The following archive list is now available for viewing. Please connect with us if you are in need of any additional information.

ARCHIVES LIST

POSTED ON DECEMBER 13, 2017

"VIHA MEETING WITH CODE COMPLIANCE"

VIHA Meeting with Code Compliance

VIHA had a meeting with Code Compliance this week to review your many concerns.

Both COO (Code Compliance Officer) Rianne & Bobby stressed for you to feel free and comfortable emailing them (fastest method to reach them) with any issues, concerns or questions.

Litter/Trash Over Islands – COO Rianne’s response:
Any litter on private property can be address by Code Compliance. Even construction sites need to keep the area litter free. Please either let us know the addresses, enter them into the app, or call us when you see litter.

Rianne Thomas, Code Compliance Administrator: RianneThomas@miamibeachfl.gov

Bobby Lee, Code Compliance Officer: RobertLee@miamibeachfl.gov

We have started the dialogue and now its up to you to report when you see litter or violations. Please snap a pic including the location and let CO take it from there.

VIHA Community – We look forward to seeing you this evening at the Holiday Party!

Avisha Kassir
E Rivo Alto

P.S.- Garden Debris Pickup-Up
5 bulk pick-ups a year, call Ahead to set up an appt Progressive Waste (does not include construction debris)
(786) 515-2726
Your gardener should take away immediately.

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

EDIT"MESSAGE FROM THE VIHA BOARD"

Message from the VIHA Board

We have been actively meeting with Captain Pfrogner (Mid Beach Police Captain) & Officer Hazzi (Mid Beach Neighborhood Officer) on many recent events, Eric Carpenter & his team on the undergrounding and so much more!We hope you had a lovely Summer with family & friends and we look forward to a gorgeous winter in our island paradise!

For this coming year VIHA will be focusing on growing the association, meeting more frequently as well as keeping you up to speed on the many issues & topics!

Kindly read the below and share with any neighbors whom you might have their contact details. We are slowly updating our email list and hope we do not miss any neighbors as keeping each other informed is a primary goal of VIHA.

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

EDIT"UNDERGROUNDING UPDATE"

Undergrounding Update

We are closer than ever to providing our beautiful islands with new underground utilities. These networks will be state of the art, storm resistant, and eliminate the unsightly teetering poles and dangling cables that run through our islands.

We acknowledge it took longer than expected to obtain FP&L’s cooperation, but we’re finally “rolling”. Here’s the skinny…

The City of Miami Beach has finally managed to pin-down Florida Power on the specific of the Right-of-Way under ground construction. CMB and FP&L have now agreed how to construct and protect our new underground utilities (Power, Telephone, and Cable). We owe special thanks to Eric Carpenter (Public Works) and David Martinez (CIP) and many others. Without their dogged pursuit, we might all still be waiting. We owe special thanks to Eric Carpenter (Public Works) and David Martinez (CIP), and many others from the City.” We are also especially grateful to those residents who donated funds for the required engineering study, and technical design work.

FP&L’s Engineering department has been given the go ahead to finalize the design for our underground electrical service and provide a cost quotation. This could take as long as 6 months. Once FP&L is done, Atlantic Broadband and AT&T will design their undergrounding to match (this lowers overall cost) and provide their quotes. The City of Miami Beach. adds some minor costs (curbs, landscaping, etc.), and we get our TOTAL cost. Then the fun begins…

How do residents pay for such a major upgrade?

The public portion of the Venetian under grounding project can be paid up front, or financed, for say 5 years, through the creation of a special tax district that requires the approval of a majority vote by the affected residents. The latter is the route most residents prefer. The tax district can be created through the County (it requires a 50%+1 vote) or the City of Miami Beach (requires a 60% resident approval) and VIHA will select the best option for our community.

The taxing entity then prepares the VOTE on Dilido and San Marino. Assuming residents approve (our overwhelming preliminary response was 80% for approval) the construction work is bid to FP&L approved contractors, and the job begins.

Do not be overly alarmed. Unlike the difficult above ground construction our neighborhoods suffered over the past few years, our new utilities will be constructed through Directional Boring technology, leaving our streets mostly intact. The visible construction should be mostly limited to the concrete pads on which our new transformers are installed, and the creation of street curbs, where the some transformer locations are at deemed at “risk”.

We will keep you informed of upcoming milestones as they approach!

Regards to all,
Ahmad Lee Khamsi
VIHA Undergrounding VP

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

EDIT"BRIDGE OPENINGS & PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS"

Bridge Openings & Pedestrian Crossings

A discussion on the east Venetian Causeway Bascule Bridge in terms of current bridge activity levels and potential for further restrictions will be on the agenda for the September 27th Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee (NCAC) meeting. Staff continues to request and analyze monthly bridge logs to ascertain how many exceptions to the restrictions and violations are occurring on a monthly basis and if restrictions during peak periods would be warranted. We will be presenting this information at the upcoming NCAC meeting in September.

As you are aware, the existing portable “Stop For Pedestrians In Crosswalk” signs that were placed at unsignalized intersections along the causeway are only a temporary approach to help improve pedestrian safety. The permanent solution endorsed by the City Commission consists of installing LED-illuminated crosswalks at the unsignalized crosswalk locations. We worked through the ongoing budget process to identify funding for design and implementation of these crosswalks in FY 2017/18. It is important to note that even if the funding is approved as part of the City’s proposed FY 17/18 capital budget, the implementation of these crosswalks is also contingent upon required warrant studies and, ultimately, County approval.

Additionally, I have copied Lt. Hyok Chong so he is aware of the need for enforcement.

I hope the above information is helpful. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Update from Director Jose Gonzalez

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

EDIT"BIKE GANGS & BURGLARIES ALONG VENETIAN CAUSEWAY"

Bike Gangs & Burglaries along Venetian Causeway

Captain Pfrogner will be working in conjunction with the City of Miami Police to help with recent break-ins and burglary incidents.

Both VIHA & VWNA associations are working together to show how important this is to our residence.

If you see anyone on bikes being disruptive, please try get a picture so they can target the bike gangs and call 9-1-1. Officer Hazzi believes this could a few different groups and photos or more detailed descriptions would be great help.

 POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

EDIT"FISHING ALONG THE VENETIAN CAUSEWAY"

Fishing Along The Venetian Causeway

Recent reports of fishing on the causeway were denied on the grounds that fishing is not actually illegal.

This has confused even Captain Pfrgoner and more investigation is being done. We have proposed the below but the Lawyer of Miami Beach is pushing back.

We will be setting up a meeting to review and discuss further and hopefully find a resolution for this ongoing issue which affects so many neighbors.

If you have any information or would like to help us, please send me an email as there is great power in numbers.

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

EDIT"VIHA NEEDS YOUR HELP"

VIHA Needs Your Help

Thank you Janet Khamsi for the many years or dedicating your time to VIHA and the Treasurer position. We appreciate all you have done!
We are in need of a wonderful neighbor to take over the Treasurer position.  We are looking for someone who is savvy with money and will volunteer their time to the VIHA in helps of making The Venetian Islands an even more amazing place to live!
Please feel free to nominate a neighbor or step forward for the position.

Want to get involved with your neighborhood? We would love any help or assistance and would like to invite you to a meeting if you have an interest. Feel free to call me at 571-436-7551 or email at Avisha@SorelleRealty.com for more info.

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

EDIT"ARE YOU ON NEXTDOOR?"

Are You On NextDoor?

More than 380 neighbors who are apart of VIHA are on NextDoor.com.

