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GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.UH, I'M LAURA DOMINGUEZ, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, AND JOINING ME IS, UH, VICE CHAIR DAVID SUAREZ, AND ALSO COMMITTEE MEMBER JOE MAGAZINE.
AND FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, WE HAVE THE FABULOUS STEPHANIE RAY BROOKS, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MARK TAXES, AND, UH, CHIEF DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY ROB ROSENWALD.
AND DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS, STEPHANIE? WE DO, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WE HAVE A TIME CERTAIN TODAY AT 1230, IT IS ITEM NUMBER 19, DISCUSS REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO, SORRY.
DISCUSS REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES, DEVICES ALONG THE CITY ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS AND ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS THAT MAY BE NECESSARY TO AID IN ENSURING SAFE OPERATIONS IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND DEVICES FOR ALL.
[5. DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF A TEXT MESSAGING SYSTEM TO FACILITATE THE REPORTING OF CODE COMPLIANCE COMPLAINTS.]
[18. DISCUSSION REGARDING BEACH CONCESSIONS, REGULATIONS, AND LAYOUT TO ENSURE THAT SUFFICIENT AREA REMAINS AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES FOR PUBLIC ENJOYMENT OF BEACHES.]
THAT WILL BE DEFERRED TO SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE, DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXT MESSAGING SYSTEM TO FACILITATE THE REPORTING OF CODE COMPLIANCE COMPLAINTS.AND ITEM NUMBER 18, DISCUSSIONS REGARDING BEACH CONCESSIONS, REGULATIONS, AND LAYOUT OUTS TO ENSURE THAT SUFFICIENT AREAS REMAIN AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES FOR PUBLIC ENJOYMENT OF THE BEACHES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STEPHANIE.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE FIRST
[2. DISCUSS CITY OF MIAMI BEACH JUNE 2024 FLOOD EVENT]
ITEM, WHICH IS NUMBER TWO.AND IT'S A DISCUSSION OF THE MAMIE BEACH, UH, FLOOD EVENT.
I THINK WE ALREADY DID THIS AT COMMISSION.
IS THERE ANYTHING TO ADD TO WHAT WAS DISCUSSED AT COMMISSION? I THINK ERIC CARPENTER'S HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT BE ASKED, BUT I THINK IT WAS DISCUSSED PRETTY THOROUGHLY AT COMMISSION.
COMMITTEE CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AIR CARPENTER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
UM, WE'VE SUBMITTED THE REPORT OF OUR AFTER ACTION, UH, MEETINGS.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS EVENT, AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED WAYS THAT WE CAN DO BETTER IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE RESPONDING, COMMUNICATING, AND KEEPING EVERYBODY APPRISED OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED EVENT, BUT, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE LEARNED AND, AND WE'LL DO BETTER.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? UH, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE? Y YES.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
UM, I WOULD JUST SAY, NOT AN ACTION ITEM, BUT SOMETHING FOR THE STAFF AND, UH, ADMINISTRATION TO KEEP IN MIND.
UH, WE WENT, UH, THROUGH THOROUGHLY BOTH, UH, AT THAT COMMISSION MEETING, AND IT WAS EVEN TOUCHED ON YESTERDAY AT LAND USE WHEN WE WERE REVIEWING THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCY PROJECTS COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
A LOT OF THOSE ARE STARTING DESIGN IN 2027 AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING IMPLEMENTED IN 2029, THAT'S GREAT FOR THE NEXT 20, 30, 40 YEARS.
AND WE ARE TRULY PREPARING OUR CITY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
BUT IN THAT MEDIUM AND INTERIM TERM, UH, SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM, IF, UH, IF STAFF COULD JUST, YOU KNOW, REALLY BE ON, ON THEIR FEET IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO BRIDGE THE GAP TO WHEN WE GET SOME OF THESE TRULY GAME CHANGING RESILIENCY EFFORTS, UH, VERSUS RIGHT NOW, UM, I, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO, UH, DO ROAD RAISING OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT TO THE EXTENT WHERE WE COULD BRING IN MOBILE PUMPS, VACUUM TRUCKS, I'M NOT THE EXPERT.
UH, BUT YOU TELL US WHAT YOU NEED FROM THE COMMISSION AND WE WILL LOOK TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE EFFORTS.
UM, SO ERIC, WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE OTHER, THE THING WE BECAME ABUNDANTLY CLEAR.
I THINK WE'VE SH SHARED A COUPLE, UM, EXCHANGES ON THIS, THAT THE FLOOD EVENT HAPPENED AT PRETTY MUCH LOW TIDE, RIGHT? SO THIS WASN'T A SEA LEVEL RISE ISSUE.
THIS WAS VERY MUCH A DRAINAGE ISSUE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED ON, ON JUNE 11, 12TH AND 13TH, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT STEPS DOES THE CITY HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT RAIN EVENT? AND, AND SPECIFICALLY CLEAR CLEARING THE DRAINS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU, AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF EMAILS, A LOT OF CUT, A LOT OF RESIDENTS EMAILED IN AND SAID, HEY, WE'RE CLEARING THE DRAINS AND IT'S WORKING AS INTENDED.
UM, IF WE WOULD'VE DONE THIS EVERY OTHER HOUR, OUR HOME WOULD'VE BEEN FLOODED.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT STEPS DOES THE CITY HAVE TO, TO ENSURE THAT THESE DRAINS DON'T GET CLOGGED IN AN EMERGENCY LIKE THIS? SO WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR OPERATIONS STAFF WITHIN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'VE IDENTIFIED A TEAM THAT WILL DEPLOY WHENEVER WE'RE SEEING A RAIN EVENT IN THE FIRST FEW HOURS, BECAUSE WE GO OUT THERE AND CLEAN FREQUENTLY.
UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T, UNFORTUNATELY AMELIORATE THE ISSUE WHEN THAT FIRST WIND BLOWS THROUGH AND BLOWS A BUNCH OF LEAVES OFF THE TREES, AND THEN THEY'RE COLLECTED BY THAT FIRST INCH OF RAIN
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AND THEY TRANSMIT TO THE DRAINS AND THEN END UP BLINDING THE DRAINS.SO WITHIN THAT FIRST HOUR OF THE STORM, WE'RE GONNA BE RESPONDING, SENDING TEAMS OUT TO SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE KNOW ARE PROBLEMATIC, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE PUTTING EYES ON THE DRAINS AND CLEANING OFF ANYTHING THAT THEY FIND IS BECOMING AN IMPEDIMENT FOR DRAINAGE AND THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT YESTERDAY, UH, ABOUT PO A POSSIBLE FLOAT SWITCH, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE THE IDEA OF A PILOT MAYBE AT FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT DRAINS THAT WE KNOW ARE, ARE PROBLEMATIC DURING HIGH FLOODS, UM, WHERE IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SEND A SIGNAL TO PUBLIC WORK SAYING, HEY, THIS IS FLOODED, SEND SOMEONE OUT.
UM, ALSO YESTERDAY WE SAW A HEAT MAP OF SERVICE CALLS AND, AND INCHES OF RAIN.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT HEAT MAP WORKED, BUT I THINK BASED ON LAST MONTH'S FLOODS, PUBLIC WORKS SHOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHERE, UH, THESE HOTSPOTS ARE AND WHERE TO DEDICATE RESOURCES.
AND, AND WE DO TYPICALLY DURING HURRICANE SEASON, PRE-DEPLOYMENT PUMPS, TEMPORARY PUMPS TO SOME OF THESE, UH, HOTSPOT LOCATIONS.
UM, WE ARE GONNA LOOK TO POTENTIALLY EXPAND THAT.
AND WE MAY BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCE REQUESTS.
HAS THERE ALSO BEEN ANY SORT OF, UM, IDEA WHERE FOR THE HOTSPOTS WE, WE MAYBE REACH OUT PROACTIVELY TO THE RESIDENTS THERE AND SAYING, IF YOU NOTICE A FLOOD, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE TO REALLY TEXT OR CALL US.
UH, AND WE WILL COME OUT AND WE WILL WE'LL CLEAR THE DRAIN FOR YOU TO, TO, I DUNNO IF WE, HERE, WE'VE, WE'VE SENT OUT QUITE A BIT OF, UH, FLOODING INFORMATION, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE ACTION ITEMS FROM THE AFTER ACTION THAT WE DO A LITTLE BIT MORE TARGETED EDUCATION, UM, CAMPAIGN SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT, UH, LEVELS OF FLOOD WARNINGS AND WATCHES AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO REACH US WHEN THEY SEE PROBLEMS STARTING TO OCCUR.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, DURING THE DISCUSSION AT COMMISSION, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, HAVING SANDBAGS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON MOVING FORWARD.
SO NOW THAT SANDBAGS WERE DISTRIBUTED FOR THIS PARTICULAR RAINY EVENT, WILL THERE BE OTHER SANDBAG DISTRIBUTIONS OR IS IT IT, IS THIS IT FOR THE SEASON? NO, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, FIND A DATE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WHERE WE CAN DEPLOY SANDBAGS, PRE-EVENT.
AND THEN, UM, MAYBE ANOTHER THOUGHT, 'CAUSE IN SPEAKING TO, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND SANITATION ABOUT THE LEAVES THAT, UH, CLOG THE DRAINS, UM, IF A COMMUNICATION, AND I THINK I SAW MELISSA IN HERE, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE, UM, TO HAVE A COMMUNICATION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT WILL GO OUT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD TO CLEAN THE GUTTERS, BUT, UM, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH STAFF WE HAVE TO GET TO EVERY PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IF THEY'RE ABLE AND IT'S SAFE TO CLEAN THE GUTTERS, UH, TO CLEAN THE LEAVES IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME.
UM, BECAUSE THAT WILL HELP UNTIL STAFF ARRIVES.
SO I THINK WE CAN CLOSE OUT THIS ITEM.
AND, UM, THANK, HI, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
[1. DISCUSS NEXT STEPS AND FUNDING FOR THE PINE TREE DRIVE AND 46 STREET TRAFFIC CIRCLE PROJECT.]
ONE, ITEM NUMBER ONE IS TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS IN FUNDING FOR THE PINE TREE DRIVE IN 46TH STREET TRAFFIC CIRCLE PROJECT.AND THIS WILL BE PRESENTED BY CIP.
DAVID GOMEZ, INTERIM DIRECTOR WITH, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR COMMISSIONERS.
UH, THIS ITEM WAS A DUAL REFERRAL TO THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL AS FINANCE.
UH, WE'LL BE GOING AT THE END OF THE MONTH TO THE NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THIS IS AN ITEM THAT BEGAN APPROXIMATELY 2020 WITH THE COMMISSIONS, UH, ADOPTING A JOINT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY TO IMPLEMENT SOME TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS AT PINE TREE DRIVE AND 46TH STREET.
UH, THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS BY RESIDENTS REGARDING TRAFFIC SAFETY, AND THROUGH THAT AGREEMENT, WE IMPLEMENTED OR MOVED TO IMPLEMENT SOME, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THERE.
UH, LONG STORY SHORT, WE DEVELOPED A TRAFFIC CIRCLE FOR THAT INTERSECTION.
UM, AND THE RESIDENTS, UH, REVIEWED THE PROPOSAL AND HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE.
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OF THE THEN MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, OUR OFFICE TRANSPORTATION, AND THE RESIDENTS.AND ESSENTIALLY THEY, THE RESIDENCE PROFFERED, UH, TWO ROUNDABOUTS, ONE AT 47TH STREET AND ONE AT 46TH.
AND THE REASON IS OUR ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS A DUAL LANE OR A TWO LANE TRAFFIC CIRCLE, SIMILAR, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE SEEN NO ONE IN CORAL GABLES.
UM, IT'S A TWO LANE ROUNDABOUT.
UM, THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SIZE AND WANTED A SINGLE LANE IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THAT BECAUSE OF MERGED DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS.
SINCE PINE TREE IS A TWO LANE ROAD, IT EXTENDED THAT LENGTH INTO THE 47TH STREET INTERSECTION, AND THE SOLUTION WAS ANOTHER TRAFFIC CIRCLE THERE.
UM, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY REVISING THE JOINT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT.
WE HAVE APPROACHED THE COUNTY CONSIDERING, UH, THE INCREASED COST AND THE FACT THAT IT IS A COUNTY ASSET.
THIS IS A COUNTY ROAD, UM, AND REALLY THE ONLY REASON WE ARE INVOLVED IS BECAUSE OF RESIDENT CONCERNS AND TRAFFIC SAFETY, BUT IT IS A COUNTY ASSET.
UH, SO WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THE COUNTY AND ASKING THEM FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THEY DID FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THEY ARE NOW LOOKING AT FUNDING APPROXIMATELY HALF OF OUR PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, PJ, IF YOU COULD PUT UP SOME PICTURES, UM, BECAUSE A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS ACTUALLY EMAILED ME AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS ON MAY 3RD NOT TOO LONG AGO OF, UM, A HUGE ACCIDENT ON PINE TREE.
UM, IT WAS ACTUALLY BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THEY SAY IT'S BETWEEN A LOT OF THE SPEEDING HAPPENS BETWEEN 47TH AND 51ST.
AND I DO HAVE A SEPARATE ITEM, UM, TO POSSIBLY INSTALL TRAFFIC TABLES, UM, ON, ON 47TH STREET.
UH, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN IDEA OF, OF HOW BAD IS IT, PJ, IF YOU COULD PUT THE VIDEO ON, IT'S LIKE A TEN SECOND CLIP.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S FROM SPEEDING.
AND THEN YOU COULD TELL THAT'S LIKE JUST DURING THE DAY.
UM, YEAH, AND EXACTLY, THERE'S ANOTHER ACCIDENT ON ALTON.
SO, UM, AND YOU KNOW, SHE SAID GOING SOUTH AFTER THE TRAFFIC LIGHT ON 51ST STREET, EVERYONE IS SPEEDING AND WE NEED A SPEED BUMP AFTER THE BRIDGE BETWEEN 51ST AND 47TH, THERE ARE FIVE BUILDINGS AND A MONTESSORI ACADEMY, ST.
JOHN'S CHURCH, AND NOTHING PROTECTS US FROM CRAZY TRAFFIC.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A BIG PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN.
UM, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS STRETCH OF ROAD ON PINE TREE, UM, NEEDS ATTENTION SOON.
SO ANY TO THE CHAIR, UM, HOW LIKELY ARE WE TO GET SOME MORE FUNDING FROM FDOT OR, OR THE COUNTY ON THIS ROAD? THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW IS, IS, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, MAXED OUT WHAT THEIR CONTRIBUTION IS.
WE CAN ALWAYS ASK FOR MORE, BUT IS IT TECH? IS IT, IS IT ALWAYS HALF? DO THEY ALWAYS, NOT NECESSARILY.
UM, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT'S THE CRITERIA.
YEAH, IT, IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT.
IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE WE SUCCESSFULLY ARGUED THAT IT WAS AN IMPROVEMENT TO THEIR TRAFFIC AND, AND THEIR FLOWS, THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND FUNDING THROUGH ONE OF THEIR FUNDS.
THROUGH THE CHAIR, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
IF I CAN, I I THINK THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL AND TO BE RESPECTFUL OF TIMING, UH, FOR MADAM CHAIR'S COMMITTEE, IF I COULD ASK, I, I LIKED HER STYLE WITH FOLLOWING UP FOR, UH, WITH THINGS THROUGH AN LTC.
UM, THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
UH, HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE ONLY AREA OF OUR CITY WHERE WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE NEED FOR, UM, SPEED MITIGATION AND, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES.
I KNOW, UH, WE'VE BROUGHT ITEMS FORWARD ON WEST AVENUE, SOUTH OF FIFTH.
UH, BUT THE TIMELINE TO ME IS REALLY CONCERNING.
UH, I MYSELF, SELFISHLY HAVE A 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, I WANT SOME OF THESE SAFETY MEASURES IMPLEMENTED WHEN SHE'S STILL THE ONE I'M TRYING TO PROTECT.
NOT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OUTRAGEOUS DRIVER THAT WE'RE, UH, PROTECTING OURSELVES FROM.
UH, SO IF YOU CAN GIVE ME A TIMELINE OF, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WHEN THIS STARTED AND HOW IT'S BEEN NOW FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING AND BEFORE THIS GETS IMPLEMENTED, PROBABLY ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIFE CRITICAL, RESIDENT CENTRIC SAFETY MEASURES, TAKING SIX YEARS TO IMPLEMENT.
I REALLY WANNA UNDERSTAND AND DISSECT HOW WE CAN GET BETTER AT THAT, MORE EFFICIENT AND WHEN WE IDENTIFY A NEED THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THAT NOT IN SIX YEARS, BUT IMMEDIATELY.
SO I, I'D LOVE TO WORK WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT ON NOT ONLY IDENTIFYING SOME AREAS, BUT HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THESE BETTER.
SORRY TO HAVE TO JUMP IN ON THIS.
UM, JUST, AND COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ WAS ON THIS CALL WITH ME WAY BACK WHEN, WHEN WE
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WERE DISCUSSING A PROJECT, UM, A TRAFFIC CALLING MEASURE IN NORTH BEACH THAT HAD SORT OF FLOWN UNDER THE RADAR, HADN'T REACHED THE RESIDENCE AND WHATEVER, IT'S NOW BEING REVISITED BECAUSE IT MIGHT'VE BEEN OVER-ENGINEERED FOR WHAT THE NEED WAS.AND THAT'S WHAT I WANNA BRING UP, IS THAT I KNOW THAT THE TENDENCY, AND IT'S PROBABLY BEST PRACTICES, HOW IT'S TAUGHT.
I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BEST PRACTICES OR HOW ANYTHING'S TAUGHT, BUT THERE IS A TENDENCY TO GO TO THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION, RIGHT? THE HIGHEST BEST POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM.
AND SOMETIMES IN REAL WORLD SITUATIONS, THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT NECESSARY.
AND WHILE IT, IT MAKES SENSE TO DO THE BEST THING THAT YOU CAN WITH MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE, AND I, I DON'T KNOW THE PARTICULAR OF THIS PART, THIS EXACT SITUATION, BUT MAYBE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, AS THERE WAS WITH THIS ONE THING IN NORTH BEACH, FOR INSTANCE, WHERE WE DON'T NEED THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION.
WE NEED SOMETHING THAT'S BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE THAT ALSO ADDRESSES RESIDENT CONCERNS THAT ARE RAISED SO THAT THE ISSUE IS MITIGATED WITHOUT CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS. SO I JUST WANTED TO TOSS THAT INTO THE MIX SINCE THAT SEEMS TO BE KIND OF A RECURRING THEME AND OUT OF BEST INTEREST.
IT'S NOT, UH, FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN TRYING TO DO THE BEST BY THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
LET'S CLOSE THIS ITEM OUT AND THEN OVER TO NUMBER SEVEN.
[7. REFERRAL TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE REGARDING AN ALLOCATION OF $25,000 TO PRIDELINES, INC. FOR PRIDELINES MIAMI BEACH PROJECT SAFE (SAFE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR EVERYONE.)]
OKAY.ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, DISCUSSION REGARDING AN ALLOCATION OF $25,000 TO PRIDE LINES INC.
FOR PRIDE LINES MIAMI BEACH PROJECT, SAFE AND SAFE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR EVERYONE.
AND THIS ITEM SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TEE THIS UP? IT'S YOUR ITEM.
UM, THIS IS AN ITEM I'VE, UH, PLACED ON THE, ON, ON THE AGENDA TO SEE HOW WE CAN PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL RECURRING FUNDING, UM, TO PRIDE LINES, UH, THAT'S ALREADY PROVIDING IMPORTANT SERVICES, UM, THROUGH PROJECT SAFE TO OUR L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE STARTED WITH AN INITIAL, UH, FUNDING, UH, TO, TO PRIDE LINES.
THEY ESTABLISHED A LOCATION AT OLD CITY HALL WHERE THEY ARE SERVICING A KIND OF AT RISK, UH, L-G-B-T-Q YOUTH, UH, IN THAT SPACE, KIND OF AN ABSENCE, UH, TO, TO, TO THE SERVICES AND THE ASSISTANCE, UH, THAT THEY WOULD OTHERWISE BE GETTING IN SCHOOLS AND CONVERSATIONS THEY COULD BE HAVING WITH COUNSELORS AND OTHERS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH PRIDE LINES AND KIND OF FILL THAT VOID.
ROSENFELD TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT AS TO WHAT THE PROGRAM DOES CURRENTLY AND HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY EXPAND IT.
UH, AS, UH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ INDICATED, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIDE LINES, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, THE YOUTH WITHIN MIAMI BEACH FROM AGE 13 TO 19, UH, PROVIDING SERVICES THAT WERE NO LONGER ACCESSIBLE TO THEM.
WE STARTED THAT, UH, SAFE SPACE PROGRAM LAST YEAR.
IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL, VERY WELL RECEIVED BY OUR YOUTH COMMUNITY, AND, UH, VERY IMPACTFUL TO THEM.
UH, THEY HAVE A PLACE TO, TO GO TO MEET WITH OTHER, UM, YOUTH, UH, TO PROVI TO BE PROVIDED WITH SERVICES, UH, THAT THEY ARE IN NEED OF, UH, AND SO ON.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE ANOTHER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SAFE FOUNDATION, WHICH ESTABLISHED A MIAMI BEACH CARES, UM, UH, WEBSITE THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION, UH, TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST WOULD BE TO EXPAND THE PRIDE LINES SAFE PROJECT, SAFE PROGRAM FOR L-G-B-T-Q MEMBERS.
CURRENTLY, THAT PROGRAM, UH, PROVIDES SERVICES UP TO THE AGE OF 24.
THIS WOULD POTENTIALLY EXPAND ACCESS TO THE SERVICES BEING PROVIDED BY THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM THROUGH PRIDE LINES.
SOME OF THE, UM, SERVICES THAT WOULD BE EXPANDED, UH, WOULD BE, UH, SUPPORTIVE SHELTER OPPORTUNITIES, UH, HOLISTIC CARE COORDINATION, REFERRAL TO SERVICES, UH, FOR, UM, HIV TESTING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT, EMERGENCY MEAL ASSISTANCE, FAMILY SUPPORT, UH, EVEN ACCESS TO LAUNDRY FACILITIES, WARM SHOWERS AND, AND OTHER, UM, UH, NEEDS, UH, THAT, UH, THIS PARTICULAR, UM, SEGMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY IS, UH, AT RISK OF.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR, FOR EXPLAINING THIS.
I, I PUT THIS, UH, ON THE, ON THE AGENDA, THE EXPANSION OF THIS PROGRAM, BECAUSE I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH PRIDE LINES, UH, FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC DEATH OF, OF ANDREA, UH, DOS PASOS, UH, THE YOUNG, UH, TRANSGENDER WOMAN WHO WAS TRAGICALLY MURDERED WHILE SLEEPING OUTSIDE.
UM, AND, AND SHE HAD BEEN RECEIVING SERVICES FROM PRIDE LINES.
UH, BUT GIVEN THE CHALLENGES WITH OUR SHELTERS,
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THERE'S VERY LIMITED SERVICES, UH, TO SHELTER TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS.IT'S SOMETHING, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON.
AND THIS HAS ALSO, UH, BROUGHT TO, TO, TO THE FOREFRONT THE NEED FOR, UH, CRISIS RAPID INTERVENTION INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS PART OF WHAT PRIDE LINES IS SEEKING TO ADDRESS.
IN SHORT, WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP MM-HMM.
WE, WE ARE FILLING A VOID FOR L-G-B-T-Q, UH, YOUTH, UM, WITH VERY LITTLE MONEY THAT WE'VE SET ASIDE IN OUR BUDGET FOR IT.
UH, AND THERE IS A NEED, UH, IN, IN OUR L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM.
IF WE ARE TRULY SERIOUS ABOUT HELPING HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN A COMPASSIONATE WAY, GETTING THEM OFF THE STREETS AND INTO GOOD AND PROPER, UH, SERVICES.
AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK, UH, THE COMMITTEE'S SUPPORT FOR THIS $25,000 ALLOCATION.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, HAS THIS GONE TO FINANCE, HAS THIS, UH, BEEN TO FINANCE? UH, I HAVE ATTENDED PRIDE LINES EVENTS.
I'VE BEEN TO THEIR FACILITY IN MIAMI.
I AM A SUPPORTER, AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT INITIATIVE.
UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT FINANCE, UH, HAS, UH, THE FUNDS AND ALLOCATION.
SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO MOVE THE ITEM AND SEE IF I HAVE SUPPORT FOR IT TO GO TO FINANCE.
SO, AND I'M SORRY IF I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, UH, IF IT DID GO TO FINANCE, UH, I'M INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE AS WELL.
I BELIEVE IT'S UNDER, AND, AND, AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, I, I BELIEVE I DIDN'T REFER TO FINANCE BECAUSE IT WAS UNDER THE $75,000, UM, UH, THRESHOLD.
