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04-19-2007 Workshop 19200 West CountrY Clllh Drive A ventllTa, Fl. City Commission Workshop Meeting April 19, 2007 Following Special Meeting Executive Conference Room " '---" __J", "<,, " M'" AGENDA 1. Property Tax Reform Update (City Manager)* 2. NALEO/Resolution Opposing Increase in Naturalization Fees (Commissioner Weinberg)* 3. 21301 Property (City Manager)* 4. Adjournment * Back-up Information Exists This meeting is open to the public. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, all persons who are disabled and who need special accommodations to participate in this meeting because of that disability should contact the Office of the City Clerk, 305-466-8901, not later than two days prior to such proceeding. CITY OF AVENTURA OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER MEMORANDUM FROM: Eric M. Soroka, ICMA-CM, C' TO: City Commission DATE: April 12, 2007 SUBJECT: Property Tax Reform Proposals This matter has been placed on the Workshop Agenda to update the City Commission regarding the actions of the State Legislature since the last Workshop Meeting. EMS/act Attachment CC01575-07 Sepate unveils property tax plan - 04/1212007 - MiamiHerald.com Page I of2 MiamiHerald.comm Posted on Thu, ApI. 12,2007 Senate unveils property tax plan BY MARC CAPUTO The state Senate Thursday morning unveiled its property tax plan, aiming to save Floridians up to $11 billion over five years through a series of nips, tucks, cuts and reforms to the state's property-tax code. Senate President Ken Pruitt hailed the tax plan as a responsible reform, though he credited House Speaker Marco Rubio for framing the debate. Rubio's plan is more radical than the Senate plan. Pruitt said tax relief is a must. "We do not have the luxury of a test run," he said. The plan is divided into six major parts. Among its key provisions: · Roll back local-government property taxes to the 2005-2006 tax year and then allow governments to increase and adjust rates based on population and inflation. The rate would freeze for a year, meaning taxpayers would pay less next year than this year. · Cap property-tax revenues for cities and counties going forward, and prevent tax collections from increasing by more than the population and inflation rate for any particular year starting in 2009. · Give taxpayers a "bill of rights" that allows them to more easily see how government money is raised and spent. · Exempt $25,000 of businesses' tangible personal property taxes -- paid on items such as computers and shelves. That would exempt up to one million businesses from paying the taxes, and allow 300,000 future businesses to have a partial cut, according to the Senate plan. · Double the homestead exemption to $50,000 for first-time home buyers. The exemption would return to $25,000 over the years as a home's value increased. · Tax affordable housing owners based on collected rent rather than a property's market value. · Allow homeowners to keep their savings between their assessed value and taxable value if they move to a new home. However, the taxable value of the home will grow by 10 percent, as opposed to the current 3 percent increase allowed under the Save Our Homes cap. Over time, the home's taxable value would return to 3 percent. Details of the plan are still not clear, as the Senate released its plan but not legislation. Starting Friday, lawmakers will start reviewing legislation and debating it. It's scheduled to be voted on by the full Senate next week. Sen. Mike Haridopolos, a Melbourne Republican who presented the plan, stressed that it does not raise taxes, a subtle reference to the tax plan proposed by House Speaker Rubio who wanted to eliminate homeowner property taxes in favor of raising state sales taxes by as much as 2.5 percent http://www.miamiherald.com/416/v-print/story/71480.html 4/1212007 ... Senate unveils property tax plan - 04/1212007 - MiamiHerald.com ) Page 2 of2 The Senate's plan, therefore, doesn't cut property taxes as much as Rubio's plan, but it's viewed by many as far less risky. The Senate plan also leaves school taxes alone because, senators said, voters in 2002 approved the class-reduction amendment that requires government to build so many more new classrooms. @ 2007 Miami Herald Media Company. All Rights Reserved. http://www.miamiherald.com http://www.miamiherald.com/416/v - print/story /71480 .html 4/12/2007 - --- ~ i= ~ ~ CJ W iij ....J III t- O Z g W ... 0:: 0.. 0:: E ::l ... 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R tRill OHlCO PROHlHOm t]HOCIi1TiOfi MEMORANDUM From: Ronald L. Book, Esq. Kelly C. Mallette Date: April 12, 2007 RE: Property Tax Refonn Update week #6 Today the Florida Senate finally released their much anticipated Senate plan for providing Property Tax Relief. Attached you will find the presentation that was made on the Senate floor this morning regarding this plan. The presentation is the only documentation about the Senate plan currently available. The Senate has not yet released any legislation, but will most likely do so in the next day or two. Meanwhile, the House has continued to try to rally popular support for their plan. A town hall meeting on Property Tax Reform will be held in South Florida this weekend, and a rally on tax reform is scheduled to take place in Tallahassee next Tuesday. We will keep you posted as negotiations develop and please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or if you require additional information. MiamiHerald.com m Posted on Thu, ApI. 19,2007 yage 1 or .J II tl..et 7b I~) 1.1111/0 7 AF une property !:aX CUl, OUl t10use SlIces II L ways - ULf/ 1 '}/ LUU I - 1YllalTIlt1eralU.com One property tax cut, but House slices it 2 ways BY MARY ELLEN KLAS AND MARC CAPUTO Months of debating over how best to lower property taxes came to this on Wednesday: The state House of Representatives couldn't settle on one plan, so it passed two. The most popular, a proposal to slash taxes an average of 19 percent for all property owners in the state and require deep cuts in government spending, won unanimous approval. The other plan, to ask voters to wipe out taxes on homestead property in exchange for a hike in sales taxes, was the preferred choice of House Speaker Marco Rubio but mustered only a party-line vote of 78-40. Rubio's plan is likely dead in the Senate, where leaders say they have unanimous support for their bipartisan plan to scale back all property taxes 7.6 percent without raising sales taxes to do it. The two chambers will begin to hash out the differences next week, after the Senate votes out its own plan Friday. Strengthening the Senate's negotiating hand is the House's schizophrenic approach to slashing taxes. One House bill -- the one that passed unanimously -- cuts taxes by $6.3 billion by rolling them back to 2001 levels. The other cuts them by $4.4 billion to 2003 levels. 'IN THE DARK' "We are sort of navigating in the dark here," said Rep. Dan Gelber, the House Democratic leader from Miami Beach, after the votes. "The House passed out two different versions of the same measure today. So, obviously, my colleagues haven't figured out what the right number is." He added that Democrats supported the larger rollback only on the condition that it be made more "reasonable" when the House negotiates with the Senate. Rubio was at pains to explain why the House chose different dates, and he brushed off talk about the fact that one of his chamber's plans isn't bipartisan. 