Nextdoor is the private social network for your neighborhood. A great way to stay in the know about what’s going on in your neighborhood—whether it’s finding a last-minute babysitter, learning about an upcoming block party, or hearing about a rash of car break-ins. There are so many ways our neighbors can help us. We just need an easier way to connect with them.

POSTED ON JUNE 7, 2017

EDIT"TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP"

Time to Renew Your Membership

We now take PayPal for membership dues.

If you haven’t already done so, please remember to renew your membership.  It’s only $150 per year, and worth every penny.

 Membership Type

Renewal New Member 

Home Address

Phone Number

POSTED ON APRIL 1, 2016

EDIT"INVITATION: REP. RICHARDSON’S TOWN HALL MEETING APRIL 14TH"

Invitation: Rep. Richardson’s Town Hall Meeting April 14th

Good afternoon,

Our office would like to extend an invitation to members of your neighborhood association to attend Representative Richardson’s Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, April 14th at the Miami Beach Golf Club. We will be starting the meeting at 6:00pm but join us at 5:30pm for a casual meet & greet with Representative Richardson and your neighbors. We will be discussing some of the FL laws passed this year and the impact of the record $82.4 Billion FY17 budget. Please feel free to distribute the attached flyer to your association members. Should you have any questions, you can reach me at 305-535-5426. Thank you & we look forward to seeing you there!

Virginia Morgan • District Senior Executive Secretary • Representative David Richardson •  Florida House of Representatives District 113
virginia.morgan@myfloridahouse.gov (305) 535-5426 • 1701 Meridian Ave Suite 402A Miami Beach, FL 33139

April 14 Town Hall Meeting

POSTED ON MARCH 31, 2016

EDIT"LETTER FROM MBPD CAPTAIN RE; SOUTH BEACH TRIATHLON"

Letter from MBPD Captain Re; South Beach Triathlon

Good evening –

The 2016 South Beach triathlon will take place on Sunday morning, April  3rd, 2016. I have attached one document for your review (below).

It includes:

1.     Map of the race course

2.     Course Time Estimates identified by name of roadway

If you have plans for the morning, my suggestion is to carefully review the times, where you live / intend on going, and alternative routes to assist with your travels. Miami Beach Police and Parking Department Officers will be at intersections along the route conducting intermittent traffic control. Please be aware if you choose to travel near the race course, you will be delayed in reaching your destination so please leave early, or later in the morning.

The Miami Beach Police Department plans on “Live Tweeting” during the event to assist you with information. Please follow us on Twitter @MiamiBeachPD and share with friends, neighbors and members of your HOA.

PSCU / DEM, FYI.

Thank you,

Paul Acosta, Captain

Operations Division | Area 2 | Mid Beach

MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT

1100 Washington Avenue

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305-673-7776 ext 5523 / Fax: 786-394-4265

paulacosta@miamibeachfl.gov

 South Beach Tri 2016- Traffic Impact Notice

POSTED ON MARCH 1, 2016

EDIT"LETTER FROM CIP COORDINATOR – CONSTRUCTION ON VENETIAN ISLANDS"

Letter From CIP Coordinator – Construction on Venetian Islands

Good afternoon Mr. Brendel

As a follow-up from our discussions and information provided by the Project Engineer of Record (original landscape plans), below are questions that were forwarded to us by Mr. Eric Carpenter from his attendance at the Venetian Islands HOA meeting held last week:

1.     When will Rivo Alto be done (first lift)?

Lanzo is scheduled to be completed by this Friday, March 4, 2016.

2.     When will the lights be on (full neighborhood – broken down by island):

San Marino Island by end of March, Dilido by Mid-April and Rivo Alto by end of April.

3.     Are the old lights coming down?  When?

Once the lights are energize and accepted, FPL will coordinate with the City and schedule the removal.

4.     When will final lift be complete?

Late 2016.

5.     Landscaping:

The amount of canopy area to be replaced by the permit is 64,456 sq. ft. –  we are looking for direction from Commission on the handling of encroachments

Mr. Brendel, as always we are available to answer any additional questions, just call

Thanks

Mark

MARK E. TOMCZYK, P.E., SR. CAPITAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR

Office of Capital Improvement Projects 
1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
 Tel:  305.673.7071

Fax: 305.673.7073

www.miamibeachfl.gov

POSTED ON FEBRUARY 2, 2016

EDIT"VIHA ANNUAL MEETING – FEBRUARY 24TH"

VIHA Annual Meeting – February 24th

We would like to inform you that the Venetian Islands Homeowners Association (VIHA) is holding a membership meeting on February 24th at The Miami Beach Botanical Gardens.  We encourage all Homeowners to attend as the following important issues affecting our neighborhood will be discussed.

1.     Election of Officers (See form attached please fill out and email back to us prior meeting to: secretary@venetianhomeowners.com)

2.     Undergrounding of Public Utilities

3.     CIP (Capital Improvements Projects) Streetscape

4.     Open Discussion Forum

 Meeting Details:

Where:      The Miami Beach Botanical Gardens  (2000 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach)

Date:         February 24th 2016

Time:         6:30PM  (Refreshments and light fare will be served)

All Venetian Islands Homeowners are invited!!  Also if you have not become a member please do so the association works hard on your behalf but we need further participation from the residents of our community.

Sincerely,

Venetian Islands Homeowners Association (VIHA)

Election_of_Officers 2016

POSTED ON JANUARY 20, 2016

EDIT"MIAMI MARATHON THIS SUNDAY JAN 24TH – COMMUNITY NOTICE"

Miami Marathon this Sunday Jan 24th – Community Notice

Please see attached information on the Miami Marathon coming up: The route has been changed (since the venetian is closed) and the Macarthur will be used in and out.

Miami Marathon Course Map 2016

Miami Marathon Course Map 2016 

Miami Marathon and Half Marathon 2016 Turn by Turn

POSTED ON NOVEMBER 24, 2015

EDIT"LETTER FROM VIHA PRESIDENT RE INSTALLATION OF PUMPS"

Letter from VIHA President Re Installation of Pumps

Dear Resident,

We are nearing the completion of our Streetscape Project on all Islands – yet one last step needs to be accomplished to make this a successful project:  The installation of the pumps in the Right of Ways (ROWs).

As you have realized in the recent street flooding, the drainage of rain- or seawater through gravity is not sufficient and takes too long. That’s why we need to install modern pumps that push the water out into the Bay. This will add several million dollars to the Streetscape Project.

It has come to our attention that the residents, who live adjacent to the ROWs ( there are 2, at each end of the island which will be used) who oppose the installation of these pumps for the simple reason that they ‘don’t like them in their backyard’.

As background on the ROWs, it was clearly established by the City’s Counsels, last in 2010, that all ROWs belong to all the residents of the Islands, with the proviso that the City reserves the right to use the ground below the ROWs for utility and drainage outflows.

Now, the 12 residents living next to these ROWs are trying to cancel or delay the installation of these pumps – for the reasons mentioned above. This would in essence defeat or minimize the   entire Streetscape Project as the flooding would continue.

The MB City Commissioners will discuss the issue at their next meeting on Dec. 9th, but we would like to receive your opinion on this issue prior to this meeting by letting the Board of VIHA know at your earliest convenience by sending us an email either at;

venetianhomeowners@yahoogroups.com

or any of the undersigned

With best regards,

Jürgen Brendel, Pres VIHA   juergen.brendel@gmail.com

Ahmad Khamsi, VP              akhamsi1955@gmail.com

POSTED ON AUGUST 5, 2015

EDIT"LETTER FROM MBPD – CAR BURGLARIES IN MIAMI BEACH"

Letter from MBPD – Car Burglaries in Miami Beach

Good morning Mid Beach Residents,

Last week in continuing efforts to provide awareness about crime citywide, our PIO Ernesto Rodriguez teamed up with Local 10 News to profile vehicle burglaries in our city.