YOU KNOW, USUALLY WE'VE, WE, WE REFER TO FINANCE, UH, THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE OVER $75,000 BECAUSE OF THEIR GREATER BUDGET IMPACT, GIVEN THAT THIS WAS ONLY $25,000.
BUT IT ADDRESSES AN IMPORTANT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE, LIKE HOMELESSNESS THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS SO ABLELY HANDLED AND ADDRESSED OVER THE COURSE OF THIS COMPOSITION, I BELIEVED IT WAS MOST APPROPRIATE TO BRING HIM BEFORE THIS BODY.
UM, AND IS THE FINANCE, IS ANYBODY FROM FINANCE HERE, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THESE FUNDS AVAILABLE? UH, I, I, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, THAT UNDER $75,000, YOU CAN, OR YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEND A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
THEY CAN DECIDE TO, UH, TO DO IT OR NOT, BUT IT DOESN'T NEED TO GO TO FOR, ALTHOUGH IT ALWAYS CAN IF YOU WANT TO.
ALRIGHT, THEN I'LL MOVE IT TO GO TO THE FULL COMMISSION FOR, UH, HI
UH, JASON, UH, I'LL MOVE IT TO GO TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
IS, UH, THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
UH, JOE, ARE YOU IN FAVOR FOR IT TO GO TO THE FULL COMMISSION? OKAY.
WE'LL CLOSE OUT THIS ITEM AND MOVE ON TO THANK
[12. DISCUSS A RESOLUTION TO EXPLORE THE VIABILITY OF CREATING POLICE SUBSTATIONS, SIMILAR TO THE POLICE SUBSTATION IN NORTH BEACH, IN THE COLLINS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, AT CITY HALL, IN THE SOUTH OF FIFTH NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IN MID-BEACH, IN ORDER TO MAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES AND INCIDENT REPORTING MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND READILY AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, AND TO MORE EFFICIENTLY ADDRESS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY; AND FURTHER, DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO REPORT THEIR FINDINGS AND PROPOSALS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE AT ITS JULY 10, 2024 MEETING IN ORDER FOR THE COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE ITS RECOMMENDATIONS (INCLUDING THE FISCAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE IMPACT) TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION IN ADVANCE OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET PROCESS.]
YOU, MADAM.ITEM NUMBER 12 IS A DISCUSSION, DISCUSS A RESOLUTION TO EXPLORE THE VIABILITY OF CREATING POLICE SUBSTATIONS, SIMILAR TO THE POLICE SUBSTATIONS IN NORTH BEACH, IN THE COLLINS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD AT CITY HALL IN THE SOUTH OF FIFTH NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN MID BEACH, IN ORDER TO MAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES AND INCIDENT REPORTING MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND READILY AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, AND TO MORE EFFICIENTLY ADDRESS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO REPORT THEIR FINDINGS AND PROPOSALS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY NEIGHBORHOODS QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE AT ITS JULY 10TH, 2024 MEETING IN ORDER FOR THE COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE ITS RECOMMENDATION, INCLUDING THE FISCAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE IMPACT TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION IN ADVANCE OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET PROCESS.
THIS IS AN ITEM I'VE PLACED ON THE AGENDA, UH, BECAUSE THE CREATION OF SUBSTATIONS, UH, GENERALLY ALLOW POLICE OFFICERS TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THE AREAS IN WHICH, UH, THOSE PHYSICAL LOCATIONS ARE, ARE PRESENT.
AND THEY HELP BUILD A SENSE OF SECURITY IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL, POTENTIALLY PREVENTING THE OCCURRENCE OF CERTAIN QUALITY OF LIFE OFFENSES AND AS WELL AS, UH, AS CRIME.
UM, I BELIEVE SUBSTATIONS ALSO SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY SEEKING ASSISTANCE TO REPORT, UH, CRIMES, ENGAGE WITH, WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ENDEAVORING IN, WE'VE BEEN FOR, FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, SPEAKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PROVIDING A SUBSTATION IN THE SOUTH OF FIFTH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, OVER, OVER TIME WE'VE SEEN, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES, UH, IN, IN AREAS, UH, LIKE COLLINS PARK THAT COULD POTENTIALLY, UH, BENEFIT FROM, FROM A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.
UM, AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT THE CREATION OF THESE SUBSTATIONS WOULD ALLOW FOR QUICKER RESPONSE, UH, TIMES TO CERTAIN INCIDENTS, UH, AND HELP FACILITATE
[00:25:01]
MORE EFFICIENT INTER INTERACTION.UH, WE HAVE OUR ASSISTANT, UH, CHIEF, UH, PRESENT WITH US, AND IF YOU ALLOW ME MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE HIM, UH, TO REPORT TO US ON THE INVESTIGATORY WORK THEY'VE DONE IN THIS ITEM.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, MADAM MR. VICE CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THE ORGANIZATION MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN IS OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION, OUR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS UNIT, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCE OFFICERS, AREA CAPTAINS.
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE A, UH, NORTH END SUBSTATION, WHICH IS A OPERATIONAL SUBSTATION, WHICH TAKES WALK-IN REPORTS IN THE DAYTIME.
UM, AND IT SERVES AS A ROLL CALL FACILITY AND OFFICE FACILITY FOR OUR AREA CAPTAIN OF NORTH BEACH.
AND, UH, THE BOSTON WHALER BOAT THAT'S DOCKED AT THAT FACILITY.
UM, WE ARE OPEN TO EXPLORING THE CONCEPT AS, UH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ EXPLAINED.
HOWEVER, I, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THERE POTENTIALLY ARE SOME FINANCIAL ISSUES, UH, WITH IDENTIFYING, UH, SUITABLE LOCATIONS.
UM, SO WE'RE OPEN TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY.
AND I KNOW THAT AS A, AS AN ORGANIZATION AND, YOU KNOW, IN PREVIOUS COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE DONE, I'M SURE THAT THE CITY ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE OPEN TO LOOKING AT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO CO-LOCATE SEVERAL CITY DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO LET ME ASK YOU, IN, IN THE WORK THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE IN PREPARING FOR, FOR THIS ITEM HAS, UM, HAS, HAS THE DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIED ANY POTENTIAL CITY OWNED REAL ESTATE THAT COULD, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY, UM, BE VIABLE AT THIS TIME OR IN THE FUTURE? UM, UH, SO THAT WE COULD DEVELOP THIS IDEA FURTHER? AT THIS TIME, WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY CITY OWNED REAL ESTATE THAT WOULD BE, UH, SUITABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF, UH, ENDEAVOR.
AND ARE WE AWARE OF ANY POSSIBLE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES? I AM NOT AWARE OF THAT, NO.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE THE, UH, COLLINS PARK, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT, UH, THAT, UH, THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, AS, AS THAT GETS DEVELOPED IS SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS WE, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
THERE COULD BE POTENTIALLY AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, TO CO-LOCATE SOMETHING THERE.
I WOULD LIKE FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO, TO EXPLORE THAT.
UM, HOW ABOUT CITY HALL? YOU KNOW, CITY HALL IS IN THE CENTER OF, OF, YOU KNOW, OF OUR CITY CLOSE TO LINCOLN ROAD, UH, CLOSE TO THE CONVENTION CENTER CAMPUS.
IT'S ALSO IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO, UM, TO, TO, TO COLLINS PARK.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I SEE AS REFERENCED IN OUR, IN OUR MEMO.
UM, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT, WHY IS CITY HALL REFERENCED HERE? WHAT IS THE BENEFITS OF, OF LOCATING A SUBSTATION HERE ON THE, ON THE SURFACE? THE MAIN BENEFIT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE SECURITY SERVICES WITHIN THIS BUILDING IN SUPPORT OF OUR CIVILIAN SECURITY FORCES THAT ARE HERE.
SO, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PUBLIC OFFICIALS HERE, SO MANY PUBLIC MEETINGS HERE, HAVING A FOOTPRINT HERE IN CITY HALL PROVIDES US THE ABILITY TO RAPIDLY RESPOND AND DEAL WITH ANY KIND OF SITUATIONS THAT COME, THAT COME UP AT THIS FACILITY.
UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER CITY FACILITIES CO-LOCATED HERE AS WELL, IT PROVIDES US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY THAT A RESIDENT WHO MAY COME TO CITY HALL FOR SOME OTHER BUSINESS AND NEEDS TO MAKE AN INQUIRY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT IF WE'RE HERE IN THIS FACILITY.
UH, MAD CHAIRPERSON, IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE ADDITIONAL, UH, CONSIDERATION FOR THE CITY HALL SUBSTATION.
THERE HAVE BEEN VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDING METAL DETECTORS HERE AT CITY HALL, UH, FOR VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN VARIOUS TIMES.
AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE COULD DO THAT AND, AND, UH, AND AND COMPLY WITH THE STATE PREEMPTION OF FIREARMS IS BY CREATING A POLICE SUBSTATION WITHIN CITY HALL.
UH, IF WE DID THAT, IT WOULD MAKE THE, UH, IT WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO CARRY A FIREARM WHERE THERE IS A POLICE SUBSTATION.
AND BECAUSE WE WOULD BE ENFORCING THAT STATE LAW WITH OUR METAL DETECTORS, IF YOU MADE THE POLICY DECISION THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE METAL DETECTORS AT CITY HALL, ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS THAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH TO ACCOMPLISH THAT IS TO LOCATE A POLICE SUBSTATION HERE IN CITY HALL.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
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FOR SOUTH OF FIFTH, FOR THE SOUTH OF FIFTH NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, HAVE WE LOOKED AT ANY OPPORTUNITIES, UH, POTENTIALLY WITH THE MARINA? YES.UM, I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN VERY PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MARINA AND THE, THE COMPANY THAT'S CONTRACTED BY THE CITY TO RUN THE MARINA TO IDENTIFY SPACE AT THE MARINA THAT WE COULD UTILIZE FOR EITHER A POLICE SUBSTATION OR A CO-LOCATED FACILITY FOR OTHER CITY, UH, DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE SERVICES AS WELL.
I, I'M PERSONALLY, UH, VERY MUCH IN, IN SUPPORT OF, OF ENSURING THAT, UH, THAT IN COLLINS PARK, WHICH IS IN, IN THE HEART OF OUR CULTURAL, UH, INSTITUTIONS, UM, CITY HALL THAT IS IN, IN CITY CENTER, BUT IT'S ALSO IN SOUTH OF FIFTH, THAT WE LOOK AT THESE THREE AREAS AND SEE, AND SEE HOW, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT COULD ADVANCE A PLAN, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP THE CONCEPT, COME BACK TO US WITH A MORE, UH, WITH A MORE SUBSTANTIVE PROPOSAL, UH, IF IT'S, IF, IF IT'S ALIGNED WITH THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WELCOME THE FEEDBACK OF OUR COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UM, I AM IN AGREEMENT THOSE THREE AREAS.
I KNOW SOUTH OF FIFTH HAS WANTED A SUBSTATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I THINK THEY HAD ONE AT ONE POINT.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO BRING ONE BACK, PARTICULARLY WITH THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING AT THE MARINA.
UM, UH, VICE CHAIR SUAREZ, AND THEN COMMISSIONER BOTT.
UM, THE, THE, THERE'S A STATION FOR INTERNAL, UM, YES.
RELATIONS, INTERNAL INTERNAL AFFAIRS, 2, 2, 5, 1, UH, NEXT TO THE DOG PARK BETWEEN THE HOSTEL.
IS THAT A POSSIBLE LOCATION FOR A SUBSTATION? SO I BELIEVE THIS LOCATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE, THE, I THINK 200 BLOCK OF SECOND STREET.
UM, WE LOOKED AT THAT AS A POTENTIAL LOCATION, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN EARMARKED FOR A DIFFERENT UNIT AT THE MOMENT.
WHAT, WHAT UNIT? I, I, I CAN'T DISCLOSE A SPECIFIC UNIT BECAUSE IT'S AN INVESTIGATIVE UNIT THAT WORKS IN PLAIN CLOTHES.
SO DOESN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A, THAT LOOK? I MEAN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA IS WE WANT TO HAVE A STATION IN, IN THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AS A SUBSTATION WHERE THERE'S VISIBILITY.
AND I THINK THAT LOCATION WOULD BE PERFECT FOR SOUTH OF FIFTH IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A UNIT THAT'S GONNA BE IN PLAIN CLOTHES, AND I GUESS INVESTIGATIVE, I MEAN, YOU COULD PUT THAT ANYWHERE.
UM, SO WOULDN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO MAKE THAT THE LOCATION FOR A SUBSTATION IN SOUTH OF FIFTH WHERE WE CAN, AND THAT'S, THAT'S PUBLIC OWNED.
I MEAN, WE OWN THAT, SO THAT'LL BE A LOT QUICKER THAN ANY MARINA THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
SO WE'RE OPEN TO, TO LOOKING AT RELOCATING THAT UNIT POTENTIALLY.
UM, HOWEVER, WE RUN INTO THE SAME CONSTRAINTS THAT, THAT WE'VE RAN INTO LOOKING AT POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR, UM, SUBSTATIONS.
AND THAT'S THE LACK OF AVAILABLE REAL ESTATE TO BE ABLE TO LOCATE THAT PARTICULAR UNIT.
WELL, HOW MANY, HOW MANY OFFICERS WOULD YOU NEED IN A SUBSTATION PARTICULAR LIKE IN SOUTH OF FIFTH? IT DEPENDS ON THE LEVEL OF SERVICE WE'RE PROVIDING AT THE SUBSTATION, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GONNA BE OPEN CERTAIN HOURS OF THE DAY, OR EXPANDED HOURS.
AND WE CONTINUE TO RUN INTO POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH STAFFING, ALL THESE DIFFERENT SUBSTATIONS IF WE START TO EXPAND, UM, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE THE SAME FINITE NUMBER OF RESOURCES TO COVER ALL PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES CITYWIDE, AND THE BENEFIT OF THE SUBSTATION IS LOST IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE STAFFING IT.
WELL, AND, AND, AND IF YOU YIELD, I MEAN, IN, IN THE FUTURE, I, I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, DOLLARS, UH, THROUGH THE AGREEMENT THAT WE NEGOTIATED WITH NIKKI BEACH SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES IN THE SOUTH OF FIFTH.
I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF THE DEPARTMENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS ITEM TO COME BACK A LITTLE BIT MORE DEVELOPED.
UM, I WANT, I WANT US TO BE FULLY PREPARED, UH, TO REALLY ENGAGE IN THIS CONVERSATION, BAKE THIS OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WE'RE GIVING YOU SOME FEEDBACK, UH, AS TO POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO PERHAPS, UH, MORE SERIOUSLY LOOK AT COLLINS PARK, CITY HALL SOUTH OF FIFTH.
UM, AND I'D WELCOME ADDITIONAL THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BOTT.
SO, UH, I KNOW WE HAVE THIS CONSTANT PUSH PULL IF WE WANNA DO MORE, AND WE HAVE ONLY SO MANY RESOURCES.
I, FOR ME, AGAIN, NOT BEING A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON POLICING, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE WAY THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A FIREHOUSE, A FIRE STATION IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLOCK, THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY GO A LITTLE BIT BETTER, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT GONNA START CRIMING IF THERE ARE PEOPLE, OFFICIAL PEOPLE WATCHING YOU CRIME.
SO, UM, MY VIEW ON THIS IS THAT WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE HOTSPOTS OF TROUBLE.
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MARINA, FOR INSTANCE, WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO DO IT.AND I KNOW IT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO BRING IT ONLINE, BUT MAYBE WE COULD LEASE A RETAIL SPOT SOMEPLACE SO THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTING LIKE JERKS MAY THINK TWICE BEFORE THEY DO IT IN SUCH A FLAGRANT MANNER.
AND TO THAT END, UM, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER HOTSPOT IN THE CITY IS COLLINS PARK.
WE ARE LITERALLY ON THIS AGENDA, THERE'S AN ITEM TO DISCUSS USAGE OF THE COLLINS PARK, UM, RETAIL SPACE AND HOW TO ACTIVATE THAT.
AND MAYBE WE SUBDIVIDE IT SLIGHTLY SO THAT THERE, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A MINI POLICE STATION, RIGHT? WE WANT THIS TO BE WITH WHATEVER THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF PEOPLE IS, TWO OR THREE OR WHATEVER IT IS, UM, SO THAT IT CAN BE ON THE FLY.
BUT IT'S ALMOST LIKE, YOU KNOW, AN OUTPOST.
LIKE, DON'T BE A JERK AROUND HERE.
AND THE SAME THING GOES WITH, UM, IN NORTH BEACH WHERE ALTOS DEL MAR IS A HOTSPOT OF ALL KINDS OF NEFARIOUS DOINGS AND NOBODY'S WATCHING UP THERE.
AND WE LITERALLY JUST BOUGHT A CITY PROPERTY THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, WHAT TO DO WITH.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT FOR FINANCIAL REASONS, A LOT OF IT HAS TO GO INTO A CERTAIN DEPARTMENT, BUT WE CAN CARVE OUT AND WE CAN FIGURE OUT.
SO MY WISH WOULD BE WHEN YOU DO COME BACK TO US, THAT THOSE THREE THINGS ARE INCORPORATED INTO THE DISCUSSION AS, AS, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK AT IT, NOT AT THE EXCLUSION OF THE OTHER IDEAS, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT THOSE GET VETTED AS WELL.
BECAUSE FOR ME, IT'S MORE ABOUT SIGNALING THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT EN ENGAGED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND CAN RESPOND WITHIN SECONDS.
UM, RATHER THAN HAVING A CONTINGENT OF 20 PEOPLE THERE AT ALL TIMES.
COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, IS THIS TO COME BACK? YEAH.
OR GO TO THE FULL COMMISSION WITH THEIR, UH, RESPONSE? I'D LIKE FOR IT TO COME BACK AND I LIKE TO INCORPORATE, UH, THE PROPERTY THAT COMMISSIONER BOT HAS MENTIONED IN ALTO STILL MAR PARK.
UH, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT ASSET, UH, WHAT A BETTER USE OF THAT ASSET THAN TO DESIGNATE PERHAPS A PORTION OF IT FOR, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO YES, IF IT COULD COME BACK SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE THOROUGH, UM, SOMETHING MORE OF A PLAN, EVEN IF IT'S PHASE OUT BY FISCAL YEARS, UM, THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY REQUEST OF THE COMMITTEE CAN COMMENT.
UM, HAVE WE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, LIAISING OR REACHING OUT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR SOUTH OF FIFTH? UM, WE ARE BLESSED, AND THANK GOD THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S BEEN TRAGIC INCIDENTS, UH, AT SCHOOLS, UH, NATIONWIDE IN THE PAST A YEAR OR TWO.
BUT IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT TWO YEARS AGO IN THIS VERY COMMITTEE, WE WERE SITTING HERE, UH, GOING THROUGH, UM, SAFETY DRILLS IF, IF THERE WAS AN ACTIVE SHOOTER.
UH, SO TO HAVE A POLICE SUBSTATION AT OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE ALSO IN HIGH VISIBILITY AREAS, UH, WITHIN THE SOUTH OF FIFTH NEIGHBORHOOD JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'D BE, UH, ADDRESSING, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT ISSUES, UH, WITH ONE SOLUTION.
I KNOW AT SCHOOLS YOU'RE OFTEN SPACE CONSTRAINED, BUT I THINK THEY COULD POTENTIALLY BE VERY, UM, INTERESTED IN HAVING A POLICE SUBSTATION THERE.
UH, LEAVE THAT TO, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, UM, TERRITORIAL ISSUES, UH, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT IF I'M LOOKING AT THINGS FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PERSPECTIVE, UH, I I WOULD LOVE THE COMFORT AND SAFETY OF HAVING A POLICE SUBSTATION ON SOME OF MY PROPERTIES.
SO, UH, WE'LL BRING IT BACK, UH, IN HOW MANY MONTHS, COMMISSIONER? I WOULD LIKE FOR THE ASSISTANT CHIEF TO TELL ME HOW, SORRY.
YEAH, WE'LL BE READY FOR SEPTEMBER.
WE'LL GIVE YOU, WE'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE, IS THAT REAL LISTING FOR YOU? SEPTEMBER? WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.
[11. DISCUSS EXPANDING THE CRIME DASHBOARD, WITH PHASE 2 TO COMPRISE THE OVERLAPPING OF CRIME AND ARREST DATA, AND WITH PHASE 3 TO INCORPORATE AND MERGE CODE COMPLIANCE DATA THEREIN.]
ITEM NUMBER 11 IS DISCUSS EXPANDING THE CRIME DASHBOARD WITH PHASE TWO TO COMPROMISE THE OVERLAPPING OF THE CRIME AND ARREST DATA.AND WITH PHASE THREE TO INCORPORATE A MERGE CODE COMPLIANCE DATA THEREIN.
THIS IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER DOMING, VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ, AND COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
AND STEPHANIE, IF ANYBODY HAS PUBLIC COMMENT, DO LET ME KNOW.
UH, THIS IS AN ITEM I'VE PLACED ON THE AGENDA AND SHOULD BE RELATIVELY, UH, BRIEF.
UM, EARLIER IN, IN THE YEAR, OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, TOGETHER WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED, UH, TWO, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY DASHBOARDS.
UH, ONE IS THE MONTHLY CRIMES DASHBOARD, AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE DAILY ARREST.
UM, ONE HAD BEEN AN INITIATIVE OF MAYOR MINOR.
ANOTHER ONE HAD BEEN AN INITIATIVE OF, OF, OF MINE, UM, OBVIOUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE ENTIRE CITY COMMISSION.
UH, THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING THAT TRULY IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
UM, AND SO WHAT I, WHAT I'D LIKE TO REQUEST, UH, AND I'D LIKE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, IS
[00:40:01]
A PHASE TWO WHERE WE OVERLAP THE CRIME DATA WITH THE ARREST DATA.YOU KNOW, ONE THING IS TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE CRIME GOING ON IN YOUR, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I BELIEVE THE PUBLIC DESERVES A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ASSURITY THAT THOSE CRIMES, THERE, THERE, THERE IS AN END TO THEM THAT, THAT THOSE WHO ARE EFFECTUATING THOSE CRIMES ARE ACTUALLY GETTING ARRESTED AND SEEING IF THERE IS THAT POSSIBILITY TO OVERLAP THAT DATA.
THE THIRD PHASE, UH, THAT I'M REQUESTING AS PART OF THIS ITEM IS TO INCORPORATE AND MERGE CODE COMPLIANCE DATA WITH OUR CRIME DATA.
AND WHY AM I REQUESTING THAT? I WANNA SEE THE CORRELATION BETWEEN CERTAIN CODE VIOLATIONS AND CRIME THAT'S OCCURRING IN OUR, IN OUR CITY.
WE TRULY WANT TO, UH, ADDRESS CRIME IN OUR, IN OUR CITY.
UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT IS AN INSTRUMENT TO THAT.
UM, AND I BELIEVE, UH, IT COULD BE HELPFUL TO, TO, TO, TO OUR EFFORTS TO SEE THE OVERLAP OF THAT INFORMATION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, UM, FRANK, IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN ON THIS, IF IT'S FEASIBLE TO DO THIS, AND HOW MUCH TIME OR ANY RESOURCES YOU'D NEED FOR THIS? OKAY.
UH, SO THE, THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S FEASIBLE FOR US TO DO.
UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, OF CRIME DASHBOARDS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE ALSO, UH, WORKED WITH THE CODE DEPARTMENT EXTENSIVELY TO, TO CREATE DASHBOARDS FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRACKING, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO OVERLAP IN SOME CAPACITY.
UM, WE, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS INTERNALLY AND COMMISSIONER WITH YOURSELF OR ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED IN, IN ADDING SOME FEEDBACK TO THAT.
UM, AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO OVERLAP, THERE'S A COMBINATION OF THINGS WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
ONE IS WHETHER WE TRACK THE DATA TODAY.
IF WE DON'T, IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TRACK MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND ALSO THE, THE VISUAL ELEMENT TO IT.
SO WHILE SOME OF THIS OVERLAPPING MAY SOUND LIKE SOMETHING APPROPRIATE OR LIKE A GOOD IDEA, THE WAY THAT IT VISUALLY LAYS ON A MAP OR THAT IT VISUALLY LAYS IN A DASHBOARD MAY NOT BE THE WAY THAT WE FORESEE IT HAPPENING.
SO I, I THINK THE, THE FIRST STEP THAT WE SHOULD TAKE IS TO GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT SPECIFICS WE WOULD WANT TO DO.
PUT UP A, A MOCKUP OF THAT, DO A PROOF OF CONCEPT, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S OKAY WITH IT.
UM, WE CAN VALIDATE THE DATA AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SOME KIND OF, UH, SAMPLING FOR, FOR THE INITIATIVE.