'NOT OUR GOAL' "We would like to have consensus," he said. ' 'We work toward consensus. It's ideal. But it is not our goal. Our goal is to make sure that the next time that the taxpayers of the state get a property-tax bill, it's one they can afford to pay." The House's 2003 rollback plan that Rubio endorses includes a proposed constitutional amendment to raise the six-cent sales tax by a penny, eliminate all property taxes that pay for schools, and give voters in each county the option of eliminating property taxes on primary homes while raising sales taxes by up to 1.5 cents. The measures are the first step toward resolving the 60-day lawmaking session's priority. And while http://www.miamiherald.com/8 84/v - print/ story 17 904 3 .html 4/19/2007 une property tax cut, Out tlouse sl1ces It L ways - V4/1 ':I! LVV / - 1Vllamltlerala.com yage L 01 j neither the Senate nor House plans will look the same by session's end May 4, the final plan will likely reflect the Senate's more targeted approach, which local governments fear far less than the House's plan. BUSINESS TAXES This much is clear: Both chambers' plans cut business taxes paid on so-called "tangible" property such as computers, and there is universal agreement that legislators will roll taxes back to reduce Floridians' tax burden. The question is how much. The Senate plan rolls back local governments' property-tax bases to the 2005-06 tax year, freezes the rate for a year, and then gradually adjusts them forward to account for population and wage growth. The plan gives breaks to first-time home buyers and affordable-housing providers, and it allows people to transfer their existing tax savings to a new house. A ROLE FOR VOTERS As with the House's tax-swap measure, parts of the Senate plan require voter approval of a constitutional amendment, likely next year. A leading House negotiator, Republican Rep. Ray Sansom of Destin, said a resolution should be relatively easy to achieve because the House and Senate agree on broad "concepts," such as rollbacks, caps and transfer of homeowner tax savings. Yet House leaders still proudly touted their tax-swap plan as bold and innovative, calling it the "largest tax cut in the history of Florida." They promised that it would have wide-ranging benefit not just to homeowners, but to businesses and renters. But Democrats argued that the proposal would have far-reaching negative consequences. Renters and businesses would see little relief, they said, while homeowners would get the greatest benefit. They said low- and middle-income homeowners would shoulder the greatest share of the sales-tax increase while seeing the least benefit. And the elimination of the property tax on homes, Democrats said, would result in a more apathetic citizenry and a vulnerable state tax base that could jeopardize the state's bond rating. Three Democrats, Reps. Luis Garcia and Ed Bullard, both of Miami, and Rep. Michael Scionti of Tampa, voted with Republicans on the tax swap. Two Republicans, Reps. Gayle Harrell of Stuart and Andy Gardiner of Orlando, voted against it, saying they were uncomfortable with raising taxes. Garcia said he voted for the constitutional amendment "for his district," as some of his closest friends had come to Tallahassee as part of the rally Tuesday. "I feel that the Speaker's plan by no stretch of the imagination is a perfect plan," he said. "It's better than nothing and a lot better than the Senate." SENDING A MESSAGE The 2001 rollback plan was far easier for Democrats to support. They said it sends a message that they http://www.miamiherald.com/8 84/v - print/ story /79043 .html 4/19/2007 VIlt: prupt:ny lax CUl, UUl Duuse slKes lL L. ways - V'-tl 1,;/1 L.VV I - 1Vllalll1DtaalU.culIl r agt: .J U1 .J support tax cuts but warned that they want it revised to have a more reasonable impact on local government. And there was this advantage: "We knew they weren't sincere about their numbers. So this vote was easy for us," said Rep. Jack Seiler, a Wilton Manors Democrat. "They even admitted their 2001 date was pulled out of the air, was arbitrary. We all agree there should be a rollback, so why not support this and move on?" @ 2007 Miami Herald Media Company. All Rights Reserved. http://www.miamiherald.com http://www.miamiherald.com/8 84/v - print/ story /79043 .html 4/19/2007 Eric M. Soroka From: Sent: To: Subject: Luz Urbaez Weinberg [Iuw@gprco-cpa.com] Thursday, April 12, 2007 3:54 PM Eric M. Soroka NALEO background info for workshop agenda Eric, thank you. I am attaching a Word document I prepared with information off their website as follows: 1. Information about NALEO (pages 1 & 2) and their upcoming 24th annual conference in Orlando for which I will be asking the commission's support to attend. 2. Information about the proposed increase in naturalization fees for which I am seeing the commission's support in passing a resolution opposing this piece of legislation (pages 3 and 4). 3. A sample resolution NALEO has made available. Please call me to confirm receipt. Thanks, Luz Luz Urbaez Weinberg Director of Marketing and Public Relations Gerson, Preston, Robinson & Co., P.A. 666 71st Street-Miami Beach, FL 33141 Tel: 305.868.3600 - Fax: 305.864.6740 Check us out at: ww\\" gprco-cl)(l.com Pursuaut to Treasury Department Circular 230. this is to advise you Ihat. unless we expressly state otherwise, e-mail communications from this linn are not intended or written to he used. and cannot he used, for the llllrpose of avoiding tax-related penaltit's. Tht' information transmitted is inlt'nded only for tht' pt'rson or entity 10 which it is addressed and may contain confidmtial and/or privileged material. Any l'cview. retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance ul}on, Ihis information by persons or entities olher than the inlended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in e!Tor. please contact the send,'r and delele the material from an)" compnler. 1 NALEO The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) is the nation's largest network of Latino elected and appointed officials. As a national non-partisan organization, NALEO utilizes its network of governmental, political, and business leaders to conduct civic engagement projects, training and technical assistance, and information dissemination on behalf of the Latino community. NALEO members represent all political parties, all levels of government, and diverse constituencies - from metropolitan cities to rural communities across the country. The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) 24th Annual Conference will be held June 28-30, 2007, at Disney's Contemporary Resort, in Orlando, Florida. As the largest gathering of Latino elected and appointed officials in the nation, the NALEO Annual Conference will attract upwards of 800 participants who will network and discuss key policy issues affecting their constituents across the United States. The NALEO Annual Conference is a unique source of professional development specifically tailored for Latino elected and appointed officials. Sessions at the Conference are designed to enhance the governance skills of participants and deepen their understanding of critical policy issues. In turn, they become better policymakers and public servants that are able to translate their knowledge into strategies for building stronger and healthier communities. With the opportunity to network with colleagues from across the country and across jurisdictions, NALEO Annual Conference participants are able to leverage resources for their communities across different levels of government. Every year, the NALEO Annual Conference is held in different regions of the country. Past conferences have been held in such cities as Denver, Los Angeles, Dallas, San Juan, and Philadelphia. In 2008, the NALEO 25th Annual Conference will be held in Washington D.C. Your Participation at the NALEO 25th Annual Conference will offer: . The Latino Political Convention The NALEO Annual Conference, unlike other professional development conferences for elected officials, presents a unique opportunity for elected and appointed officials and their supporters to meet with their colleagues from all levels of government, from local school boards to the President's Cabinet. With such a concentration of political discourse, the Conference has been termed the nation's Latino Political Convention. . Dynamic Programs That Foster Solutions and Ideas The NALEO Annual Conference is the premier forum for providing substantive programming and governance resources to the nation's Latino policymakers at all levels of elected and appointed office. Critical information on issues affecting their constituents and the Latino community today enables policymakers and other stakeholders to address these challenges, and serve their communities with the tools and information to truly make a difference. . Meaningful Access for Local Officials Offering an unparalleled opportunity for local officials, the NALEO Annual Conference provides direct access to our nation's top executive and legislative leaders. Past participants have included 1 the Vice President, members of the President's Cabinet, leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, as well as many of our nation's corporate and business leaders. . Informative Keynote Speakers and Events NALEO's effective programming skillfully combines the presentations of expert speakers with important networking at key events. This year's Conference will feature the forums of the 2008 Presidential Candidates, involving some of the nation's highest ranking officials, and providing Conference participants with opportunities to shape the impact Latinos will have on the 2008 Presidential Election. 