Between early June to early July, Mid Beach has seen an increase of 32% in vehicle  burglaries. More than half of those burglaries were to UNSECURED/UNLOCKED vehicles. So together they went out to areas in Mid Beach where residents were victims. As you will see, many vehicles were discovered UNSECURED/UNLOCKED.

The police department has historically, sent out many advisories by email or through our newsletters, reminding residents that they must secure their vehicles. Some do, but most do not. Everyone must be mindful to the fact that most vehicle burglars do not want confrontation and want to go undetected. An open door or window is a prime target versus a “smash and grab”.

We really care about our residents, their privacy and reducing their chances from becoming a victim of a crime. Auto burglaries can lead to other related crimes such as credit card fraud or perhaps a residential burglary. Do not give the thief an easy way into your vehicle. Help us help you. Continue to spread the message to members of your HOA’s.

Local 10 Car Burglaries

 All the Best,

Paul Acosta, Captain

Operations Division | Area 2 | Mid Beach

MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT

1100 Washington Avenue

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305-673-7776 ext 5523 / Fax: 786-394-4265

paulacosta@miamibeachfl.gov

Mission: 

Prevent crime and enhance public safety.

Vision: 

We aspire to be a world-class agency, which protects our diverse community and serves as a model for character, innovation and service to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Values: Professional, Accountable, Honest and Proud.

Our Daily Goals: Reduce crime and the fear of crime;Partner with the community to solve problems; Improve traffic safety; Operate the organization efficiently.

POSTED ON JULY 20, 2015

EDIT"FDOT ALTERNATIVE PROJECT WORKSHOP MEETING ON VENETIAN ISLANDS BRIDGE STUDY"

FDOT Alternative Project Workshop Meeting on Venetian Islands Bridge Study

Dear Project Advisory Group (PAG) Member:

Recently, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six held an Alternatives Public Workshop (APW) for the project on May 13, 2015 at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. For reference, please find attached minutes of the meeting. We appreciate your participation in this important project and value your input. Please let me know should you have any questions or need assistance regarding the project.

For more information about the project, please visit www.fdotmiamidade.com/venetianbridgestudy.

Best Regards,

Tasha Cunningham

Consultant Public Information Manager

Florida Department of Transportation District VI

Commonground/MGS

Phone: 305-335-8466

E-mail: tasha@publicinvolvement.com

Project Website: www.fdotmiamidade.com/venetianbridgestudy

APW Meeting Minutes – Venetian 422713-2

POSTED ON MAY 29, 2015

EDIT"VENETIAN ISLAND BRIDGE CLOSER"

Venetian Island Bridge Closer

VENETIAN CAUSEWAY BRIDGE CLOSURE

Effective June 1, 2015

Effective Monday, June 1, 2015, Miami-Dade County will close the Venetian Causeway for essential repairs to the west bridge, to be completed early 2016.

 The east bridge will be closed to marine traffic to allow motorists to be able to access and depart from the Venetian Causeway.

 The City is working closely with Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami to ensure the safety of residents and tourists. During the construction process, use the MacArthur or Julia Tuttle causeways to travel to and from Miami Beach.

 Venetian Causeway questions or comments, contact Frank Calderon, Communications Manager for Miami-Dade Public Works and Waste Management at fcald@miamidade.gov.

Visit the following links for complete traffic information and updates about construction in your area.

City of Miami Beach

Florida Department of Transportation

Miami-Dade County 

Tune into MB Radio 1670 AM for traffic reports or stream online.

POSTED ON MAY 6, 2015

EDIT"PWWM MEETING ON VENETIAN BRIDGE TONIGHT"

PWWM Meeting on Venetian Bridge TONIGHT

The Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste Management Department (PWWM) will host a community meeting regarding the West Venetian Bascule Bridge Replacement Project on:

 Wednesday, May 6, 2015, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Miami Beach Regional Library, 227 22nd St., Miami Beach, FL 33139.

 This community meeting will be conducted to provide residents, business owners and other stakeholders with information related to this project. The scope of work for this project consists of rehabilitating the westernmost 730’ of the bridge deck and other components as needed. The community meeting will include an overview of the project followed by a question and answer period for the remainder of the meeting.

 If you have questions about the community meeting or the project, please call the PWWM Public Information and Outreach Division at 305-514-6653.

POSTED ON APRIL 21, 2015

EDIT"LETTER FROM MAYOR LEVINE"

Letter From Mayor Levine

 Hello residents of Venetian Islands,

Attached, please find a letter from City of Miami Beach Mayor Levine regarding the Venetian Causeway East Bridge.

Thank you.  Take care and have a great day.

Regards,

Quest Corporation of America, Inc.

Yaisel Gonzalez

Public Information Specialist

c 305.345.7269  |  o 866.662.6273  |  f 813.926.2962

Yaisel.Gonzalez@QCAusa.com  |  QCAusa.com

Transportation Communicators | DBE/SBE Certified

Ven Cswy_letter to residents from mayor_4-21-15

 POSTED ON APRIL 20, 2015

EDIT"MEETING RECAP: BRIDGE REPAIRS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE BY MBPD & FIRE DEPT"

MEETING RECAP: Bridge Repairs and Emergency Response by MBPD & Fire Dept

The meeting held on April 16th at MBPD Headquarters was attended by

Mayor Phillip Levin and other City Officials
Chief Daniel J. Oats (MBPD)
Virgil Fernandez – Fire Chief
Sergeant Luis Sanchez – MB Marine Patrol
Lt. Lockart – US Coast Guard
County Officials

Main Points of the Meeting:

US Coast Guard has ultimate decision on whether to Lockdown the Bridge not the City or the County. Originally, the Coast Guard intended to open the bridge on demand for emergency vehicles, whether or not they were responding to an emergency. The City, County and residents want a 100% complete lockdown. In previous meetings with the Coast Guard the City tried to get a 100% shutdown. The resulting compromise was that the Coast Guard agreed to limit East Bridge openings to “Blue Light Emergencies” meaning vessels that are actually responding to a call for Search & Rescue, Sinking Vessels, Medical Emergencies etc.

The Coast Guard is unwilling to exclusively use West Bridge for Emergencies because, according to them, it will add 15 minutes to the Response Time. This claim was met with a great deal of skepticism.

The City of Miami Beach Police and Fire Departments have assured us that should the East Bridge get stuck during West bridge construction, they have plans in place to ensure the safety of the residents on the Islands. An important aspect of the plan is that the Coast Guard has agreed to provide prior notification to the city prior to any emergency opening of the East Bridge. This will give the Miami Beach Fire Department time to dispatch a pumper truck to the causeway. The opening of the bridge will be delayed until the fire truck arrives (typically 4 to 6 minutes). This insures that we will have a fire truck on our islands should the bridge get stuck. The police already have a policy of keeping a police car stationed on our islands. In addition the Miami Beach Marine Patrol can provide emergency transportation of fire and rescue crews to our islands. The city of Miami has a fireboat on call which can respond to fire emergencies. The Miami Dade Fire Rescue helicopter is on call, and can land on our islands for a medical evacuation. If the helicopter can’t land, the Coast Guard has a helicopter which can provide medical evacuation without landing.