UM, BUT WE DO, WE DO OWN ALL THIS, UH, DATA TODAY, AS LONG AS IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTROL.
SO, SO, SO, SO THE REQUEST IS FEASIBLE.
IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN, WE CAN WORK ON.
IS THERE ANY RESOURCES THAT, UM, THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MAY NEED IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, TO PUSH THIS FORWARD? UH, I'LL SAY QUITE FRANKLY, THAT THIS IS REALLY A PRIORITIZATION THING FOR US.
WE HAVE QUITE A NUMBER OF, UH, ANALYTICS AND DASHBOARDING INITIATIVES THAT WE DO, NOT JUST FOR, UH, THE COMMISSION, BUT FOR INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THERE ARE COMPONENTS OF THAT WE'RE WORKING ON SOMEWHERE ELSE, IT MAKES THINGS MUCH EASIER.
BUT I THINK ONCE WE GET THE TOTAL SCOPE TOGETHER, WE'D HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF THE TIMING FOR IT.
UM, IF WE HAVE TO DO ANY DATA SCIENCE OR MANIPULATION, YOU KNOW, NO MANIPULATION, THAT'S NOT THE THE CORRECT WORD, UM, OF ANY CREATION OF DATA SETS SPECIFIC FOR THIS THAT DON'T EXIST, THAT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.
UM, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY SHARE WHAT THE TIMELINES WOULD BE ONCE WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE, UM, THE SCOPE WOULD BE.
IT'S SEEING, SEEING NO, NO, HE HESITATION.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO, TO DO IS, UH, FOR REQUESTS FROM THIS COMMITTEE TO PASS ALONG A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION THAT WE, YOU KNOW, UH, URGE OR DIRECT THE ADMINISTRATION TO EXPAND THESE, UH, DASHBOARDS WITH PHASES TWO AND THREE THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE IN THE PROPER, UH, CONVERSATIONS THAT OUR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER JUST JUST MENTIONED.
BUT I DO THINK, ESPECIALLY OVER OVERLAPPING CODE COMPLIANCE DATA, THOSE VIOLATIONS WITH CRIME, UH, WILL CERTAINLY, UH, BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, THAT, THAT IS HELPFUL AND I'D APPRECIATE IT.
THE COMMITTEE WOULD ENTERTAIN THAT.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM,
[4. DISCUSS AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 46 OF THE CITY CODE, ENTITLED “ENVIRONMENT,” BY AMENDING ARTICLE IV, ENTITLED “NOISE,” BY AMENDING SECTION 46-152, ENTITLED “NOISES; UNNECESSARY AND EXCESSIVE PROHIBITED,” TO CORRECT A SCRIVENER’S ERROR AND TO PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION ALLOWING GOLF COURSES TO CONDUCT MAINTENANCE STARTING AT 6:00 A.M.; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
AND IT'S NUMBER FOUR.ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSS AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA.
AMENDING CHAPTER 46 OF THE CITY CODE ENTITLED ENVIRONMENT BY AMENDING ARTICLE FOUR ENTITLED NOISE BY AMENDING SECTION 46 DASH 1 52, ENTITLED NOISES, UNNECESSARY AND EXCESSIVE PROHIBITED TO CORRECT THE SCRIVENER'S ERROR, AND TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION, ALLOWING A GOLF COURSES TO CONDUCT MAINTENANCE STARTING AT 6:00 AM AND PROVIDING FOR REAPPEAL OR SEVERE ABILITY AND CODIFICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A CODE ITEM AND IT IS COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ AND COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
DO YOU WANNA TEE IT UP OR, UM, YEAH, THIS WAS DISCUSSED IN COMMITTEE BEFORE.
UH, I'LL LET HERN IN BECAUSE YOU KNOW, A LOT OF, UH, NUANCE AND
[00:45:01]
DETAILS.BUT, UH, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THERE WAS, UH, SOME DISCREPANCY IN CODE ABOUT WHAT TIME MAINTENANCE ON THE GOLF COURSES COULD START.
UH, WE RECEIVED A, A PLETHORA OF EMAILS, UH, FOR THIS ITEM STRONGLY IN SUPPORT, UH, DIDN'T RECEIVE.
I, I DON'T THINK ANY, UH, IF VERY LITTLE, UH, THAT WERE OPPOSED TO IT.
UM, SO THROUGH THE CHAIR, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO HERNAN TO PROPERLY INTRODUCE.
MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO THIS IS REALLY A HOUSEKEEPING ITEM.
THIS WAS PASSED BY COMMISSION.
IT DOES ALLOW GOLF COURSES TO START THEIR MAINTENANCE AT 5:30 AM.
UM, COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ HAD ASKED THAT WE REPORT BACK TO COMMISSION VIA THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S COMMITTEE ON WHETHER WE'VE RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS SIX MONTHS OUT.
AND, UH, THE ANSWER IS WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS.
THEN WE'LL MOVE IT TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
[3. DISCUSS THE CREATION OF CODE COMPLIANCE AREA CAPTAIN POSITIONS FOR SOUTH BEACH, MID BEACH AND NORTH BEACH.]
GO TO NUMBER THREE.ITEM NUMBER THREE IS DISCUSS THE CREATION OF CODE COMPLIANCE AREA CAPTAINS POSITIONS FOR SOUTH BEACH, MID BEACH AND NORTH BEACH.
THIS IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND CODE WILL BE PRESENTING, UH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UH, THIS IS AN ITEM I'VE PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
UH, HIS, I PERSONALLY, UH, OFTENTIMES GET COMPLAINTS SENT TO MY OFFICE, OR PHONE CALLS.
I'M SURE MANY OF YOU DO AS WELL ON CODE RELATED MATTERS THAT PERHAPS COULD BETTER BE ADDRESSED THROUGH THE EQUIVALENT OF A CAPTAIN, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, UH, WITHIN, WITHIN, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, RIGHT NOW, UH, IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE SEVERAL AREAS AND WE KNOW WHO'S IN CHARGE OF, OF THAT AREA.
WE KNOW THE CAPTAIN FOR NORTH BEACH.
WE KNOW WHO'S A CAPTAIN FOR MID BEACH.
WE KNOW WHO'S A CAPTAIN FOR THE FOR, FOR, FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
AND WE KNOW IF WE HAVE AN ISSUE IN THOSE AREAS OR THE PUBLIC HAS AN ISSUE IN THOSE AREAS, THEY KNOW TO CONTACT THEM.
THEY HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, THOSE CAPTAINS ATTEND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS.
THEY KNOW WHO ARE THE LEADERS, THEY KNOW WHO ARE THE ISSUES, AND THEY'RE ON TOP OF THOSE, WHICH HAS ALLOWED THERE TO BE, YOU KNOW, GREAT PROACTIVENESS.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES IN, IN THOSE AREAS MORE EFFICIENTLY.
I FEEL WE NEED SOMETHING SIMILAR IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
I FEEL, I FEEL THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW THAT IN CODE ENFORCEMENT, THERE IS A PERSON THAT'S IN CHARGE FOR NORTH BEACH, SO THAT WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH A RECURRING, UH, PROPERTY WITH CODE VIOLATIONS, THEY KNOW WHO IS THE PERSON CODE ENFORCEMENT THAT THEY CAN CONTACT.
THAT THAT PERSON WHO'S IN CHARGE IN NORTH BEACH OF THESE ISSUES IS THE PERSON WHO IS COMMUNICATING, UM, DOWN THE PROPER CHAIN OF COMMAND, UH, IN, IN CODE ENFORCEMENT AND LETTING, LETTING THE DIRECTOR KNOW, HEY, LISTEN, WE HAVE THIS RECURRING ISSUE WITH THIS PROPERTY AND THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I FEEL THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE THAT BETTER LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CODE ENFORCEMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS, JUST THE GENERAL COMMUNITY.
UH, SO I PROPOSED, UH, THIS IDEA OF CREATING, UM, AREA CAPTAINS FOR, FOR, FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, ONE FOR SOUTH BEACH, ONE FOR MID BEACH, ONE FOR ONE FOR NORTH BEACH.
I UNDERSTAND, UH, FROM, UH, OUR CO DIRECTOR THAT SIMILAR POSITIONS EXIST.
PERHAPS THEY'RE NOT CALLED CAPTAINS, BUT THEY ARE BROKEN BY GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.
AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE HERN AND MADAM CHAIR.
YEAH, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE ALREADY HAD THOSE POSITIONS JUST UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME, SO I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE.
SO THROUGH THE CHAIR COMMISSIONER, UM, UH, YES, WE DO HAVE THOSE POSITIONS THERE.
ACTUALLY, IT'S A CLASSIFIED POSITION.
UH, THE TITLE IS CODE COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATOR.
WE HAVE ONE FOR THE NORTH, MIDDLE SOUTH AND THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
UH, I THINK WE CAN WORK ON, UH, REALLY ALIGNING THESE ROLES MORE WITH A SPOCK, LIKE A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, HEADCOUNT OR ANY FISCAL IMPACT BY EXPANDING OUR CURRENT JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SUPERVISOR.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, MARKETING IT AND PUTTING IT OUT THERE SO THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD KNOWS WHO TO CONTACT.
UM, SO VICE CHAIR SUAREZ, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? YEAH.
UM, SIM YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS KIND OF DOVETAILS WITH COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE FOR THE AREA CAPTAINS.
UM, FOR LIKE A LIAISON, NOT A LIAISON, BUT IT'S A, WHAT, WHAT'S THE TERM? YEAH, AREA MANAGERS.
AREA MANAGERS, YOU KNOW, I ALMOST THINK IT'S REDUNDANT, SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THESE CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS COULD BE THOSE AREA MANAGERS.
WHERE, YOU KNOW, FOR LIKE GRAFFITI TRASH,
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UM, YEAH.AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN SORT OF BRIDGE THAT GAP, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THAT'S UP TO THE, THE ITEM SPONSOR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK IDEALLY WHAT WE'RE GETTING AT IS THE RESIDENTS OF MID BEACH, NORTH BEACH AND SOUTH BEACH, THEY WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE VISIBILITY AND THEY, THEY, THEY, SIMILAR TO AN AREA CAPTAIN WITH THE POLICE, THEY WANNA KNOW WHO TO GO TO AND THEY WANT SOMEONE DEDICATED TO THEIR AREA.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
UH, CO-SPONSOR WAS, UH, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD.
REALLY THE, LIKE, THE IDEA, MY BIGGEST CONCERN, AND THIS IS IN UNIQUE OR SPECIFIC TO THIS ROLE, IS OFTENTIMES, UH, I IT'S, IT'S THE SAME ACROSS, UH, PRIVATE SECTOR, PUBLIC SECTOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT I'VE SEEN, BUT IS OUR SILOED THINKING, RIGHT? AND IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AREA CAPTAINS AND THEY'RE WITHIN CODE, I DON'T WANT THEM THINKING SOLELY WITH A CODE HAT.
I WANT THEM THINKING WITH A RESIDENT HAT ON YEP.
WHERE THEY SAY, MY JOB IS CODE COMPLIANCE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IF THERE'S TRASH OVER THERE ON THAT STREET, I'M PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, I'M GONNA PICK THAT UP.
THAT MIGHT NOT BE IN MY JOB DESCRIPTION, BUT I'M GONNA PICK THAT UP IF I'M A POLICE OFFICER OR A FIREFIGHTER.
IT MIGHT NOT BE IN MY JOB DESCRIPTION, BUT I KNOW THAT, UH, A STORM'S COMING AND I'M GONNA GO OVER THERE AND GET OUT OF THAT DRAIN.
SO THIS ISN'T SPECIFIC TO ANY ONE DEPARTMENT.
IT IS JUST AN OVERALL, UH, THINKING THAT I REALLY WANT US TO START ADOPTING IS THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, RIGHT? AND YES, WE, WE HAVE OUR SPECIFIC TITLES, WE HAVE OUR SPECIFIC ROLES, BUT REALLY START THINKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH A, A TRUE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND, AND NOT JUST LOOKING AT OUR EXACT JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND SAYING, THIS IS IN MY PURVIEW.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AREA MANAGERS LIKE THIS, LET'S HAVE THEM COMPREHENSIVELY THINKING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY COULD DO, NOT JUST IN A SILOED, UH, TUNNEL VISION.
AND I THINK WE ARE ALL, UM, REALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE CO THE CONCEPT OF HAVING SOMEBODY FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD WHO CAN FOLLOW AN ISSUE FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE.
AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT IS.
AND I WOULD ACTUALLY INCLUDE IN YOUR NOTION, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE OF, OF, UM, LOOKING DIFFERENTLY OF GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
WE HAVE, UM, PEOPLE AT CITY HALL WHO ARE GREAT AT, AT BEING NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISONS IN TERMS OF, UM, ORGANIZING NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, AND MAYBE THERE'S A TOTAL RE-IMAGINATION OF THE ROLE OF, OF THOSE PEOPLE, AND I'M TRYING TO, FORGIVE ME, I'M NOT SUPER ARTICULATE TODAY.
THIS IS NOT A REFLECTION ON THE JOB THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING.
THIS IS A REFLECTION OF HOW DO WE REIMAGINE THE ROLE.
SO DO YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS, YOU HAVE ANY ISSUE WHATSOEVER TO DEAL WITH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN NORTH BEACH OR IN MID BEACH? YOU CALL THIS PERSON AND IT GETS ZIPPED OUT AND WE'VE CALLED THIS PERSON AND THEY WILL ALWAYS KNOW WHERE IT IS.
UM, AND THERE'S AN EXPECTATION OF TURNAROUND TIME AND ANSWERS AND COMPREHENSIVE, LIKE YEP, YEP, YEP.
I DUNNO HOW YOU MAKE THAT MAGICALLY HAPPEN.
BUT, UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY GO, GO BACK TO WHAT THE ORIGINAL GOAL IS AND SEE WHAT THE BEST WAY TO CREATE, UM, THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS WITH THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE IN THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, RIGHT? SO INSTEAD OF SORT OF BUBBLE GUMMING, UM, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, PLAN FOR WHAT WE WANT AND BUILD IT THAT WAY.
SO I'M VERY ENTHUSIASTIC TO HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU GUYS WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, PUT SOME THOUGHT ON IT BEFORE IT COMES BACK AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT TO STEP ON ANYBODY'S TOES, BUT, YOU KNOW, BRAINSTORMING IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, AS YOU KNOW.
UM, SO PLEASE COME BACK WITH GREAT IDEAS.
AND IF I MAY, MADAM CHAIR, YOU CAN SIGN OFF POINT.
UM, WELL, IF, IF I JUST, I JUST WANT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE HAVE THESE ADMINISTRATORS, OKAY.
THAT EXIST IN, IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
YOU KNOW, FOR ME, ONE OF THE POINTS OF CREATING THE AREA CAPTAINS WAS TO FORGE A STRONGER BOND WITH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN THE AREAS, UH, TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC ISSUES.
WHEN I LOOK AT, AT THE JOB DESCRIPTION OF CODE COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATOR, IT SPEAKS NOTHING OF THAT.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE, THE, THESE AREA ADMINISTRATORS, YOU KNOW, IT TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULING AND ASSIGNMENTS AND IT TALKS ABOUT SUPERVISING, IT TALKS ABOUT FIELD INSPECTIONS.
IT, IT SPEAKS ABOUT, UH, A NUMBER OF RESPONSIBILITIES.
IT REALLY DOESN'T SPEAK ABOUT THE PUBLIC, IT DOESN'T SPEAK ABOUT THE RESIDENTS AND THE TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH ABOUT BEING THE POINT OF CONTACT
[00:55:01]
IN CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR THOSE IN INDIVIDUALS.AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE'RE MISSING, WE'RE MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY.
THESE POSITIONS EXIST, WE'RE PAYING FOR THEM, BUT WE'RE NOT MAKING IT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE POSITIONS TO BE A, A, A, A CONDUIT BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT THE WAY.
THE WAY THAT CAPTAIN, THE, THE, UH, CAPTAINS ARE IN, IN THE, IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO I'D LIKE FOR THIS ITEM TO COME BACK.
CAN I GO TO THE FULL COMMISSION IN SEPTEMBER WITH THE REIMAGINED POSITIONS FOR US TO DISCUSS? I DON'T THINK IT'S READY FOR THE FULL COMMISSION.
UM, I, I REALLY WANT THIS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S MEANINGFUL.
SO, UM, AND THROUGH THE CHAIR OF MR. COMMISSIONER.
YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE OPENED UP WITH, IS THAT I THINK WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH THE EXISTING POSITIONS BY EXPANSION OF THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THAT JOB DESCRIPTION AND EXPAND THE ROLE OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SUPERVISOR.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BEFORE IT COMES BACK TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE.
UH, SO THAT, SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE IT'S ALIGNED WITH THE VISION FOR THE POSITION.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
SO, UH, HERNAN, BRING THIS BACK IN
[9. DISCUSS THE OPTIONS FOR ESTABLISHING LIVE ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS OUTREACH SERVICES DURING AFTER HOURS]
SEPTEMBER AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER NINE.ITEM NUMBER NINE IS EXPLORE AND PROVIDE OPTIONS FOR ESTABLISHING LIVE ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS OUTREACH SERVICES DURING AFTER HOURS.
THIS IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND ALBA WILL BE PRESENTING COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UM, SO THIS IS AN ITEM I'VE PLACED ON THE, ON THE AGENDA.
CLEARLY, OUR CITY HAS TAKEN THE LEAD ON PROVIDING, UM, VERY ROBUST EFFORTS AS, AS IT RELATES TO, TO, TO HOMELESS ISSUES.
UH, WE'VE PASSED A NUMBER OF POLICIES TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES OF, FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AS IT RELATES TO HOMELESSNESS FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR OUR PRIVATE RESIDENTS, IN ADDITION TO THE HOMELESS SERVICES, UH, THAT OUR OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES PROVIDES.
UM, THE REASON WHY I PLACED THIS ON THE, ON THE AGENDA IS 'CAUSE I, I DO BELIEVE WE TRY TO BE VERY COMPASSIONATE, UH, WITH, WITH THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO, TO THE HOMELESS.
UM, NOT WITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A, A CAMPING ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRES FOR THERE TO BE AN ARREST.
UM, IF AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, DENIES PLACEMENT, UH, INTO INTO SERVICES, WE, THE INTENT IS TO ENCOURAGE THE INDIVIDUAL TO RECEIVE THESE SERVICES, TO ACCEPT PLACEMENT, TO ENCOURAGE THE INDIVIDUAL NOT TO BE SLEEPING ON THE STREETS OR, AND NOT TO BE EXPOSED, UH, TO THE FIELD, TO THE CRIMINALITY, UM, TO THE ILLNESSES THAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO ON, ON THE STREETS.
SO MY, MY INTENT HERE IS TO OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE, OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE SO THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS NOT TO BE ON THE STREETS, BUT IN A MORE COMPASSIONATE WAY SOMETIMES TO THE TELLING THE HOMELESS IN INDIVIDUAL, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SEND YOU OVER TO MIAMI.
WE'RE GONNA SEND YOU OVER TO, UM, MIAMI RESCUE MISSION.
WE'RE GONNA SEND YOU OVER TO CAMILLA'S HOUSE.
SOMETIMES THAT'S NOT THE SOLUTION.
SOMETIMES THAT'S TOO MUCH OF A STRUCTURE FOR THEM.
BUT THERE MIGHT STILL BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN THE DOOR OF ENGAGEMENT, TO BUILD THE RELATIONSHIP, TO GET TO KNOW THE ISSUES THAT THIS HOMELESS PERSON IS, IS FACING WITHOUT SENDING THEM, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY INTO THAT STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO, UH, THRIVE IN.
SO, I WANNA RECOGNIZE ALBA, THE DIRECTOR OF OUR OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, TO GUIDE US A LITTLE BIT THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION TO TELL US WHAT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS MAY BE SO THAT WE CAN OPEN THE DOOR OPEN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO GET THEM OFF THE STREET THROUGH AN AVENUE, UM, THAT MIGHT NOT BE AN, AN ARREST IF THAT AVENUE EXISTS.
ALBA RE, OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AS IT RELATES TO, TO OUR LIVE ASSISTANCE THAT WE OFFER FOR HOMELESS OUTREACH.
UM, OUR SERVICES, UH, WE CURRENTLY RESPOND TO CALLS DURING OPERATING HOURS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FROM SEVEN 30 TO 4:00 PM THURSDAY AND SUNDAY FROM SEVEN 30 TO 6:00 PM OUTSIDE OF REGULAR AND EXTENDED OFFICE HOURS, OUR HOMELESS CONCERNS ARE OFTEN REPORTED TO THE CITY'S NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER.
WE HAVE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO ALSO HAS ACCESS TO AFTER HOUR PLACEMENTS BEDS, AS
[01:00:01]
WELL AS SPECIALIZED OUTREACH THAT IS OFFERED THROUGH NEW HOPE.UM, IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THE, UH, TO ADDRESS THE IDENTIFIED NEED OF PHONE COVERAGE, WHICH COULD BE POTENTIALLY AN AVENUE, AS THE COMMISSIONER WAS SAYING, TO ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS TO SEEK SERVICES, UM, FOR, UH, THROUGH OUR HOMELESS MAINLINE, UH, DURING THE EVENING OFF HOURS, THE ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING WORKING WITH THE CITY'S INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION TO REROUTE THE HOMELESS SERVICES MAINLINE AFTER HOURS TO THE CITY'S NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER TO BE ABLE TO DISPATCH THE NECESSARY OUTREACH THAT MAY BE NEEDED.
MADAM CHAIR, I WANNA APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I SPOKE ABOUT THE DROP IN CENTER.
AND, AND ALBA AND ALBA JUST, YOU KNOW, SHE JUST ROLLED WITH IT BEING THE PRO THAT SHE IS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALL INTERTWINED WHEN YOU REALLY COME TO THINK ABOUT IT WHENEVER IT COMES TO SERVICES.
STEPHANIE CAN CALL THE OTHER ITEMS SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM DONE TOGETHER.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL BOTH ITEMS TOGETHER.
I'LL PUT THAT IN THE AFTER ACTION.
[10. DISCUSSION REGARDING ESTABLISHING A NIGHTTIME DROP-IN CENTER FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN MIAMI BEACH.]
NUMBER 10, EXPLORE AND PROVIDE OPTIONS FOR ESTABLISHING A NIGHTTIME DROP IN CENTER IN MIAMI BEACH.SO NOW ADDRESSING THE NIGHTTIME AFTER OUR, UH, CENTER THROUGH OUR RESEARCH, WE FOUND THAT THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO NIGHTTIME DROP-IN CENTERS IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
UH, THE DROP-IN CENTERS, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND, TRADITIONALLY OPERATE DURING THE DAY.
OUR TEAM MET WITH FACILITIES IN FLEET TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL PHYSICAL LOCATIONS AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF MOBILE SITES.
UH, WE WOULD NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, FIRST AND FOREMOST THE SERVICES AND THE HOURS OF OPERATIONS THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO PROVIDE AT THE NIGHTTIME DROP-IN CENTER, UH, AND WHETHER THE DIRECTION IS TO EXPLORE SOLELY PHYSICAL SITES AS, OR, UH, POTENTIALLY MOBILE OPTIONS AS WELL.
IN BOTH CONSIDERATIONS, THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS THROUGH OUR RESEARCH THAT WE FOUND IS HAVING ADEQUATE STAFFING AS SECURITY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, CLEANING SERVICES.
SO, SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF FORTUITOUS FOR THESE TWO ITEMS TO COME TOGETHER.
AND I, AND MADAM JARGON, I APOLOGIZE.
UM, I HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH COFFEE YET THIS MORNING.
CLEARLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHAT ARE THE OFFICE HOURS FOR OUR, UM, FOR OUR OFFICE OF HOMELESS OUTREACH SERVICES? SO OUR WALK-IN CENTER OPERATES FROM SEVEN 30 TO THREE 30.
OUR WALK-IN CENTER IS A PHYSICAL LOCATION WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN COME IN TO SEEK SERVICES.
THEY CAN COME IN FOR A SHELTER, FAMILY REUNIFICATION, AND THEN WE OFFER THE OUTREACH PORTION OKAY.
AND GENERALLY WE'RE ANSWERING CALLS TILL 4:00 PM AND THEN YOU TRANSFER TO A CELL PHONE UNTIL 6:00 PM IS THAT CORRECT? ON FROM THURSDAY TO SUNDAY, WHICH IS WHEN OUR EXTENDED TEAM WORKS TILL 6:00 PM CORRECT.
AND THEN WEEKENDS AS WELL, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ANSWERING CALLS TILL 6:00 PM CORRECT.
BUT THEN THERE'S A CUTOFF, AND THEN THERE'S A CUTOFF FROM 6:00 PM ON THAT, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS DON'T HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE TO ACCESS, OR THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T HAVE SOMEONE TO CONTACT IN THE EVENT THAT THEY ENCOUNTER A PERSON WITH HOMELESS ISSUES.