2 NALEO Action Center March 21, 2007 Proposed Increase in Naturalization Fees Would Put U.S. Citizenship Beyond the Reach of Nation's Newcomers Latino Elected Officials and Community Leaders Can "Take Three Steps" to Fight the Fee Increase On January 31,2007, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a proposal that would increase the fees for starting the naturalization process from $400 to $675, and the agency anticipates that it will implement the hike as early as June 2007. This increase would put U.S. citizenship beyond the reach of many of our nation's 8 million legal permanent residents who are eligible for U.S. citizenship. About half of these newcomers are Latino. The NALEO Educational Fund invites you to join in our advocacy campaign against the increase by taking three steps to fight the fee hike. As a Latino elected official or community representative, your leadership on this issue is important. Here are three steps you can take: 1. Submit a comment letter to the USCIS bv April 2. 2007: It is critical that the US CIS hears from as many members of the public as possible about their opposition to the increase. We have provided you with a sample comment letter and instructions for submitting the comments. The agencv must receive vour comments bv the deadline, so it is important that vou send them in as soon as possible. 2. Send in a letter in support for the Citizenship Promotion Act of 2007 (the "CPA"): On March 7, 2007, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) and U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) introduced the Citizenship Promotion Act into their respective chambers of Congress (S. 795 and H.R. 1379). The CPA would remove many of the obstacles in the path of legal permanent residents who are eager to become full Americans. In particular, it would freeze immigration and naturalization application fees at their current level, and explicitly authorize Congress to appropriate funds to supplement those fees to help cover the type of costs that the USCIS claims are largely responsible for the fee hikes, such as infrastructure investments, capital improvements, and business system upgrades. It is important that you Un!e vour U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative to support the bill. and become a co-sponsor if he or she has not done so vet. 3 3. Pass a Resolution in your iurisdiction or issue a statement opposin2 the fee increase: We have provided you with materials to ensure that the voice of your jurisdiction or the community you represent is heard on this important issue. The following jurisdictions have either introduced or already passed resolutions opposing the fee hike: Miami-Dade County, Florida (was the first to provide a Resolution) California State Assembly City of Chicago, Illinois City of Los Angeles, California City of Santa Cruz, California Santa Fe School District, New Mexico City of Watsonville, California City of West Hollywood, California 4 SAMPLE RESOLUTION CONDEMNING USCIS FEE INCREASE WHEREAS, our nation's and [jurisdiction's] newcomers are making valuable contributions to the social, cultural, and economic life of the United States of America and [Name of Jurisdiction]; and WHEREAS, [Name of Jurisdiction] is home to many hardworking, tax-paying, legal permanent residents who are eager to become full Americans by pursuing the dream of U.S. citizenship; and WHEREAS, on January 31, 2007, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a proposal that would raise the fees for starting the naturalization process from $400 to $675, an increase of 69%; and WHEREAS, the USCIS anticipates that the fee hike will go into effect in June; and WHEREAS, naturalization fees have been soaring since 1991, when legal permanent residents paid $90 to apply for U.S. citizenship; and WHEREAS, naturalization fee increases result from our nation's fundamentally flawed system of financing immigration services, which requires the USCIS to rely almost exclusively on application fees to fund the delivery of services to immigrants; and WHEREAS, the USCIS believes that it needs this massive fee hike to pay for major infrastructure investments and process enhancements, such as improvements in the timeliness of background checks, modernization of its outdated business systems through technology upgrades, facilities improvements and enhancements in its personnel training and recruitment programs; and WHEREAS, there are at least [_] legal permanent residents in [jurisdiction] who are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship; and WHEREAS, according to data from the 2000 Census, [_%] of [jurisdiction's] non-citizen households have annual incomes that are less $25,000; and WHEREAS, the proposed fee increase would place a nearly insurmountable barrier in the path of legal permanent residents who seek to naturalize, many of whom have limited financial resources; WHEREAS, we believe that our system for funding immigration services should be a partnership between newcomers and the federal government where applicants pay a reasonable fee for quality service; and WHERAS, the USCIS' proposed fee increase is contrary to the spirit of our nation's and [jurisdiction's] tradition of welcoming and integrating immigrants, and sends legal permanent residents the wrong message at a time when they are seeking to embrace U.S. citizenship; and WHEREAS, naturalization benefits [Name of Jurisdiction] by helping to ensure that newcomers become full participants in our nation's civic life; and WHEREAS, the full participation of newcomers enriches and maintains the vitality of our democracy; 5 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE [NAME OF JURISDICTION] that: Section 1: We condemn the proposed fee increase by US CIS and demand a halt on the fee increase for all naturalization applications; Section 2: We call on the Director of the USCIS to immediately provide President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress with accurate information to ascertain the amount of federal appropriations that would be needed to enable the USCIS to modernize its operations, and enhance its naturalization services, without raising the naturalization fee; Section 3: We call on President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress to address the fundamental problems in our nation's system for financing immigration services by providing appropriations to supplement fee revenue to cover costs of major USCIS expenses such as infrastructure investments, process enhancements and capital improvements; Section 4: The [CLERK/SECRETARY OF THE JURISDICTION] is directed to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Director of the USCIS, to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate for inclusion in the Congressional Record. 