South Pointe Park, Index:
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1. Fighting for the park:
People and Pet Interaction.
Issue Addressed Dog Use.
- South Pointe Park Basis of Design Report (B.O.D.R.)
workshop:
People and Pet Interaction.
Issue Addressed Dog Use.
2. Keeping the park:
Flyer.
Flyer.
South Pointe Park Dog Friendly Area Negotiation's Summary
1. On May 2005 we learned that a CIP (Capital improvement Project) was to be done at South Pointe Park, and dogs
have been excluded from the design.
2. Many dog owners got together, we made a petition for dogs to be on the park’s design, collected about 400
signatures, and presented on the Park’s June 06, 2005 workshop at the City Hall.
3. About 80 of us showed at that meeting wearing paw stickers.
4. We gave the petition at that moment to Commissioner Gross who became dedicated to our cause since.
5. We met with Commissioner Gross and City Manager on July 19 2005 to go over the details of the dog friendly area
at SPP.
6. Since then, RDO has done an ongoing campaign aiming to improve the responsibility of dog owners who frequent
SPP with high success.
7. Aware of the inconvenient that would mean for dog owners and rest of the community when the park would be
closed (as are: more dogs off leash on the streets of SP neighborhood, poop on the streets, lack of an open space
were dogs could do their daily exercise, lack of a place where dog owners could gather on a daily basis with their
dogs and socialize, etc.) on September 2006 we asked City Manager staff for a temporary dog friendly area (DFA).
8. We asked for the help of Commissioner Matti Bower on our e-mail dated on September 07, 2006:
“On a daily basis around 30 to 60 canine owners go to the South Pointe Park to have fun, be with other dog owners,
exercise their dogs, and relax from the working day, but as you know the Park it is soon to close for remodeling, and it
could be closed for over a year.
We are concern since these dogs and dog owners have not alternative place to go while the construction it is being
done. The closest bark park it is Flamingo Park, which is located far away from South Pointe Neighborhood, and its
capacity it is already over the limit. We think that the temporary relocation of the dog owners and their doggies needs
to be addressed prior the work has started, so people have enough time to get informed. We also think that this will
avoid more dog feces in the streets of SP neighborhood, and people going to the beach to find the place they have
temporary lost.
We think that the best place for the temporary dog friendly area would the triangular area be just east of the Marina
before the inlet, in front of the Apogee’s sales office (see picture below). To be the perfect place would have to be
fenced.”
9. After this we met with City Manager staff and they offered us to use the little park located on Washington Ave. and
2nd Street. We also asked for that park to be fenced since its location and the large amount of traffic would mean a
permanent threat to dogs. This was agreed by City Manager staff and us. City Manager staff also informed us at this
meeting that some part of SPP park would stay open for the use of the residents until the construction would reach
that specific site.
10. On June 13, 2007 we went to the SPP final design last meeting and learned that due to construction schedule, the
park will be closed for the whole construction period (approx. a year and a half) on its entirety.
11. On June 18th we met with our City Liaison and asked her about the status of the temporary DFA assigned to our
use during the construction of SPP. She informed us that the City has on agenda a CIP for the park on Washington
Ave. and 2nd Street, which means that this park will be under construction in the future, therefore we wouldn’t be able
to use it when this happens and that the City will not fence the park.
12. We also asked for the enlargement of Pine Tree Bark park to be considered on the improvements planned has a
result of the petition for lights at that park. This was denied.
13. We have asked again for Commissioner Bower’s help on getting a temporary DFA, specifically the one we asked
from the beginning.
14. On e-mail dated June 21, 2007 she has asked City Manager Jorge Gonzalez for this.
15. On June 26, 2007 City Manager staff denied for the second time the original DFA.
16. On June 28, 2007 Commissioner Bower placed on the Commission's meeting agenda for discussion the need
for a TDFA on South Pointe Neighborhood.
17. On Tuesday, July 3, Parks and Recreation Department offers us to use the Satellite Police Station's backyard on 2
Street and Collins Ave.
18. On Thursday, July 5, RDO declines the offer and inform the city that we will pursue the location at Washington Ave.
and 2 Street.
19. On Thursday, July 5, RDO suggest to the city the use of the existing fence on South Pointe Park, south of the
Apogee, in front of the inlet.
20. On Thursday, July 5, the SunPost publish the article "Where Will All The Doggies Go?" by Angie Hargot;
Where Will all The Doggies Go?
21. On Friday, July 6, we get an answer from Capital Improvement Project Department related to the
little park on Washington ave and 2 Street:
"CIP is presenting the Basis of Design Report (BODR) on Wednesday, July 11th at the
Commission Meeting. It has not yet been approved, so we have nothing at this time to show
anyone. The Commission will see it for the first time Wednesday".