YOU CALL THE NUMBER, UH, ON, ON THE SIGNS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY ON THE WEEKENDS OR, OR AFTER HOURS, AND YOU GET A VOICEMAIL.
UM, AND LIKEWISE, IF A HOMELESS IN INDIVIDUAL GOES TO THE DROP-IN CENTER, THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE IS CLOSE TO AFTER, AFTER THREE 30, YOU KNOW, THAT TO ME IS CONCERNING BECAUSE IF, I'M SURE IF WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OF OUR, UH, CAMPING ENFORCEMENT, I WOULD IMAGINE PROBABLY THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT IS AT NIGHT.
AND THAT'S PERHAPS WHEN THE GREATEST NEED FOR THESE SERVICES EXIST.
THAT IS PERHAPS WHEN, UH, WHEN INDIVIDUALS COULD BENEFIT MOST FROM THE SERVICES BEING OFFERED, UH, BY OUR OFFICE OF HOUSING AND, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES.
AND THAT'S PERHAPS WHEN THEY'RE MOST VULNERABLE.
AND SO, AND SO, I LOVE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR, FROM OUR COMMITTEE, FROM MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE AN APPETITE TO EXTEND THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE INTO THE NIGHTTIME HOURS? I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN I GOT ELECTED, ONE OF MY FRUSTRATIONS WAS THAT THE OUTREACH WE WERE DOING, WE WERE ONLY DOING OUTREACH.
IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAYS, NINE TO FIVE, AND WE WERE DOING NOTHING ON WEEKENDS AND THAT, SO ONE FISCAL YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO EXPAND IT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, GET STAFFING TO EXTEND INTO EVENING HOURS.
AND THEN WE STARTED TO SEE AN IMPROVEMENT ON HOMELESS ISSUES WHEN WE EXTENDED THOSE, UH, SERVICES INTO THE EVENING HOURS BECAUSE WE WERE ENGAGING WITH THE POPULATION WHEN THEY'RE AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE.
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AND THEN IN ANOTHER FISCAL YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO EXTEND THE SERVICES INTO THE WEEKENDS, BECAUSE CLEARLY WE KNOW HOMELESSNESS IS NOT AN ISSUE.THAT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, DURING WORKING HOURS OR DURING THE WEEK, WE NEEDED WEEKEND SERVICES AS WELL.
BUT HAVING A PHYSICAL LOCATION AND HAVING A LINE THAT CAN BE ACCESSED, UH, AFTER HOURS AND WEEKENDS, I DO BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT.
VICE CHAIR, UH, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, SO I, I JUST WANT TO, I KINDA WANNA WRAP MY HANDS AROUND THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, MAYBE I CAN ASK COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UH, SO IS THIS, IS THE REQUEST TO SIMPLY EXTEND THE HOURS, THE OPERATING HOURS OF THE CURRENT HOMELESS CENTER THAT WE HAVE? OR IS IT TO OPEN UP A CENTER OR ALLOW THEM TO DROP IN TO PERHAPS SLEEP, UH, OR, OR SEEK SHELTER DURING, DURING EVENING HOURS? UM, UM, I JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARIFICATION THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, I THINK AT, I THINK AT MINIMUM WE NEED TO, AT MINIMUM TO EXTEND THE HOURS OF THE, OF THE OFFICE OF, OF, OF HOMELESS OUTREACH SERVICES THAT IS AT MINIMUM.
UM, BUT I DO, I DO THINK WE SHOULD BE IDENTIFYING, UH, AN AREA WHERE, WHERE HOMELESS INDI INDIVIDUALS CAN SLEEP SAFELY.
UM, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT NOT ALL HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, LIKE THE TRANSGENDER, UH, WOMAN THAT WAS, UH, KILLED, ANDREA, UH, NOT ALL HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE FITTING THE STRUCTURE OF, UH, OF THE HOMELESS SHELTERS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
AND THEY'RE ONLY ALTERNATIVE ANDS UP THEN BEING SLEEPING ON THE STREETS.
AND UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY END UP BECOMING, YOU KNOW, A, A SUBJECT OF, OF, OF, OF AN ARREST.
AND I FEEL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S WORK FOR US TO, TO BE DONE, BUT AT MINIMUM, AT THE VERY MINIMUM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A LOCATION THAT THEY CAN GO TO AFTER HOURS, THAT IF THEY DON'T WANT TO BE SLEEPING ON THE STREETS WHERE THEY CAN GO TO AND REQUEST ASSISTANCE WITHOUT IT HAVING TO BE A HOMELESS OUTREACH OFFICER, REACHING OUT TO THEM AND OFFERING THEM SERVICE COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
CAN I JUST HOLD, MAY I FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, JOE? UM, THANK YOU.
I, I JUST WANNA GIVE A COUPLE OF MY THOUGHTS ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I, I COULD BE INTERESTED, I COULD BE ENTERTAINED ON EXTENDING THE HOURS.
I, I DO THINK THREE 30 IS A LITTLE SHORT.
UM, BUT I THINK WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL WITH ANY, WITH THE IDEA OF PROVIDING A, A SHELTER IN MIAMI BEACH AFTER A CERTAIN TIME FOR HOMELESS TO SLEEP.
AS I THINK ALBO, I THINK WHAT YOU MENTIONED WAS THAT THERE ARE NO NIGHTTIME, UH, CENTERS IN, IN, IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
I THINK THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THERE WANTS TO BE A CITY THAT ENCOURAGES HOMELESS TO COME, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ARE CONNECTED.
THEY ALL HAVE CELL PHONES, COMPUTERS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND ONCE WARD GETS OUT THAT, HEY, YOU CAN MOVE TO MIAMI BEACH, UH, AND YOU GOTTA, YOU GOT A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A, A LIST OF A HOST OF OTHER SERVICES, YOU KNOW, WE POTENTIALLY MIGHT BE INVITING A LOT MORE HOMELESS TO COME TO MIAMI BEACH.
UM, AND, AND I, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I'M OKAY WITH, UH, CER CERTAINLY HAVING, UH, AN OUTREACH PHONE NUMBER OR EXTENDING HOURS TO, TO ALLOW, UH, SOME COMMUNICATION ON, ON, ON SERVICES AND WHERE THEY CAN GET SERVICES.
BUT I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO ENABLE A HOMELESS INCREASED HOMELESSNESS, UH, TO COME TO MIAMI BEACH, UH, BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE GET EMAILS EVERY DAY ABOUT IT.
AND SO I, I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE COMPASSION AND THE IDEA OF, OF PROVIDING HELP TO PEOPLE WHO, WHO, YOU KNOW, WHO REALLY NEED IT.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL ABOUT ENABLING, UM, ENABLING, UH, HOMELESSNESS IN MIAMI BEACH COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
I'M FINE EXTENDING THE HOTLINE HOURS FOR OUTREACH, BUT SOME SORT OF DROP IN CENTER THAT IS THE ONLY IN SOUTH FLORIDA IS UNFATHOMABLE.
I AM AS COMPASSIONATE AS IT COMES, BUT I'M COMPASSIONATE TO OUR RESIDENTS, FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND
[01:10:01]
I HAVE RARELY TALKED ABOUT THIS AND HAVE NEVER POLITICIZED IT, BUT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I HAD A GUN POINTED AT MY CHEST IN THE HOME WHERE I'M RAISING MY 7-YEAR-OLD CHILD BY A HOMELESS PERSON SITTING HERE PREYING ON OUR COMMUNITY.AND THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE WORLD FOUR DAYS LATER CAUGHT THAT PERSON ON OUR STREETS WITH A LOADED GUN WITH A ROUND IN THE CHAMBER, AND HE WAS SMOKING METH AMPHETAMINE.
THERE WAS NOTHING THAT PREVENTED HIM FROM PULLING THAT TRIGGER THAT MORNING.
MY DAUGHTER WAKING UP WITHOUT A FATHER.
WE JUST HAD A HOMELESS PERSON BEAT SOMEBODY TO DEATH ON OCEAN DRIVE, AND WE'RE GOING TO BECOME THE ONLY DROP-IN CENTER IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
IF WE HAD PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE TRULY DOWN ON THEIR LUCK FOR ECONOMIC REASONS, FOR LIFE REASONS, WE'RE COMPASSIONATE CITY AND WE HELP THEM, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF HOMELESS IN OUR CITY ARE NOT THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEED JUST AN EXTRA PUSH OR NEED EXTRA COMPASSION, JUST LIKE THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS HERE FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN TO PREY ON OUR COMMUNITY, CAUGHT ON VIDEO WITH HIS HANDGUN OUTSIDE OF 1200 WEST AVENUE, ALL UP AND DOWN WEST AVENUE.
WHAT HE DID TO ME, HE COULD HAVE DONE TO ANY YOUNG GIRL, ANY MOTHER.
AND THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED A HUNDRED TIMES OVER THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
SO I NEED AN EXPLANATION ABOUT HOW WE ARE DEVIATING SO MUCH FROM WHAT OUR POLICY HAS BEEN.
AND I NEED SOMEBODY TO TELL ME WHERE THERE IS NOT A CLEAR CORRELATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY ABOUT EXTENDING AND ENHANCING SERVICES LIKE THIS AND INCREASING AND ATTRACTING HOMELESSNESS.
WE SEE OUT ON THE WEST COAST, THE CITIES THAT ARE GETTING DEAD WRONG AND WHAT IT IS DOING, AND WE SEE THE PLACES THAT ARE GETTING IT RIGHT.
SO I AM AS COMPASSIONATE AS IT COMES, BUT LIKE IN ANYTHING ELSE, YOU NEED TO WEIGH THE GREATER GOOD AND THE MOST PEOPLE YOU'RE BEING COMPASSIONATE FOR.
AND I COULD NOT LOOK AT MY 87,000 RESIDENTS AND THE MILLIONS OF TOURISTS THAT COME HERE AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE THE ONLY HOMELESS DROP-IN CENTER IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
'CAUSE THOSE TWO THINGS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
I'M SORRY FOR GETTING EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS ITEM, BUT THIS IS A HUGE DEVIATION.
AND I'M COMPASSIONATE TO THE PEOPLE THAT I'M ELECTED TO REPRESENT MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE NEED TO KEEP SAFE.
AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE WAY TO DO SO.
SO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO WITH THIS ITEM? I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE EXTENDING THE, THE FIRST ITEM WE TALKED ABOUT ITEM NINE, IS IT? YEAH.
UH, EXTENDING THE AFTER HOURS OUTREACH AND LIVE ASSISTANCE, BECAUSE WE DO NEED, AMANDA, DO YOU NEED TO COME UP AND MAKE I DO, I HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT.
WELL, MADAM CHAIR, IF, IF, IF I MAY, BECAUSE I WAS ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATION AND I'D LIKE TO RESPOND.
UM, FIRST, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I, I THINK WE, WE ARE, WE'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY ALERT OF THE, OF THE SITUATION THAT YOU EXPERIENCED.
UH, AND, AND CERTAINLY YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR FRUSTRATION, UH, AND YOUR PASSION IS, IS, IS VERY MUCH, UM, APPRECIATED.
YOU KNOW, YOUR LIFE COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND, UH, AND, AND IN RESPONSE TO, TO THAT, WE'RE WORKING ON LEGISLATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, ARMED WITH, UH, WITH, WITH THE RECENT RULING FROM THE SUPREME COURT TO ENHANCE OUR CAMPING ORDINANCE.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY INDIVIDUALS LIKE THIS WHO ARE, UH, CRIMINALS WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS CATEGORY, WILL BE ABLE TO BE MORE ROBUST IN OUR ENFORCEMENT, UH, AND OUR ACTIONS AGAINST THEM, UH, USING THE, UH, CAMPING ORDINANCE AND THE, AND, AND THE NEW RULING FROM, FROM THE SUPREME COURT.
THE REALITY IS THAT WE HAVE DROP-IN CENTERS.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE DROP-IN CENTER IS? THE GUIDE IS DEFECATING IN FRONT OF CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY ON THE BEACH WALK.
AND THAT TO ME IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
IT'S THE WOMAN THAT'S EXPOSED NAKED AT THE BEACH SHOWER BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T HAVE A DIGNIFIED PLACE TO, TO TAKE A SHOWER.
AND ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND ALL OF OUR TAXPAYERS ARE SEEING THIS WHEN THEY COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
[01:15:01]
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S WORTHY OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE TAXPAYERS OF, OF THE CITY, OF, OF, OF MIAMI BEACH.AND SO, IF WE ARE OKAY WITH, WITH THE OPTION BEING AFTER, AFTER HOURS FOR PEOPLE TO BE URINATING, DEFECATING, AND SLEEPING OUTSIDE OF WHERE OUR RESIDENTS ARE SLEEPING ON OUR BEACH ENTRANCES, UH, BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH ENFORCEMENT WE TRY TO DO, THE ENFORCEMENT WON'T BE ENOUGH.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BODIES TO BE ARRESTING HOMELESS IN, IN INDIVIDUALS.
AND THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT AT NIGHT MIGHT BE WILLING TO ACCEPT SERVICES, BUT WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, OKAY, I'M APPROACHING YOU BECAUSE I WANT TO ACCEPT SERVICES THAT DOESN'T EXIST.
THE ONLY OPTION THAT THEY HAVE IS THAT IF WE ENGAGE THEM, BUT WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM THE OPTION OF ENGAGING US AFTER HOURS.
THAT'S THE VOID THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN OUR CITY.
AND WHAT WE'VE CREATED IS THAT IN THAT VOID, WHAT WE'RE TELLING THIS POPULATION IS, YEAH, SLEEP ON THE SIDEWALK, SLEEP ON THE, ON THE BUS BENCH, URINATE OUTSIDE WHERE, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE I LIVE AS I SEE ON, ON THE COMMISSIONER.
I MEAN, I THOUGHT VICE CHARLES, YOU KNOW, I, I, I KNOW HOMELESSNESS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND WE NEED TO COME TO OUR DECISION.
UM, LOOK, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I COME FROM THE BELIEF THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU MAKE IT EASY AND YOU MAKE IT VERY COMFORTABLE FOR, FOR HOMELESS TO BE HERE, MORE WILL COME.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR TAXPAYERS AND THE RESIDENTS HERE, YOU KNOW, SHOULDN'T BE BURDENED WITH PAYING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT RESIDENTS HERE AND WHO DO NOT, WHO DO NOT TECHNICALLY RESIDE AND VOTE IN MIAMI BEACH.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN ALBA CAN ATTEST TO THIS, UH, AT LEAST THE, THE LONG TERM HOMELESS.
THEY, THEY PREFER TO BE ON THE STREETS AND LIVE FOR FREE.
UH, IT, IT IS A FREE LIFESTYLE, AND THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY, NO STRUCTURE, AND FOR US TO EVEN CONSIDER TO ENABLE MORE OF THAT, WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE POTENTIALLY INVITING MORE HOMELESSNESS TO MIAMI BEACH, I THINK IS UNFATHOMABLE.
AND, UM, I THINK WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL ON, ON HOW TO BE COMPASSIONATE, BUT ALSO BE TO, TO REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO NOT HAVE HOMELESSNESS IN MIAMI BEACH.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO WITH THESE TWO ITEMS? SO, I'LL MAKE A MOTION ON NUMBER NINE TO EXTEND THE, UH, OUTREACH, UH, HOTLINE, THE LIVE HOTLINE.
ARE YOU IN FAVOR? I THINK IT'S WHAT TIME? 30 WHAT TIME? UNTIL WHAT TIME? UH, I WANT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
WE CAN, WE, WELL, WE'RE WORKING WITH IT AND, UM, PUBLIC TO SPEAK.
KEN COMMUNICATIONS IS TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFER THE LINE, AND THEN FROM THERE, ONCE OUR OFFICE IS OPERATIONAL, THEN OUR STAFF WOULD BE PICKING IT UP, SO THROUGHOUT THE, THE ENTIRE NIGHT.
AND THEN ON THE OTHER ITEM, THEN, UM, I'LL LET SOMEBODY ELSE, UH, I, I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
ARE YOU SUPPORTIVE? ARE WE ABLE TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT QUICKLY? OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT, SO A NO ON NUMBER 10.
AND THEN DON'T YOU WANNA HEAR ME SPEAK FIRST? OF COURSE.
UM, I'M OFFICIALLY HERE ON BEHALF OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE.
UM, WE SUPPORT THE EFFORTS THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING NOW TO ADDRESS THE UNHOUSED ISSUE.
UM, BUT WE DO URGE THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD, ADDING A DROP IN CENTER.
THE CITY'S HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB, AND WE SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS TO OPEN A PLACE FOR THE HOMELESS OR THE UNHOUSED TO GO AT NIGHT.
HOMELESSNESS IS A COUNTRYWIDE PROBLEM, AND WE CAN CHAMPION IT AS A PROGRESSIVE AND OPEN CITY.
MOVING FORWARD WITH A DROP IN CENTER CAN ASSIST HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS. THE LGBTQIA PLUS YOUTH AND MENTALLY ILL DROP-IN CENTERS ARE IN MOST METROPOLITAN CITIES.
[01:20:01]
UM, NEW YORK, UH, HOUSTON, WHO'S CHAMPIONED THE HOMELESS ISSUE, UH, SAN FRANCISCO ALL OVER EXCEPT FLORIDA.UM, UH, DROP-IN CENTERS WOULD HELP GET HOMELESS OFF THE STREETS.
AS COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ SAID, THEY DON'T HAVE PLACES TO SHOWER.
THEY GO TO THE BATHROOM ON THE STREET.
THIS WOULD JUST TAKE THEM OFF DROP IN.
NIGHTTIME CENTERS ARE NOT SHELTERS.
THEY DON'T ALLOW PEOPLE TO SLEEP.
THEY ALLOW THEM TO HAVE A CHAIR.
THEY GIVE THEM SOMEWHERE TO CLEAN THEIR CLOTHES IN A LAUNDRY MACHINE, SO THEY DON'T SMELL ON OUR STREETS.
THEY GIVE THEM PLACES TO EAT FOOD.
THEY GIVE THEM WIFI, THEY GIVE 'EM PLACES TO CHARGE THEIR PHONES, WHICH, UM, MR. SUAREZ, YOU'VE SAID, THEY GO ON LINCOLN ROAD AND CHARGE THEIR PHONES AND SIT THERE.
SO THIS WOULD ELIMINATE ALL OF THESE THINGS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT THERE TO SLEEP.
THEY'RE JUST THERE TO BE SAFE AND TO GET OUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
I BASICALLY HAVE A DROP IN CENTER.
I LIVE ON WEST AVENUE, AND RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE JEWISH BOYS SCHOOL.
PEOPLE PUT HAMMOCKS UP EVERY NIGHT, AND THEY'RE YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT THEY SLEEP THERE.
I KNOW THAT WE SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE HOMELESS ELBOW.
UH, WE HAVE AN OUTREACH PROGRAM, SO WE ARE BEING COMPASSIONATE WITH THEM.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON WITH THESE TWO ITEMS. NEXT ITEM IS NUMBER 19.
NO, UH, 19 HAS A TIME SHARING FOR 1230.
[13. DISCUSSION REGARDING CO-NAMING 15TH STREET BETWEEN OCEAN DRIVE AND BAY ROAD IN HONOR OF FORMER CITY MAYOR MATTI HERRERA BOWER.]
13, WHICH WOULD BE DISCUSSION REGARDING CONA 15TH STREET IN HONOR OF FORMER CITY MA MAYOR MADDIE HERRERA BAUER.AND IT IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, YOUR LAST ITEM HERE.
UH, I THINK, I THINK THIS ITEM, UH, SPEAKS, UH, FOR ITSELF.
UH, I THINK WE ALL KNOW, UH, MAYOR BAUER, UH, THE DEDICATION SHE'S GIVEN TO OUR CITY, THE INSPIRATION SHE'S BEEN TO MANY OF US, HER LONG TENURE OF SERVICE AS AN ACTIVIST FOR PRESERVATION FOR THE ELDERLY, UH, MORE RECENTLY AND ALWAYS, QUITE FRANKLY, HER, UH, LEADERSHIP IN PTAS FIGHTING FOR EDUCATION.
THE, THE, THE, THE IMPORTANT ROLE SHE PLAYED AS THE FIRST, UH, FEMALE AND THE FIRST HISPANIC ELECTED, UH, TO BE THE MAYOR OF OUR CITY.
AND JUST, YOU KNOW, HER LIST OF, OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHILE IN OFFICE ARE JUST TOO MANY TO NAME.
UM, AND I, I WANT TO PROPOSE, UH, CONA 15TH STREET, UH, FROM OCEAN DRIVE TO BAY ROAD IN HER HONOR AND HONOR OF MAYOR MADI HERRERA BAUER.
AND I'D APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THIS COMMITTEE.
UH, COMMISSIONER OF MAGAZINE, SOMETIMES SAYING LESS IS MORE.
AND IF I STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UH, I WOULD UNDERS SERVE HER.
SO I, I WILL JUST SAY, UH, IN SUMMATION, INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE.
ALRIGHT, ARE YOU MOVING THE ITEM? SURE.
AND, UH, AND THEN WE'LL ASK ANY PUBLIC COMMENT WHEN HE COMES BACK.
UH,
MITCH, IF YOU COULD PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
AND GOOD MORNING, MITCH NOVIK, 36 YEAR RESIDENT.
UH, 35 YEARS AGO, STEVE MUSK, THE, UH, OWNER OF THE FOUNTAIN BLUE, HAD THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, THE RENOVATED, NEWLY RENOVATED CONVENTION CENTER NAMED AFTER HIM.
THE PUBLIC OUTROAR, UH, UH, CAUSED STEVE, UH, MUST TO A MA AGAIN, A MAN OF HIGH INTEGRITY TO REQUEST HIS NAME, BE TAKEN OFF THE FACILITY.
AND MOVING FORWARD, WE HAD A TENNIS STADIUM IN FLAMINGO PARK NAMED AFTER A BANKER WHOSE INDISCRETIONS HAS HAD EMERGED.
AND, UH, AGAIN, PUBLIC UPROAR, REMOVERS NAME.
ULTIMATELY, THE TENNIS STADIUM WAS, UH, DEMOLISHED.
I WOULD JUST REQUEST THAT NO PUBLIC FACILITIES SHOULD BE NAMED AFTER ANYONE WHO'S STILL ALIVE.
UH, UH, I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR, UH, FORMER MAYOR BAUER, BUT I, I, I FIND NAMING, AGAIN, NAMING BUILDINGS AGAINST, UH, FOR, UH, UH, FOUR PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE, IS JUST BAD POLICY.
[14. DISCUSSION REGARDING CO-NAMING 9TH STREET BETWEEN OCEAN DRIVE AND WEST AVENUE IN HONOR OF FORMER CITY COMMISSIONER AND PRESERVATIONIST NANCY LIEBMAN.]
NUMBER 14.ITEM NUMBER 14 IS DISCUSSION REGARDING CONA OF NINTH STREET BETWEEN OCEAN DRIVE AND BAY ROAD, IN HONOR OF FORMER CITY COMMISSIONER AND PRESERVATIONIST, NANCY LIEMAN.
AND THIS IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER BACH.
[01:25:01]
UM, WELL, IF, IF YOU DON'T KNOW NANCY LIEMAN, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN TOWN LONG ENOUGH, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT NANCY.SHE IS A TOUGH COOKIE, AND THAT IS PART OF HER INCREDIBLE CHARM AND POWER.
SHE HAS BEEN A STAUNCH ADVOCATE FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF RESIDENTS AND, AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, SERVING BOTH AS AN ACTIVIST, UM, AS A COMMISSIONER, TWO-TERM COMMISSIONER AS THE, UH, THE HEAD OF MIAMI DESIGN PRESERVATION LEAGUE.
SHE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN, UM, PRESERVING AND REACTIVATING THE MIMO CORRIDOR ON BISCAYNE BOULEVARD.
EVEN THOUGH WE LIKE TO PRETEND WE'RE THE ONLY THING IN TOWN.
UM, THERE IS GORGEOUS MIMO ARCHITECTURE ON THE MAINLAND AS WELL.
NANCY, UH, CO-FOUNDED WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS OF MIAMI BEACH, UNITED AND LOVETT, OR HATE IT, MIAMI BEACH UNITED IS AN INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATION FOR THE FORCE OF, UH, GOOD IN THE CITY, PUTTING RESIDENTS FIRST.
AND IT'S A GREAT TRAINING GROUND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH, UM, AND LEARNING HOW TO BE ACTIVISTS.
UM, AND I HEAR WHAT MITCH IS SAYING, AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, HIS CONCERNS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT NANCY UNDERSTANDS HOW VALUED SHE IS IN THE CITY FOR ALL OF HER CONTRIBUTIONS BEFORE.
WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO HONOR HER.