Residents raised their concerns regarding these contingency plans and the response times it will add for eventual emergencies as well as the inconvenience of the bridge malfunction which as we have all witnessed is bound to happen. The overall feeling of residents was that we needed to strike a balance between marine safety and land safety. Locking down the bridge is at most a few minute delay for some marine responses. If the bridge gets stuck open, the delays for land based emergency response will be longer.

The overall desire of residents is for us not to need these extraordinary measures.

The City agrees with residents and would like the bridge to be Completely Locked Down. However the city has no control over whether the bridge is allowed to open. Should the bridge be allowed to open (despite requests from the City to lock it down), the city assures us that these extraordinary contingency plans will keep us safe. While response times may not be as fast as if the bridge were passable, they will be the fastest possible.

The City has promised to meet again with the Coast Guard to try to convince them to approve a complete lockdown similar to the situation during the 1998 Bridge Reconstruction.

Lt. Lockart from Coast Guard was unaware of the 1998 bypass bridge which was an effective lockdown. He promised to bring the information back to the Coast Guard. He also agree to verify the 15 min additional response time by going through the west bridge. The Marine Patrol mentioned that their boats can travel up to 65MPS. Detouring through the West Bridge is at most a 4 mile delay which suggests that the Coast Guards estimates are off by about 400%. The 4 mile estimate is worst case, typically the additional distance to a vessel in distress will be less. Lt. Lockart agreed to get back to us with supporting evidence for the Coast Guard’s 15 minute delay estimate.

A representative of the County was at the meeting and talked about the mechanical and electrical issues with the bridge. The county had requested that the openings for pleasure craft be immediately limited to twice a day. Once West Bridge construction starts, the County would like to 100% lock down the bridge, and use the time to perform extensive repairs to the bridge’s electrical system.

After the West Bridge construction is complete, the County hopes to perform needed upgrades to the mechanical systems of the East Bridge.

The County announced that West Bridge construction is anticipated to begin around June 1. The westernmost section of the bridge (including the pilings) will be completely removed. The bridge section will be rebuilt from scratch. The new section should match the current section is terms of looks and dimensions.

The Miami Beach Marine Patrol had a couple of requests for residents:

1) The would like everyone on the water to post their house number so it is visible from the water. Ideally there should be coordination, so everyone uses the same style sign in a similar location.

Having your address visible form the water is a tremendous help to the Marine Patrol when responding to a particular address. We have requested specifications from Marine Patrol and will relay them as soon we have them.

2) If the Marine Patrol needs to respond to a dry lot (a home not on the water), they need to pass through an easement, or someone’s side yard. They are looking for people on the water to volunteer their homes to be used as an access route to the dry lots. When responding to an emergency on a dry lot, their preference is to use an easement, or a home previously volunteered. If there is no appropriate easement or volunteer, they will fallback to using the best route available.

Please contact Sargent Luis Sanchez if you are willing to allow access through your property LuisSanchez@miamibeachfl.gov

POSTED ON APRIL 15, 2015

EDIT"MEETING WITH MBPD REGARDING EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM DURING REPAIRS TO WEST BRIDGE"

Meeting with MBPD Regarding Emergency Response System during Repairs to West Bridge

All Venetian Islands Residents are invited to attend a meeting tomorrow at the Miami Beach Police Headquarters where Capt. Paul Acosta will address how the Police Departmet plans on handling Emergency Response Calls during the Repair Work of the West Bascule Bridge on the Venetian Causeway.

Location: Miami Beach Police Dept Headquarters – Conference Room – 1100 Washington Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139

Time: 6PM

POSTED ON APRIL 14, 2015

EDIT"MEETING REGARDING EAST VENETIAN BRIDGE LOCKDOWN DURING WEST BRIDGE REPAIRS THURSDAY AT 6PM"

Meeting Regarding East Venetian Bridge Lockdown during West Bridge Repairs Thursday at 6PM

Captain Paul Acosta from the Miami Beach Police has invited all Venetian Islands Residents that are concerned about the upcoming bridge repairs to a meeting at The Miami Beach Police Headquarters this Thursday April 16th at 6PM.

The station is located on Washington and 11th and the meeting is to be held in the Conference Room.

Anyone who has voiced their opinions on the forum or who would like clarification on the issue should attend.

POSTED ON MARCH 25, 2015

EDIT"APPEAL FROM MAYOR AND COALITION AGAINST CAUSEWAY CHAOS"

Appeal from Mayor and Coalition Against Causeway Chaos

Dear VIHA Members,

Please find below a letter of from The Coalition Against Causeway Chaos  appealing for our help to stop the Watson Island Flagstone Project.  Also attached below is a letter from Mayor Levine stating his reasons why the Watson Island Project will be devastating for Miami Beach and its residents.

The VIHA President, Mr. Brendel,  has affirmed the Venetian Islands HOA full support of the cause and although we are not able to call a meeting at this time due to all of the other issues we are currently tackling, he promised to circulate the information to our members and encourage everyone to support the effort.

Please see below

Hello Mr. Brendel

I hope this email finds you well. 

 I’m writing to you on behalf of the Coalition Against Causeway Chaos, the citizen’s movement opposed to the Watson Island Flagstone project.  

To keep you in the loop, I’ve attached a letter from Miami Beach Mayor Phillip Levine where he states the importance of stopping this project.  I’ve also attached a letter from our Coalition President Roger Craver requesting we set up a meeting with your association as soon as possible to discuss the threat of the Watson Island Project on our community. 

 Let me know when is a good time for us to talk so that we can further discuss the Coalition’s appearance before your Homeowners Association. 

 Feel free to reach out should you have any questions. 

 Thanks, 

Fernando Diez

Coalition Against Causeway Chaos

www.causewaychaos.org

Telephone: 305-968-7725

Fax: 866-630-5636

Letter from Mayor

POSTED ON MARCH 23, 2015

EDIT"RULING ON EAST VENETIAN BRIDGE LOCKDOWN"

Ruling on East Venetian Bridge Lockdown

Good Afternoon Mr. Brendel,

I’m pleased to inform you that the East Venetian Bridge will be kept in the closed position while the West Venetian Bridge is under construction.  Now, we wait for the dates.  Please see the public announcement here:

FLORIDA – MIAMI ENTRANCE CHANNEL – MIAMI BEACH CHANNEL – EAST VENETIAN BRIDGE: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.  

The Coast Guard has been advised that the planned 9 month operation to repair the West Venetian Bridge approaches has been delayed until the Spring of 2015. When the dates are finalized, the West Venetian Bridge will remain open to all marine traffic and the Temporary Final Rule will keep the East Venetian Bridge in the closed position. The Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and TFR will be updated once the dates are provided by the bridge owner, Miami-Dade County. During this time this bridge will only open for emergency vessels such as Coast Guard, Police and Fire. No other exemptions will be allowed.

Ref: LNM 39-14 through 10-15 Chart: 11467

Respectfully,

Rob Glassman
Transportation Assistant
USCG D7 Bridge Branch
909 SE 1st Ave (432)
Miami, FL 33131
305-415-6946
Robert.S.Glassman@USCG.MIL

POSTED ON MARCH 20, 2015

EDIT"EAST VENETIAN BRIDGE CONCERN DURING WEST BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION"

East Venetian Bridge Concern During West Bridge Construction

Dear Fellow Venetian Causeway Residents and Friends:

Continue reading“East Venetian Bridge Concern During West Bridge Construction”

POSTED ON MARCH 19, 2015

EDIT"MESSAGE FROM POLICE REGARDING BURGLARIES"

Message from Police Regarding Burglaries

“Unfortunately, there has been a rise in vehicle burglaries over the past week. This crime is occurring during the overnight hours. It is extremely important that you secure your automobiles. Our investigation has revealed that suspects are simply opening UNLOCKED car doors, entering and removing items of value left behind. None of these vehicles have been locked.

