Veritas, Vol. 32, No. 02, October 1991

              UM’s Campus Master Plan adopted by zoning board
After almost two-and-a-half years of work with the City of Coral Gables Planning and Zoning Department and the University’s neighbors, the Planning and Zoning Board has accepted the University of Miami’s modified Campus Master Plan, originally adopted by the Board of Trustees in April 1986. The master plan will go before the Coral Gables Commission October 8.
In 1989 the University presented the master plan to the board for the first time. On July 10, 1991, a revised plan was presented. At that time the board voted to defer the issue two months until September 11, noting the need to have neighborhood discussions. A series of nine meetings were held with the neighbors, and President Edward T. Foote II met with them at a tenth meeting. As a result, several modifications were proposed by the University:
• Dropping plans for the Granada Apartments on the tract of University land at the comer of Granada Boulevard and Ponce de
Leon Boulevard. The land will be designated as “reserved for future University use,” and will require a formal amendment to the plan and public hearings for any proposed future use.
•Alternatives for the proposed parking garage on Campo Sano Drive. Alternative sites include areas closer to Doctor’s Hospital and across from Metrorail on Ponce de Leon Boulevard.
• Modifications to the proposed University Village Apartments complex have occurred over the last two years of planning and include landscaped setbacks from the streets, relocation of parking areas, a reconfiguration of traffic, and leaving open one key street.
Campus planning began in 1984 after the University of Miami adopted its first strategic plan. At a time when very few academic institutions had implemented strategic plans, it redefined essentially the priorities and goals of the University. Almost immediately work was begun on the physical manisfestation of this strategic plan—the Campus Master Plan.
“Long-term planning provides an orderly, disciplined approach for decisionmaking,” says David A. Lieberman, senior vice president and presenter at the neighborhood meetings.
The master plan, which serves as a guide to University growth and development, became an integral element to a new Coral Gables zoning ordinance in 1989-At that time the City of Coral Gables proposed writing a zoning ordinance to govern University development.
“Until then the University did not have a true zoning code governing it,” says Raphael Peruyera, director of facilities planning and design. “Every time we wanted to build, we had to go to the city and ask for variances, and the city based their decisions on commercial zoning codes. They had no way of judging the merits of a request for University use.”
The ordinance was finalized and adopted by the city in the fall of 1989, calling it the University of Miami Campus Area Development (UMCAD) plan. In order for the ordinance to be implemented,
however, the University needed to develop a design manual that detailed architectural style, landscaping, color, roof types, numbers of windows, etc.; identified building locations and uses; and served as the overall framework and concept behind the campus plan. Utility and parking and traffic plans had to be incorporated into the design.
The University submitted a complete master plan to the Planning and Zoning Board in 1989. At that time the board voted to defer adoption of the master plan so the University could work with the city staff as they refined the plan to meet with city standards.
“Well over 40 meetings were held with the city’s staff to address the concerns raised in 1989,” says Peruyera.“Today we have a plan that addresses most of the concerns raised by the Planning and Zoning Department, and the staff recommended approval of the plan with minor conditions.”
—Ann Reaben Prospero
Band of the Hour marches into
football season with new goals
Under Mike Mann’s direction, the band tunes up before the first home game.
With colored laser beams shooting across the football field, the University of Miami’s 150-member Band of the Hour performed its halftime show at the Hurricanes first home game on September 12. Wearing hats adorned with glow-in-the-dark stars, the band played music from 2001: A Space Odyssey, E. T., The Jetsons, and Star Wars.
The futuristic theme was an appropriate way for the marching band to start off its season with new band director Mike Mann, who has big plans for the 58-year-old ensemble.
“We’re going to raise the quality of the band and establish our own traditions,” says Mann, assistant professor of music education. “There’s been a steady decline in
terms of numbers and quality, and this will be like a new revival, like starting over. The band is very excited about it.”
Some of Mann’s goals include increasing the variety of halftime shows, hopefully changing the performance each week. He also plans to start an “instrument day” each season, when high school students from all over the state who play that particular instrument can perform during halftime. This year the event will take place during the October 19 game, and drums will be in the spotlight.
“The exposure of the band comes from the success of the athletic teams/ says Mann. “And as long as the football team is exposed we re going to be right there with them.”
The band is made up of 96 brass and woodwinds, 21 percussion, 22 color guard, and 11 Hurricanettes. All potential band members are
auditioned on the instrument of their choice, and most of them
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