UH, I'D LIKE TO CO-SPONSOR THIS ITEM AND THE PREVIOUS ITEM AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN LET'S SEE IF WE HAVE A VOTE.
SUAREZ, WILL YOU MOVE THIS ITEM? YEP.
AND MAG COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
WE'LL MAKE SURE, UM, AND THEN WE WILL, UH, MOVE ALONG TO ITEM
[15. DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION ON INCREASING VISIBILITY FOR CROSSWALKS IN SCHOOL ZONES TO INCREASE STUDENT SAFETY.]
NUMBER 15, PLEASE.I, I WILL, UH, OUT OF RESPECT, I'LL ECHO THE SAME EXACT COMMENTS THAT I MADE FOR THE LAST ITEM, AND JUST EXTRAPOLATE THAT TO MS. LIEMAN, UH, A TRUE TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE'LL GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER 15.
ITEM NUMBER 15 IS TAKE ACTION ON INCREASING VISIBILITY FOR CROSSWALKS IN SCHOOL ZONES TO INCREASE STUDENT SAFETY.
AND THIS IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND TRANSPORTATION WILL HANDLE.
UM, IT GOES TO ONE OF THE EARLIER TRANSPORTATION ITEMS THAT WE HAD ON, UH, ON PINE TREE DRIVE.
UH, WE JUST SAW A TRAFFIC FATALITY THIS MORNING, I BELIEVE, ON 63RD.
AND ALTON, UH, WHEN YOU GO TO ANY OF THESE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION COMMUNITIES, WNA, UH, SONA, SOME OF THE OTHERS, THEY ARE ALL TALKING ABOUT WANTING TO FEEL MORE SAFE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALKS.
WE'RE LOOKING TO DO BLUE ZONE CITIES, UH, UH, REDUCE EMISSIONS BY PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF THEIR CARS.
THE KEY TO THAT IS MAKING PEDESTRIANS FEEL SAFE.
UH, THIS ITEM IN PARTICULAR IS INCREASING THE VISIBILITY FOR CROSSWALKS IN SCHOOL ZONES.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IMPLEMENTING SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THIS IS NOT ONLY A CRITICAL TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURE, BUT ALSO A FUN COLLABORATIVE WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I UNDERSTAND TO MAKE ANY TYPE OF, UH, AESTHETIC ALTERATIONS TO THE CROSSWALKS, WE WOULD HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY.
UH, I'VE UNOFFICIALLY, UH, INITIATED SOME OF THAT, UH, IN JIMMY MORALES'S OFFICE.
UH, SO JUST KIND OF, UH, CIRCULATED THE IDEA THAT WE'D BE LOOKING TO DO THIS.
UM, BUT I THINK WHAT A GREAT WAY TO ESSENTIALLY RAISE VISIBILITY OF OUR CROSSWALKS.
I KNOW MYSELF DRIVING DOWN WEST AVENUE, LET'S CALL IT, UH, EVEN THOUGH I, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND, AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS FRONT OF MY MIND, I OFTEN COME UP ON THE CROSSWALKS AND SAY, OH, OH MY GOSH, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY JUST WALKED OUT IN FRONT.
THIS IS A WAY TO INCREASE VISIBILITY, BUT ALSO DO SO IN A FUN, AESTHETICALLY PLEASING WAY WHERE MAYBE WE CAN EVEN PARTNER WITH OUR SCHOOLS TO MAKE IT, UH, AN UNOFFICIAL ARDENT PUBLIC PLACES KIND OF COLLABORATION AS WELL, WHERE OUR CHILDREN COULD ACTUALLY BE HELPFUL IN THE DESIGN OF CREATING SOME AESTHETICS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE VISIBILITY OF THE CROSSWALKS.
UNLESS STAFF HAD, AND I, AND I WILL SECOND IT.
SO WITH THAT, WE CAN MOVE ON TO NUMBER 16.
UH, COULD I ASK MADAM CHAIR, JOSE, UH, MAYBE JUST THE LTC, IF THERE WERE ANY CRITICAL FOLLOW UPS, WE'D BE HAPPY.
AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, FOR PLACING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
[16. DISCUSS OPTIONS TO ADDRESS INCREASED TRAFFIC CONGESTION CREATED BY RIDESHARE DRIVERS PICKING UP AND DROPPING OFF PASSENGERS ON THE PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY.]
NUMBER 16 IS DISCUSS OPTION TWO, JET REST, INCREASE TRAFFIC CONGESTIONS, CREATED BY RIDESHARE DRIVERS, PICKING UP AND DROPPING OFF PASSENGERS ON THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.THIS IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER BAUGH AND TRANSPORTATION WILL HIDE.
UM, I'LL LET JOSE DO THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THIS, BUT I WILL SAY, UM, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING I'M SURE ANYBODY WHO'S DRIVEN AROUND OR WALKED AROUND OR, UM, MICRO MOBILITY DEVICE AROUND TOWN HAS NOTICED.
UM, YOU MIGHT BE MINDING YOUR OWN BUSINESS, FOLLOWING THE, THE RULES OF TRAFFIC AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE TO SLAM ON YOUR BRAKES BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S GETTING IN OR OUT OF A, A SHARED VEHICLE.
UM, SUPER ANNOYING, SUPER ANNOYING, AND SUPER UNSAFE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE IDEAL WORLD, THE NEXT STAGE WOULD BE TO INCLUDE DELIVERY,
[01:30:01]
YOU KNOW, AMAZON AND, AND UBER EATS AND ALL THOSE, UM, DELIVERY SERVICES AS WELL.BUT, SO THE GOAL IS TO MANAGE THIS BETTER.
AND IT IS, ONCE AGAIN, A QUESTION OF, UM, GETTING PARTNERS TO AGREE TO IT AND CHANGING BEHAVIOR AND EDUCATING OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO WALK TO THE CORNER OR YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO THE DRIVEWAY NEXT TO WHERE YOU'RE STAYING, UM, TO GET PICKED UP.
BUT, UH, IT IS AN EFFORT WORTH EXPLORING AND IMPLEMENTING.
JOSE GONZALEZ, TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY DIRECTOR AND INTERIM PARKING DIRECTOR.
SO IN, IN PREPARATION FOR THIS ITEM, WE'VE HAD PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, RIDE SHARING, A RIDE SHARING COMPANY, UBER, UH, IN SPECIFICALLY WHO, UH, ARE AMENABLE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY MORE THAN WILLING TO TEST A COUPLE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES IN OUR CITY.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES AND THEY, THEY WANNA BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM.
SO WE DISCUSSED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PILOT PROGRAMS. THE FIRST ONE WOULD ENTAIL IDENTIFYING EITHER ON STREET PARKING SPACES OR PARKING LOTS THAT UBER CAN USE.
THESE AREAS WOULD BE GEO-FENCED, AND VERY IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MAJOR, YOU KNOW, MAJOR ACTIVITY SITES.
AS AN EXAMPLE, THE ONE HOTEL IS A HOTEL THAT RECEIVES A LOT OF RIDE SHARE ACTIVITY.
AND IF, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, AND I AM, 'CAUSE I DRIVE BY THERE EVERY DAY, THE RIDE SHARE VEHICLES STOP ON COLLINS AVENUE, IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION, ALMOST AT THE INTERSECTION, BLOCKING A DUAL LEFT TURN LANE THERE, EASTBOUND LEFT TURN LANE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S VERY INTRUSIVE AND, AND UBER UNDERSTANDS THAT.
SO A POTENTIAL LOCATION COULD BE 24TH STREET, SINCE THE ONE HOTEL TAKES UP A WHOLE BLOCK ON 24TH STREET.
THERE'S ACTUALLY SPACES ON THE, ON THE 100 BLOCK OF 24TH STREET THAT COULD BE DESIGNATED AND GEOFENCED IN UBER'S, UH, NAVIGATION PLATFORM FOR PICKUP AND DROP OFF LOCATIONS.
AND THEN SIMILARLY, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE ONE IN NORTH BEACH, ONE IN MID BEACH, AND ONE IN SOUTH BEACH TO TEST, TO TEST THIS IDEA OUT.
UM, I'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS, SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH UBER AND, AND, AND LYFT AS WELL.
WE STILL NEED TO APPROACH LYFT, BUT, UM, I SAW THIS TIME I REALLY SAW A, UM, YOU KNOW, AN INITIATIVE ON THEIR PART TO, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
THEY, WHICH THEY, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE.
AND THEN THE, THE SECOND, UM, PILOT POTENTIAL PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE DISCUSS IS TO HAVE AN UBER SHUTTLE.
SO, AND THIS WOULD BE A REALLY A FIRST FOR UBER.
IT WOULD BE A SHUTTLE THAT WOULD PICK UP, UH, PEOPLE AT A DESIGNATED LOCATION, UM, PREFERABLY CLOSE TO PARKING GARAGES IN THIS AREA, PERHAPS OF CITY CENTER AND, AND THEN GO TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
AND THAT MODEL WORKS VERY WELL.
I THINK, UH, WHEN THERE'S A MAJOR EVENT, FOR EXAMPLE, ACCORDING TO UBER'S HEAT MAPS, IT SHOWS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF TOURISTS THAT, UH, DURING FOOTBALL SEASON STAY HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, AND THEN THEY GO TO THE HARD ROCK STADIUM FOR, FOR THE GAME.
SO ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT WE'RE, UH, DISCUSSING IS TO HAVE THAT UBER SHUTTLE DURING FOOTBALL SEASON, UM, UM, PICK UP AND DROP OFF SOMEWHERE IN THIS AREA BY WHERE ALL THE PARKING GARAGES ARE, 17TH STREET, UH, PENN GARAGE, PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, GARAGE, AND, AND THEN TAKE FOLKS TO THE STADIUM AND BACK.
IT WOULD HAVE, IT WOULD OPERATE ON A FIXED, FIXED SCHEDULE PRIOR TO THE GAME AND THEN AFTER, AFTER THE GAME.
AND THAT WOULD CERTAINLY, UH, I THINK ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE TRAFFIC ON THE CAUSEWAYS, JUST PEOPLE TRYING TO GET FROM THE MAINLAND TO MIAMI BEACH AND BACK.
SO JUST A COUPLE, LIKE, AND EXCUSE ME, IT SHOULDN'T BE LIMITED TO HARD ROCK STADIUM GAMES.
I MEAN, WE HAVE THE ARCH CENTER PERFORMING ARTS, UH, INITIATIVES ALL YEAR LONG AND THE, THE MIAMI HEAT PLAY JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, AND SOMETIMES IT COULD BE A NIGHTMARE TO GET BACK AND FORTH.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE INITIATIVES THAT, UH, UBER WAS WORKING ON TO ADDRESS WHAT INITIATIVES, UM, I SEE THE CAR STOPPING ALL THE TIME IN FRONT OF THE GROCERY STORES, ESPECIALLY TRADER JOE'S.
HOW ARE THEY GOING TO, WHAT INITIATIVES ARE THEY WORKING TO ADDRESS THAT? SO IT WOULD BE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY, WE WOULD IDENTIFY ON STREETE PARKING SPACES, ONE OR TWO THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED CLOSE TO, UM, HOTSPOTS, IF YOU WILL.
UH, KEY ACTIVITY AREAS WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE USING RIDE SHARE.
AND WHAT WOULD BE THE CONSEQUENCE IF THEY DON'T USE IT AND THEY STILL STOP IN FRONT OF TRADER JOE'S AND THE PUBLIX, AND WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE PILOT IS GONNA BE LOOKING AT.
UM, ACCORDING TO UBER LEADERSHIP, THEY ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO COOPERATE WITH US ON, ON THIS, UH, PILOT.
[01:35:01]
UBER DRIVERS IS SOMETIMES A DIFFERENT STORY BECAUSE THE UBER DRIVERS WILL DO WHATEVER THE CUSTOMER ASKS THEM TO DO.SO WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, UH, COMPLIANCE VICE CHAIR, SUAREZ.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS THIS TOPIC BECAUSE I SEE IT ALL THE TIME.
EVERYONE SEES IT ALL THE TIME.
IT CERTAINLY SEEMS THAT UBER HAS THE, THE CAPABILITIES TO DETECT IF ONE OF THEIR DRIVERS STOPPED LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, RIGHT? AND THEY KNOW IT'S GOING ON AND THEY KNOW IT'S HAPPENING, UM, AND THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
UM, I THINK AT A MINIMUM, IF THEY REALLY WANT TO HAVE SOME GOODWILL, MAYBE YOU CAN PICK OUT SOME HOTSPOTS WHERE IT HAPPENS A LOT.
AND THEN ASK THEM, HEY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW YOU CAN FIND OUT WHERE THEY'RE ILLEGALLY DROPPING OFF.
WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A POLICE OFFICER THERE FULL TIME JUST ENFORCE THESE MINOR TRAFFIC RULES.
'CAUSE THEN YOU CAUSE MORE TRAFFIC.
UM, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN ASK THEM TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE, WE, MAYBE A POPUP COMES ON THE STREET AND SAY, HEY, DO NOT STOP HERE, OR YOU WILL BE FINE BY UBER.
UM, AND THAT COULD GO A LONG WAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, DON'T MAKE IT SO OVERREACHING FOR THE WHOLE CITY, BUT MAYBE JUST A FEW HOTSPOTS WHERE YOU CAN EVEN PROVIDE THEM DATA THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD, WE CAN HAVE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS HERE.
WE HAVE CONSISTENT TRAFFIC BACKUP.
UM, AND JUST GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF DATA AND SAY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO THIS FOR US AND WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU ON ANY PILOT PROGRAM.
BUT AT THE BARE MINIMUM, YOU KNOW, THEIR DRIVERS ARE NOT FOLLOWING BASIC RULES OF THE ROAD.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULDN'T BE HOLDING OVER OUR HEADS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WE DO THIS, UH, AND, AND NOT, NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE THAT THEIR, THEIR DRIVERS ARE, YOU KNOW, DISOBEYING TRAFFIC LAWS THAT CAUSE A LOT OF ISSUES FOR THE RESIDENTS HERE.
COMMISSIONER BOT, UM, WHERE DO YOU WANT THIS ITEM TO GO? UM, I, I'D LIKE TO JUST MAKE IT, MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE IT TO, I CAN'T MOVE IT, BUT HAVE SOMEBODY MOVE IT FAVORABLY TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I I FIND IT VERY AMUSING THAT THE WORD GIRL IS NOW CONSTANTLY ASKING FOR DATA AND NUMBERS.
SO I JUST HAD TO SHARE THAT LITTLE PERSONAL REFLECTION WITH YOU.
UM, WE HAVE DATA ABOUT WHERE WE, WE KNOW, UM, WHERE WE HAVE THE PROBLEMS FROM OUR STREETS.
UBER HAS DATA ABOUT WHERE THEIR VOLUME OF RIDES GET CALLED TO THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE MARRIED FOR THE PILOT, PILOT PROGRAM.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO AVOID IS PENALIZING RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN, YOU KNOW, ON SIDE STREETS OR YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL, UM, UNTIL WE WORK OUT THE KINKS.
SO LET'S GO TO THE HIGH VOLUME TARGETS FIRST AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK THIS IN TERMS OF, UM, HOW TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, SIMILARLY TO THE PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING ABOUT PARKING PASSES, RESIDENTIAL PARKING IN NORTH BEACH, THE FIRST MONTH OR TWO IS EDUCATIONAL.
I MEAN, DRIVERS AND I DROVE LYFT FOR A WHILE.
UM, DRIVERS TRY TO GET AS MANY CALLS IN AS POSSIBLE.
THEY'LL LEARN VERY QUICKLY IF A, A SIGN POPS UP ON THEIR SCREEN SAYING YOU CAN'T PARK HERE OR YOU CAN'T PULL OVER HERE.
UM, IF YOU DO IT AGAIN, YOU WILL LOSE 10% OR 20% OF YOUR REVENUE FROM THIS RIDE.
UM, BUT HAVE THERE BE A PHASE IN PROGRAM.
SO I, I, YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY WOULD, WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU FURTHER ABOUT THAT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE MOVED, UM, TO THE COMMISSION AND THEN ASK THEM ALSO, UM, OBVIOUSLY IF THEY ARE DOING THIS, IF THEY'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO THIS IN ANY OTHER CITIES, AND IF THEY HAVE, LET'S LEARN WHAT'S WORKING FOR THEM ELSEWHERE SO WE CAN INCORPORATE IT.
SO NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO NUMBER 20.
[20. DISCUSS RUSTY TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN SOUTH BEACH.]
ITEM NUMBER 20 IS DISCUSS RUSTY TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT SOUTH BEACH AND IT IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ AND TRANSPORTATION WILL PRESENT.SO, UM, WHEN THIS ITEM WAS FIRST PLACED ON THE AGENDA, WE, UH, WE REACHED OUT TO FDOT AND AS A RESULT OF OUR REQUEST, F-F-D-O-T CONDUCTED A CITYWIDE EVALUATION OF ALL THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL, MASS STORM IN THE CITY, WHICH ONES ARE, AND BASICALLY A CONDITION SURVEY TO DETERMINE HOW MANY ARE CORRODED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FOC BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION IS THAT, UM, WHILE IT, WHILE CORROSION DOES NOT LOOK GOOD, AND IT'S NOT A, A GOOD LOOK ON OUR CITY, UH, UNLESS THERE IS, UH, SOME LEVEL OF STRUCTURAL, UM, CONCERN OR WHERE THE INTEGRITY OF OF THE MASS STORM IS JEOPARDIZED, FO WILL NOT COME IN AND JUST REPLACE A MASAR.
UM, AS AN EXAMPLE AT, UH, COLLINS AVENUE AND 10TH STREET, IT'S AN INTERSECTION THAT HAS FOUR MAST ARMS. ALL FOUR ARE CORRODED.
FDOT HAD A PROJECT THAT REPLACED ONE OF THOSE, ONLY ONE
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OF THOSE WHICH HAD SOME STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES.THE OTHER THREE, WHILE THEY'RE CORRODED FDOT LEFT THERE.
SO WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THAT, UM, AT, AT, AT OUR REQUEST, FDOT IS PRIORITIZING THESE, THEY'RE STARTING WITH THE MASS ARMS THAT ARE STRUCTURALLY DEFICIENT.
THEY'RE GONNA PRIORITIZE THOSE, IDENTIFY FUNDING FOR THOSE, AND THEN ANOTHER TIER FOR THE ONES THAT ARE CORRODED THAT DON'T LOOK GOOD, BUT ARE STILL STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO IDENTIFY FUNDING FOR THAT.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM AND WORKING THROUGH THE WORK PROGRAM PRO THEIR WORK PROGRAM PROCESS.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN LTC ONCE YOU GET THAT PRIORITIZATION AND THEN WE CAN CLOSE THE ITEM OUT.
NUMBER 19 HAS A TIME SHARING FOR 1230.
[6. A DISCUSSION REGARDING PROGRAMMING THE COLLINS PARK ARTIST WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT FIRST FLOOR SUBLEASE]
SIX IF THAT'S OKAY.ITEM NUMBER SIX IS DISCUSSION REGARDING PROGRAMMING, UH, IN THE COLLINS PARK ARTIST WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECTS, FIRST FLOOR SUB.
THIS IS GONNA BE PRESENTED BY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HEATHER SHAW IS HERE.
I'M THE INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM THIS MORNING IS TO, ON THE GOOD NEWS SIDE IS THAT THE COLLINS PARK WORKFORCE HOUSING, UM, PROJECT IS 50% COMPLETE.
SO WE ARE ON TRACK TO, UM, FINALIZE THE EVENT OF THE EVENT, THE BUILDING, UM, AND THEN ALSO TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE ON THE USE OF SOME SPACE THAT WE HAVE ON THE FIRST FLOOR THAT HAS BEEN, UM, DESIGNATED FOR THE CITY'S USE AND THAT WE CAN USE IT FOR CITY SERVICES OR WE CAN USE IT TO, UM, RENT OUT TO A CULTURAL ORGANIZATION OR NONPROFIT.
UM, THE SPACE IS ABOUT 2,400 SQUARE FEET.
UM, AND THE, THE SPACE OBVIOUSLY IS A SPACE THAT HAS BEEN, UM, DESIGNATED FOR THE CITY USE AND THAT WE WOULD, IF WE HAVE A NONPROFIT, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HELP THEM SOME WAY TO FIT OUT THE, THE, THE SPACE.
BUT WE WOULD ALSO BE COLLECTING RENT FROM THEM.
AND THE RENT FOR THE BUILDING WOULD GENERATE ABOUT $62,000, UM, A YEAR.
AND OVER 40 YEARS, WE HAVE A 40 YEAR LEASE THAT IT WOULD BE ABOUT $3.7 MILLION.
SO, UM, LOOKING TO GET SOME OF YOUR GUIDANCE ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE US TO PROCEED IN TERMS OF THE USE OF THE FIRST FLOOR OF THAT SPACE, WE'RE EXPECTING THE SPACE TO BE TURNED OVER TO US, UM, IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025.
COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, IF I COULD, UM, NO, UH, MAY, MAYBE IT'LL BE LAUGHED AT, BUT NO, UH, COMPATIBILITY WITH THE, UH, POLICE SUBSTATION THERE.
UM, WELL, IT COULD BE USED FOR SOME CITY SERVICES.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS REALLY BEEN, UM, SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING SOMETHING CULTURAL THERE TO, TO ACTIVATE THE, THE, THE AREA FOR PEDESTRIANS, FOR TOURISM TO BRING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING FUN AND, AND LIGHT AND, AND BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT A POLICE SUBSTATION WOULDN'T DO THAT, BUT, UM, BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SHARED WITH US.
BUT YEAH, IT'S ALSO OPEN TO CITY SERVICES.
DEPUTY CHIEF, JUST REAL QUICK, BACK OF THE ENVELOPE, EVEN WORTH HAVING A DISCUSSION AND PURSUING OR JUST AUTOMATICALLY OFF THE BATTING COMPATIBLE.
PAYING ATTENTION THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, WE'RE OPEN TO EXPLORING ANYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITTEE OR THE COMMISSION ASKS US TO EXPLORE.
SO I WON'T FORCE THIS DOWN ANYBODY'S THROATS, BUT JUST SOME PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS.
THOSE TWO USES CAN BE COMPATIBLE.
YEAH, I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND ANOTHER, UH, THING I'M IN FAVOR OF, AND I THINK I MAY HAVE MENTIONED IT TO YOU, HEATHER, IN THE PAST.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE CITY PAYS RENT IN DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, UH, FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS.
AND IF THERE'S A SMALL ENOUGH DEPARTMENT THAT CAN FIT IN THAT BUILDING AS OPPOSED TO US PAYING RENT SOMEPLACE ELSE, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TOO.
IS THERE ANY, YEAH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT THIS TIME.
[8. A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO NEGOTIATE APPROPRIATE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE POSSIBLE EXTENSION OF THE TERM OF THE MIAMI BEACH MARINA LEASE, TO INCLUDE OPTIONS FOR BOTH A SHORT-TERM (LESS THAN 10 YEARS) AND LONG-TERM (10 YEARS OR MORE) EXTENSION, AND TO PRESENT A DRAFT TERM SHEET THAT INCLUDES BOTH OPTIONS TO THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE (FERC) AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY NEIGHBORHOODS AND QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE (PSNQLC) FOR REVIEW BY EACH COMMITTEE AS SOON AS REASONABLY PRACTICABLE]
THE NEXT ITEM IS NUMBER EIGHT.ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF MAMIE BEACH, FLORIDA, DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO NEGOTIATE APPROPRIATE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE POSSIBLE EXTENSION OF THE TERMS OF THE MAMIE BEACH MARINA LEASE TO INCLUDE OPTIONS FOR BOTH A SHORT TERM LESS THAN 10 YEARS AND A LONG TERM, 10 YEARS OR MORE EXTENSION.
AND TO PRESENT A DRAFT TERM SHEET THAT INCLUDED BOTH OPTIONS TO THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY NEIGHBORHOOD'S QUALITY AND LIFE COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW BY EACH COMMITTEE AS SOON AS REASONABLY PRACTICAL.
AND THIS IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER SU SUAREZ, COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR SUAREZ.
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CHAIR.SO THE SOUTH FIFTH NEIGHBORHOOD AND I, I USED TO BE A LONG TIME RESIDENT SOUTH OF FIFTH.
UM, A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE MARINA, UH, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO PARTY CHARTER BOATS AFTER HOURS.
I THINK A LOT OF THAT HAS HELPED A LOT.
THE SITUATION HAS BEEN ALLEVIATED WITH THE 9:00 PM UM, CLOSURE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, PROBLEMS STILL CONTINUE TO EXIST.
UH, THE SOUTH OF FIFTH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UH, ASKED FOR ME TO, UM, POSSIBLY ENTER NEGOTIATIONS FOR A EITHER SHORT TERM OR LONG TERM LEASE TO GET SOME MORE PROTECTIONS, UH, FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, AT THE MARINA.