The Police Department takes these crimes seriously. Our Detectives have developed leads and are working to solve the crimes.

Remember if you See Something, Say Something. Dial 911.”

-Captain Paul Acosta,

Miami Beach Police Department

POSTED ON MARCH 17, 2015

EDIT"LETTER FROM MAYOR LEVINE RE TRAFFIC AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ON WEST, 17TH AVE BRIDGE AND 20TH ST"

Letter from Mayor Levine Re Traffic and Construction Projects on West, 17th Ave Bridge and 20th St

Holly:

I have been advised the following from our city manager.  The 17th Street bridge will be mostly open for traffic before the west Venetian bridge project begins.  With respect to measures in the short term, (i) we are working on adjusting the traffic signalization at the intersection of Alton and Dade.  That should be done this week. (ii) We will be implementing a detour for traffic heading north on Alton that will enable them to go through the commercial area in Sunset Harbour and not have to wait for the light at Alton and Dade.  This will at least offer an alternative and perhaps reduce the cars in the queue at the light. (iii) We are going to have police out enforcing block the box.  It does not make sense to have officers waive cars through since that would adversely affect the north-south traffic on Alton.  But they can at least keep the box open.

With respect to construction projects on the Centennial concert day, we are going to do our best.  For those projects we control, we will shut them down that day if they have a traffic impact.  For those we don’t control, we will try to get FDOT or any other agency to do the same.  The Alton road project will be a problem.  Even if they shut down for the day, they will not be able to re-open the street for that day.  To do so would require them to demobilize, which would add a couple more days of delay.  Staff will be preparing a list of all projects and their status for the birthday.  The city manager has also directed police to actively enforce block the box across the city on that day.

Finally, the manager has also directed police to target the Washington and 5th intersection for block the box enforcement in light of some complaints.

Philip Levine
Mayor
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR AND COMMISSION
1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel: 305-673-7035 |  www.miamibeachfl.gov
 
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.

POSTED ON MARCH 13, 2015

EDIT"UPDATE: VENETIAN ISLANDS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT"

UPDATE: Venetian Islands Improvement Project

POSTED ON MARCH 3, 2015

EDIT"LETTER TO VIHA REGARDING STREETSCAPE PROGRESS"

Letter To VIHA regarding Streetscape Progress

Dear Mr. Brendel and Mr. Khamsi,

I hope all is well.  In an effort to keep the Venetian Island’s HOA updated on the construction activities of the Venetian Islands Neighborhood Improvements Project, as well as work together to achieve optimum outreach results, please note that the contractor is scheduled to begin excavation for drainage installation on the southwest side (curve area/peak of island) of San Marino Island, the week of March 2, 2015 (next week).

As previously discussed in past meetings, we would greatly appreciate your assistance in keeping the residents informed.  During this process, it is important to inform residents that back door garbage collection service will not take place during the drainage phase.  Therefore, please advise them to place their garbage bins outside in front of their properties.  We will also distribute this information along with updated construction activity information through our weekly updates.

I thank you for your cooperation throughout the construction process, and look forward to working together.  Take care and have a great weekend!

Regards,

Quest Corporation of America, Inc.

Yaisel Gonzalez

Public Information Specialist

c 305.345.7269  |  o 866.662.6273  |  f 813.926.2962

Yaisel.Gonzalez@QCAusa.com  |  QCAusa.co

POSTED ON JANUARY 16, 2015

EDIT"VENETIAN ISLANDS STREETSCAPE UPDATE"

Venetian Islands Streetscape Update

BRIEF UPDATE ON STREETSCAPE

We would like to give residents a short update of what’s happening with our ‘somewhat neglected’ streetscape.

In a meeting with CIP yesterday, VIHA was given the following Agenda:

1. Storm Water Drainage will start in February/early March starting with San Marino and last approx. 2 months.

Dilido will start thereafter and last 3 months, once completed Rivo Alto will last 2 months.

2. As Rivo Alto will be last in this project, it was decided to give the Roads in Rivo Alto a temporary asphalt overlay.

It does not make any practical or economic sense for the other islands as they are being worked on.

3. The storm water drainage work will be done in segments of 300 feet in order to not disrupt the entire traffic to the islands.

There will be no disruption to mail delivery or sanitation pick-up, but changes are needed to guarantee access.

Lastly, please pay attention to instruction for parking your car, best it be in your driveway during this period. Access to your property will always be guaranteed.

 THE ENTIRE PROJECT WILL LAST 14 MONTHS, pump stations at the end of each island will be installed in-between

More detailed instruction to follow from CIP.

POSTED ON DECEMBER 1, 2014

EDIT"VENETIAN ISLANDS CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE – LETTER FROM LANZO"

Venetian Islands Construction Schedule – Letter from Lanzo

Please, see below the status of the drainage installation and road restoration (should we get an Notice to Proceed, NTP, of January 5, 2015) according to the current schedule.  Please, note this list/breakdown only includes drainage installation, temporary road restoration, road restoration, and final lift of asphalt with the original contract production rates:

·       Drainage NTP for Lanzo (Jan 05, 2015)

·       Drianage Shop Drawings resubmittal (DiLido & Rivo Alto) – Pending

·       Delivery of Stormwater Structures – San Marino has a start date of 17-Dec-14 (according to this date, the structures should be on production by now; therefore, any dates here presented are subject to change.  As it is, the Precast Manufacturer is to shut down operations the last two weeks of 2014)

·       Deliver of Stormwater Pipe – A-2000, schedule says that the start date is 31-Oct-14 (this pipe should at least have been ordered by now)

o   North San Marino

·       Drainage installation from Jan 26 to Mar 03, 2015

·       Temporary Road Restoration from Jan 29 to Mar 04, 2015

·       Road Reconstruction from Feb 13 to June 04, 2015

·       Final Lift of Asphalt 19-Oct-15 to 23-Oct-15

o   South San Marino

·       Drainage installation from Jan 22 to Feb 27, 2015

·       Temporary Road Restoration from Jan 27 to Mar 02, 2015

·       Road Reconstruction from Mar 05 to June 04, 2015

·       Final Lift of Asphalt 19-Oct-15 to 23-Oct-15

o   North DiLido

·       Drainage Installation from Mar 12 to Jun 05, 2015

·       Temporary Road Restoration from Mar 20  to June 08, 2015

·       Road Reconstruction from April 28 to Oct 01, 2015

·       Final Lift of Asphalt 19-Oct-15 to 30-Oct-15

o   South DiLido

·       Drainage Installation from Mar 11 to June 03, 2015

·       Temporary Road Restoration from Mar 18 to June 04, 2015

·       Road Reconstruction from Apr 23 to Oct 05, 2015

·       Final Lift of Asphalt 20-Oct-15 to 02-Nov-15

o   North Rivo Alto

·       Drainage Instllation from Jun 17 to Aug 07, 2015

·       Temporary Road Restoration from June 26 to Aug 10, 2015

·       Road Reconstruction from Jul 17 to Oct 22, 2015

·       Final Lift of Asphalt 03-Nov-15 to 09-Nov-15

o   South Rivo Alto

·       Drainage Instllation from June 17 to Aug 31, 2015

·       Temporary Road Restoration from June 30 to Sep 01, 2015

·       Road Reconstruction from July 23 to Oct 22, 2015

·       Final Lift of Asphalt 03-Nov-15 to 09-Nov-15

 www.lanzo.net

POSTED ON OCTOBER 31, 2014

EDIT"VENETIAN ISLANDS CONSTRUCTION UPDATE"

Venetian Islands Construction Update

Good afternoon residents of Venetian Islands,

Please see the attached update regarding next week’s construction activity in your neighborhood.  Let us know if you have any questions.