6 [LETTERHEAD OF ELECTED OFFICIAL] 1) ,,~f t- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 2007 Contact: Eric Soroka, City Manager 305.466.8910 - sorokae@cityofaventura.com CITY OF A VENTURA COMMISSIONER LUZ URBAEZ WEINBERG INTRODUCES RESOLUTION TO CONDEMN AND HALT PROPOSED USCIS NATURALIZATION FEE INCREASE City of Aventura, Florida - May 1,2007 - Today, City of Aventura Commissioner Luz Urbaez Weinberg introduced a resolution condemning the fee increase proposed by Unites States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which would raise the costs for starting the naturalization process from $400 to $675. The exorbitant fee hike, which may go into effect in June, will put the dream of U.S. citizenship beyond the reach of many of the City of Aventura newcomers. According to Urbaez Weinberg, "Our legal permanent residents in the City of Aventura are making valuable contributions to the economic, social and civic life of our community. I am introducing this resolution because the proposed price tag on naturalization creates an unfair obstacle for these hardworking, taxpaying newcomers who are eager to become U.S. citizens." Naturalization fees have been increasing dramatically since 1991, when newcomers paid $90 to apply for U.S. citizenship. These increases are a result of a fundamentally flawed system of financing immigration services, which requires the US CIS to rely almost exclusively on application fees to fund the delivery of services to immigrants. The USCIS is justifying the fee hike on the basis of its need to pay for major infrastructure and service improvements. Urbaez Weinberg stated, "Our system for funding immigration services should be a partnership where applicants pay a reasonable fee for quality service. That is why I am urging President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress to supplement fee revenues by providing appropriations to cover costs of US CIS expenses, such as infrastructure investments, process enhancements and capital improvements. It is also critical that the Director of the USCIS immediately provide the President and Congress with accurate information to determine the amount of federal appropriations that would be needed to enable the USCIS to pay for these expenses without raising the naturalization fee." The proposed increase would have a particularly severe impact on newcomer families who are working tirelessly to save up the money required to pay the current $400 naturalization application cost. Family members often want to pursue U.S. citizenship together, and with the increase proposed by the USCIS, a family of four would confront a bill amounting to $2,700.00. According to Urbaez Weinberg, a native of Puerto Rico who came to the mainland at age 13 with her Dominican family, "The current application fee is already an 'economic wall' that makes it difficult for newcomer families with limited resources to reach the American Dream, and the proposed fee will make that wall an even greater barrier." "Naturalization benefits our nation and the City of Aventura as a whole," said Urbaez Weinberg. "This resolution recognizes that the participation of naturalized U.S. citizens enriches the civic life of our community by adding new and vibrant voices to our democracy. In passing a resolution as important as this one, the City of A ventura is already joined by Miami-Dade County, City of Chicago, City of Santa Cruz, the Santa Fe School District in New Mexico, the California State Assembly, and the cities ofWatsonville, West Hollywood and Los Angeles, California. We must not lose the opportunity to keep our democracy strong and vital by placing an unfair price tag on the American Dream." ### to\. ASSOCI ~.. of/"/ '" .........'DO+~ ~ .. .. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ <> ' .. ~~ <.. <> C,. <r,.f!t::J ~q & APpn\"~ CONFERENCE SUMMARY 24th annual conference NALEOFLORIDA ............. orlando 2007 ............. . .::.::::: june28-30 .... .... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .... .... .. .. The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) 24th Annual Conference will be held June 28-30,2007, at Disney's Contemporary Resort, in Orlando, Florida. As the largest gathering of Latino elected and appointed officials in the nation, the NALEO Annual Conference will attract upwards of 800 participants who will network and discuss key policy issues affecting their constituents across the United States. The NALEO Annual Conference is a unique source of professional development specifically tailored for Latino elected and appointed officials. Sessions at the Conference are designed to enhance the governance skills of participants and deepen their understanding of critical policy issues. In turn, they become better policymakers and public servants that are able to translate their knowledge into strategies for building stronger and healthier communities. With the opportunity to network with colleagues from across the country and across jurisdictions, NALEO Annual Conference participants are able to leverage resources for their communities across different levels of government. Key sessions at the NALEO 24th Annual Conference will include: . Opportunities to Shape the Impact Latinos Will Have on the 2008 Presidential Election . A Track on Education (Including sessions on the Reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, Early Childhood Education, Higher Education Access, and Education Reform) . A Track on Health (Including sessions on Health Disparities, Mental Health, and Obesity and Chronic Illness) . A Track for Municipal and County Officials (Including sessions on Economic Development, and Strategies for Sustainability) . A Track on Community Empowerment Strategies (Including Naturalization, Voter Engagement, and Financial Literacy . Effective Political Campaigning and Community Engagement . The Conference will play host to numerous prominent elected and appointed officials. Participants will include high ranking representatives from President Bush's Administration, Members of Congress, the State of Florida, and State Legislators, among others. . The NALEO Annual Conference, unlike mainstream professional development conferences for elected officials, presents a unique opportunity for local elected officials to have exclusive access to federal and other national leaders. Past NALEO Conference participants have had an opportunity to interact with Vice President Al Gore, cabinet members, national party leaders, and major presidential candidates. . Every year, the NALEO Annual Conference is held in different regions of the country. Past conferences have been held in such cities as Denver, Los Angeles, Dallas, San Juan, and Philadelphia. In 2008, the NALEO 25th Annual Conference will be held in Washington D.C. 1 THE LATINO POPULATION IN FLORIDA As of 2005, Latinos accounted for one in five residents of Florida (20%). Between 1990 and 2000, the state's Latino population added 1.1 million new residents, and an additional 730,000 in the subsequent five years - an almost 120% increase in 15 years. During the same period, the non-Latino population increased by 23%. Florida Population Growth: 1990-2005 Florida Latino Population: 2005 Population in 1990 Population Growth 1990-2005 ~ Latino 41% Population % of All Total Latino 3,414,414 20% Latino Adults 2,491,490 19% Latino Adult U.S. 1,571,143 13% Citizens Non-Latino 59% . Among the more than 3.4 million Latinos currently living in Florida, 73% are over the age of 18. Nationally, two-thirds (66%) of the Latino population is over the age of 18. . Almost half of all new Florida residents between 1990 and 2005 were Latino (41 %, or 1.8 million of 4.4 million). THE LATINO ELECTORATE IN FLORIDA Approximately 1.3 million Latinos were registered to vote in Florida prior to the November 2006 election, or nearly 12% of all registered Floridians. Latinos in Florida are gradually comprising a larger share of the state electorate. In 1996, Latinos comprised 9% of those who actually voted. In 2004, they comprised 11 % of all those who voted. During the same period, the number of Latino voters in Florida increased by 62%. The comparable increase among non-Latinos was 31 %. Florida Latino Voter Performance in Past Presidential Elections 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 o 1,265,000 1,444,000 -+- Voting Age U.S. Citizens 1 033 0 802 000 924,000 824,000 - Registered Voters 646,000 510 000 678,000 -.