AND I HAD, UM, OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, ERIC CARPENTER, UM, HAVE A SERIES OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH SUNTEC TO SEE, UM, WHAT ELSE THE CITY CAN, UM, UH, NEGOTIATE AND, UH, I'LL LET HIM TEE IT OFF FOR ME.
UM, HONORABLE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MADAM CHAIR, UH, THE CITY AT THE REQUEST OF THE COMMISSION, UM, FROM THEIR REFERRAL WAS TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH SUNTEC ON BOTH THE SHORT AND THE LONG TERM LEASE OPTIONS.
UM, THE SHORT TERM LEASE OPTION WAS ACTUALLY ORIGINATED BY THE SOUTH OF FIFTH NEIGHBORHOOD, AS THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, AND YOU CAN SEE AS EXHIBIT A OF THE PARTICULAR ITEM IS THE, UH, THE MOU BETWEEN TEX AND THE SONA BOARD REGARDING SOME KEY ISSUES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE ADDRESSED, UH, BECAUSE THAT WAS NEGOTIATED, UH, AS A BI PARTY DISCUSSION BETWEEN SO FNA AND TEX WITHOUT THE CITY'S INPUT.
UM, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE ASKS OF SOUTH OF FIFTH, BUT WE FELT THAT BECAUSE THIS IS THE CITY'S FACILITY, 10 YEAR, UH, LEASE EXTENSION IS NOT A, UM, A NOMINAL ASK.
AND SO WE ARE PUT FORWARD AN EXHIBIT OF POTENTIAL TERMS THAT WE THINK SHOULD BE DISCUSSED AS PART OF THIS.
WE'VE HAD SOME VERY PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH SUNTEC.
UM, THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME CONCERNS WITH SOME OF THESE ISSUES, BUT THIS WAS REALLY JUST PUT FORWARD FOR THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE AND HOPEFULLY INCORPORATE YOUR WISHES AND DESIRES ALONG WITH OBVIOUSLY THE ADMINISTRATION'S, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UM, I UNDERSTAND, UH, SO WE HAVE A SET OF REQUESTS FROM SOFA AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE CITY HAS THEIR OWN REQUEST.
AND SO MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE US A, A HIGHLIGHT FROM PRIORITY TO, UM, NOT, NOT AS PRIOR, NOT AS, NOT AS MUCH OF A PRIORITY AS SOME OF THE REQUESTS THAT WE, WE ARE GOING TO NEGOTIATE CERTAINLY, AND MAYBE, EXCUSE ME, AND ALSO, UH, THEIR WILLINGNESS ON EACH SUBJECT.
SO, UH, THERE IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF SUNTEC HERE, AND I DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF, UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE, THE REDUCTION OF CHARTERS IN THE MARINA WAS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE ASK OF THE SOUTH OF FIFTH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ALONG WITH THE REMOVAL OF PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE PARKING GARAGES IN THE MAJORITY OF THOSE MARINA SPACES.
UM, UPDATING MAINTENANCE STANDARDS, MAINTENANCE STANDARDS CERTAINLY WAS A PIECE OF IT.
BUT THE CITY'S ASK, UM, WAS REALLY MORE ALONG THE LINES OF THE 2020 AMENDED LEASE WHERE WE ADOPT THINGS LIKE A, A WORLD CLASS, UH, DEFINITION AS TO WHAT THE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS WOULD BE, AND THEN PUT IN PLACE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONSULTANT TO HELP US IDENTIFY HOW THOSE STANDARDS SHOULD EVOLVE OVER TIME.
AND THOSE BECOME A, A FINEABLE OFFENSE IF THEY'RE NOT BEING MAINTAINED.
UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE PROPERTY, WE FEEL LIKE IF THIS IS GONNA REMAIN A WORLD CLASS FACILITY, THERE NEEDS TO BE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT OVER AND ABOVE JUST MAINTENANCE RELATED DOLLARS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY OUR EXPECTATION IS THEY'RE RENTING OUR FACILITY, THEY'RE GONNA MAINTAIN IT.
UM, WE WANNA SEE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE PROPERTY OVER AND ABOVE THAT, OVER THE REMAINING 28 YEARS OF THE LEASE, PLUS THE ADDITIONAL 10 THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING IT.
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TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MINIMUM RENT.UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S, UM, NECESSARILY A, A A HUGE ISSUE BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT MINIMUM RENT HAS KICKED IN AT ANY POINT OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS BECAUSE THE MINIMUM RENT CURRENTLY IS SO LOW THAT IT'S ALWAYS ENDED UP, ENDED UP BEING IN 10% OF GROSS REVENUE, UH, PAYMENT TO THE CITY.
UM, WE'RE ALSO INTERESTED TO SEE HOW WE CAN BREAK EVEN ON THE PARKING, UH, COSTS TO THE CITY.
CITY PAYS EACH OF THOSE FOUR BUILDINGS FOR THE USE OF THE PARKING SPACES BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THEIR CONDO.
UM, AND SO WE DO NEED TO SOMEHOW FIGURE OUT HOW TO RECOVER SOME OF THOSE COSTS.
UM, THE SUBMERGED LAND LEASE, THE CITY PAYS THAT SUBMERGED LAND LEASE, AND WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE NEGOTIATED FOR THE 10 YEAR EXTENSION PORTION.
WE REALIZE THE 28 YEARS THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE IS, UH, PROBABLY A FOREGONE CONCLUSION, BUT FOR THE SUBSEQUENT 10 YEARS, WE THINK IT WOULD BE REASONABLE TO DISCUSS THAT.
UM, MOB MOBILE PUMP OUT SERVICES.
UH, THIS BODY AND THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE HAS TALKED ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE, THE, UM, MAINTENANCE OF VESSELS THAT ARE DOCKING WITHIN OUR LIMITS.
AND SO WE WANT TO ASK THE MARINA TO BE A PARTNER ON THAT PIECE OF THE POTENTIAL, UM, MAKING THE ENVIRONMENT BETTER.
UH, ALSO ALONG THOSE LINES, WE THINK THERE'S SOME ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE MARINA AND THE CITY ON THE MOORING FIELD CONCEPT.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE MARINA IS GONNA BE A PARTNER TO THE CITY AND THE MOORING FIELD.
UM, AND THEN, UH, SIMILAR TO THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD EARLIER TODAY, TRYING TO FIND SOME SPACE IN THAT COMMERCIAL FACILITY TO, UM, UTILIZE CITY SERVICES CLOSE TO THE MARINA, WHETHER THAT BE POLICE CODE, UM, SECURITY SERVICES, UH, JUST SOMETHING ON SITE THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR US TO KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
UH, ALSO WE WOULD WANT TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME RESIDENT FRIENDLY, UH, LEASE, UH, COST CAPS SO THAT THE RESIDENTS AREN'T BEING, UM, OVERCHARGED FOR OPERATION OR, OR USE OF THE MARINA SLIPS.
SOMETHING TO BE AN INCENTIVE FOR THE RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO USE THE MARINA.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, JUST SOMETHING WE THINK IS RELATIVELY EASY ACCESS TO THE SECURITY CAMERAS FOR OUR CODE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT, UM, MAY WANT TO USE THAT FOOTAGE FOR INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ONGOING AT THE MARINA.
UM, VICE CHAIR THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, COUPLE THINGS I DID, WE, I THINK WE DISCUSSED ALSO A PRICE PER GALLON INCREASE THAT THE CITY, UH, RECEIVES THAT'S GONNA BE INCREASED.
SO THAT WASN'T IN OUR TERM SHEET.
UM, IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ENTERTAIN.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL HAD BROUGHT UP.
UM, THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE 2020 LEASE BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE FELT WAS JUST GONNA BE PASSED ON TO THE USERS AND IT'S A COMMODITY.
UM, SO IT, IT COULD CERTAINLY BE INCLUDED.
SO, UM, THE BIGGEST ISSUE, YOU KNOW, THIS ALL STEMS FROM A QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS WE'VE HAD MANY INCIDENTS AT THE MARINA.
UM, YOU KNOW, CELEBRITIES HAVE BEEN GETTING ARRESTED, UM, EVEN, YOU KNOW, DOING CHARTERS AFTER NINE O'CLOCK.
UM, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE DRIVE UP AND DOWN THE MARINA MUL, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE INCIDENTS LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I I'VE, I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CEO OF TEX AND YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE DEFINITELY TOLD HIM, YOU KNOW, THE THE CHARTER, THE PARTY CHARTER BUSINESS IS, IS OUTTA CONTROL.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE, THE ASK WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE REQUESTING IS BRING IT DOWN TO 10.
UM, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE OF THOSE 10, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT, UH, THEY'RE ABIDING BY THE RULES.
UM, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO, TO CREATE, TO HAVE A DOCK DEDICATED TO ALL THOSE 10 SO THAT WE CAN, AND DIRECT CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, UH, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE ALSO FOR TEX TO GIVE US ACCESS TO THEIR SECURITY
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CAMERAS SO THAT WE CAN MONITOR THIS PARTICULAR DOCK, UM, OR, OR WHEREVER THEY MAY BE TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES.FOR EXAMPLE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY COME BACK AT NINE O'CLOCK ON THE DOT AND EVERYONE IS OFF THE BOAT AFTER NINE O'CLOCK.
UM, ALSO A BIG ISSUE IS THE LANDING RIGHTS AGREEMENTS.
I THINK PEOPLE, UH, THE, THE, THE MARINA RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE HAS LANDING RIGHTS WITH BOATS WHO ARE NOT TETHERED OR BIRTHED AT, UH, MIAMI BEACH MARINA.
UM, AND WHERE WHERE DOES THE BTR PROCESS FOR, FOR THOSE, UH, VESSELS, UM, COME INTO PLAY WITH THIS? YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BIGGEST, ONE OF THE BIGGEST WALKAWAYS THAT, THAT THE CITY WANTS TO SEE, UM, IS MORE CONTROL OVER THE PARTY SCENE AT THE MARINA.
I MEAN, I SEE IT ALL THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE, YOU KNOW, FULL DISCLOSURE, I HAVE A BOAT THERE.
UH, I'VE BEEN THERE FOR THE LAST I THINK DECADE.
I, IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT SPOT, IT'S A GREAT MARINA, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES I COME, I COME BACK TO MY, MY SLIP WITH MY FAMILY AND MY LITTLE CHILDREN AND I JUST CAN'T STOP SMELLING WEED IN THE AIR.
UM, AND THERE'S MANY TIMES WHERE YOU, YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING OFF THESE CHARTERS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY DRUNK, THEY MAKE A MESS AND THEY'RE, THEY HAVE JUST NO REGARD FOR, FOR THE MARINA AND, AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE WANT TO PUT VERY TIGHT GUARDRAILS ON, ON, ON THE 10 THAT ARE BEING ALLOWED.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THERE ARE NO OTHER BOATS WHO ARE NOT BIRTHED AT MIAMI BEACH MARINA TO OPERATE AS A CHARTER.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE GET OFF AND ON A MIAMI BEACH MARINA, THE, THE, THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE FROM FROM THESE CHARTERS HAPPEN TO BE THERE.
UM, I KNOW THE MARINE WATERFRONT PROTECTION AUTHORITY HAS ALSO STARTED TO SET UP A GUIDELINE TO REMOVE BT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, TO, TO SEND A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO REVOKE BTRS.
UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN CODIFY THAT, UH, IN THE AGREEMENT FOR, FOR THESE 10.
UM, WE, THE IDEA REALLY IS TO LET THE CREAM RISE TO THE TOP AND LET THE BEST, UH, I GUESS PARTY CHARTERS WHO ARE, WHO HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS.
MAYBE WE HAVE A THREE STRIKES YOU'RE OUT RULE.
UM, AND SO THROUGH THE CHAIR, I, I'D LIKE TO PERHAPS INVITE, UM, REPRESENTATIVE GRIECO TO THE PODIUM.
COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY FIRST.
UM, TWO QUICK POINTS I WANT TO TOUCH ON.
UH, ONE, MY, MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS, OKAY, ARE WE GONNA FINANCIALLY GET TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BECAUSE THE COST FOR ALL THINGS LEISURE, ESPECIALLY ON THE WATER, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY WENT NOT POST COVID WITH INFLATION, BUT GIVEN THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY OUR FEE STRUCTURE, WE DO HAVE A MINIMUM RENT, BUT IT'S MORE RELIANT ON A PERCENTAGE OF REVENUE.
I'M GOING TO GUESS THAT WE'RE ESSENTIALLY PROTECTED THROUGH THAT.
WOULD, WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND, AND THEN THE OTHER IS WE'VE SAID NO TO THE BAY LINK, BUT WE'VE ALL COMMITTED TO ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND I THINK A FURRY SERVICE IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
UH, WE HAVE A PILOT PROGRAM OUT OF SUNSET HARBOR.
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE KIND OF DIPPING OUR TOES IN THE WATER WITH THAT.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S THE LONG TERM SOLUTION.
UH, I THINK THIS MARINA AND THIS AREA COULD BE A PERFECT SOLUTION.
I WILL STATE UNEQUIVOCALLY JUST BY FOLLOWING THESE TYPES OF ENTITIES.
A PRIVATE FERRY WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT WILL NEVER, EVER WORK, EVER.
IT, IT JUST, IT DOESN'T EVEN WORK IN NEW YORK CITY WHERE THERE IS SUCH HIGH VOLUMES OF RIDERSHIP.
SO IT HAS TO COME IN THE FORM OF SOME SORT OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY.
HOWEVER, THAT'S THE SAME WITH ANY TYPE OF MASS TRANSPORTATION, RIGHT? OUR BUSES ARE OUR LIGHT RAIL, OUR HEAVY RAIL.
IF BAY LINK WOULD'VE COME, WE WOULD'VE HAD TO SUBSIDIZE IT TO THE TUNE OF $30 PER RIDE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS I WASN'T FOR IT.
WHAT BETTER WAY, WHEN WE'RE DOING SOME SORT OF P THREE OPPORTUNITY AND WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL NOW TO ESSENTIALLY START FROM SCRATCH OF MAYBE CRAFTING SOME SORT OF CARVE OUT FOR A FERRY, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS FERRY OPERATOR.
IN FACT, I THINK THEIR, THEIR BOAT IS PROBABLY TOO BIG FOR THE TYPE OF VOLUME AND RIDERSHIP, UH, THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE.
UM, BUT SOME SORT OF NEGOTIATION WHERE IF WE'RE EXTENDING THIS TERM FOR 10 YEARS, UH, WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF WAY THAT THE CITY GETS A BUILD OUT FOR A FURRY PORTAL.
UM, SOME SORT OF SUBSIDIZED RATE.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA SIT UP HERE AND NEGOTIATE FROM THE DAYS, BUT I THINK WE'D BE LE LEAVING SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT ON THE TABLE THAT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW WE'D SIT THERE AND SAY, WHEN WE NEGOTIATED
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THAT LEASE, WHY DIDN'T WE THINK AHEAD? SO I, I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST EXPLORE THAT POSSIBILITY.AND ONE CO A FEW COMMENTS I'LL MAKE TOO.
UM, AS YOU WERE LOOKING FOR INPUT AS YOU'RE NEGOTIATING, UM, IN THE FUTURE, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME WAS PARKING RECOVERY COSTS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AND THE CITY SHOULD, UH, NEGOTIATE, UH, THE MOBILE PUMP OUT SERVICE.
UM, I HAD BROUGHT AN ITEM PREVIOUSLY WHERE GRANTS WERE AVAILABLE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WORKING WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY, UH, ANY GRANTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR SOMETHING OF THAT SORT, BUT KEEP THAT IN MIND.
'CAUSE THERE ARE GRANTS OUT THERE, RESIDENT, UM, DISCOUNTS FOR SLIPS, UH, INCLUDE, UH, IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.
AND THEN I'LL REITERATE WHAT, UH, ERIC SAID AND, UH, VICE CHAIR SUAREZ ACCESS TO THE, UM, DO WE NOT GET ACCESS TO THEM TODAY? THE BEG TODAY? NOT CURRENTLY.
SO YEAH, WE NEED TO NEGOTIATE THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE THAT LOOKING FOR A FERRY OPTION OUT OF THAT MARINA AS WELL, UH, IS ALSO, UH, SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
IS IT STILL MORNING? NO, IT'S NOT.
UH, MICHAEL GRIECO ON BEHALF OF TEX, AND, UH, I WANNA START BY REMINDING EVERYBODY I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE MARINA.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY TEX BROUGHT ME BACK IN, UM, IS BECAUSE OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY AND MY PERSONAL, UH, THE PERSONAL IMPACT THAT I, THAT I HAVE WHEN THE MARINA'S NOT OPERATING TO STANDARDS OR THE BAY WALK, YOU KNOW? SO LIKE TO THE POINT THAT THAT COMMISSIONER SUAREZ MADE REGARDING, SAY, VEHICLES DRIVING ON THE BAY WALK.
UM, THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED THE OTHER DAY, I THINK THAT ACTUALLY STARTED OVER IN THE PARK, AND THEN THEY KIND OF RODE OVER.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE TALK ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, THERE'S THE BAY WALK AND THEN THERE'S THE MARINA.
AND SOME OF THOSE ISSUES SOMETIMES GET, GET CONFLATED.
AND THE MARLE MARINA RELATED CONCERNS REALLY ARE ALMOST DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE CHARTERS.
AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING THIS CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW IS THAT WHEN, SO FNA AND THE PRINCIPLES FOR TEX SAT DOWN AND KNOCKED OUT THAT LETTER OF INTENT, THEY DID SO BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZED THAT THE TWO ISSUES WERE THE CHARTERS AND THE PARKING IN TWO OF THE FACILITIES.
AND TEX HAS ALREADY MADE THE COMMITMENT AS PART OF THIS, THIS NEGOTIATION THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH EVERY, EVERY WORD THAT IS IN THAT AGREEMENT WITH SONA.
SO RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE IT'S, IS IT 66 SLIPS? THERE'S 66 COMMERCIAL SLIPS RIGHT NOW.
THE AGREEMENT IS TO REDUCE IT TO 10.
AND DESPITE WHAT HAS BEEN SAID OVER THE YEARS REGARDING THE WAIT LIST FOR BOATS, THERE IS NO WAIT LIST FOR THOSE COMMERCIAL SLIPS RIGHT NOW.
UNLIKE FOR THE SMALLER VESSELS AND FOR THE PRIVATE SLIPS, THERE IS NO WAIT LIST RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE IS SOME RE EITHER RECONFIGURING OR THERE'S GONNA DEFINITELY BE SOME SHORT TERM REVENUE LOSS AS A RESULT OF THAT.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, WE DO A PARKING SHARED AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY WHERE FOR EVERY DOLLAR THE CITY GETS 35 CENTS WHEN IT COMES TO PARKING REVENUE.
SO AS WE REDUCE THE PARKING, THE CITY'S GONNA BE LOSING REVENUE.
WE ARE ALSO GONNA BE LOSING REVENUE AS PART OF THAT DEAL.
SO JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT, BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS ALONE INVOLVE SIGNIFICANT REVENUE LOSS.
NOW, RIGHT NOW THERE IS A MINIMUM RENT PAYMENT OF $350,000.
I BELIEVE LAST YEAR ANNUAL RENT WAS PAID ABOUT $2.7 MILLION BECAUSE IT'S EITHER THE MINIMUM RENT OR 10%.
SO THAT 10% LAST YEAR WAS, I BELIEVE AROUND $2.7 MILLION.
IT'S A NICE CHUNK OF CHANGE AND THE CITY DOES ITS BUDGET ESTIMATES BASED UPON THE HISTORICALS ON WHAT THEY'RE PAID, NOT BASED UPON THE MINIMUMS. SO MOVING FORWARD, A LOT OF THE FINANCIAL ISSUES WE'RE GONNA TRY TO WORK OUT THIS MONTH.
SO I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING IN FRONT OF FINANCE ON THE 26TH OF THIS MONTH.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHEN WE'RE SET NEXT, WHICH WILL PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE, AT LEAST FOR THE FINANCIAL DEAL POINTS, UM, I THINK THAT WE'LL COME TO AN ACCORD ON THAT.
I THINK WE HAVE TO JUST SHARPEN OUR PENCILS.
WE HAD A LENGTHY MEETING YESTERDAY, UM, REGARDING ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THESE DEAL POINTS, UM, REGARDING SOME OF THE LESS FINANCIAL ISSUES.
I WANTED TO ADDRESS THE, UH, THE POINT THAT COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE BROUGHT UP REGARDING, UM, POTENTIAL FERRY SERVICE BACK AND FORTH.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CAN BE BROUGHT IN AS 'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG LIFT.
SO I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FERRIES FOR, FOR YEARS.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE FOR THIS CITY TO HAVE, AND THIS IS MORE OF A MACRO CONVERSATION, BUT IN ORDER FOR THIS CITY TO HAVE A MORE ROBUST FERRY SYSTEM WHERE IT ACTUALLY IS A SERVICE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND IT ACTUALLY HAS SOME SORT OF IMPACT
[02:05:01]
ON INTRA CITY OR INTERCITY TRAVEL.UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE A, A CAPITAL INVESTMENT, A SIGNIFICANT ONE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A PORT WHERE FOLKS ARE PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS WHERE FOLKS ARE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE RAIN BUT THE HEAT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT NEEDS TO BE A MUCH MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION.
I BELIEVE THE MIAMI BEACH MARINA IS PROBABLY THE BEST PLACE FOR THAT.
IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST CENTRALLY LOCATED WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSPORTATION FOR SOUTH BEACH AND FOR COMMUTERS.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S A SEPARATE CONVERSATION BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THE PROPER VENDOR TO DO THAT.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG LIFT.
I THINK THAT'S A MULTI, AT MINIMUM, A MULTI-YEAR CONVERSATION.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MAY NOT BE AROUND BY THE TIME THAT THING REALLY BECOMES A THING.
UM, ACCESS TO CAMERAS, UM, THAT'S AN INTERNAL CONVERSATION.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
UM, I DON'T SEE WHY THERE WOULD BE AN ISSUE.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY PUSHBACK ON THAT, BUT WE'LL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
EVEN IF IT'S FOR THE CAMERAS THAT RELATE TO THE, THE CHARTER DOCKS OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS.
AND THE BAY WALK IN PARTICULAR WHERE IT'S, WHERE IT'S PUBLIC, PUBLIC AREA, ABSOLUTELY THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
UM, CREATING A SPACE, YOU GUYS WERE TALKING, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE THE BEGINNING.
SO CREATING A SPACE WHERE THERE'S A FULL ON ROBUST POLICE SUBSTATION, PROBABLY NOT.
THERE ARE, ARE LIMITED GROUND FLOOR TENANT SPACES.
THE CONCEPT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DISPLACE A COMMERCIAL TENANT, UM, AS OPPOSED TO GOING INTO THE PLACE WHERE THERE WAS ALREADY A SUBSTATION ON THE 200 BLOCK OF WASHINGTON OR REPURPOSING AND FIXING UP THE ECON BUILDING, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE PARK ON SECOND STREET, UM, WHICH IS ON THE 200 BLOCK OF SECOND STREET ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
SO THERE'S A BUILDING THERE THAT'S UN UNU UNDERUTILIZED AS WELL.
THEY WERE GONNA USE THAT FOR THE PARK RANGERS.
THERE ARE SOUTH OF FIFTH OPTIONS.
THE IDEA OF CREATING A SPACE WHERE THERE'S A SMALL OFFICE FOR SAY, CODE AND WHOMEVER TO LIKE HANG THEIR HAT ON THE THIRD FLOOR.
I'M ACTUALLY GONNA DO A WALKTHROUGH THIS WEEK AND SEE IF WE CAN CREATE SOME SPACE FOR THAT.
'CAUSE THERE'S OFFICE SPACES ON THE, ON THE UPPER FLOORS, SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.
BUT TO HAVE SOME SORT OF VISIBLE POLICE SUBSTATION ON THE GROUND FLOOR LIKE THAT, THE, THE FACILITY JUST DOESN'T HAVE THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS.
UM, UNLESS WE WERE TO DISPLACE A A A, A RENT PAYING TENANT, WHICH IS THEN A RENT PAYING TENANT TO THE CITY THROUGH US AS A PASTOR.
UM, I MEAN THERE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THE, THE MOBILE PUMP OUT RIGHT NOW, PUMP OUT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED WHEN PEOPLE COME IN TO GET GAS.
THERE ARE FINITE, THERE'S A FINITE SPOT FOR THEM.
I THINK THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME SPOTS WITHIN CERTAIN SLIPS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A CONTINUED CONVERSATION REGARDING MOBILE PUMP OUT.
I DON'T KNOW, IS IS IT A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TO LIKE BUY A PUMP OUT BOAT AND DO THAT? I I, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THAT CAN BE PART OF THE LEASE.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU TANGENTIAL TO THAT IS THAT I THINK, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE MOORING FIELD, UH, DISCUSSION.
