R7G - Approving, Following a Duly Noticed Public

Resolutions - R7 G

R7 G A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING, FOLLOWING A DULY NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING, THE NORMANDY ISLE TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT RECOMMENDED BY THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE NORMANDY ISLE NEIGHBORHOOD, INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF ONE (1) TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT THE INTERSECTION OF TROUVILLE ESPLANADE AND BIARRITZ DRIVE, FINDING THAT THE PROPOSED TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES WILL REDUCE THE SPEED OF THE MOTOR VEHICLES TRAVELING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEREFORE SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST OF PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE, AND VEHICULAR SAFETY IN THE NORMANDY ISLE NEIGHBORHOOD; AND FURTHER REQUESTING THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS ("DTPW") TO APPROVE THE AFOREMENTIONED TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES. Applicable Area:

COMMISSION MEMORANDUM

DATE:

RECOMMENDATION

The City Administration (“Administration”) recommends that the Mayor and City Commission (“City Commission”) adopt the Resolution.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY

Traffic calming largely involves the application of physical measures on roadways to reduce the negative effects of vehicular traffic, alter driver behavior, and improve conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists. The main objectives of a traffic calming project include: 1) restoring communities affected by speeding traffic; 2) discouraging the use of local residential streets by heavy vehicles and cut-through traffic; 3) improving the quality of life in a neighborhood; 4) improving roadway safety and reducing accidents; 5) improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists; 6) changing the attitude of drivers towards speed; and 7) reducing noise and disturbance in the neighborhood.

Speeding and cut-through traffic in the Normandy Isle neighborhood have been a concern of the community for some time. As a result, City staff engaged a traffic engineering consultant (“Consultant”) to develop traffic calming improvements throughout the neighborhood to address community safety and traffic concerns. In addition, the Normandy Isle Neighborhood Traffic Calming project was approved as part of the 2018 General Obligation (G.O.) Bond - Project No. 42.

The design of the proposed traffic calming devices in the Normandy Isle neighborhood is intended to address the community’s safety and quality of life concerns. The traffic calming analysis, conducted by the City’s Consultant, focused on vehicle speed and volume concerns and crash data in the area, and followed the guidelines outlined in the City of Miami Beach Traffic Calming Manual (“Traffic Calming Manual”).

ANALYSIS

The data collection and analysis process was conducted during the fall of 2018 and involved the assessment of speed and volume metrics. These metrics were then evaluated according to a pre- defined point system, as specified in the Traffic Calming Manual. Any street that scores 2.5 points or greater is eligible for traffic calming. This analysis led to the proposal for the installation of twenty (20) traffic calming devices throughout the Normandy Isle neighborhood, including seven (7) speed humps, three (3) speed cushions, two (2) speed tables, three (3) traffic circles, one (1) narrowing of the intersection, and four (4) lane narrowing segments (Attachment A). It is important to note that speed humps, speed cushions, speed tables, and traffic circles are recognized by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration as effective speed-reducing devices.

As part of the traffic calming process, a ballot survey (“survey”) is conducted to measure community support for the proposed plan. Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (“DTPW”) requires two-thirds (2/3rds) concurrence from all affected property owners in the neighborhood and 100% approval from all property owners directly adjacent to the locations where the recommended traffic calming devices are proposed to be installed (“directly affected property owners”). However, per DTPW’s guidelines, in lieu of 100% approval from the directly affected property owners, the City may adopt a resolution, after a public hearing, requesting DTPW to consider the proposed traffic calming devices in the interest of public safety.

Based on the results of the survey, over two-thirds (2/3rds) concurrence was obtained from property owners in the neighborhood; however, one (1) proposed traffic calming device (a traffic circle at Trouville Esplanade and Biarritz Drive) was not supported by one (1) out of four (4) directly affected property owners (Attachment B). City staff and the Consultant have determined that the proposed traffic calming devices - including the traffic circle opposed by one (1) directly affected property owner - are optimal and crucial in the interest of public safety to provide the intended traffic calming benefit of reduced speeds and lower cut-through volumes throughout the neighborhood.

On March 6, 2024, the Transportation and Mobility Department conducted a virtual public meeting to provide an update to the neighborhood on the traffic calming devices proposed in the Normandy Isle Neighborhood Traffic Calming project (Attachment C). The traffic calming devices presented at the meeting would have resulted in the loss of 66 parking spaces. This potential parking impact generated significant negative feedback from the community. The residents in attendance requested that City staff revisit the design to reduce the parking impacts. In addition, DTPW reviewed the proposed devices and requested that the proposed raised crosswalks at intersections be removed from the design plans and replaced with other traffic calming devices as DTPW permits the installation of raised crosswalks only at mid-block locations and not at intersections.