- Actual Voters 1996 2000 2004 2 LATINO ELECTED OFFICIALS IN FLORIDA The presence of Latinos in elected office at all levels of government is one measure of improved Latino political progress and influence. As of January 2006, 125 Latino elected officials served in Florida, four of whom currently serve in the United States Congress. Another sign of the growing influence of Latinos in Florida is the number of Latinos in the state legislature and their share of their political party's delegation. The share of Latinos in selected offices can determine the extent to which they can have a significant impact on the priorities of state and local governments. Political Presence of Latino Leltislators: Januarv 2007 . U.S. Senator Mel Martinez is Share of Party Florida's first Latino Senator, and Total Number Share of Legislators one of only three Latinos currently Districts Held by Total serving in the U.S. Senate. Latinos Delegation GOP DEM In the Florida State Senate, 12% of U.S. Senate 2 1 50% 2% - . all Republicans are Latino, while in U.S. House 25 3 12% 1% - the State House of Representatives Florida State Latinos comprise 15% of all Senate 40 3 8% 12% - Republicans. Florida State House 120 14 12% 15% 5% Rev. 1/26/2007 3 t-.. C C C'I cO C'I ~ (tJ 2 "C.Q ... (1) call. > <( ~(1)~ D::Z~:i~ ::)0 Q)~ U) I- I- Q. (1) Z<( 0 (1).5 W...J...C..., > ::) c.. ~~ <( m 'I- (.) u.. ~ o.!!! o Q) m >-9niC; !:::m(/)C") o "II'" N - <( ..... Q) .c +-' 0 <( Q) E ~ -0 C eo (1)1 Q) +-' eo (.) -0 .- 0> ~ a.. c c "'C 0 Q) .- ~ a.. m 0 0 Q) - 0 > cu o~ 0 .... .0 0 0 eo . I- 0 Q)2 cot .ceo +-' - "If"'" ......(/) ~ o eo ~ (/)-0 eo Q) >-t5 Q) Q) E '(j) .- ..... +-' -0>- Q).o > ~ .- Q) e:: ~.c 0 Q) E ..... ~ Q, & c ~ . 0 C'I >-. .... . c (tJ 0 0) . Q). e:: .c '- +-' e:: Q) (1) ..... . g. eo ~ c "0 "w '- ..... l:O ~ Q) .c (/) E ..... 0 0 W -0 0 C W Q) .... (/) =>> a::: .... ~ a::: w > ...J - (/) z 0 a::: Q) ..... eo >- c eo 't:: - c o .;:; eo +-' Q o (/) .!Q .c +-' o +-' Q) (/) C o >g. Q) Q) .c..... +-'c E'- 0-0 ..... Q) ......::::: -0 'E 2.0 (/) ::J -=(/) (/) (/) ..... ..... &Q) O:g Section III BID FORM TO: Office of the City Manger City of A ventura, Florida I. The undersigned hereby makes a Bid for the purchase of the Property from the City of A ventura, Florida, located at 2] 301 Biscayne Blvd" Aventura, Florida. 2. Indicate the purchase price offered to the City of A ventura. $1 , 300 ,000(,100 (in figures). One Million Three Hundred Thousand Ibllars (in words). Bids below One Million DoJlars (Sl,OOO.OOO.OO} will be automatically rejected. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the price written in words and the price written in , figures, the price written in words shall govern. 3. The undersigned understands that the City reserves the right to reject any and all Bids at any time, for any reason, prior to the City's execution of a Purchase and Sale Agreement. /~, 5. J 112 . / Bidder's Initials. 4. The undersigned understands that this Bid is a flIDl offer and that upon notice from the City Manager that he will recommend the Bid to the City Commission, which notice shall be mailed to the undersigned at the address stated below, the undersigned will, within fifteen (15) days after receipt of such notice or such reasonable time thereafter as determined in tbe City Manager's sole discretion, execute a Purchase and Sale Agreement. The undersigned further acknowledges that in the event the undersigned withdraws hislher Bid after the Bid Due Date (2:00 PM, Wednesday February 28, 2007) or if the Bidder fails to execute a Purchase and Sale Agreement within the time frame set forth above, the Bid Deposit shaH be kept by the City as liquidat damages and not as a penalty. Bidder's Initials. 5. The undersigned understands that all Bid Deposits, except those of the three (3) highest responsible and responsive Bidders will be returned within approximately ten (10) business days after the opening of the Bids, and that the Bid Deposits of the three (3) highest responsible and responsive Bidders, except that of the Bidder whose Bid is accepted by the City Manager, will be returned within approx.imately ten (10) business days from that date of execution by the Bidder (Purchaser) and the City of the Purchase and Sale Agreement. The undersigned further understands that if he/she is the successful Bjdder, the Bid Deposit wjlJ be retained by the City and credited towards the purchase price. 14 " ;;;:?r---- /1::'" ,J. ,I /r: Bidder's Jnitials. 6. The undersigned understands that if this Bid is accepted and the City and the Bidder enter into an Agreement for Purchase and Sale, the Bidder (Purchaser) must within five (5) days of the date the parties execute the Agreement deposit with the Escrow Agent a sum which when added to the Bid Deposit will represent 10% of the Purchase Price which sum will be retained in escrow and will be part of the Purchase Price. K?~~ J -rR, / Bidder's Initials, 7. The undersigned represents that this Bid is made in good faith without fraud or collusion, and that the undersigned has not entered into any agreement with any other Bidder or prospective Bidder or with any other person, firm or corporation relating to the purchase price stated in this Bid or in any other Bid, nor any agreement or arrangement under which any person, fIrm or corporation is to refrain from Bidding, nor any agreement or arrangement for any act or omissjOTJ in restraint of free competition among Bidders. The undersigned agrees to hold harmless, defend and indemnify the City for any noncompliance by the undersigned with the aforementioned representations or with the antitrost laws of the United States and of the State of Florida as related to this transaction. &<..s; r/C. Bidder's Initials. 8. The undersigned understands that the City Commission must expressly authorize the City Manager to execute the Purchase and Sale Agreement for purposes of consummating the transaction. No Bid shall be deemed binding until such time as the Purchase and Sale Agreement is fully executed by the parties. Z 5," -r-~. /~,. 'I /~., . Bidder's Initials. This Offer to Purchase City Property ("Bid") is specifically conditioned and contingent upon, and or subj ect to the following: 1. There must be ingress/egress access to and from the Property, at the south end of the Property along Biscayne Boulevard, at all times prior to construction of the roadway contemplated in the reserved right of way as specified in the Invitation to Bid (the "Roadway"). Upon full completion of the Roadway, the Property will have ingress/egress access to the Roadway. 2. Agreement by the City of Aventura for site plan approval for (i) office/retail use on the ground floor; (ii) total saleable/rentable sale footage of the building no less than 8,000 square feet with a minimum of 4,000 square foot footprint. 3. The Closing Date shall be ten (10) days from the satisfaction of the above conditions. r;f- 5 772 / . IS BID SUBMITTED BY ~._--:> INDIVIDUAL 's~:~;~t;n~ddreSS 407 Linooln Foad, }liami Beach, FL 33139 Penthouse Print Name of Bidder STATE OF FLORIDA ) ) SS COUNTY OF n",,'.b<agf) The foregoing instroment was acknowledged before me this :2 7 day of t,,~I'V"'~ . 2007 by R()I'I !, I ,,1/1 7I'vs";u,, (name of person acknowledging) who is personally. own to roe or who has produced 1=-0 L (type of identification) as identification and who did.(:i~,"~~t)~~ean'o '. _. .=--__. if!' ~ '~._,._..., ygnature ofNO~~!