Dozens of capital improvement projects and the start of 25-year certifications of Key Biscayne’s three primary structures will be on the 2026 and 2027 fiscal year calendars, Village officials said at the recent Infrastructure Workshop.
Council member Michael Bracken called for the special meeting, saying he wanted to learn more about the details of the capital plan instead of just the funding aspect.
“This is an important conversation to have,” said Village Manager Steve Williamson.
Williamson said the idea is to explain the complexity of projects, the implementation challenges, and to build decision-maker confidence.
“(The Capital Improvement Program is designed to) implement a thoughtful and deliberate blueprint for sustaining and improving the Village’s infrastructure and assets,” Williamson said. “This isn’t just about coming up with a list of projects, but all the funding and permitting that comes with it.”
Capital Improvement Program and Grants Manager Colleen Durfee said, “We often end up contracting external project management support (often from) a professional services pool to use as we need.”
“Even with a talented, small staff, we can’t do it all alone,” Williamson said.
Bracken said he has struggled with how the funding is set up, say, for a project that covers five years. Williamson calls that a “cash flow analysis” and fellow Council member Fernando Vazquez refers to it as “braided funding” in which each funding system has its own requirements “and that, in itself, presents its own challenges.”
For example, the Harbor Drive improvement project, which is a cost-share effort with Miami-Dade County, must wait until at least February to get the go-ahead since the County is evaluating its small business and minority business allocations first.
Four specific categories
Williamson and Durfee have divided the Village’s improvement plans into four categories.
The first is community programs and public spaces, which includes the athletic fields, Monaco Fountain and MAST Academy’s field.
Among the projects are a 50-50 split with for the MAST field renovation and a hard look at a sliver of the northeast side of Virginia Key where a 50-50 share to analyze what sports field could be developed there is in the works.
“I think we’re establishing a good relationship (with the City of Miami) when that discussion comes,” said Parks and Recreation Director Todd Hofferberth of the 130-acre site.
Other open spaces that will be part of the focus includes the Civic Center, a rehabilitation of the dog park, Calusa Park courts resurfacing, Village Green fitness equipment, and Calusa Park lighting.
“A lot of these things that’s been talked about are starting to take off,” Hofferberth said.
There is also going to be an audit and assessment of the Community Center.
As far as the Beach Park rehabilitation, Durfee said the design is completed, but it’s now back in permitting because of the closed circuit TV plan.
The next category is the transportation network, which includes street and pedestrian safety and sidewalks.
Included in this category is the Rickenbacker Causeway and its short-term solutions, the Crandon Boulevard traffic data and analysis has been completed, the Shoreline Feasibility Assessment and the Bear Cut Bridge PD&E, which is fully funded by the County.
As far as roads and safety, Public Works Director Chris Miranda said more roads will be repaved, with the Harbor Drive project the major goal. School speed zones will get a revamp, streetlights will be improved and golf cart cut-throughs are being analyzed, as well.
The third category is Infrastructure and environment, which includes stormwater, beach renourishment and utility undergrounding.
Maintenance of the active stormwater system is imperative.
Other aspects include the Garden District design, the continuation of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Feasibility Study, beach renourishment (the last one was done in 2024) and another look at a possible offshore barrier reef.
As far as utilities, FPL is doing an undergrounding analysis before Comcast does its analysis. Meanwhile, a second engineering firm is studying potential stormwater solutions in a “battle of engineers.”
Vazquez wanted to know about the condition of the current pipes in terms of “capacity.”
“I can tell you the pipes are jetted and cleaned every year,” Miranda said.
The final category is Village facilities as The Village Chambers, City Hall and the Community Center buildings are all coming up soon for a 25-year certification.
Upgrading the Community Center’s sewer system to a gravity flow is high on the list, as well as installing a backup generator. Extensive repairs have been done to the flat roof and repairs have been done to the metal roof.
The 25-year certifications will come officially in 2027 but the Village wants to get a head start when it comes to mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural rehabilitation, if that is the case.
Electrical, plumbing, fire suppression, roof and structural integrity are all being looked at when it comes to Village Hall, while the installation of the Village security network and cameras, and the upgrade of the Community Center’s CCTV system are also part of the plans.
The next meetings
6 p.m., Jan. 8: Council Workshop: Zone 1 Alternative Analysis and Plan, Deliverable No. 1.
6 p.m., Jan. 22: Council Workshop: Undergrounding: Full vs Hybrid Model Comparison.