It is Halloween today, therefore due to the anticipated increase in pedestrian traffic, please be cautious of sidewalk and street conditions while trick-or-treating, especially near private and city construction areas.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation throughout the construction process. I hope you have a great weekend!

Regards,

Yaisel Gonzalez

Public Information Specialist

c 305.345.7269  |  o 866.662.6273  |  f 813.926.2962

Yaisel.Gonzalez@QCAusa.com | QCAusa.com

Venetian Islands_Weekly Update_110314

POSTED ON OCTOBER 28, 2014

EDIT"VENETIAN CAUSEWAY UPDATE"

Venetian Causeway Update

Good Morning.

This email is being sent to update you on the status of the project to rehabilitate the West Venetian Bascule Bridge.   Miami-Dade County’s Public Works and Waste Management Department has initiated the procurement process for the design services necessary to rehabilitate the West Venetian Bascule Bridge. The work will include the demolition, disposal and reconstruction of the westernmost 730 feet of the bridge and roadway approach.

Delays in the procurement process of the design build contract have caused a revision to our original estimate for the closure of the bridge.  A full closure of the West Venetian Bascule Bridge will be required upon commencement of the demolition activities and is now anticipated to proceed in the Spring of 2015.  The rehabilitation is expected to last nine months.

We apologize  for any inconvenience this delay in the commencement of the project may have caused.

Should you have questions about the project, please contact my office at 305-514-6653.

Best,

Gayle R. Love

Senior Division Director

Public Information & Outreach Division

Public Works and Waste Management Department

305-514-6607 (office)/305-297-1857 (cell)

loveg@miamidade.gov

www.miamidade.gov/publicworks

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

EDIT"PROPOSAL FOR US COAST GUARD TO RESTRICT EAST BRIDGE SCHEDULE"

Proposal for US Coast Guard to Restrict East Bridge Schedule

Dear Residents,

As many of you know the west Venetian Causeway bridge is in need of repair and will be held in the “open” position as the work is completed.  The estimation is that construction will begin sometime in November and will take approximately 9 months.  In the mean time the residents will have only one access on and off the islands, through the East Venetian Causeway Bridge.  Residents are concerned that during that time, if the east bascule bridge were to break as has happened several times in the recent past, their only access will be blocked.

The Coast Guard is recommending that during the repairs, the east bridge will open twice daily at 10:30am and at 7pm.  For those of us concerned with the faulty bridge, this is unacceptable.

We urge everyone to contact the Coast Guard to express their concerns regarding the schedule proposed.

Below is a sample letter proposing the lock down.  Please relay these general concerns in your own words as they will not accept duplicate letters.

All letters must must be identified by dock number: USCG–2014–0719

Please forward the letter addressed to The US Coast Guard to the address below before October 14, 2014 in one of the following 3 methods:

(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal:

http://www.regulations.gov.

(2) Fax: 202–493–2251.

(3) Mail or Delivery: Docket Management Facility (M–30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590–0001.
Deliveries accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
The telephone number is 202–366–9329

Below is a link to the official notice of proposed rule making by the Coast Guard with instructions on submitting comments.  Please refer to this link before submitting your letters.

2014-21681

Draft of proposed letter to US Coast Guard re plans to restrict East Bridge schedule:

Citizen Comments on Docket USCG–2014–0719
Drawbridge Operation Regulation;
Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach, FL

RE: 33 CFR Part 17,  RIN 1625-AA09

Portions of the West Venetian Causeway Bridge are in need of emergency repairs.  During these repairs, the West Venetian Causeway Drawbridge will be locked in the “open” position, the Western approach to the bascule mechanism will be removed and rebuilt.  During this time the bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic.  Therefore, the only access to the Venetian Islands will be via the East Venetian Causeway Drawbridge.

I do not believe the proposed drawbridge restrictions  for the East Venetian Causeway Bridge during the course of the reconstruction are strict enough.  I believe the East Venetian Causeway Bridge should remain closed to navigation (“locked down”) during the West Venetian Causeway Bridge construction period, because the East Venetian Causeway Bridge does not have the planned reliability required of a single access/egress bridge.

There are many communities where a single drawbridge provides the only vehicular link between the community and the outside world.  In these situations it is important for the safety of the residents that the drawbridge is reliable.  The community can justify the added expense of building and maintaining an extremely reliable bridge, because a failure of the bridge mechanism cannot be tolerated.  Some communities choose to build a fire station past the bridge, so services can be maintained while the bridge is impassable.

The Venetian Causeway community connects to the outside world through both an East Bridge and a West Bridge.  Each bridge serves as a backup for the other.  If either bridge is stuck in the open position, emergency services can reach residents via the other bridge.  With a dual bridge design it is not economically feasible to design and maintain the bridges to extremely high reliability.    It is expected that one of the bridges will occasionally fail in the open position, and the other bridge will provide access for emergency vehicles.

The proposed restrictions do not account for the expected failures  of the East Venetian Causeway Bridge.  It is imperative for the safety of the residents of the Venetian Islands that the East Venetian Causeway Bridge be locked down and closed to marine traffic during this period.  Should the bridge  be allowed to open for marine traffic, we expect it to occasionally fail in the open position (this is not an uncommon failure mode for this particular bridge).  During these failures, emergency vehicles will not be able to reach residents.  This poses a significant and avoidable risk to life and property.

Of course, it is important to balance the needs of marine traffic against the safety needs of the residents of the Venetian Islands.  Marine traffic currently crosses the Venetian Causeway either through the Miami Beach Channel (aka the Malloy Channel) which is spanned by the East Venetian Causeway Bridge, and the Intracoastal Waterway which is spanned by the West Venetian Causeway Bridge.

Currently both Venetian Bridges are on limited daytime schedules – they only open every half hour.  During the West Venetian Causeway Drawbridge repairs, the bascule mechanism will be locked in the “open” position.  This will provide increased access for marine traffic. 

There is a precedent for this sort of lockdown.  Circa 1998, the bascule mechanism in the East Venetian Causeway Bridge was replaced.  During construction, a parallel temporary by-pass bridge was installed adjacent to the East Venetian Causeway Bridge.  This temporary bridge was a fixed bridge, and could not open for marine traffic.

I strongly urge that during repairs of the West Venetian Causeway Bridge, that the West Venetian Causeway Bridge be locked in the “open” position, and the East Venetian Causeway Bridge be locked in the “closed” position.  This solution addresses the safety concerns of Venetian Causeway residents, and provides enhanced marine traffic flow via the Intracoastal Waterway and the  West Venetian Causeway Bridge.

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

EDIT"LETTER FROM VIHA PRESIDENT"

Letter from VIHA President

West Bridge closure, CIP’s pumping station upgrade to Venetian Islands, and Undergrounding!

Hello Venetians

During my summer absence our Board Member Ahmad Khamsi has participated in two important meetings with CIP and City Officials to discuss the West Bridge Closure, the pause in our CIP project in order to install effective pumps, and coordinating our Undergrounding project.

Streetscape:

The City Mgr. advised everyone that the West Bridge closure created a major challenge to the CIP project, as well as an inconvenience to residents. The risk of Lanzo’s construction equipment using the East Bridge while it’s the only point of entry and exit was untenable. He also confirmed having met with the Coast Guard in support of the total closure of the East bridge.

