West Avenue Phase II
Letter to the Commission, January 27, 2022
Following the DRB meeting that rook place on Jan 4, the city issued a new letter to the commissioners regarding the West Avenue Improvement Project. The letter captured some the concerns raised by WAvNA and directly by residents, including:
- Concerns about the continuous middle turning lane
- Concerns about flooding and harmonization
- Concerns about insufficient outreach/access to final design
- Concerns about loss of parking
The DRB expressed some of the same concerns as the residents with respect to loss of parking, lack of loading zones, and bike lane protection and requested that the project be continued to the March 1, 2022 hearing, with a number of recommendations including a full pre- and post-parking count and renderings for each street.
Following comments made during the review potential changes orders may be required to:
- Add micro-pump stations at private properties that do not meet 10-year storm elevation levels, in particular in the Flamingo neighborhood
- Add private side drainage for those properties that did not receive it in the Phase I of the project.
The Board made the following comments:
- This presentation was a vast improvement over the previous presentation
- Would like the generator enclosure to match the enclosure for the electrical
- panels (custom aluminum mangrove screen), in lieu of the applied vinyl finish
- (wrap) proposed.
- Would like for the enclosure of the electrical components set on the electrical
- platform to match the color of the screening.
- Requested a sample of the mangrove panel and color comparisons of the
- materials.
- Requested that the elevation of the parking lot be raised .
- Requested more artistic renderings and samples of the panels.
- Requested information on how the City will offset the loss of parking in the P24
- lot at other locations.
Both applications are scheduled to be heard again at the March 1, 2022 hearing.
Summary of Design Review Board, January 4, 2022
WAvNA initiated an ordinance to require all street renovation design to be critiqued by the Design Review Board (DRB). Commissioner Mark Samuelian sponsored the ordinance and it passed. January 4th, 2022 was the first time the new process took place. Several licensed architects sit on the DRB so we were excited that the project would be carefully analyzed.
The Applicant is the City of Miami Beach
- The presentation was entirely handled by the contractor, Ric-man. Though city project manager, Sabrina Baglieri, interjected.
- Residents and DRB board members expressed some “frustration” that not enough detailed information was made available.
Presentation lacked the following:
- Renderings of the final street design
- Parking spaces/ADA spaces including analysis comparing to current situation
- Bike lanes and protection type if any
- Lighting information and if light fixture are cohesive with adjacent area like Alton Rd and Sunset Harbour
- Outside furniture or amenities (bike rack. Citi Bike Station, railing etc)
- Screening material for pump station
- Landscape materials
- The existence of and location of loading zones/drop off zones
- Material samples or specs (metal screen, etc)
- Schedule/timeline
- Rendering of harmonization of 189 private properties.
The Stakeholders are the public:
- Typically, applicants are expected to make a presentation with resident stakeholders and get feedback before they go to the DRB, and this was not done.
- The presentation made in front of the DRB had never been shared before with residents.
Conclusion
- As a result of lack of information, both presentations (the West Avenue Phase II and the Pump Station Design) was deferred until March 1 by a unanimous vote of 6-0
- A video recording of the DRB session can be viewed here.
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