~~. '"".w.,, OF FLORIDA '. f' '"~:),:,a Malina :'j' Cu,rm'SSiOn # DD431585 ExpilCS: JULY 05, 2009 IhHldcd Thr" A>I>ll'lJ'Iee llfmdin~ Co.' Inc, Commission No. . , Print Name NOTARY PUBUC.STJ\fE OF FlORIDA Brenda Malina Commission # DD431585 ExpiJes: JlJLY 05, 200~ Bonded Thrn/\,t1;li1d(, t)t)H:dJn~ 6V,) !Il~~ 16 ~ U) C\J 0 ~ r:r: CD ~ ~ ~ 0 ..: ~ CD 0 -l OJ . -l (Q c:, 0 0 CD T'"'I 0 Cl ~ L/') 0 ft; 0 N 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 0 ~ '" ".,'>.0 <F> '$I ~ a> > :$;1 0 )J ~ E :> I ~ 0 \'0 ~ E ~ '" "'J ~ .2 I ~ '0 "'J ~ ~ ":i) ~ '5 ~ 0- ~ ~ ~ en ~ ~ ~ ~ :> oj ~ '@ 0 c ~ ~ Ol ~ '00 - ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 i ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 .... ~ ~ 00 ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ 0 ::> ~ - >= E-4 ::> .. ;.., Z E-4 - ~ ~ Z 0 :> ~ IJ1 ~ ~ ~ c..D Z; ~ ~ rr ~ ~ iC 0 0 iC 0 ~ >< ~ E-4 c..D ~ 1-1 N c..D ~ U I ~ ~ CO 0 ~ iC N . .. ~ f ~ - <U ~ N u r..:: ~ 0 p... '-'" iC I ~ ~ 0 ~ " ~ ru iC 0 1-1 J iC ~ ~ iC 5:.2 J ~ P=l 0 ~ .:r.: '.;0 ~ ~ ~ c..D ~ QJI-I - ~ QJ <-<:l U J ~ .j..J:>-, V OO.j..J :s: ~ '-'-< ::lH 0 -e:: 0 HQJ ;:;J U .... Ho. V ~o ~ ""'0 HH p... ",</.l .... QJp... ~ 0 :> c.!) :...., V r-f4-l ~ V 'r-IO ~ ~ CJ') I:l:l ...... .... -e:: 0 QJ ~ '" I:lr-f 0 tj </.l .... OCll ~ ~ >-. ~CJ') ~ 's ~ ~ U P-. CITY OF AVENTURA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DATE: April 12, 2007 TO: BY: SUBJECT: City owned parcel at 21301 Biscayne Boulevard Conceptual Development Proposal Evaluation The bidder for this property has submitted a conceptual building design and requested that staff evaluate the concept for zoning compliance. The lot is approximately 0.45 acres in size, with 0.22 to be reserved for future extension of NE 213 Street. This leaves a buildable area of approximately 0.23 acres. The City also needs to reserve a 15' wide easement along the southerly limit of the lot for maintenance of our recently installed storm sewer pipe. The conceptual building design submitted did not reflect reservation of that easement. The property is currently zoned MO, Medical Office District. The future land use designation is Business and Office. The bidder's proposal is an 8107 square foot, 4- story building with basement and ground floor parking, a bank space of 1,885 square feet and office space of 6,132 square feet. These uses are permitted in the MO zone. A 25' wide front setback is proposed and 0' wide setbacks on the north, south and west sides. Access is proposed onto Biscayne Boulevard at the southerly limit of the lot. An evaluation of the conceptual development under the MO district regulations shows that this building layout would need seven variances; lot size, front yard setback, street side setback, rear yard setback, maximum lot width, lot coverage and open space. A table detailing the evaluation and variances is attached. In April of 2003, the planning firm of Wallace Roberts Todd prepared the attached study entitled "Conceptual Urban Development Framework - Aventura Medical Office District" at the request of the Economic Development Advisory Board. This study was undertaken to review current land use regulations in the Medical Office District and make recommendations for redevelopment. Some of those recommendations were put in place for the south part of the district, through Ordinance No. 2004-02. No changes, however, were made to the zoning regulations in the north portion at the request of landowners in that area. As you will see on Page 3, the study noted that the parcels along Biscayne Boulevard would most likely be developed as freestanding commercial outparcels and suggested that the allowable uses on these parcels be those in the B2, Community Business District. For that reason, the development concept submitted by the bidder has also been evaluated using the B2 zoning district regulations. That evaluation is included in the attached table. A comparison of permitted uses in the Medical Office (MO) District and Community Business (B2) district is attached. Based on the B2 district criteria, the development as proposed would require two variances; street side setback and lot coverage. A variance for the number of parking spaces and for driveway separation would also be required for the concept as submitted, under either the MO or B2 zone. ZONING GROSS LOr /lW. - PROPOSED USE M,O 9.539S.f OFl'ICe (8, I OOS.F) PARl\JNG REOUIRfME~S REQlJIr<fD f'ROVlDED h__'_______.~,.,.". . ......_....._,.____... ...._.__~.___~_,___.. 27 27 FRONTYAR[) ...-.....-------.--.. RfAR YMD .--....-.... ........ ,.......--.- SIDE YARD 5~ ~QUIREMEN1S ReQUIRED FROVIDED 50' 25' (val'lar,ce) ,., . ....-..... .._----~-,-... " ...-------....---.. 25' (J (vanance) . -.-- ---..."..-. . ,,,,.. -, ..---..-........... 20 f] (vlnance) ~ 2 ~ ..... 3 '\ I 4 \ I ~ 5 I ~-I' /\ ~ b J 24'"0" j 13 I I I \ I I 1-4 I \ J 7 I I I I I I / ASSIGNED I 8 15 I I PARKING I I I I I I 5 I IG , I I ~WAT' I I I I I I I / 10 , ~ ~ ~ I , I) 17 t -- 12 - - vst:o <;/ V I ! I I ~ I ~ 20 24'.q 21 22 VAlfI' PMIONG 23 24 25 ----.-.-..-..--- 2' MNl\ I,M55,F LOOi::-m~-so wdo~v<;'SO 27 RAMf' DN @15 GROUND FLOOR PlAN 5CAl.f:X,'" r '.0' I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I , \, I I / ~ ~ " Il:) 4" ~ ~ ~ (.J 11) ..... ltl pue Moped '6JeqwoJcJ ~O~09S6<;<;OS OFrlC~ 3,066 $.F 2ND ~ 3RD FLOOR FlAN 5CAlE~X,'" /'..(]' Sf S LOOl-6l-l::owd 9 ,\7SI::O pue MOpad <6JaqLlIOJj \ \ , I I / ,O,091::6SS01:: 21301 BISCA YNE BLVD. MO Proposed Variance Required Minimum Lot Area 1.5 ac 0.22 ac yes Minimum Lot Width 1 00 ft < 1 00 ft yes Maximum Heiaht 12 stories 4 stories no Setbacks Front 50 ft 25 ft yes for 25 ft Street Side 20 ft 0 yes for 20 ft Rear 25 ft 0 ves for 25 ft Max. FAR 2.0 0.73 no Max. Lot Coveraae 40% >> 40% yes Min. Open Space 33% << 33% yes 82 Proposed Variance Required Minimum Lot Area none 0.22 ac no Minimum Lot Width none < 1 00 ft no Maximum Heiaht 12 stories 4 stories no Setbacks Front 25 ft 25 ft no Street Side 20 ft 0 ves for 20 ft Rear 0 0 no Max. FAR 2.0 0.73 no Max. Lot Coveraae 40% >> 40% yes Min. Open Space none n/a no Notes: -FDOT will probably not allow the driveway off Biscayne Blvd to be at an angle. -If 213th St. ever gets constructed towards the west, the driveway will be too close to the new intersection and the building, if already constructed, will not allow for access from 213th St. because the ramp-up will be off Biscayne. Also, the north side of the building will be fronting a street and will be right on the future RIW line. -The building will need to be moved towards the north to accommodate the required 15' drainage easement. This may cause the increase in no. of stories and other issues. -Also, the site plan sketch shows the ground floor off Biscayne Blvd. with the first parking level underneath in a "basement". This is confusing. They need to check the constructibility of this. Parking- if there will be an A TM, additional spaces will be required. COMP ARISON OF PERMITTED USES IN THE MO & B2 ZONE MO (Medical Office) District B2 (Community Business) District BusinessIProfessional Offices Any use in the B I district (retail shops, Hospitals (not to exceed 20 stories or 200') personal service shops, offices, banks, Nursing Homes nursery school, child center, adult day care, Medical Laboratories restaurants) Laboratories for medical research Auditoriums Dental and medical offices Automobile new parts & equipment sales Banks, savings & loan (no drive throughs) Bait and tackle shops Pharmacies limited to drugs & medical Banks, with drive through supplies Billiard rooms and pool rooms Hotels, motels, resorts & time shares Dancing halls or dance academies Uses generally accessory limited to 15% of Dog and pet hospitals total gross interior square footage Dry cleaning establishments Assisted Living Facility Electrical appliance and fixture stores Employment agencies Furniture stores Grocery stores and supermarkets Handcrafted products shops Health and exercise clubs and spas Department stores Lawn mowers, retail, sales and service Mortuaries or funeral homes Motorcycle sales and repairs Pet shops and dog beauty parlors Post office stations and branches Liquor package stores Restaurant, night clubs, lounge & catering Printing shops Automobile parking garages, 6 stories Office parks Indoor commercial recreation limited to martial arts, dance and exercise studios maximum 2,500 square feet Automatic car washes Hand car washes Hotels, motels, resorts and time shares Stores for previously owned jewelry or precious metals Accessory uses and structures Conceptual Urban