The West Bridge reconstruction shutdown has created additional complications for CIP, the City and residents.

First, the bypass to the East bridge contributes additional cost to the contractor’s price.

Second, the city cannot risk running heavy equipment over the East bridge while it’s the only point of entry and exit to the Venetian Way project.

CONCLUSION….

Due to the above, the City is considering rebidding the final CIP stage, fully confident that this will significantly lower the project’s cost. But they are clear that rebidding alone adds 6-9 months to our current December 2015 delivery.

VIHA Recommendations-

We support the City’s objective of reducing the CIP cost by rebidding the remainder of this project. And before we all blame the city for the original delay, remember that these pumping stations WILL provide our islands superior flood management.-they should have been included in the original project but weren’t!

– The City must halt CIP construction until the West Bridge reopens.   Construction starts in November and will take 6-9 months (end of April or July hopefully). Due to this delay, the City has agreed to pave all the islands.

– VIHA’s assessment: The dates are wishful thinking. And starting the bridge construction before December’s Art Basel will be catastrophic for our traffic. And prepare for a December 2015 date. But while VIHA was a prime mover in getting our CIP started, we agree with the city. Due to risk, the only option is to pause CIP. The City’s repaving our very damaged streets is, however, a very welcome move.

Undergrounding:

The City Attorney did a thorough presentation on the process to secure approval and funding of Undergrounding through a Special Tax District.

The Finance Director addressed the detailed costs of creating a Special Tax District.

The City of Miami Beach will support the Undergrounding Project of San Marino and Dilido, and facilitate the cooperation of FPL, ABB, and ATT in design and implementation. They will help us establish in the shortest time possible the Special Tax District required to approve and pay for undergrounding. The City and CIP will work to include our undergrounding in the final CIP design and rebid.

– FPL’s current grid is insufficient and it needs to underground the additional powering needs of the pumps for the City at additional cost ( this was confirmed to us at a recent meeting).

– San Marino and Dilido Undergrounding Project MUST be done before, or co-located with, the CIP construction project. When the street construction is finished, a 5 year moratorium on surface construction will be in place. Our only other option would be the cost-prohibitive directional boring that residents might balk at.

– VIHA’s recommendation-This is the very best chance we’ve ever had for Undergrounding San Marino and Dilido Islands. We’ve been trying to get this done for decades and it’s now within our reach. It will not only provide more robust power, phone, cable and Internet services, but beautify our Islands and homes as well. And it bumps us up on the premium real estate scale. It will raise real estate values.

East Bridge Closure:

The Coast Guard’s final decision on closing the East Bridge during the West Bridge construction period depends on the comments and well-reasoned arguments sent in by residents once this matter is printed on the National Register. We are on the lookout, and will let you know when it appears.

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

EDIT"LETTER FROM MICHAEL BAUMAN RE: VENETIAN CAUSEWAY SUN PASS"

Letter From Michael Bauman Re: Venetian Causeway Sun Pass

Presidents,

On Sept 23 we plan to go-live under the SunPass system and discontinue the usage of the C-Pass.  This means annual plan holders must continue to use their C-Pass until the evening of the 23rd, when there will no longer be toll collection staff and SunPass signage will be in place.  It is important that all Venetian Annual plan account holders provide us with a 12 or 13 digit SunPass transponder number.

Please see below.  We will be sending this to everyone on our Venetian Causeway email list later today.

 Michael R Bauman, Chief

Causeways Division

Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste Management Department

Rickenbacker and Venetian Causeways

2601 Brickell Ave

Miami, Fl 33129

305-285-9010

mikeb@miamidade.gov

We have had a tremendous response from our Venetian Causeway customers providing their SunPass transponder numbers and asking questions about the SunPass conversion. Thank you for passing the information along to the residents and commuters.

We are finding that some points need clarification:

          I.    The Causeway annual pass, for both property owners and commuters, will be provided through the County at the same cost. The only cost relating to the SunPass conversion is to purchase a SunPass and set up the account, if the customer does not already have an account. Some have stated that they were under the impression that there would be charges on their SunPass account in addition to their annual fee. There will be no additional charges as long as the customers have an active SunPass transponder and have reported the transponder number to the Causeways Division.

        II.    The Causeways Division will not have access to any customer’s SunPass account. Annual fees cannot be deducted from this account. Similarly, any fees charged to this account will originate from the Turnpike, not the Causeways Division, Public Works and Waste Management Department or Miami-Dade County.

       III.    The C-Pass or C-Card device must be used until the “go-live” date. This date, currently expected to be on September 23, 2014, will be publicly announced. Once the conversion occurs, only SunPass transponders will be read and the C-Pass or C-Card will be obsolete.

       IV.    After conversion, the customers may return the C-Pass or C-Card for a deposit refund. Processing time for refunds is approximately 90 to 120 days.

As promised, we will keep you informed.

Thank you,

Tollmaster

Causeways Division

Public Works and Waste Management Department

2601 Brickell Avenue

Miami, Florida 33129

 Telephone: 305-285-9010

Email: tolls@miamidade.gov

POSTED ON AUGUST 20, 2014

EDIT"WEST BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE"

West Bridge Construction Update

Dear Neighbors,

The upcoming West Bridge construction will restrict Venetian Way residents, services, and emergency vehicles to a single point of entry and exit across the East Bridge.

Recent East Bridge malfunctions, as well as current plans by the county for a November construction that hits Miami Beach’s peak season, could cause major inconveniences for residents, city services, and causeway traffic.

In the worst case, an extended East Bridge malfunction, particularly during weekend or special events, might put residents in harm’s way and collapse traffic around the congested Alton, 17th St. and West Avenue bottleneck.

Your VIHA officers have met repeatedly with the officials and agencies involved in rebuilding the West Bridge span, as they have the power to prevent these negative consequences for residents, businesses, and the city itself.

There are two major West Bridge construction solutions that could positively affect our quality of life as residents:

1-Keeping the East Bridge locked down to ensure 24/7 vehicular access on and off of the islands at all times. Boat traffic would be routed through the West Bridge, which will remain open throughout construction.

2-Time the construction to avoid detrimental impact on our congested peak season.

On the matter of the proposed lock-down of the East Bridge, the elected leaders of Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami Beach are very interested in mitigating the effects of the West Bridge construction for the residents and businesses of Miami Beach.

Several Venetian Way and adjacent neighborhood associations have united on this subject. We’ve joined Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Mayor Philip Levine in emphatically supporting the full lock-down of the East Bridge by the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard has been on top of this matter. Rear Admiral Korn and his staff have not only fast-tracked this subject locally, but they have managed to substantially condense a year-long assessment period. The East Bridge matter will hit Washington DC on Monday and within 2 weeks will be printed in the Federal Register calling for written comments within 30 days.

This is THE MAIN OPPORTUNITY for residents and affected parties to provide proper arguments on which the Coast Guard will base its decision. Please keep in mind, the Coast Guard looks for detailed arguments and discourages simplistic “I want it closed” letters or bulk-signed neighborhood petitions.

The Coast Guard will take a couple of weeks to assess the feedback, and a week or two to decide and communicate it to the public.

The second matter, proposing to delay the start of the West Bridge construction to avoid hitting the chaotic high season (December through May) is still unresolved. It will be our immediate focus at the Neighborhood Associations level.

To be clear, no one is proposing anything at the expense of safety.  Bridge engineers will determine the maintenance needed by the West Bridge. If it absolutely MUST be built right away, so be it. But we believe it can be delayed by a short 5 months.

