Legislative Matter

Miami-Dade Legislative Item
File Number: 171151

Printable PDF Format

File Number: 171151

File Type: Resolution

Status: Deferred in Committee

Version: 0

Reference:

Control: Government Operations Committee

File Name: CDMP APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF SR 836

Introduced: 4/26/2017

Requester: NONE

Cost:

Final Action:

Agenda Date:

Agenda Item Number: 11A

Notes:

Item filed in Commissioner's folder

Title:

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR’S DESIGNEE TO FILE AN APPLICATION IN THE MAY 2017 CYCLE OF AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN TO ALLOW THE SR 836 SOUTHWEST EXTENSION PROJECT OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY AS PROPOSED BY THE MIAMI-DADE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY

Indexes:	COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN
	URBAN DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARIES

Sponsors:	Jose "Pepe" Diaz, Prime Sponsor
	Joe A. Martinez, Co-Sponsor

Sunset Provision: No

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History
Acting Body	Date	Agenda Item	Action	Sent To	Due Date	Returned	Pass/Fail

Government Operations Committee	6/13/2017	2A	Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation				F
REPORT:	Assistant County Attorney Eddie Gonzalez read into the record the title of the foregoing proposed resolution. Commissioner Sosa noted that she was not contacted by the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) regarding the foregoing proposed resolution despite the fact that a portion of the study area included residential properties located in her Commission District. She voiced her opposition to the item given the current plan to extend the roadway outside the existing Urban Development Boundary (UDB) and suggested MDX consider exploring an alternative route along 157th Avenue or 167th Avenue. Commissioner Sosa stated that while she was amenable to working with MDX, she believed the item should be deferred to revisit the study areas and to allow for public input and engagement. Commissioner Suarez voiced his concerns regarding the foregoing proposed resolution, specifically MDX’s role in the project, given the entity’s history of misspending public funds and implementing tolls; and maintained that even though an east/west corridor was needed, he did not support the proposed route for the extension. Commissioner Monestime explained that he while he was in favor of forwarding the foregoing proposed resolution to the Board of County Commission (BCC) to afford the sponsor of the item an opportunity to speak, he too understood and shared the concerns voiced by his colleagues, Commissioners Sosa and Suarez regarding the item and asked whether there were other multimodal alternatives available and whether MDX had explored these alternatives. Mr. Juan Toledo, Deputy Executive Director/Director of Engineering for MDX, reassured the Committee members that MDX’s plan for reconstructing State Road (SR) 836 did include a multimodal component, specifically developing and implementing an express bus services along the shoulder of the corridor. He noted that MDX had partnered with the County to advance the park and ride project to ensure completion by 2018. Mr. Toledo explained that the SR 836 Southwest Extension served as an extension of the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (S.M.A.R.T) Plan and would provide immediate relief to residents living in the Southwest Dade area and clarified that the foregoing proposed resolution did not seek to move the UDB line but instead allow MDX to address all the environmental and social concerns of the public. He added that MDX’s alignment for the proposed project was not yet finalized and could be adjusted to move it closer to the UDB based on the socio-economic impact to the community. Responding to Commissioner Monestime’s question regarding the length/scope of the extension, Mr. Toledo estimated 8 to 10 miles of new roadway would be added to the system. Commissioner Monestime asked if there were any studies conducted to determine whether there was any developable land in the area earmarked for the extension. Mr. Toledo explained that the study did not explore land beyond the UDB for development and agreed that restrictions limiting development of land outside the UDB would be appropriate in the event the Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP) was amended to allow for the extension. In response to Commissioner Monestime’s question as to whether there were any studies performed to determine the increase in population in the area west of 107th Avenue after the extension of SR 836 to 137th Avenue, Mr. Toledo conceded that there was no data available. Commissioner Monestime stated that a greater conversation was needed to determine whether the County was more focused on improving mass transit or building new infrastructure and how these improvements would be funded. He concluded by noting his support for mass transit alternatives and reiterated the need for a deeper dialogue on the issue. Chairman Moss voiced his concerns about the extension attracting developers to the area and questioned how the extension would be funded. He discussed infill housing and the benefits of telework and/or developing telecommunicating centers and described how the application of technology would help commuters and decrease traffic congestion. Mr. Toledo explained that the extension would be paid for by tolls. Chairman Moss reiterated his concerns regarding the item, specifically the proposed route for the extension and stated that he believed MDX should be focused on developing and funding the S.M.A.R.T plan. He stated that while he could not support the foregoing proposed resolution given the current location of the extension he would be amenable to reviewing alternative options which kept the route closer to the UDB. Mr. Toledo reiterated that the extension route/plans were not yet finalized and reassured the Committee members that the alignment needed BCC approval. Commissioner Martinez discussed the challenges facing the S.M.A.R.T Plan and presented alternative solutions to the existing traffic and congestion problems facing the Kendall Corridor, such as the creation of reverse traffic and bus lanes and the implementation of flexible work schedules. He argued for the item to be forwarded to the BCC to allow for further discussions and outlined the benefits of the proposed extension. Commissioner Martinez noted for the record that he would not support the foregoing proposed resolution if MDX changed the current alignment. Commissioner Sosa suggested amending the foregoing proposed resolution to add a provision that the study area not extend past the current UDB and require MDX to meet with District Commissioners. Discussions ensued between Commissioners Martinez and Sosa regarding the proposed amendment to the item. Mr. Toledo reassured the Committee members that while MDX was committed to working with the impacted District Commissioners and administration, no guarantees could be made regarding the alignment of the extension. With the aid of a map, Commissioner Sosa pointed out that the area outside the UDB was devoid of housing developments and reiterated her argument that the extension route should not extend past the current UDB. Commissioner Martinez noted that there was no possibility that the extension could be located within the UDB given the existing infrastructure and developments in the area. There being no further comments or objections, the members of this Committee proceeded to take a vote on the foregoing proposed resolution as presented, which resulted in a failed vote of 2 - 3. (Commissioners Martinez and Monestime voted "yes"; Chairman Moss and Commissioners Sosa and Suarez voted "no".)