SO I I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE A STANDALONE ITEM, RIGHT? SO IF IT'S, IF THAT'S INCORPORATED WITH THE MOORING FIELD MANAGEMENT, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT YEARS AGO, UM, THE PRINCIPLES AT TEX WHEN THEY FIRST TOOK OVER, UH, FROM THE PREVIOUS, UH, LEASEHOLDER THAT THEY HAD COME IN AND THEY HAD HAD INITIAL CONVERSATIONS, KIND OF GIVING SOME DIRECTION ON HOW THE MOORING FIELDS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HYPOTHETICAL MOORING FIELDS WOULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
AND WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE THAT PART OF THE LEASE AND WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE THAT ON AS PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
UM, SO MICHAEL, IF YEAH, GO AHEAD.
SO SOME OF THE ISSUES THE RAISED IS, AND IT'S VERY, IT'S A BIG STICKING POINT FOR THE, SO SONA IS THE LANDING AGREEMENTS, SO THAT, THAT TEX HAS WITH CHARTERS THAT ARE NOT BIRTHED AT MIAMI BEACH MAR MARINA.
I MEAN, WHAT IS THEIR POSITION ON THAT? AND AS SO FAR, IT HAS NOT COME UP IN, IT WAS NOT PART OF THE SONA AGREEMENT, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN IT DID NOT COME UP IN OUR MEETING YESTERDAY.
SO I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEM AND, AND EDUCATE MYSELF ON THAT ISSUE.
BASICALLY IF THERE'S A BOAT OH, NO, I KNOW WHAT IT IS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FINANCIALS, IF THERE IS ANY FINANCIALS ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE ONCE IN A WHILE, JUST LIKE I, THERE WAS AN INCIDENT, YOU AND I HAD DISCUSSED IT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, UM, REGARDING, UM, A HIGH PROFILE ARREST THAT HAPPENED AT THE MARINA.
AND THAT WAS NOT A PRODUCT OF A MARINA TENANT, SOMEBODY, IT WAS A LANDING AGREEMENT.
IT WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF A HYBRID.
IT WAS, IT WAS A, IT WAS A, THEY WERE DOCKED FOR THE WEEK FOR MAINTENANCE PURPOSES.
AND IT WAS A, IT WAS A, IT WAS A TRANSIENT AGREEMENT FOR THE WEEK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THAT, THAT HIGH PROFILE CELEBRITY WAS, HE ALSO, UM, HAD HAD A CHARTER THROUGH THROUGH THE MARINA AND HE CHARTERED TWO YEARS AGO AND IT HAD NO ISSUES.
[02:10:01]
HAPPENED WHEN THEY HAPPENED.THIS WAS A BOAT THAT WAS BASED OUT OF LIKE VENETIAN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND IT CAME OVER.
IT JUST, IT IT'S, IT WAS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE, UM, LOOK SILOING EVERYTHING TO A SINGLE DOCK.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE 10, UM, BTRS TO A SINGLE DOCK WHERE, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES CAN BE DEDICATED TO CONTROLLING THE, THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO IF IT'S POSSIBLE, I DON'T SEE WHY THERE WOULD BE A PUSHBACK.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THE LOGISTICS OF THAT.
I MEAN THAT'S, I DON'T WANNA SAY IT'S ABOVE MY PAY GRADE, BUT IT'S BEYOND MY KNOWLEDGE.
IT'S SOMETHING I GOTTA SIT DOWN WITH LEE AND THEN, AND ANOTHER PRINCIPLES AND GET AN UNDERSTANDING, BUT I, IT ON IT MAKES SENSE.
IT MAKES SENSE FOR PURPOSES OF, NOW LISTEN, I DON'T THINK THE INTENT IS THE 10 THAT ARE LEFT TO HAVE THEM BE THESE LIKE OUTTA CONTROL PARTY CHARTERS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE INTENT OF WHITTLING IT DOWN TO 10 AND THEN WE STILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE INTENT OF IT.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND ANOTHER TEX WANTS TO BE A GOOD PARTNER.
AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
AND, AND SEPARATE CHARTER, HUH? BUT THESE SEPARATE CLUB CHARTERS, SEPARATE CLUB CHARTERS NOW, UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER ISSUE WE SEE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY DO HAVE THESE CHARTERS, THEY HAVE LIKE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF PEOPLE ON A SINGLE BOAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK I TALKED TO ERIC ABOUT THIS.
MAYBE PUT A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF ADULTS WITH AN UNLIMITED CAP OF CHILDREN, UM, WHERE PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY EIGHT ADULTS ON A PARTY CHARTER, YOU KNOW, FOR ECO TOURS OR FISHING TYPE GUYS OR DIVING TOURS, UM, NO CAP OR WHATEVER THE LAWS PERMIT.
BUT, UM, BEING VERY SELECTIVE ON HOW MANY INDIVIDUAL OR ADULTS CAN BE ON A PARTY CHARTER, UM, WOULD ALSO GO A LONG WAY.
AND THE FACT THAT WE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO CAMERAS TO VERIFY THAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, WOULD, WOULD, WOULD FURTHER, UH, GIVE US, WOULD, WOULD GIVE US FURTHER PROTECTIONS, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ENFORCEMENT.
UM, SO I, LIKE I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, AND AS YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS, IS THE PARTY CHARTERS.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WANNA CRAFT THIS WITH LEGAL LANGUAGE.
I KNOW OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S IN THE BACK.
UM, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE QUOTE UNQUOTE 10 PARTY CHARTER BOATS, THAT THAT'S IT.
AND WE WANT TO BE VERY, UM, SELECTIVE IN THE LANGUAGE THAT WE USE TO DESCRIBE A PARTY CHARTER BOAT.
BECAUSE THE LAST THING I WANNA DO IS HAVE A BUNCH OF FISHING BOATS NOW BRING, YOU KNOW, BRING A BUNCH OF BEERS AND DRINKS AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT A PARTY CHARTER, THEY'RE JUST A FISHING BOAT OR, OR THE ECO TOURS.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED THIS, THE CITY NEEDS, UM, PROTECTIONS AGAINST THAT SORT OF WIGGLE ROOM THAT THEY MAY HAVE, AND THEY MAY COME AROUND.
SO, CAN I JUST, OF COURSE, QUICKLY, MADAM CHAIR, I KNOW YOU NEED, NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR MEETING.
I WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT, YOU KNOW, NOBODY WRITES ARTICLES ABOUT THE 99.9% OF THE HOUSES THAT ARE NOT ON FIRE.
RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A CALL, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THE DAYS WHERE, YEAH, BUT WE HAVE A NEWS ARTICLE EVERY ONCE A MONTH ABOUT MIAMI BEACH MARINA AND, AND, AND IT'S LIKE, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MORE OFTEN THAN NOT IN, IN PROBABLY ANY SOUTH FLORIDA MARINA THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM.
ANY, EVERY, ANY SOUTH FLORIDA MAR ANY MARINA IN, SORRY, ANYWHERE IN SOUTH OF FLORIDA, THE MOST NOTORIOUS MARINA IS MIAMI BEACH, OUTSIDE OF THE MIAMI RIVER, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, NOT A MARINA.
BUT, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON.
AND SURE, A LOT OF GOOD STUFF HAPPENS, BUT WE HAVE A BRAND TO PROTECT AND AN IMAGE.
AND I CERTAINLY AM TRYING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE PARTY SCENE OF MIAMI BEACH.
AND IT IS, IT IS, IT IS DIFFICULT WHEN WE HEADLINES THAT TRAVIS SCOTT ARRESTED AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING OR FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, UH, IN MIAMI BEACH MARINA.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST TRAVIS SCOTT.
HE'S THERE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, US AND THE MARINA SORT OF ENABLING THESE WIGGLE ROOMS WHERE IT OCCURS IS, IS A STAIN IN OUR BRAND AND OUR REPUTATION.
SO, UM, I CAN'T ARGUE WITH ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO JUST SO YOU HAVE AN IDEA, IT'S NOT IN ANYBODY IN THIS, THERE'S NOBODY IN THIS ROOM.
IT'S IN NOBODY'S INTEREST TO HAVE BAD THINGS HAPPEN.
AND THAT WAS THE POINT THAT I WAS MAKING, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE NEGATIVE 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE READ ABOUT, AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHEN WE GET THE, I GET, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
I GET THE CALLS, YOU GET THE CALLS, WHATEVER THE CASE IS, AND WE ARE TRYING TO COME TO AN ACCORD WHERE THAT IS GOING TO BE NOT ONLY MITIGATED, BUT
[02:15:01]
IN MY OPINION, ELIMINATED.IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST MITIGATING THINGS AND, AND JUST HOPING IT GOES AWAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, PART OF IT, WE'RE IN SOUTH BEACH, THAT'S PART OF IT AS WELL.
AND WE'RE A MAGNET FOR THESE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE THE CARS DRIVING THROUGH THE OTHER DAY, YOU KNOW THAT THAT ONE'S NOT ON THE MARINA.
BUT AS THE CHAOS LEVEL DECREASES AND THE DEMAND FOR COVID AND POST COVID CHAOS DECREASES, WE'RE WILLING TO MAKE A LOT OF CONCESSIONS, WHICH LEAD TO THEIR, THEIR FINANCIAL CONCESSIONS IN ORDER TO BE A GOOD PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND GOOD PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ERIC, DO YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION YOU NEED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON, UH, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US FOR NEGOTIATIONS MOVING FORWARD? I DO.
UH, YOU'RE CLOSING THAT ITEM OUT, RIGHT? NO.
[17. DISCUSSION REGARDING POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS TO THE CITY'S ARTIST VENDOR PROGRAM]
17 ITEM NUMBER 17 IS DISCUSS POSSIBLE MODIFICATION TO THE CITY'S ARTIST VENDOR PROGRAM.AND THIS WILL BE PRESENTED BY FINANCE, AND IT IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
UM, PJ, CAN YOU PULL UP, UH, MY PRESENTATION ON THE ARTIST FENDER PROGRAM? SO I WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE A QUICK UPDATE, UM, OF THE ARTIST FENDER PROGRAM.
UM, I'M GLAD, UH, I'M GLAD ROB IS HERE WITH US BECAUSE HE'S VERY WELL VERSED IN THE LEGALITY OF, OF THE SITUATION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU GO AROUND OUR MOST CHERISHED TOURIST DESTINATIONS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S ABUNDANTLY CLEAR.
UM, WE, WE HAVE A CERTAIN TYPE OF ARTIST OR ARTISTIC, UH, VENUE THAT'S PREVALENT EVERYWHERE.
AND SO IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
P UM, RIGHT NOW, IN ORDER TO BE AN ARTIST VENDOR WITHIN THE, WITHIN A RESTRICTED ZONE, UM, YOU HAVE TO DESCRIBE WHAT YOU'RE SELLING.
UM, AND YOU HAVE TO PARTICULARLY MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU'RE SELLING IS NOT I IMPORTED FROM CHINA, UH, THAT THEY'RE NOT SELLING ANY SORT OF COUNTERFEIT, UM, PRODUCTS.
AND, UM, IT HAS TO BE REAL ART.
I BELIEVE THERE'S 34, UM, CATEGORIES THAT YOU, THAT A ARTIST VENDOR CAN SIGN UP FOR RIGHT NOW.
OVER 95% OF THE ARTIST VENDORS HA HAVE CHECKED OFF BEAD, UH, STRINGING.
UH, AND HERE ON THIS SLIDE, I TOOK THIS MYSELF.
THIS WAS IN FRONT OF THE CVS, I BELIEVE, ON THE SECOND HUNDRED BLOCK OF, OF, UH, LINCOLN ROAD.
THEY'RE SELLING FAKE CHANEL AND FAKE VON CLEEF, UM, JEWELRY.
UH, AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, OVER 95% OF THE, THE ARTIST VENDING PROGRAM IS BEADS.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, YOU KIND OF, YOU GUYS GET THE IDEA.
YOU CAN CLOSE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, BEFORE, UH, MANNY GOES UP AND, AND, AND TEES UP FOR ME, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO, TO OUR, OUR COMMITTEE WAS HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY DIVERSIFY, UH, THE ARTIST VENDOR PROGRAM? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAID, AND WHAT FINANCE CAN ATTEST TO IS 95% OF THE, THE ARTISTS ARE JUST BEAT STRINGERS.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO, TO PROPOSE, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE EVERYONE FALLS ON THIS, IS, IS PERHAPS PUT A CAP ON HOW MANY ARTIST, UH, CATEGORIES CAN BE APPLIED.
SO THERE'S 32 CATEGORIES, PERHAPS WE HAVE THREE, UM, A CAP ON THREE BEAT STRINGERS AND A, AND A CAP ON ON THE REST.
UH, I BELIEVE THERE'S 58, UH, LOTTERY TICKETS THAT, THAT CAN BE GIVEN IN THE RESTRICTED ZONES.
[02:20:01]
NEED A LOTTERY TICKET TO BE OUTSIDE OF A RESTRICTED ZONE.UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WASHINGTON AVENUE, UH, OCEAN DRIVE, UH, LINCOLN ROAD, THAT IS A RESTRICTED ZONE.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT IN THOSE ZONES, ANYONE CAN APPLY FOR, UM, WHEREVER THEY'D LIKE TO GO.
SO, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE MY COLLEAGUES FALL ON THIS.
I I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CAP ON HOW MANY BREED STRINGERS THERE CAN BE.
HOW MANY ARTISANAL CRAFTS THERE COULD BE, HOW MANY PAINTING, UM, CARICATURE PAINTINGS THERE COULD BE.
AND GIVE REAL DIVERSITY TO THE ARTISTIC VALUE OF THE ARTIST VENDOR PROGRAM.
SO LAST YEAR I MET WITH MANNY AND KENNETH AND THE CITY ATTORNEY ON THE ARTIST VENDOR PROGRAM.
I ALSO MET WITH, UM, AN ARTIST VENDOR, AND WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO MOVING SOMETHING FORWARD, AND THEN I WAS ASKED TO STOP IT.
SO NOW THAT, UM, THE ITEM IS COMING BACK, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THAT TIME, LIKE CHANGING THE COLOR OF THE TABLECLOTHS AND A FEW OF THE OTHER ITEMS, UM, WHICH I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT MY NOTES AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP THEN IS THAT NOT EVERYTHING IS HANDMADE.
AND, UH, HOW ON EARTH DID IT GET APPROVED? UM, AND AT THAT TIME I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS ARTS AND CULTURE THAT HAS THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, UM, IN IDENTIFYING IF SOMETHING IS ACTUALLY WORTHY TO BE SOLD.
BUT IF YOU GO AROUND OUR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO BEEN, UH, COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS, UM, RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BE IN OUR PARKS.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, LOOMIS PARK IN PARTICULAR WAS, UH, AN AREA THAT RESIDENTS DON'T WANT IT.
TECHNICALLY, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BE IN THAT SPOT.
AND SO THAT WAS THE MISTAKE OF, UH, THE RESIDENTS THINKING THAT THEY WEREN'T.
BUT, UH, LOOKING AT WHERE WE APPROVE THEM IN PARTICULAR, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS CAPS, UM, I THINK, UH, THAT WOULD WORK WELL 'CAUSE IT WOULD GIVE US, UH, DIVERSITY.
AND, UM, UNLESS COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE HAS ANYTHING TO SHARE, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM MANNY.
UM, YEAH, FROM FINANCE, PLEASE.
MANDY MARQUEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, VICE CHAIR, UH, MISS MADAM CHAIR COM.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UM, YOU ESSENTIALLY MADE, UH, THE PRESENTATION FOR ME, SO YOU MADE IT PRETTY EASY.
BUT I'LL, I'LL SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE THINGS.
UM, GOING BACK IN HISTORY, WHEN THIS PROGRAM WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED, IF YOU DROVE THROUGH OCEAN DRIVE OR WALKED THROUGH OCEAN DRIVE, OCEAN DRIVE ESSENTIALLY LOOKED LIKE A FLEA MARKET.
THERE WERE JUST ARTIST TABLES EVERYWHERE.
SO THE CITY, UH, BACK WHEN IT ESTABLISHED THIS PROGRAM ESSENTIALLY CREATED A PROGRAM WHERE WE WOULD REGULATE AND LIMIT HOW MANY ARTISTS, VENDORS ARE IN SOUTH BEACH.
WE HAVE 58 ARTISTS, VENDORS IN, IN SOUTH BEACH.
UH, THE BOUNDARIES ARE PRETTY MUCH DADE BOULEVARD TO, TO THE NORTH AND ALTON ROAD TO THE EAST.
SO IN THOSE, IN THAT AREA, WE HAVE 58 ARTISTS, VENDOR, UH, LOCATIONS.
AND AS, AS COMMISSIONER, AS VICE-CHAIR, AS OURS MENTIONED, UH, 95% WHEN WE'VE LAST LOOKED AT OUR NUMBERS, OUR BEAD STRINGERS, BEAD MAKERS, UM, BEFORE YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN OUR LOTTERY PROGRAM, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN AUTH AUTHENTICATION PROCESS.
THIS IS DONE WITH TOURISM AND CULTURE.
THE ARTIST NEEDS TO COME TO THE CITY, OR, OR VIA ZOOM, MAKE THE ART IN FRONT OF OUR STAFF OF CITY STAFF.
THEY NEED TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE MAKING THE ART.
SO WE'RE NOT REALLY JUDGING THE QUALITY OF THE ART, WE'RE JUST PROVING, UH, JUDGING THAT THE ART IS, IS HANDMADE.
THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, TO SELL FAKE PURSES, UH, THINGS FROM CHINA.
THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO SELL THINGS THAT THEY, THEY AUTHENTICALLY MADE BY HAND.
UM, OUTSIDE OF OUR, OUR LOTTERY ZONE, IT'S PRETTY MUCH A FREE FOR ALL.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE CERTIFIED AND YOU'VE, AND YOU'VE PAID YOUR, YOUR FEES, UH, YOU CAN PARTICIPATE AND SELL YOUR YOUR GOODS.
UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS, UH, ABOUT PARKS, UH, ITEMS BEING SOLD IN PARKS.
LOOMIS PARK AND ALLISON PARK ARE CONSTANT REGULAR COMPLAINTS THAT WE RECEIVE, UM, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY A ZONE, A RESTRICTED ZONE, CORRECT.
UH, ALISON PARK, LOOMIS, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL LOCATIONS ALONG OCEAN DRIVE, THE WEST SIDE, BUT ALLISON PARK IN NO BEACH, BUT ALLISON PARK, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SAW RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY ANYWHERE YOU WANT.
UM, THERE, IT'S NOT, THERE'S, IT'S NOT REGULATED.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT BLOCKING THEM RIGHT AWAY.
AND THERE'S CERTAIN RULES, YOU NEED TO BE X FEET FROM THE STREET, YOU NEED TO BE WIDE FEET FROM CERTAIN AREAS, BUT IT, IT'S ALLOWED, IT'S ALLOWED ON, ON, FOR EXAMPLE, ON COLLINS IN 65TH, IF YOU WANTED TO PUT A TABLE, RIGHT, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO PUT A TABLE, BUT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED.
[02:25:01]
OF THE PICTURES I SHOWED, A LOT OF THEM WERE BLOCKING RIGHT AWAY.UM, SO WHERE IS THE REGULATION ON IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE CAUGHT BY CO COMPLIANCE, VIOLATING THE CODE, UH, WHETHER YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE A, A TABLECLOTH THAT'S A CERTAIN COLOR OR YOUR UMBRELLA THAT'S A CERTAIN COLOR, OR YOU'RE SELLING GOODS THAT, THAT ARE NOT AUTHENTICALLY MADE BY YOU.
WE HAVE A TIERED, UH, FINE STRUCTURE.
FIRST OFFENSE IS $50, SECOND OFFENSE IS A HUNDRED ALL THE WAY UP TO THE FOURTH OFFENSE, 500.
AND YOU'RE ALSO SUSPENDED FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM WHEN ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR FOURTH VIOLATION, YOU'RE PERMANENTLY OUTED FROM THE PROGRAM.
YOU CAN'T PARTICIPATE OR SOLVE EVER AGAIN.
UM, SO I REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE A PROLIFERATION OF ARTIST VENDORS.
SO I REACHED OUT TO KEY WEST, AND IT, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FACT, IN, IN KEY WEST, THE CITY MANAGER OF KEY WEST AL CHILDRESS USED TO BE OUR CO COMPLIANCE DIRECTOR, MANY, MANY MOONS AGO.
AND WHAT THEY HAVE IS, IS A FREE FOR ALL ON DUVAL STREET.
THEY DON'T GIVE YOU ASSIGNED LOCATIONS.
IT'S FIRST COME FIRST SEARCH YOU, YOU PAY YOUR APPLICATION FEE.
AND THE FIRST ARTIST TO ARRIVE IS THE OWNER OF THAT PLACE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.
ONE THING THEY TRY TO DO TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT AND ALSO TO PROTECT THE CITY, IS THAT THEY REQUIRE THE ARTIST VENDORS TO OBTAIN INSURANCE.
THEY'RE OPERATING A TABLE ON THE CITY, RIGHT OF WAY.
SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN, SOMEBODY CAN TRIP.
SO THEY REQUIRE THE ARTIST VENDOR TO OBTAIN AN IN INSURANCE.
WE CURRENTLY DO NOT REQUIRE ARTIST VENDORS TO OBTAIN INSURANCE.
THEY TAKE IT TO A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL.
OUR, OUR ORDINANCE, BY THE WAY, WAS MODELED AFTER SAN FRANCISCO AND KEY WEST.
WE TOOK THE BEST OUT OF THEIR ORDINANCES AND COMBINED IT WITH, WITH WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS BEST FOR THE CITY.
SAN FRANCISCO DOES A WEEKLY LOTTERY.
WE DO A CURRENT, UH, CURRENTLY A, A QUARTERLY LOTTERY.
SAN FRANCISCO DOES A WEEKLY LOTTERY FOR THEIR, THEIR HOTSPOTS.
DOWNTOWN FISHERMAN'S WHARF, UM, NEW YORK CITY.
THEY ALSO HAVE A PROLIFERATION OF ARTIST VENDORS.
THEY ARE, THEY HAVE ISSUED PERMITS, AND THEY DON'T GIVE ANY ASSIGNED LOCATIONS.
THEY HAVE ASSIGNED, THEY DON'T GIVE AN ASSIGNED LOCATION TO A VENDOR.
THEY HAVE DEDICATED LOCATIONS, AND IT'S FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.
SO IF YOU'RE WALKING ALONG CENTRAL PARK, YOU MAY SEE ARTISTS SELLING PHOTOGRAPHS, PAINTINGS.
UM, THEY, THEY MENTIONED THEY DIDN'T HAVE, UH, SUCH A BAD PROLIFERATION OF, UH, BEACH RINGERS.
THEY DO HAVE THEM, BUT IT'S MOSTLY, UH, PAINTERS AND FOOT PEOPLE, PHOTOGRAPHS OF NEW YORK THAT THEY ALLOW THEM IN THEIR, IN THEIR PARKS.
UM, SO THE, THE PROGRAM ITSELF JUST, IF, IF YOU WANT TO TALK REVENUE, ALL IT GENERATES FOR THE CITY.
WHEN, WHEN WE SELL OUR CERTIFICATES AND OUR LOTTERY PERMITS, IT'S $55,000.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT A MONEY MAKER.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A FEE WE CHARGE JUST TO COLLECT THE DATA AND PAY AND MAYBE PAY FOR THE SALARY OF SOMEONE TO, TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND MANAGE THE, THE DATA.
UM, THERE ARE SOME DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT, THAT WE THOUGHT, UH, PERHAPS WE COULD DISCUSS THE NATURE AND QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS BEING SOLD.
YOU MENTIONED MAYBE HAVING A LIMIT ON HOW MANY FEATURING WE HAVE, HOW MANY PAINTERS WE HAVE, UM, RE REMOVAL OF ARTIST VENDORS FROM OUR CITY PARKS.
I THINK THAT'S, UH, WE HAVE, THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST COMPLAINTS.
THE, THE QUALITY AND THE REMOVAL OF OF, OF ARTIST VENDORS FROM PARKS.
THERE'S ALSO BEEN DISCUSSIONS OF EXPANDING THE LOTTERY ZONES, POSSIBLY.
WELL, BECAUSE THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY HOT TOPIC.
AND THROUGH THE CHAIR, IF WE CAN ASK OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ROB, IS THAT POSSIBLE? CAN WE SAY THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO HAVE ARTISTS FING IN PARKS? UH, LET ME FRAME IT A LITTLE BIT.
ARTIST VENDING IS PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT, IF IT IS TRUE ART, AND IT, IT, IT, IT, I COULD GET INTO A LOT OF DETAIL, BUT I WON'T ABOUT HOW THE COURTS DEFINE ART VERSUS NOT ART.