Based on the comments and feedback received from the community, the Consultant revised the design plans to reduce the parking impacts from 66 spaces to 27 spaces. The revised 90% design plans included seven (7) speed humps, three (3) speed cushions, two (2) speed tables, four (4) traffic circles, and four (4) lane narrowing segments.

On July 2, 2025, the Transportation and Mobility Department conducted a subsequent virtual public meeting to update residents on the updated 90% design plans for the Normandy Isle Neighborhood Traffic Calming project and address concerns regarding parking loss (Attachment D). The majority of the residents in attendance expressed support for the revised design, particularly the reduced impacts to parking. Additional comments were received and incorporated into the final draft 90% design plans.

Based on resident input from both community meetings, three (3) proposed traffic calming devices were removed from the design plans and replaced by alternate devices to minimize impacts to parking: 1) a proposed traffic circle at Marseille Drive and Bay Drive East was replaced with a speed hump at Bay Drive East between Normandy Court and Marseille Drive; 2) a proposed raised crosswalk at Rue Notre Dame and Biarritz Drive was replaced with a speed cushion on Biarritz Drive between Rue Bordeaux Drive and Rue Notre Dame; and 3) a proposed traffic circle at the intersection of Marseille Drive at Calais Drive was replaced with narrowing of the intersection. Some of these new traffic calming devices affected property owners which had not been previously surveyed. Therefore, after the July 2, 2025 public meeting, four (4) property owners directly affected by two (2) newly proposed traffic calming devices (the proposed speed cushion on Biarritz Drive between Rue Bordeaux Drive and Rue Notre Dame and the proposed speed hump on Bay Drive East between Normandy Court and Marseille Drive) were surveyed, however, no responses were received (Attachment B). As such, City staff conducted door-to-door outreach which also yielded no response from the four (4) directly affected property owners. It is important to note that pursuant to the City’s survey mailed to all directly affected property owners, a non-response is deemed as a vote in favor of the corresponding traffic calming device(s).

City staff and the Consultant have determined that the newly proposed traffic calming devices are optimal and crucial in the interest of public safety to provide the intended traffic calming benefit of reduced speeds and lower cut-through volumes throughout the neighborhood. Additionally, as per DTPW guidelines, the City Commission may adopt a resolution, after a public hearing, approving a traffic calming device(s) in lieu of obtaining concurrence from the directly affected property owners, particularly in the interest of public safety. As such, City Commission adoption of this resolution will approve the proposed traffic circle at the intersection of Trouville Esplanade and Biarritz Drive, opposed by one (1) directly affected property owner.

The Consultant completed the 100% design plans in October 2025 and obtained approval from DTPW. Upon the adoption of the City Commission Resolution, the City will proceed with procuring a contractor for the construction of the project, anticipated to begin in summer 2026.

FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Adopting this Resolution will not require a funding allocation. Funding for the design and construction of the Normandy Isle Neighborhood Traffic Calming project is currently available in G.O. Bond Project No. 42 and Capital Project No. 65725.

Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate? (FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)

If applicable, the Business Impact Estimate (BIE) was published on: See BIE at: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/city-clerk/meeting-notices/

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

N/A

CONCLUSION

Given that the proposed traffic circle at the intersection of Trouville Esplanade and Biarritz Drive is deemed warranted and strategically located to achieve the goal of effective traffic calming within

the Normandy Isle neighborhood, the Administration recommends that the City Commission consider and adopt the Resolution, thereby approving the installation of the proposed traffic calming device not supported by one (1) directly affected property owner. This City Commission Resolution is necessary to move forward with the construction of the proposed traffic calming devices strategically intended to reduce the speed and volume of vehicles traveling through the neighborhood, serve the public interest of pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular safety, and ensure the effectiveness of the G.O. Bond Normandy Isle Neighborhood Traffic Calming project.

Applicable Area

North Beach

Was this Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481, includes a principal engaged in lobbying? No

If so, specify the name of lobbyist(s) and principal(s):

Department

Transportation and Mobility

Sponsor(s)

Co-sponsor(s)

Condensed Title

2:30 p.m. PH, Approve Normandy Isle Traffic Calming Project. TR