22. 22. On Monday, July 9, The Miami Herald publishes Tania Valdemoro’s article “Miami Beach park
no longer going to the dogs”
"Miami Beach park no longer to the dogs"
Currently we are waiting for a solution from the Commission to this huge issue that threats the dog
owners and their pooches on South Pointe neighborhood.
23. Facts to keep in mind:
- South Pointe neighborhood it is basically constituted by condo buildings, which in its majority are pet
friendly.
- West Ave. (limiting with SP neighborhood) has around 4,000 condos which are pet friendly.
- The closest dog park to these locations is Flamingo Bark Park, which already is too small for the
dogs that on a daily basis visit it, and has a limited parking capacity.
- SPP it is not an official dog park or DFA yet, it will be when the construction is finished.
have been excluded from the design.
2. Many dog owners got together, we made a petition for dogs to be on the park’s design, collected about 400
signatures, and presented on the Park’s June 06, 2005 workshop at the City Hall.
3. About 80 of us showed at that meeting wearing paw stickers.
4. We gave the petition at that moment to Commissioner Gross who became dedicated to our cause since.
5. We met with Commissioner Gross and City Manager on July 19 2005 to go over the details of the dog friendly area
at SPP.
6. Since then, RDO has done an ongoing campaign aiming to improve the responsibility of dog owners who frequent
SPP with high success.
7. Aware of the inconvenient that would mean for dog owners and rest of the community when the park would be
closed (as are: more dogs off leash on the streets of SP neighborhood, poop on the streets, lack of an open space
were dogs could do their daily exercise, lack of a place where dog owners could gather on a daily basis with their
dogs and socialize, etc.) on September 2006 we asked City Manager staff for a temporary dog friendly area (DFA).
8. We asked for the help of Commissioner Matti Bower on our e-mail dated on September 07, 2006:
“On a daily basis around 30 to 60 canine owners go to the South Pointe Park to have fun, be with other dog owners,
exercise their dogs, and relax from the working day, but as you know the Park it is soon to close for remodeling, and it
could be closed for over a year.
We are concern since these dogs and dog owners have not alternative place to go while the construction it is being
done. The closest bark park it is Flamingo Park, which is located far away from South Pointe Neighborhood, and its
capacity it is already over the limit. We think that the temporary relocation of the dog owners and their doggies needs
to be addressed prior the work has started, so people have enough time to get informed. We also think that this will
avoid more dog feces in the streets of SP neighborhood, and people going to the beach to find the place they have
temporary lost.
We think that the best place for the temporary dog friendly area would the triangular area be just east of the Marina
before the inlet, in front of the Apogee’s sales office (see picture below). To be the perfect place would have to be
fenced.”
9. After this we met with City Manager staff and they offered us to use the little park located on Washington Ave. and
2nd Street. We also asked for that park to be fenced since its location and the large amount of traffic would mean a
permanent threat to dogs. This was agreed by City Manager staff and us. City Manager staff also informed us at this
meeting that some part of SPP park would stay open for the use of the residents until the construction would reach
that specific site.
10. On June 13, 2007 we went to the SPP final design last meeting and learned that due to construction schedule, the
park will be closed for the whole construction period (approx. a year and a half) on its entirety.
11. On June 18th we met with our City Liaison and asked her about the status of the temporary DFA assigned to our
use during the construction of SPP. She informed us that the City has on agenda a CIP for the park on Washington
Ave. and 2nd Street, which means that this park will be under construction in the future, therefore we wouldn’t be able
to use it when this happens and that the City will not fence the park.
12. We also asked for the enlargement of Pine Tree Bark park to be considered on the improvements planned has a
result of the petition for lights at that park. This was denied.
13. We have asked again for Commissioner Bower’s help on getting a temporary DFA, specifically the one we asked
from the beginning.
14. On e-mail dated June 21, 2007 she has asked City Manager Jorge Gonzalez for this.
15. On June 26, 2007 City Manager staff denied for the second time the original DFA.
16. On June 28, 2007 Commissioner Bower placed on the Commission's meeting agenda for discussion the need
for a TDFA on South Pointe Neighborhood.
17. On Tuesday, July 3, Parks and Recreation Department offers us to use the Satellite Police Station's backyard on 2
Street and Collins Ave.
18. On Thursday, July 5, RDO declines the offer and inform the city that we will pursue the location at Washington Ave.
and 2 Street.
19. On Thursday, July 5, RDO suggest to the city the use of the existing fence on South Pointe Park, south of the
Apogee, in front of the inlet.
20. On Thursday, July 5, the SunPost publish the article "Where Will All The Doggies Go?" by Angie Hargot;
Where Will all The Doggies Go?
21. On Friday, July 6, we get an answer from Capital Improvement Project Department related to the
little park on Washington ave and 2 Street:
"CIP is presenting the Basis of Design Report (BODR) on Wednesday, July 11th at the
Commission Meeting. It has not yet been approved, so we have nothing at this time to show
anyone. The Commission will see it for the first time Wednesday".
