34 CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI
HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
SUMMARY MINUTES
MONDAY, October 25, 2010
City Commission Chamber
7:30 P.M.
EXCERPT
I. Call to order: Ms. Shelly called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
II. Roll Call: Roll call was performed. Board members present constituting a quorum: Ms.
Shelley, Mr. Hochstim, Ms. Clyatt, and Mr. Kurtzman, Ms. Lahiff, Ms. Dison and Mr. La
Monica.
Board members absent: Mr. Ruiz de Castilla.
City staff present: Thomas J. Vageline (Planning & Zoning Director), Lourdes Cabrera-
Hernandez (Principal Planner), Sanford Youkilis (Consultant) and Alerik Barrios (Board
Secretary).
VI. HISTORIC DESIGNATION:
HPB-10-003: 5875 Sunset Drive (Dowling Building
Review of Historic Site Designation Report*
Public comments
Designation action
Mr. Youkilis informed the Board that the Designation Report for the building contains
sections on historic context of the building, the history of the persons associated with the
building and the architectural distinction of the building. The report ends with the eligibility
for designation recommended for designation by the Historic Preservation Consultant and
staff. The item has been deferred several times since February 2010 and the applicant
requested certain documents be provided to him. The designation process does not need a
public hearing. The Board may consider the recommendation of staff and professionals on
the Designation Report. The next step after the Board’s action is converting it into a zoning
map change and than the City Commission reviews the item. Staff recommended approval.
Mr. Ryan Bailine representing the property owner requested that the item be deferred. He
commented that they maintain their position on the item and are willing to work with staff on
minor adjustments. The item came before you in July, the information that was provided was
correct, but one issue that is unresolved is the legal description. Under the Land Development
Code, the report must include a signed and sealed survey by a registered surveyor and it
Page 2 of 3
wasn’t until a couple of days ago that the staff provided the applicant with the report. He
commented that the legal description of the survey is not the same as the designation report.
In response to the issue, staff provided a letter dated October 18, 2010, stating that the legal
description contained in the Designation Report is correct and matches the records of the
County property appraiser. Mr. Bailine commented that he printed out the property
appraiser’s legal description and it is not the same on the survey. He informed the Board he
does not mind working with the staff on fixing the gap in the legal description.
Mrs. Shelley questioned what the remedy for the issue is. Mr. Bailine responded that the
applicant would like the report to contain the correct legal description and once the correction
has been made they are willing to work with staff.
Mr. Kurtzman commented that there is no difference between both legal descriptions. Mr.
Bailine agreed and commented that to correct himself the property appraiser’s description
and the one in the Designation Report are the same but do not match the survey.
Mr. Kurtzman questioned the outside staircase on the property. Mr. Bailine responded that
the answer cannot be given since there is no accurate survey and there is also no agreement
on maintaining the staircase.
Mrs. Shelley questioned if the survey has to be done by the City. Mr. Youkilis responded that
according to the Land Development Code, the Historic Designation Report does not need to
include a current survey. It does not say that the survey needs to be done, but the only thing
included is the legal description. He commented that the City needs to use the Miami-Dade
County legal description from the property appraiser’s office.
Mr. Robert Barron (managing agent for the owner of the building) discovered that there was
a missing parcel which was purchased in 1970. In order to clear it up, there needed to be a
law suit filed. He commented that there will always be a cloud if the survey is not corrected.
Mr. Barron saidthat he will meet with staff to go over technicalities and if a survey is needed
then the city needs to pay for it. Mr. Barron commented that a section of the building, interior
woodwork and floors, should not be considered historic since it was changed.
Mr. Hochstim commented that if the original parts were modified the new changes need to be
in harmony with what is currently there. When making changes to the building, the building
does not need to resort back to the original appearance. He commented that the Board would
not require remodeling to look as it was back in 1926, but to what the Board thinks it should
look like.
Mr. Youkilis commented that the Board only reviews exterior work not interior.