Development Framework A ventura Medical Office District Submitted to: Economic Development Advisory Board City of Aventura Submitted by: Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC April 21,2003 CONCEPTUAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK AVENTURA MEDICAL OFFICE DISTRICT At the March 27, 2003 meeting of the Aventura Economic Development Advisory Board representatives of the City's consultant, Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC, reviewed a number of issues pertaining to the redevelopment of presently underutilized properties adjacent to Aventura Hospital, comprising what has been identified as the Medical Office District. At the conclusion of this meeting WRT was asked to consider various development scenarios and offer recommendations pertaining to land use mix, minimum lot sizes and other factors related to the character of development. Of specific concern was the present minimum lot size in the Medical Office zoning district of 1.5 acres, which was considered by some members to be overly restrictive on small office development, while not inducing optimally efficient larger medical office buildings. The recommendations contained herein are considered conceptual and preliminary to more detailed investigations and are not based on analyses of market conditions, development feasibility, traffic engineering or parking demand. Accompanying the recommendations are the following graphic depictions: Figure 1 - Conceptual Urban Development Framework depicts the proposed overall structure of the district, including land use sub-districts, gateways, and corridors. Figure 2 - Street Network depicts existing streets to remain, those which may be created in the future, and those existing streets which may be abandoned to accommodate property assemblies. Figure 3 - Illustrative Plan depicts conceptually the scale of development consistent with recommended land use and zoning designations, future street alignments and landscape and streetscape enhancements. Land Use and Zoning Designations Overview The area to the north and south of Aventura Hospital has recently accommodated several medical office developments of varying sizes and intensities. A key issue is what is a reasonable mix of land uses based on the likely marketability of office and other uses, and the overall functionality of the district. If redevelopment for office use were to take place throughout the MO district at the maximum permitted intensity at ten stories, nearly 2 million square feet of office space could be accommodated. Although the study effort did not include market analyses, anecdotal evidence would 1 suggest that this is well beyond what the office market could reasonably absorb even far into the future. Consequently, other compatible uses must be encouraged if the area is to redevelop in an appropriate and compatible fashion. Factors that influenced the following recommended land use and zoning designations included existing property sizes, proximity to the hospital, access and visibility, Biscayne Boulevard frontage and compatibility with adjacent uses outside the Medical Office District. Medical Office - Large Site The area bounded by Biscayne Boulevard, NE 213 Street, NE 28 Avenue and the northern property line of Aventura Hospital is believed to be ideally suited to large scale, predominantly medical office use due to its direct adjacency to the hospital, large property sizes and direct access and visibility along Biscayne Boulevard. In this area, totaling approximately 8 acres, consideration should be given to increasing minimum lot size to 3.0 acres. This would permit two substantial office developments totaling approximately 400,000 square feet, plus multistory parking garages. Medical office should be the predominant use, with multifamily residential and a limited array of ancillary commercial uses related directly to the district permitted as conditional uses. To provide for necessary vehicular access and connectivity within the district, several new streets may be appropriate to accompany this redevelopment. These include an extension of NE 212 and 213 Streets to provide east-west access and district entrances from Biscayne Boulevard, and an extension of NE 29 Avenue to provide north-south access and connectivity to the hospital. Medical Office - Small Site That portion of the medical office district located immediately to the south of Aventura Hospital, south of NE 209 Street, is comprised primarily of small single family parcels and unrelated commercial uses. The present 1.5 acre minimum lot size poses a challenge for the assembly of suitable sites, and also precludes smaller medical/dental office development appropriate to accommodate individual group practices occupying their own buildings. As such, this minimum lot size could be inhibiting appropriate and compatible small-scale redevelopment. Consequently, it is recommended that the present MO district in this area be modified to reduce minimum lot size to either 0.5 acre, or 20,000 square feet. This will permit a "village-like" array of smaller office structures. The combined capacity for small office development, based on a floor area ratio for one-story buildings of 0.40, would total approximately 140,000 square feet. However, due to the present requirement to retain 33% of site area as landscaped open space, this capacity can only be achieved with parking placed in multi-level garages, which may not be economically feasible. If all development were to occur as single story structures with surface parking lots, less than 100,000 square feet could be accommodated. This amount, plus the quantity of larger scale medical office development which could occur to the north, would indicate a 2 total additional capacity for medical office development In these two districts of roughly 450,000 - 500,000 square feet. Residential Multi-Family - High Density The area between NE 214 Terrace and NE 213 Street comprises a pattern of fragmented small lot single family development similar to that existing to the south of Aventura Hospital. However, the total land area is significantly greater, fewer homes remain and the street pattern remains largely incomplete. While medical office is considered an appropriate use, it is highly unlikely that this large area could be consolidated for medical office use in the foreseeable future. This area may be more likely to redevelop for multi-family housing, which can help the City meet its need for a more affordable housing stock, strengthen the tax base and provide an opportunity for many of the employees within the medical district to reside within walking distance of work. Either RMF 3B (35 dwellings per acre) or RMF 3A (45 dwellings per acre) could be considered appropriate zoning designations, which may better reflect present-day marketability than the present medical office designation. Such RMF designations could accommodate between 488 and 628 dwelling units depending on which RMF designation were applied. Although it is recommended that this area build out as a predominantly high-density residential enclave, medical office and limited commercial use should be considered as conditional uses. Residential Multi-Family - Moderate Density That portion of the Medical Office District lying north of NE 214 Street consists of a narrow band of formerly single family development of only one lot deep. Because of the shallow lot depths and the immediate proximity of a single family neighborhood beyond the City limit, high density or large scale residential or office uses are not appropriate. Consequently, this area is recommended for townhouse or similar moderate density multi-family residential use. While the RMF3 zoning district, which provides for 25 dwellings per acre and up to 4 stories, may be an appropriate designation, to maintain compatibility with the neighborhood to the north, a reduction in density and maximum height should be considered. Total residential development capacity is estimated to range from 26 dwellings, if developed as townhomes, to up to 73 dwellings if developed as mid-rise apartments Commercial Out Parcels At two locations, at the northern and southern edges of the Medical Office District, there exist several triangular-shaped parcels with frontage and access along Biscayne Boulevard. While such parcels could conceivably be assembled with adjacent properties for office or residential development, it is more likely that these properties would be developed as freestanding commercial outparcels. Such commercial uses should be limited to those that would not detract from the character and image of the Medical Office District, as permitted in the 82 zoning district. 