22. 22. On Monday, July 9, The Miami Herald publishes Tania Valdemoro’s article “Miami Beach park
no longer going to the dogs”
"Miami Beach park no longer to the dogs"
Currently we are waiting for a solution from the Commission to this huge issue that threats the dog
owners and their pooches on South Pointe neighborhood.
23. Facts to keep in mind:
- South Pointe neighborhood it is basically constituted by condo buildings, which in its majority are pet
friendly.
- West Ave. (limiting with SP neighborhood) has around 4,000 condos which are pet friendly.
- The closest dog park to these locations is Flamingo Bark Park, which already is too small for the
dogs that on a daily basis visit it, and has a limited parking capacity.
- SPP it is not an official dog park or DFA yet, it will be when the construction is finished.
Traffic on Washington Ave. and 2nd Street.
Backyard of Satellite Police Station on Collins Ave.
and 2nd Street proposed as a TDFA by the city.
and 2nd Street proposed as a TDFA by the city.
Click on pictures to enlarge
Little park on Washington Ave. and 2nd Street, what
RDO wants as a TDFA while SPP is being constructed.
RDO wants as a TDFA while SPP is being constructed.
Existing fence at South Pointe
Park, which could be used to fence
the TDFA at Washington Ave. and 2
Street.
Park, which could be used to fence
the TDFA at Washington Ave. and 2
Street.
South Pointe Park Final design.
| Location of TDFA requested to the City by R.D.O. on September 2006, and for the second time on June 2007. The City has denied it. |
Members of the RDO attended to the 7/11 CMB Commission meeting to support our efforts
to get a TDFA at Washington Ave. and 2nd Street (Library Park).
We had a 5:10 PM time certain We waited until 7:35PM to get to speak. By this time many
of us had to leave. We sincerely thank those who waited as long as they could. Again it
shows our members dedication to the cause.
Earlier in the day, Commissioner Gross moved that since the City was now investing over
$22,300,000.00 on SPP, and the SP neighborhood has Stoneman-Douglas park to go, any
Library Park CIP should be eliminated and that only minimal funds to be spent to improve
the irrigation and landscaping. The Commission approved. To us this means that we can
still use Library Park as an on leash area.
More importantly and due to the clever questions of Commissioner Gross, we were able to
convince the city that there are more dog owners every year moving to the beach and
existing Bark Parks such as Flamingo Bark Park are often over capacity due to the density
of dog friendly condos on West Ave. We need more neighborhood dog parks.
to get a TDFA at Washington Ave. and 2nd Street (Library Park).
We had a 5:10 PM time certain We waited until 7:35PM to get to speak. By this time many
of us had to leave. We sincerely thank those who waited as long as they could. Again it
shows our members dedication to the cause.
Earlier in the day, Commissioner Gross moved that since the City was now investing over
$22,300,000.00 on SPP, and the SP neighborhood has Stoneman-Douglas park to go, any
Library Park CIP should be eliminated and that only minimal funds to be spent to improve
the irrigation and landscaping. The Commission approved. To us this means that we can
still use Library Park as an on leash area.
More importantly and due to the clever questions of Commissioner Gross, we were able to
convince the city that there are more dog owners every year moving to the beach and
existing Bark Parks such as Flamingo Bark Park are often over capacity due to the density
of dog friendly condos on West Ave. We need more neighborhood dog parks.
Assistant City Manager, Bob Middaugh said the cost to improve Library Park to City code
would be around $25,000.00. The City Manager, Jorge Gonzalez pointed out the area on
the satellite Police Station RDA located on Collins Ave. and 2nd Street as the most viable
alternative since the cost to fix up the place was far less. The approved conclusion was
favoring the space between the Police Station and Opium as an off leash dog park, and
Library Park as an on-leash park.
Subsequent to the vote, we spoke privately with Jorge Gonzalez and Parks Director Kevin
Smith, who both mentioned that they will work closely with the RDO to make of this off-leash
area perfect for our doggies.
would be around $25,000.00. The City Manager, Jorge Gonzalez pointed out the area on
the satellite Police Station RDA located on Collins Ave. and 2nd Street as the most viable
alternative since the cost to fix up the place was far less. The approved conclusion was
favoring the space between the Police Station and Opium as an off leash dog park, and
Library Park as an on-leash park.
Subsequent to the vote, we spoke privately with Jorge Gonzalez and Parks Director Kevin
Smith, who both mentioned that they will work closely with the RDO to make of this off-leash
area perfect for our doggies.
Commission's meeting for a Temporary Dog Friendly Area on SPP.
Click in picture to enlarge.
_________________
| SP Neighborhood Temporary Dog Friendly Area. |