Mr. Bailine then requested that the last sentence on p.10 referring to “original woodwork and
floors” be removed. Staff agreed and recommended removing the wording in the report of
the wood floors.
Page 3 of 3
Motion: Mr. Kurtzman moved to approve the proposed designation with the change in the
Designation Report on page 10 to remove the reference to preserving interior wood floors.
Ms. Clyatt seconded.
Vote: 7 Ayes 0 Nays
Mr. Youkilis commented that this item will proceed to the Planning Board, but the date has
yet to be determined. The owner will be informed of when the item is to be before the
Planning Board.
X:\Comm Items\2010\12-7-10\Historic.Minutes.Excerpt 10.25.2010.doc
CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI
Planning Board Planning Board
Regular Meeting Regular Meeting
Meeting Minutes Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 Tuesday, November 9, 2010
City Commission Chambers City Commission Chambers
7:30 P.M. 7:30 P.M.
EXCERPT-HISTORIC EXCERPT-HISTORIC
I. Call to Order and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
Action: The meeting was called to order at 7:36 P.M.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.
II. Roll Call
Action: Chair Yates requested a roll call.
Board members present constituting a quorum: Mr. Cruz, Mrs. Young, Mr. Morton, Mrs.
Yates, and Mr. Whitman. Board members absent: Mrs. Beckman and Mr. Farfan.
City staff present: Thomas J. Vageline (Planning & Zoning Director), Sanford A. Youkilis
(Planning & Zoning Consultant), Mr. Marcus Lightfoot (Permit Facilitator) and Lourdes
Cabrera-Hernandez (Principal Planner).
City Attorney: Mr. Laurence Feingold
PB-10-039 (HPB-10-003)
Applicant: City of South Miami (Historic Preservation Board)
An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Commission of the City of South Miami, Florida,
relating to a request to amend the official zoning map of the City of South Miami Land
Development Code by designating a commercial building located at 5875 Sunset Drive (aka
The Dowling Building) as an historic site and by placement of an Historic Preservation
Overlay Zone (HP-OV) over the existing zoning use district for this property; providing
for severability; providing for ordinances in conflict; and providing an effective date.
Action: Mr. Morton read the item into the record.
Planning Board
November 9, 2010
Page 2 of 2
Mr. Vageline commented that the item is a recommendation to apply an Historic Designation on
a parcel of land. The Dowling Building is located at 5875 Sunset Drive and was approved by the
Historic Preservation Board by a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays for designation. The Historic
Designation Report was attached in order to inform the Board about the characteristics of the
Building. This building is one of the oldest commercial buildings in the downtown area.
The Chair opened the public hearing.
NAME ADDRESS SUPPORT/OPPOSE PROJECT
Ryan Bailine 201 S. Biscayne Blvd #1500 Oppose
Mr. Bailine representing the owner, commented that this was a matter that was deferred for
several months and it was brought to the Historic Board’s attention that the interior modifications
are not covered by the ordinance. He requested that the Board remove a few of the references of
the interior changes. Mr. Bailine commented that rather than nitpick the report the client
proposed a general statement to be at the very end of the report on page ten. This statement
would clarify that the interior of the building is not subject to any historic review.
Mrs. Young questioned why the language was proposed at the end. Mr. Bailine responded that
this language is not controversial. He commented that the client is in support of staff’s
recommendation and the designation.
Mrs. Young requested that she would like to see the origin of the document and the date
prepared. She commented that another correction to the document would be the word Dowling
Building in the last sentence.
Mr. Youkilis informed the Board that the Historic Preservation Board members understood that
interior renovation is not subject to a review process.
Mr. Morton questioned if the client could provide a written statement to be included in the
report.
The Chair closed the public hearing.
Motion: Mr. Cruz moved to approve the application with the condition that the proposed new
language suggested by the applicant’s representative be added to page ten. Mrs. Young
seconded.
Vote: 5 Ayes 0 Nays
Mrs. Yates informed the Board that the item will be placed on the City Commission agenda on
December 7, 2010 for first reading.
TJV/SAY
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