3 Development Intensity Standards The intensity, compactness and efficiency of development which can be achieved in the MO District is a function of the development standards that govern floor area ratio (ratio of building area to site area), maximum lot coverage (percent of site covered by buildings), minimum landscaped open space (percent of site in green space), minimum setbacks (distance of buildings from property lines) and parking ratios (ratio of parking spaces to office space). In several cases noted below, present development standards may not be conducive to an efficient, compact and" urban" character suited to a medical office district. As a reference, present development standards for the MO District are compared with those in place for the region's largest medical complex surrounding Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami Medical Center. Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Present FARs are variable with a base of 0.40 and an additional 0.11 for each additional floor. Thus, a 10 story building would be permitted a total area of FAR 1.39, or 139% of the gross lot area. This compares with a FAR of 1.72 permitted surrounding Jackson Hospital. Maximum Lot Coverage Present maximum lot coverage ranges from 40% to 45% of gross lot area, depending on the proportion of parking provided in parking garages. This coincides with the maximum 40% coverage applicable to the medical district at Jackson Hospital. Minimum Landscaped Open Space The total percentage of site area required to be maintained as landscaped open space ranges from 33% to 39% depending on proportion of parking provided in parking garages. This requirement may be considered excessive for an intensely developed urban district, and may act as an impediment to efficient, compact development. As noted above, the open space requirement may preclude development up to the maximum floor area ratio without resorting to parking structures, which may be infeasible or uneconomic for smaller office developments. The comparative open space requirement applicable to the medical district at Jackson Hospital is 15% of gross lot area, less than half of that required by Aventura's MO District. Consideration should be given to reducing this requirement. Setbacks Present front, side and rear yard setbacks applicable in the MO District are 50 feet, 20 feet and 25 feet, respectively. As with the minimum open space requirements, these may be considered 4 excessive for the development of a compact urban district. They compare with setbacks of 10 feet for front, side and rear yards in the medical district at Jackson Hospital. Consideration should be given to reducing these requirements. Parking Ratios The present parking ratio applicable to medical and dental offices is one space per 300 square feet of office - a well-established standard and the same that applies in the medical district at Jackson Hospital. However, "large office buildings ", or those 150,000 square feet and over, are required to provide additional parking according to a formula. As applied to a 150,000 square foot office building, this would have the effect of increasing required parking from 500 spaces (based on 1 space per 300 square feet) to 644 spaces, an approximate 29% increase. Considering the possibility that the development of affordable housing within walking distance could reduce parking demand for those district employees residing nearby, present parking requirements may exceed what may actually be needed, thus unnecessarily increasing development costs. Therefore, it is suggested that the present parking requirement be reviewed. Local Street and Streetscape Pattern Figure 2 depicts potential adjustments to the local street pattern, as described below. Potential Street Closures In order to support the consolidation of sites for larger scale development, the City should be prepared to assist in property assembly by abandoning certain existing streets or rights-of-way. These include NE 214 Street and NE 208 Terrace. Neither street provides essential internal connectivity, or access to Biscayne Boulevard. Potential New Streets Potential new streets, depicted in dashed lines on Figure 2, include the following: NE 30 Avenue I NE 213 Street extension across Biscayne Boulevard. This linkage could become a major entrance to the district and to the neighborhood to the north. NE 213 Street extended east from where it presently ends at NE 28 Avenue, to define an edge between the predominant office use to the south and the predominant residential use to the north. 5 NE 212 Street, extending from NE 28 Street to Biscayne Boulevard and defining the edge of the Aventura Hospital compound. NE 29 Avenue to connect the north edge of Aventura Hospital to the office and residential development to the north. District Character Enhancements The Aventura Medical Office District has the potential to redevelop over time as a lively mixed use district comprising a concentration of small and large scale medical offices, close-in walkable and affordable housing and supporting commercial uses. The modifications to zoning codes and adjustments to the local street pattern, described above, are necessary but not sufficient to guide redevelopment to produce a character and unique identity consistent with the high standards of community aesthetics maintained elsewhere in the City of Aventura. In order to improve upon the quality and character of development it is recommended that the City consider two additional initiatives, as follows. Streetscape Enhancements As shown conceptually in the Illustrative Plan, a network of streetscape enhancements could greatly improve the aesthetics and the pedestrian environment and connectivity within the district. Components should include street trees and sidewalk along all local streets, enhancement of NE 28 Avenue as a well- landscaped pedestrian-vehicular spine and the creation of a continuously landscaped edge along Biscayne Boulevard. In addition, the district may benefit from the creation of a "themed" wayfinding signage system and identity features such as entrance gateways and roundabouts. Design Guidelines Whether the Medical Office District is developed so as to II read II as a defined district, rather than a fragmented collection of individual office, residential and commercial structures, depends on the degree of harmony and consistency in the design of individual elements. In order to achieve a consistency in scale, building orientation, colors, materials and architectural features, a set of basic design guidelines is recommended to be developed and applied through an overlay district, or similar means. 6 I ~ .... ._~ I ' RetJldllLttell Multl.......lly District - _ MudM*.....1ty ~1Il\o\.." . .....dentII5' 'M~ Dlatrlct. High Den . ,.. -, Jilt.... I r1I.' '~ Medical OffIce I Mlxed-U" Development (3 ac mln site) HE 28th Avenue SlrMtSCIIP8 Enhan~t t \, ".,"'---~.:..., ',_.",,"T:~~~ .,,~ -r".. " ~,', : t "i'.:...r:;: ,i - :: '. ; J1 ..'! ~ < . ;.... ~ " i _ I . , . . . #1"- .~~ '7 \. ' ~ J:..,~ ~"~ ' t' . \.\ ~...."'..""".:.-...,-- "I, ,.,I ~~~.....- ~:~~'"~.....~._._. ." ., ~ r !' i ~ '~'__,' C-..~ L--;-~ ~;-" r' .,' "'!"'_~ \_1t.l,~~,~'" ~- I r-1 ~'__~...~'-;. ,D.--:$4il-"~_-".'-. .........,~.:>\-."......;'.I .: t ~"~-~-..,,,,t~,, ~,. '4t:{' \t~~ ~ ~ " .,.1 -*- : . r Aventura Medical Office District City of Aventura, Florida i . Figure 1 . CODceptual1lrttan De'le10Jllll8D1 FramewOlk