Need anyone be reminded of the benefits of avoiding construction during Miami Beach’s high season?

We will all work hard to avoid this outcome.   If the East Bridge closure is pushed to May, providing a 50-70% boating reduction, even the Coast Guard’s decision might be favorably affected.

We will keep you informed of our progress!

——————————————————————————————————

For YOUR information…

Bridge construction, drawbridge closure, and timing are important, even emotional subjects to many neighbors. In order to help you and new residents understand who the decision makers are, and with whom your association focuses it’s arguments, we’ve put together a brief summary of who’s involved:

Miami-Dade County (MDC)-Has oversight and maintains the Venetian Way roadway, fixed bridges, and the East and West Bascule drawbridges. Their goal is to construct and resolve this West Bridge issue as soon as possible, as well as protect and extend the lifetimes of the other VW bridges through prudent load limits.

The City of Miami Beach (CMB)- Has no authority over the Venetian Way and it’s bridges. But it’s residents and it’s traffic are affected. It can flex it’s hotel-tax and tourist destination muscles persuasively with the County and the agencies.

CMB is doing a great job with our roadway improvement and neighborhood Capital Investment Program (CIP). But knowing all road projects inconvenience residents and businesses, CMB is rushing to finish key roads before high season arrives. They must persuade MDC not to begin bridge construction during our chaotic high season.

The Coast Guard (CG)- Are the final word on bridge operations. A change requires a year-long internal and public process. And they remind us that a great number of other islands successfully coexist with a single bascule bridge.

With management of the security, use of, and waterway laws, the GC considers the needs of the impacted: VW residents, leisure boats and commercial boating . The comment, “Waterways came first, man-made islands came later” clarifies for VW residents they aren’t the GC’s only priority.

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)- Responsible for managing our current infrastructure and properly planning for it’s future growth needs as well. While not a key player in the West Bridge construction and implications, they are our allies in the long term. Why?

Due to both the deterioration of all VW bridges, and the inevitable damage of rising seas, FDOT has already begun a multi-year study to determine how to best replace all the VW bridges during the 2020 decade.

Miami Beach and VW Residents (you)- May face longer and lengthier commutes, reduced or costlier island services, and major stress should the East Bridge malfunction. Directly, or through their neighborhood association, they can and should participate to influence the officials and agencies determining the outcome.

POSTED ON JULY 24, 2014

EDIT"COMMISSIONERS MEETING ON WEST BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION"

Commissioners Meeting on West Bridge Construction

The Miami Beach Commissioners Meeting on July 23, 2014 included a discussion of the West Bridge construction project.  After the head of the Transportation Department introduced details on the upcoming endeavor, a couple of very articulate Venetian Way neighbors provided public comment to the Commissioners, unwavering in their demand that the East Bridge remain locked down throughout the project.

During the six to nine months (or more) of the West Bridge construction, the Venetian Way residents will have only a single East Bridge access on and off of the Islands. Residents would like the East Bridge to be locked down to boaters (therefore not ever raising the bridge), and all boaters routed through the West Bridge, which will be open 24 hours a day throughout this process.

In this context, the “locked-down” argument is gaining traction from the mere fact that our East Bridge recently FAILED 3 times – and once for several hours. Imagine if this would happen while we are totally dependent on that bridge to enter or exit our neighborhoods.

The conclusion of this matter was that Mayor Phillip Levine and City Manager Jimmy Morales are now going to propose lock-down of the East Bridge to Miami/Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez at an upcoming lunch.

While it was clear that all of the commissioners are informed and on board on the preference for a complete lock-down of our East Bridge, there remains an aura of “it’s not really in our power, but in the hands of Miami-Dade County and the Coast Guard.”  A couple of commissioners even suggested that Venetian Way residents should lobby our respective County Commissioners themselves.

The truth is that OUR city officials have the power, contacts, and a very persuasive argument for bridge lock-down, and should aggressively take the lead in the discussions with the county officials.

We recommend that all interested residents continue to convey to our persuasive Mayor, Commissioners, and City Manager to take absolute leadership on this at the County level and with the Coast Guard, and that our officials only support the position that there is NO OPTION and no room for discussion other than a complete East Bridge lock-down during the construction of the West Bridge.

VIHA will continue to lobby the lock-down only position.

———————————————————————————————————–

Venetian Way Bridges Weight Limit Update!

At this same meeting it was mentioned that the East Bridge weight limit was about to be raised from 11 tons to 16 tons by the county. We will keep you posted on this too.

VIHA was officially represented at this meeting by Ahmad Khamsi, Board Member.

POSTED ON JULY 20, 2014

EDIT"THE TRANSITION TO SUN PASS"

The Transition to Sun Pass

Dear Venetian Causeway Neighbors,

We are pleased to announce that the transition to SunPass is tentatively scheduled for Friday, August 29, 2014. When the conversion is complete, drivers will have improved travel time and traffic flow across the Causeway. Please be advised that in order to avoid per trip or Toll-By-Plate charges, each motorist must have a SunPass transponder. For annual plan holders, their account will be linked to their SunPass account so that they will not incur any additional charges.

In an effort to keep you informed of the progress:

ü A letter has been sent to all current annual plan holders to obtain their SunPass transponder numbers
ü All plan holder accounts will be updated with the SunPass transponder data
ü Flyers and other informational material will be distributed in the lanes and available at the Venetian Customer Service Center
ü Signage announcing the change will be in place
ü E-mail address tolls@miamidade.gov has been established to address questions and concerns

We will provide additional updates as needed.

Thank you,

Causeways Division

POSTED ON JUNE 20, 2014

EDIT"VIHA’S FIRST WEBSITE"

VIHA’s First Website

Kudos to Lorin Jetter of Eloy Carmenate Group for designing our website, aided by our Secretary Clarisa Brignone and our Treasurer Janet Khamsi, as well as the technical support from Michael Fryd.

Undergrounding

As you will see below, we are starting with the major announcement that we have filed a Petition with the Miami Dade Special Taxing District for UNDER-GROUNDING the Dilido – and San Marino Islands.

Apart from FP&L, the job will also involve AT&T and ABB using the same trench in for their lines. Some of us will come around this weekend collecting signatures as a 50% majority is required for approval.

We estimate the approval process to take about 6 months and then we need to get a timeline from FP&L. Our intent is to fold this job into our ongoing Streetscape in order to avoid additional digging and disorder.

For further info, please click here to read our letter explaining the project and answering questions from residents.

Security

We are also trying to finalize the installation of LPRs ( license plate readers) on the Venetian Causeway and are looking into the pricing for Security Cameras on each of our islands.

Click here for further explination.

At the Commission Meeting on the 11th, we complained to the Administration that is has taken more than a year to get these cameras installed. The City Manager and the Public Works Director are now involved to get this completed asap.

We will keep you informed as these other projects get closer to completion.

Upcoming Bridge Closure

Last but not least: our bridges!

As you have heard, the Western most part of the bridge will be completely rebuilt from ground-up. Start Date was to be Sept/Oct and duration 6 months ( let’s say a year).

Ahmad Khamsi and I went to the Commission Meeting on the 11th twice to express our concern and made 2 suggestions:

a. hold all bridge construction until at least the Alton Road project is finished and

b. once the bridge construction starts in April/May of 2015, change the Bridge Openings on the Easter Bridge ( near Belle Isle) during weekends to the same as on weekdays: on the half-hour and on the hour.

 With best regards,

Jürgen Brendel
President