Proceed ‘with caution’
City makes public welfare top priority
By Bari Auerbach

As Sunny Isles Beach continues to make international headlines for progressive capital improvements, beautification projects and luxurious developments, the City Commission, members of city staff and Police Department are earning accolades for making public welfare, safety and the highest quality of life top priorities.

‘Parking Predicament’

The City Commission’s commitment to serving the best interests of the community was most recently evidenced at the August 16 Commission meeting when a vote was taken to table site plan approval for the new Fairmont Turnberry Isle Ocean Resort and Residences (18501 Collins Avenue) until parking issues are resolved.

Turnberry Associates’ intent to redevelop the Turnberry Isle Ocean Club in Sunny Isles Beach follows the recent $100 million dollar renovation of the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Aventura Turnberry. And now, Turnberry Ocean Colony at 160th and Collins Avenue is yet another new luxurious condominium residence on the rise in Sunny Isles Beach, contributing to the city’s reputation for being “Florida’s Riviera.”

The topic of debate at the August 16 Commission meeting was a parcel of land behind the Navarro Pharmacy at 185th Street by the Golden Shores neighborhood currently being used as an off-site parking lot for the Turnberry Isle Ocean Club. Turnberry Associates wants to use the parcel to fulfill city parking requirements for the new condo/hotel tower featuring a private club, but Commission members maintain the proposed use for the parking lot could jeopardize pedestrian safety and create traffic problems.

Vice Mayor Lewis J. Thaler emphasized he feels parking should be exclusively on-site. “A first-class hotel should have parking within the building and not in a residential community creating more traffic,” he said. “Kids will have to pass that parking lot to get to school...It will create more noise and traffic in the area...I think there will be more chance for break-ins into cars...[Developers are] looking to cut corners and save a few bucks – I think it’s totally wrong.”

Commissioner Roslyn Brezin added, “I feel it’s a danger to the community to have off-site parking causing traffic within the area... I cannot see endangering people’s lives.”

According to attorney Cliff Schulman representing developers, the lot in question was originally approved by Dade County and has been used for valet parking by the Turnberry Isle Ocean Club for over 20 years. He explained that as a matter of right, the lot can currently remain open until sundown – but when the new Fairmont Turnberry Isle Ocean Resort Hotel and Residences is built, developers want it to be accessible 24 hours - solely for employee parking and residents preferring to self-park.

Clarifying plans for the parking lot, Schulman noted, “[The lot] is already approved and being used for 90 spaces...[Plans call for reducing spaces] to 85 - so there won’t be more traffic generated.” He also said lighting and a decorative, landscaped wall would be installed to enhance security and aesthetics due to the lot’s proximity to Golden Shores. “We want to make it a better community asset,” he said.

In response to questions from the Commission regarding why additional parking spaces couldn’t be incorporated into an on-site garage in lieu of having off-site parking, the project’s architect explained, “It would take three [additional] floors to incorporate [sufficient on-site] parking...that would raise the pedestal [of the building] up another 35 feet so instead of a six story [garage] we’d have a nine story [garage] in front...[This would alter] functionality [so it’s] much more than just a cost issue. Adding three more floors would take us up a lot higher - and it would require variances.”

Schulman also reasoned traffic congestion for the development’s club component could be minimized because many members and guests could opt to take a shuttle bus back and forth between the clubs in Aventura and Sunny Isles Beach.

Before the Commission asked developers and HKS Architects, Inc. to consider presenting alternate parking solutions, a power point presentation highlighted luxurious plans for the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Ocean Resort and Residences.

The mixed-use 38 story tower will feature 225 hotel rooms and 60 condo units as well as a private club. “The Fairmont and Turnberry Associates are uniting again,” Schulman said, noting what was “missing from the mix” at the Aventura resort is “sand and sea.”

He added, “Turnberry has been a good corporate neighbor for over 20 years and [will invest] $150 million to build a true mixed-use resort...There will be no pre-sales necessary for this project...Prudential is a participating partner...[Plans call for submitting] building permits in September or October of this year.”