Government Operations Committee	5/9/2017	2A	Deferred to next committee meeting				P
REPORT:	During consideration of changes to today’s (5/9) agenda, the foregoing proposed resolution was deferred to the next Committee meeting, scheduled for June 13, 2017. NOTE: Earlier in today’s (5/9) meeting, during Roll Call, Deputy Clerk Jovel Shaw announced for the record that the Clerk’s Office was in receipt of a memorandum from Commissioner Martinez dated May 8th, 2016, advising of his absence from today’s (5/9) meeting and requesting that he be added as a Co-Prime Sponsor to the foregoing proposed resolution.

County Attorney	4/26/2017		Referred	Government Operations Committee	5/9/2017

County Attorney	4/26/2017		Assigned	Dennis A. Kerbel		4/27/2017

Legislative Text

TITLE
RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO FILE AN APPLICATION IN THE MAY 2017 CYCLE OF AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN TO ALLOW THE�SR 836 SOUTHWEST EXTENSION PROJECT OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY AS PROPOSED BY THE MIAMI-DADE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY

BODY
WHEREAS, traffic and transportation are among the most significant issues impacting the lives of Miami-Dade County residents; and
WHEREAS, all the major traffic corridors between SW 137th Avenue and the Homestead Extension to the Florida Turnpike (HEFT) from 8th Street to SW 152nd Street are currently operating at maximum capacity and high levels of congestion, and these conditions will be aggravated by the anticipated population and employment growth in Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, the SR 836 Southwest Extension, proposed by the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX), is planned as a western beltway that would enhance mobility by providing a safe and expeditious transportation option for people and goods west of 137th Avenue from SW 8th Street to SW 152nd Street, while minimizing impacts on existing residential and environmental areas; and
WHEREAS, the SR 836 Southwest Extension tackles a long overdue transportation improvement for the Southwest Miami-Dade County and Kendall areas that will be one of the most transformative infrastructure projects in the County's foreseeable future, because it will provide a new transportation linkage in this broad area and will not only allow commuters to travel efficiently but also alleviate traffic congestion on existing highways by creating��counter flow� traffic and�redistributing peak hour traffic patterns; and
WHEREAS, the SR 836 Southwest Extension will provide a major north-south highway corridor for the underserviced population of the Southwest and Kendall areas of the county that will address the transportation needs of these communities, as well as facilitate employment, commerce and economic development, utilizing the County's assets at Miami Executive Airport (TMB) and Zoo Miami, as well as the regional hospitals, healthcare facilities, industrial and warehouse districts, and commercial developments; and
WHEREAS, the SR 836 Southwest Extension is proposed as a multi-modal facility that would allow Transit Express Bus service on the Xpress Technology Lanes and would also preserve an envelope for a multi-use path� that could include a transit rail line, or new, innovative modes of mass transit, providing Miami-Dade County residents with mobility options; and
WHEREAS, providing a new beltway for those residents and businesses will not only help alleviate traffic congestion on east-west and north-south arterials but also traffic cutting through neighborhood streets throughout the Southwest, West Kendall, and all communities east and west of 137th Avenue; and
WHEREAS, MDX surveyed 45,000 daily commuters and businesses about where they wanted to invest their toll dollars, and the overwhelming, number one project identified by those who most frequently utilize MDX�s five local expressways and support the system with their tolls was the SR 836 Southwest Extension; and
WHEREAS, the extension of SR 836 in this area would require building the expressway and additional multi-modal transit facilities outside of the Urban Development Boundary (UDB), which is currently prohibited by the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP); and
WHEREAS, MDX will not be able to pursue further development of the project and construction unless it is consistent with the CDMP; and
WHEREAS, the extension of SR 836 in this area would not be consistent with the CDMP unless the CDMP is amended to allow it; and
WHEREAS, section 2-116.1 of the Code of Miami-Dade County authorizes this Board to direct the filing of an application to amend the CDMP,
�� NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board hereby directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee to file an application in the May 2017 cycle of applications to amend the Comprehensive Development Master Plan, to permit the extension of SR 836 and multi-modal transportation facilities outside the Urban Development Boundary into Southwest Miami-Dade County for the SR 836 Southwest Extension project proposed by the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority.