A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY COMMITTEE AT ITS OCTOBER 23, 2019 MEETING, TO APPROVE CONCEPT #1 OF THE INDIAN CREEK DRIVE LANDSCAPE PROJECT CONCEPTUAL DESIGN PLANS PREPARED BY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT CRAVEN THOMPSON & ASSOCIATES, INC., TO RESTORE LANDSCAPE REMOVED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SEAWALL THAT EXTENDS FROM 24TH STREET TO 41ST STREET ON THE EAST SIDE OF INDIAN CREEK.

At its October 23, 2019 SRC meeting, Public Works staff provided the members of the Committee, a progress update on the Indian Creek Drive Landscape Project.

In attendance were Craven Thompson & Associates, Inc, landscape architects, tasked by the City to help devise a plan to restore the landscape removed during the construction of the seawall.  After hosting several community meetings, Craven Thompson & Associates developed two landscape concepts based on the community’s feedback. The project extends from 24th Street to 41st Street on the east side of Indian Creek.

Concept 1:

• There are three anchor points along Indian Creek at 41st Street, the pedestrian bridge at 28th Street, and the south end overlooking Lake Pancoast. These three points can connect the Indian Creek area along the drive and Indian Creek.
• It proposes a connectivity for pedestrians by bringing them closer to the water with seating areas and an iconic specimen tree flanked by royal palm trees, which would be replicated at each anchor point.
• The pedestrian bridge at 28th Street allows pedestrians to cross over from the neighborhood.
• South of the bridge is a proposed path along the barrier wall and seawall through the landscaping to Lake Pancoast, where a third interest point will offer a view of Lake Pancoast. This third interest point is where the City’s mangrove planter project is going to be installed with possible educational signage relating to mangroves’ function in waterways.
• The plan proposes varied layers of landscaping between the anchor points and the connectivity, to buffer the barrier wall, to screen and open some views, and plant large shade trees at the road intersections with Indian Creek Drive to limit traffic related light pollution into the residential neighborhoods.
• The connectivity narrows between 29th Street and 39th Street so that the distance between the seawall and the barrier wall begins to constrict, therefore, it does not allow room for both a walkway and landscape;
• Landscaping instead of a walkway to soften the aesthetics of Indian Creek Drive at these narrow points.

Concept 2:

• Only has pedestrian paths in the bus stop at anchor point #1, a pedestrian bridge at anchor point #2 and lush, layered landscaping with shade intermediate, and palm trees in between.

Committee members were supportive of concept #1 and requested as much space as possible for the pathway. It was stated that about 95% of the landscaping palette will be native species and some non-native species to provide color.

The Committee members made a motion to select Concept #1 of the Indian Creek Drive Landscape Conceptual Design Plans and to bring it to the full Commission for approval.