. “The Row II: A New Chapter,” would be produced over 40 days with a $2.158 million budget, more than half spent locally. Pre-production for the sequel to the 2018 R-rated horror movie starring former UFC champion Randy “The Natural” Couture was to start Sept. 3 and end Oct. 4. “Critical Thinking,” whose 90day schedule runs Sept. 3 to Dec. 31, is to spotlight Miami Jackson High School’s chess team, the first inner-city team to win the US National Chess Championship. The $3.5 million project, starring and directed by John Leguizamo, would employ 80% of its nonextra cast and crew locally. “Snowbirds,” about a recent widow rediscovering her independence while enjoying the city, will be directed by French auteur Bertrand Tavernier. Production was to have begun July 16, with principal photography from Oct. 22 to March 1. Of the $4 million budget, $3 million is to be spent in Miami-Dade. At least 75% of non-extra cast and crew will be local. To receive the $100,000 maximum through the county’s TV, Film and Entertainment Production Incentives Program, companies must spend at least $1 million and shoot 70% of a film here, hire at least 50 main cast and crew and 80% of vendors and associated businesses locally, and include a “Miami-Dade County” credit. Projects with over 110 cast and crew must hire at least 60% locally, excluding extras. Starting in 2010, Florida’s wellfunded incentives had media productions spending $160 million to $406 million in Miami-Dade. But for four consecutive years legislators refused to add funds to the program and allowed it to end in 2016, after which many industry personnel moved to states with active programs. In June 2017, Commissioner Sally Heyman pushed through the new county film incentive.
GABLES MANAGER WHO LOST SUPPORT BEING REPLACED ...
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MOTORIZED SCOOTER PILOT TARGETS BRICKELL, GROVE ...
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COUNTY VERY SLOWLY SELLS OFF SURPLUS PROPERTIES ...
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CONTRACTOR TOLD TO PROCEED IN DOUBLE-DECKING 836 ...
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VIEWPOINT: FIU DID RIGHT THING WITH CAMPUS NAMING ...
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MIAMI WORLDCENTER TO BE NEAR COMPLETION BY 2021 ...
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JACKSON FACES HEARING FOR A 100-BED DORAL HOSPITAL ...
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ZONING SHIFT AFFECTS COUNTY’S COTTAGE INDUSTRIES ...
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