Schulman also pointed out, “We’re not requesting any variances for the development or any TDR’s (transfers of development rights) that could have increased the size of the project by 120,000 square feet over the [proposed] 400,000 (building height could have increased from 38 to 44 stories). The development has also gone over and above city landscaping requirements; open space and beach access is provided; and the city will be paid approximately $2.7 million in bonuses at the time [building permits are issued].”

A unique design concept segments the tower into east and west wings (the east wing has residential and hotel units; and the west wing has hotel rooms only). There will be a west pool deck and an east pool deck by the beach...The entryway will be abundantly landscaped and highlighted by a towering waterfall feature running over granite and glass tile abstract mosaic murals representing the ocean; and there will be an on-site parking garage plus 24-hour valet parking.

“We hope to have a ‘Five Diamond’ Fairmont hotel,” Schulman said. “We want that rating for [the property] and the City of Sunny Isles Beach.”

‘Going High-Tech’
Proceeding “cautiously” to implement wireless island Internet access in phases, the Commission is pursuing the goal to make Sunny Isles Beach a “state-of-the-art, technologically advanced city,” working in conjunction with IBM. Phase one of the project, encompassing areas including the beach and public parks, is expected to enhance efficiency and public safety by providing wireless Internet access to the Police Department and mobile city divisions such as the Building Department, Code Enforcement and Public Works.

City Manager John Szerlag explained, “Wireless island as a concept has three primary [phases]. The first is to develop ‘hot spots’ – which would include the beach and public park areas in addition to government access for city employees. The second [phase] is street level coverage, which goes to about three stories high and could have anywhere from a 40 percent to an 80 percent penetration rate. The third [phase] is total verticality for having free wireless.

“I’d like to be very thorough and methodical in our approach [to the wireless island project]. We’ll proceed cautiously and keep Commission informed every step of the way...we want this to benefit the residents and city - and do it in the most cost effective manner.”

Mayor Norman S. Edelcup added, “I believe the city has always been committed to moving ahead with technology and I think the best way to do it is to cautiously move forward by [implementing] phase one first. This gives us the most ‘bang for the buck’ because it brings all the public safety features into the city immediately and all other benefits will come later on at the residential level… [We should see] the end result and the benefits we get from it [before] moving on to [other phases] if it makes sense on a cost comparison basis.”

To increase time and cost efficiency, the Commission has also approved acquisition of a fingerprint scan system for the Police Department required by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to facilitate officer background checks.

‘Grant Wishes’
As the Commission proceeds with plans for more parks and capital improvement projects, additional grant funds are being applied for. At the August 16 Commission meeting, City Manager John Szerlag reported the city may qualify to receive a Florida Recreation Assistance Grant for the acquisition of parkland at 500 Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard as well as State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection grants for the Atlantic Isles and 172d Street stormwater drainage projects.

‘Pier Progress’
In keeping with the goal of the city to proceed with efforts to repair the historic state-owned fishing pier by the Newport damaged by Hurricane Wilma, Mayor Norman Edelcup recently wrote a letter to Florida Governor Charlie Crist. The City Commission hopes grant funds can be secured to help fund the renovation project anticipated to cost as much as $4 million.

In the letter to the Governor, Edelcup notes, “The current operator of the pier has advised the City that he is unable to make the necessary repairs...The operator has approached the City about taking over the pier [and has] indicated to us that the repairs would cost around $4 million dollars. As you probably know, this City, like other cities, has complied with the state mandated tax cuts. In doing so, we had to make certain difficult budget decisions.

‘While the City is willing to take over the pier, the City does not have the funds to make the necessary repairs...As such, I am asking you to assist me to obtain the necessary funding from the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to preserve and protect an important historic site owned by the State of Florida. I certainly believe that you will agree with me that it is in the best interest of our wonderful State to maintain this historic pier.”

‘Aye’ to Beach ‘I Do’s’
Proceeding with proactive plans to become “competitive” with other resort areas, per suggestion of Mayor Norman S. Edelcup, Commission members agreed beachfront properties in Sunny Isles Beach should be able to arrange private functions, including weddings, on the beach. Guidelines such as allowable time frames will be recommended by city staff and considered at the next regular Commission meeting on Sept. 20.

“I approve,” said Commissioner Roslyn Brezin. “As long as they invite me to the wedding!”

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