UH, THE, YOU HAVE TO ALLOW ARTIST VENDING IN AN AREA UNLESS YOU CAN SHOW A VERY SPECIFIC AND NARROW REASON WHY IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE.
BUT THEN IF YOU DID, SO, SAY WE TOOK LOOMIS PARK AND SAID, WE'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW IT ANYWHERE IN LOOMIS PARK.
WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A VERY ARTICULABLE REASON WHY IT WASN'T APPROPRIATE FOR LOOMIS PARK.
AND THEN YOU WOULD NEED TO GIVE AN AREA VERY CLOSE, LIKE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO LOOMIS PARK.
AND WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO LUMMI PARK IS THE SIDEWALK.
UH, AND SO IT, IT, SO THE, THE ALTERNATIVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO OFFER WOULD BE THE SIDEWALK WHERE THAT'S, IT MIGHT BE MORE CONGESTED ON THE SIDEWALK.
THE SIDEWALKS MIGHT BE MORE NARROW THAN WHAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK.
AND SO THERE MIGHT BE VERY SOUND, BUT HOW POLICY REASONS WHY WE MIGHT WANT IT.
HOW, HOW DO THEY HAVE, HOW IS THE SIDEWALK APPLICABLE? BUT THEY'RE ALSO BLOCKING RIGHT AWAY.
THEY WOULD BE BLOCKING RIGHT AWAY IF THEY'RE ON THE SIDEWALK.
SO ISN'T IT LIKE A CATCH 22? WELL, YOU, YOU, WELL, THAT'S WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO LEAVE IT IN THE PARK.
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO, YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO FIND A PLACE ON THE SIDEWALK
[02:30:01]
WHERE IT'S WIDE ENOUGH TO AC TO, UH, ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU WANT.THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD POINT OUT IS THAT WE'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH, 'CAUSE IT, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND, UH, THE ONE THING THAT, THAT YOU SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH IS THE BEAD STRINGERS AND THE UNAPPROVED PRODUCTS.
UH, OUR OUR LEGAL RESEARCH TELLS US THAT THERE IS NO LEGAL, UH, THERE, THERE'S NO COURT DECISION SAYING THAT BEADS OR JEWELRY IN GENERAL IS ART.
AND SO YOU COULD POTENTIALLY BAN THAT ALTOGETHER IF YOU WANTED TO.
UM, UH, AND YOU COULD LIMIT THE NUMBER OF THEM IF YOU WANTED TO.
HOWEVER, THINGS THAT ARE TRUE ART, QUINTESSENTIALLY PAINTINGS, IF YOU WERE GONNA SAY PAINTINGS, YOU CANNOT LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TRUE ART, UH, UH, VENUES.
SO, UH, SO YOU'RE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF FREEDOM IN MY ESTIMATION AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH WITH JEWELRY AND BEADS, AND ESPECIALLY WITH NON HANDMADE THINGS.
UH, SO, SO TO TO THAT POINT, IF, IF YOU WANTED TO PUT A CAP ON EACH CATEGORY, COULD YOU PUT A CAP ON, ON, UH, LIKE THREE VENDORS FOR, FOR ART? NO.
YOU, YOU COULD DO THREE FOR BEAD STRINGERS AND JEWELRY.
BECAUSE IN MY ESTIMATION, AFTER MY RESEARCH, I THINK WE HAVE A VERY GOOD ARGUMENT.
IF SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY ART, QUINTESSENTIALLY A PAINTING, YOU CANNOT, UH, LIMIT IT.
THE, THE 11TH CIRCUIT, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE SOME LESS INTUITIVE ONES.
TATTOO ARTISTS ARE CONSIDERED IN THIS FEDERAL CIRCUIT TO BE ART.
AND SO, UH, THE CITY OF KEY WEST TRIED TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TATTOO ARTISTS, AND THE COURT SAID, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
YOU CAN'T LIMIT THE NUMBER OF THEM.
UH, SO AND SO, AND SO NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR EAR THROUGH THE CHAIR, UM, WE'RE OKAY WITH LIMITING THE NON-ART.
SO BEAD STRINGERS, FOR EXAMPLE, 'CAUSE THAT'S 95% OF THE, UH, UH, OF THE APPLICANTS.
UM, IS THAT, THAT THAT HAS LEGAL, THAT THAT'S NO PROBLEM.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE NO COURT CASES GOING EITHER WAY ON THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION, BUT IN MY ESTIMATION.
AND THEN WE CAN ALSO LOWER THE AMOUNT IN THE RESTRICTED ZONE.
'CAUSE I BELIEVE THERE'S 58 CORRECT? A A ALLOWED IN ALL OF OUR RESTRICTED ZONES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IS THERE GONNA BE ANY ISSUE IF WE WANNA LOWER FROM 58 TO 20, FOR EXAMPLE? YES, THERE WOULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
THE, THE NUMBER OF TOTAL ARTIST, VENDOR AND STREET PERFORMER LOCATIONS THAT, UH, ARE CURRENTLY DESIGNATED IN THE ZONE WHERE YOU REQUIRE A PERMIT WERE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED AFTER WE LOST A COURT CASE IN THE THIRD DCA BASED ON A FEWER NUMBER.
AND I BELIEVE THE NUMBER THAT WE HAD WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE TWENTIES.
AND THE COURT SAID, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
UH, AND SO, SO, SO YOU NEED THE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE NOW.
UH, YOU, YOU CAN'T LIMIT THE, THE NUMBER OF FREQUENCY OF TRUE ART.
IF, IF, IF YOU WANTED, IF IF 58 PEOPLE WANTED TO HAVE PAINTING, UH, STALLS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO ALLOW IT.
HOWEVER, NON-ART, AND IN MY ESTIMATION, JEWELRY AND BEAD IS NOT ART.
AND LET ME, LET ME JUST READ OFF A FEW.
SO CANDLES, DECOUPAGE, WHAT THAT IS, DON, MAYBE YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? UH, KITE MAKING FOUND OBJECTS, ARY PAINT, UH, PAINTING AND DRAWING OBVIOUSLY IS ART PIPES, I DON'T KNOW, PRINTMAKING, STRING SCULPTURE, WOODCRAFT, UM, CASTING CERAMIC SCULPTURE DOUGH, CRAFTING FEATHER ART, GLASS ART, LIPID AREA, MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS AS A CATEGORY, UM, PAPER AND PAPER MACHE.
UM, SO PERHAPS WE CAN, UM, CATEGORIZE THE NON-ART, UH, CATEGORY OR PUT A CAP ON THE, THE NON-ART CATEGORIES.
UM, AND ANYTHING WITH ART, IT CAN, WITH TRUE ART, UH, IT CAN BE, UM, NO CAP.
AND ALSO, UH, MANNY SUGGESTED MAYBE INSURANCE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REQUIRE? YOU CAN.
UM, I, TANYA'S BEEN ASKING, AND I'LL JUST SAY A COMMENT TOO, THAT, UM, SOME OF THESE ARTISTS, VENDORS DO BEAUTIFUL WORK, AND SOME OF THEM ARE RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY.
SO THIS IS THEIR LIVELIHOOD, UM, COMMISSIONER BOT.
UM, I, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
I, I'VE SEEN, UM, GORGEOUS HAND CARVED WOOD UP IN NORTH NORTH BEACH.
AND SO THERE ARE SOME REALLY NICE THINGS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED.
UM, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WHEN, IF SOMEBODY'S COMING AND MAKING WHAT THEY MAKE IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY TO GET THEIR PERMIT
[02:35:01]
APPROVED, IS THERE NO SPOT CHECK THAT WE DO CURRENTLY? BECAUSE WHAT WE SAW IN THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS, WHAT I'VE SEEN WALKING AROUND IS STUFF THAT SOMEBODY MADE IN A FACTORY AND IS THEY'RE SELLING.AND SO, SURE, YOU MIGHT BE MAKING BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY BY HAND, BUT THEN YOU'RE ALSO SELLING THE SCHLOCK THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, IMPORT.
WHY ARE WE NOT DOING SPOT CHECKS? IF SOMEBODY'S WALKING DOWN LINCOLN ROAD TO DO A CODE VISIT ON A STORE THAT'S BEEN REPORTED, CAN THEY NOT ALSO BE STOPPING TO LOOK AT THE ARTIST VENDORS WHO ARE THERE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE COMPLYING WITH WHAT THEY'RE, THEY SAID THEY WERE SELLING? THAT'S QUESTION NUMBER ONE.
AND QUESTION NUMBER TWO, ROB, THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, WE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE, UM, A PROHIBITION ON PEOPLE EARNING MONEY ON OUR PRIVATE, UH, ON OUR PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHO CAN OR CAN'T DOCK AT VARIOUS SPACES, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP RIGHT? UM, AND, AND IN TERMS OF PROVIDING SOME PROTECTIONS.
AND ALSO WE HAVE A COUNTY CHARTER THAT PROTECTS OUR PARKS FROM BEING USED FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSE.
SO HOW DOES THAT ALL FIT TOGETHER? SO I KNOW THOSE ARE LIKE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT SET, YOU KNOW, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND SPOT CHECKS VERSUS THE LEGALITIES UNDERLYING THE LAND ITSELF AND HOW THOSE CAN BE USED FOR PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.
SO HAVE AT IT, COMMISSIONER, FOR THE FIRST QUESTION, I'M, I'M GONNA DEFER TO CO COMPLIANCE SO THEY CAN ANSWER ABOUT THE CHECKING.
GOOD AFTERNOON CO COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATOR, KENNETH BARLA.
I'M MADAM CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, MR. VICE-CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
AS FAR AS, UM, FOLLOWING UP ON INSPECTIONS FOR THE ARTIST VENDORS, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE ORDINANCE, ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT BEFORE.
SO I, I SAW, I WENT, I WITNESSED ALL THE, UM, DIFFERENT LEVELS THAT TOOK, THAT TOOK PLACE.
STRINGING BEING THE MAIN, THE MAIN ISSUE AS FAR AS WHETHER IT'S HARD OR NOT, I MEAN, WE'RE IN CO COMPLIANCE.
WE CANNOT DECIDE WHAT TAKES PLACE THERE.
BUT WHEN WE DO, UM, DO THESE SPOT CHECKS, WE DO CHECK THEIR CERTIFICATIONS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE, THE MAIN IDENTIFICATIONS THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE, WHICH TELLS US WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO MAKE AND WHAT NOT TO MAKE.
AND WE CHECK THEIR, UM, THEIR MATERIALS, WE CHECK THEIR MATERIALS, WE CHECK THEIR, UM, ITEMS FOR SALE, AND WE VERIFY THAT THEY DID MAKE IT OR ARE CERTIFIED TO MAKE IT.
AND IF THERE IS ITEMS THAT ARE NOT CERTIFIED, THEN WE PROCEED WITH VIOLATIONS.
JUST LIKE THE YOUNG LADY THAT WAS IN ONE OF THE PHOTOS THAT SELLS THE CHANEL, WE CITED HER EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR TWO CATEGORIES.
SHE WASN'T SET UP CORRECTLY AND SHE WAS SELLING ITEMS THAT SHE DID NOT MAKE.
IE THE CHANEL, WE'VE, UH, CONDUCTED OVER 800 INSPECTIONS JUST THIS YEAR ON ILLEGAL VENDORS, UM, STREET PERFORMERS, UH, ARTISTS, VENDORS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WE'VE HAD EIGHT VIOLATIONS ISSUED TO, UH, VARIOUS ARTISTS.
MOST OF THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED HAVE BEEN HERE OVER 20 YEARS AS ARTISTS.
UH, AND THEY PARTICIPATE IN OUR LOTTERY ALMOST EVERY YEAR, EVERY QUARTER.
SO WE DO SPOT CHECKS WITH THEM, UH, ESPECIALLY THROUGH OUR ENTERTAINMENT OFFICERS.
SO, AND WE DO ISSUE VIOLATIONS WHEN WE COME ACROSS THEM.
I DIDN'T, DIDN'T ASK MEAN TO CAST DISPERSIONS THAT IT WASN'T HAPPENING.
SO ROB, TO ADD TO YOUR LIST OF TWO QUESTIONS, CAN WE ALSO INCREASE THE FINES? UM, WE WANT TO, AS WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE WANNA ENCOURAGE THE GOOD OPERATORS WHO ARE PROVIDING A GOOD AND WELCOME SERVICE AND DISCOURAGE THE BAD OPERATORS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO ME, 50 BUCKS, LIKE I KNOW NOBODY'S GETTING RICH DOING THIS, BUT 50 BUCKS OR A HUNDRED BUCKS IF YOU GET CAUGHT AND, AND CITED ONCE A YEAR IS A GREAT, YOU KNOW, UH, COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
IS THERE, I KNOW IN SHORT TERM RENTALS WE'RE PROHIBITED FROM GOING TO EXCESSIVE FINES.
NOT SUGGESTING $5,000 OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE, THE FINES IN ADDITION TO ALSO REQUIRING INSURANCE, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT GATEKEEPER? UM, I'M GONNA TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
LET BORROW THE FULL SIGN AND THEN ROB, OH, SORRY ROB, LET ROB ANSWER THAT THE QUESTION'S BEEN ANSWERED.
OH, HE DOESN'T WANT, UH, BEFORE BEGINNING, MADAM CHAIR, UM, TWO MECHANICAL MATTERS.
FIRST, I THINK THE CLOCK IS SKIPPING, SO IF YOU COULD USE, I CAN'T SEE THE CLOCK.
SO LOOK, SHE'LL, SHE'LL SEE A THERE.
UH, SECONDLY, I WILL TRY NOT TO HAVE A BIDEN DEBATE, A BIDEN DEBATE MOMENT, BUT I'M GONNA ASK FOR ADDITIONAL 60 SECONDS.
UM, HENRY STOLLER 1500 OCEAN DRIVE, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO YOU COMMISSIONER SUAREZ FOR YOUR INITIATIVE IN LAUNCHING A DISCUSSION OF
[02:40:01]
THE ARTIST VENDOR PROGRAM.IT IS A PROGRAM WHICH HAS RUN COMPLETELY AMUCK.
THE ARTIST VENDOR PROGRAM DESPERATELY NEEDS ATTENTION IN TWO RESPECTS.
FIRST ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING ARTIST, VAN OR LEGISLATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS.
AND SECONDLY, COMPREHENSIVE UPDATING AND REVISION OF THE LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN COMPREHENSIVE, ADMITTED, UPDATED SINCE 20 10, 14 YEARS AGO.
THEY'RE IN DESPERATE NEED OF IT.
THE UNDERLYING LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE, AS MANNY HAS SAID, WAS TO ADOPT AN DENIST VENDOR PROGRAM THAT WAS VERY DETAILED, HIGHLY REGULATED, WOULD NOT RESULT IN A FREE FOR ALL, WOULD NOT BE A FLEA MARKET, A CIRCUS, OR A ZOO.
THAT LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DEFEATED BY WANT OF ENFORCEMENT.
THE LIST IS SO PLAIN AND SO OBVIOUS, IT HITS YOU IN THE FACE IF YOU'RE JUST OUT OBSERVING CASUALTY VENDORS' FAILURES TO DISPLAY THE TWO PERMITS REQUIRED TO BE DISPLAYED.
I FINALLY GOT A PICTURE OF THE ONE OUTLIER, ONE PERSON, ONE VENDOR WHO ACTUALLY HAD DISPLAYED BOOKS, VIOLATION OF REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING THE EXHIBITION OF MERCHANDISE FOR SALE, VIOLATION OF RESTRICTIONS OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTPRINT, VIOLATIONS OF REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING THE TAILS, TABLES, CHAIRS, UMBRELLAS, TABLECLOTHS.
MADAM CHAIR JUST BARELY BEGINS TO ADDRESS THOSE ITEMS WHICH ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LEGISLATION WITHOUT ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE EXISTING CODE AND REGULATION PROVISIONS.
IT'S A FOOL'S ERRAND TO EMBARK UPON A MAJOR STUDY AND REVISION OF THE LAW AND OF THE REGULATIONS BECAUSE THE SAME NON-ENFORCEMENT IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE UNDER NEW GROUND RULES.
BUT IF A CODE AND REGULATION REVISION PROJECT IS TO BE UNDERTAKEN, HERE IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF AN AREA THAT SHOULD BE TACKLED.
THE CODE AUTHORIZES VENDORS ON THE BEACH WALK ONLY IN SPECIFIED LOCATIONS BETWEEN LINCOLN ROAD ON THE SOUTH AND 22ND STREET ON THE NORTH.
ANYTHING ON THE BEACH WALK OUTSIDE THIS SMALL AREA IS AVAILABLE ON A DAILY, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS, WHATEVER THAT MEANS.
I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE CONSIDERING PERMITS ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO A LARGE NUMBER OF VENDORS OUTSIDE THAT SMALL AREA FROM LINCOLN ROAD TO 22ND STREET ARE SIMPLY ALLOWED TO DO THEIR OWN THING COMPLETELY FREE OF INCLUSION IN THE LARGER REGULATORY SCHEME, LEGISLATION AND REGULATORY REVISION DOES NOT OCCUR OVERNIGHT FOR THAT REASON.
THE FIRST PRIORITY SHOULD BE ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING LAW.
IT'S A GREAT CREDIT AND TRIBUTE TO MANNY AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THAT WITHOUT ANY INTERFERENCE FROM THE COMMISSION OR THE ADMINISTRATION, IT ACCEPTED A SIMPLE SUGGESTION TO IMPROVE CONSIDERABLY THE ARTIST, VENDOR OR APPLICATION PROCESS.
THE RECEPTIVITY THAT RECEPTIVITY TO IMPROVEMENT CONTRAST SHARPLY WITH CURRENT PRACTICES OF NON-ENFORCEMENT OF ARTISTS, VENDOR, OR LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS.
UH, VICE, THANK YOU HENRY, VICE CHAIR SUAREZ, WHERE DO YOU WANT THIS TO GO? SO I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW MOTIONS, UH, THAT'S COMPREHENSIVE.
UM, I, I THINK I'D LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING, OH, I'M SORRY.
I WAS JUST ASKED, UH, ABOUT THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN HAVING COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IN THE PARKS AND, AND OUR CITY'S REGULATIONS ON COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS ON OUR PUBLIC STREETS.
UH, THE, THE, THE, THE FIRST OVERRIDING ANSWER IS THAT THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES US TO ALLOW OUR DIS VENDORS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
AND SO THAT WOULD OVERRIDE ANY RULE IN ANY PARK OR OR CITY RULE.
HOWEVER, OUR CITY RULES THAT DO NOT ALLOW BUSINESS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY CAN BE AMENDED AND ARE BY OUR CITY ORDINANCES THAT ALLOW ARTIST, VENDORS AND OTHERS TO DO BUSINESS IN CERTAIN PERMITTED AREAS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
WE ALSO ALLOW YOGA CLASSES SOMETIMES IN, IN OUR PARKS AND, AND THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE.
SO THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THE GENERAL RULE THAT YOU CAN'T DO BUSINESS ON CITY PROPERTY.
BUT THE OVERARCHING, THE, UH, UH, CONTROLLING FACTOR IS THAT THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES US TO ALLOW OUR SPENDING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
UM, A COUPLE MOTIONS I'D LIKE TO MAKE, UH, SORT OF AS A COMPREHENSIVE, SORRY, JUST ONE MORE
[02:45:01]
THING.SHE'S ASKING ME, UH, ABOUT THE FINES.
THE, YOU CAN, UH, IT IS WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW AND, AND YOUR, UH, PRIVILEGE TO ESTABLISH WHATEVER FINES YOU WANT UP TO THE STATE LAW LIMIT, WHICH IS, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, $5,000 FOR A, UH, SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION.
I BELIEVE THE FIRST VIOLATION IS $1,000 AND THEN $15,000 IF THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE DEEMS THE, UH, VIOLATION TO BE, UH, UH, UH, ONGOING OR, UH, UNFIXABLE.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE AT 50 BUCKS.
YOU COULD GO UP TO, UH, A THOUSAND, UP TO A THOUSAND FOR A FIRST OFFENSE IF YOU WANTED TO.
UM, LET ME, LET ME GO THROUGH, UH, I THINK A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF, I THINK PARAMETERS AS PART OF A SINGLE MOTION.
UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING WEEKLY LOTTERY.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE DO IT QUARTERLY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO DO THAT WEEKLY, SIMILAR TO WHAT KEY WEST AND NEW YORK CITY DOES.
UM, I WANNA REQUIRE INSURANCE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO INCLUDE ALLISON PARK AS A RESTRICTED ZONE.
UM, I'D LIKE VERY IMPORTANT TO PUT A CAP ON NON-ART CATEGORIES SUCH AS BEAD STRINGING.
I'D LIKE THERE TO BE THREE, UH, PER CATEGORY OF NON NON-ART AND I WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE THE FINES.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY COLLEAGUES FEEL, I THINK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, LET'S START WITH MAYBE A $200 FINE, YOU KNOW, JUST QUADRUPLE THE, UM, FROM 50 AND, AND WORK ITS WAY UP.
UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE MY COLLEAGUES FEEL ABOUT THAT.
UM, I THINK THREE CAP IS TOO HARSH.
CAN WE MAKE IT FIVE? I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
AND THEN, UM, THE, THE FEE, IS THERE A GRACE PERIOD? LIKE IS THERE A SURE.
SO FIRST TIME NOTHING, IT'S A WARNING AND BEFORE A FINE IS IMPOSED.
AND, UM, MANNY, WOULD YOU ALSO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE, UM, SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR MEETING FROM LAST YEAR WITH, UH, THE COLOR OF THE TABLECLOTH AND SOME OF THE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS AND YOU SHARE THEM? YES.
UH, CURRENTLY THE TABLE WE HAVE SET, UH, COLORS FOR THE TABLES.
I DON'T REMEMBER ALL THE COLORS, WHICH WERE HORRIBLE.
SO WE CAN ADD MORE COLORS, UH, WIDEN THE COLORS.
AND I'LL LOOK THROUGH MY NOTES, UH, TO REMIND YOU, UH, WHAT SOME OF THE ITEMS WERE.
AND DOES THIS NEED TO COME BACK TO COMMITTEE OR CAN I GO TO I THINK SO, NO.
WELL, I MEAN, YOU THINK YOU CAN WORK THIS OUT BEFORE THE NEXT AND BRING IT TO THE COMMISSION WITH THE WORKED OUT ITEMS? YEAH.
UH, YEAH, IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD BE BRINGING IT FOR THE NEXT SEPTEMBER.
AND YEAH, WE CAN BRING SOMETHING AND CIRCULATE IT AMONGST YOU AND GET COMMENTS AND BRING IT TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
SO THIS CAN TAKE LIFT OFF FROM COMMITTEE TO THE SEPTEMBER COMMISSION MEETING AS A FIRST READING? CORRECT.
UM, ALSO CURRENTLY WITH OUR FEES, IT, IT LITERALLY COSTS THE VENDOR $2 AND 14 CENTS PER DAY TO BE IN ONE OF OUR PROMINENT STREETS.
UH, SOMETIMES ONE WAY WE CAN, UH, KILL A PROGRAM OR DISCOURAGE IN ACTIVITIES BY RAISING THE FEES.
SO 2014 CENTS TO BE ON LINCOLN ROAD PER DAY, IT SEEMS REASONABLY CHEAP.
I DON DUNNO, IF YOU WANNA RAISE THE FEES.
AND, AND SO, UM, IS THERE A STANDARD IN OTHER CITIES SUCH AS NEW YORK OR SAN FRANCISCO WHERE THEY DO APPLY AND, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO VOTE ON IT, BUT WE HAVE AN APPETITE FOR THAT AND HOPEFULLY BY FIRST READING IN SEPTEMBER, UH, YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT.
AND UH, COMMISSIONER, IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, YOU WANNA HAVE WEEKLY LOTTERIES? YEAH.
JUST SIMILAR TO WHAT KEY WEST DOES.
THAT'S, UH, DO WE HAVE MANPOWER FOR THAT? DOES DON'T HAVE LOTTERIES.
KEY WEST IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE ON DUVAL STREET.
NEW YORK DOESN'T HAVE LOTTERIES.
IT'S FIRST COME WHOEVER ARRIVES FIRST, THE LOCATION, THEY OWN IT.
WELL, WE SHOULD PROBABLY MIMIC OUR, OUR NEIGHBORING CITY KEY WEST.
UH, NOT NEIGHBORING, BUT IT'S IN FLORIDA AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE TOURISTS THAT WE HAVE.
SO I, I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO MIMIC TO, TO WHAT KEY WEST DOES.
AND THAT'S CURRENTLY WHAT WE DO OF OUR STREET PERFORMERS, THE STREET PERFORMERS, WHOEVER'S THE FIRST TO ARRIVE AT A LOCATION OWNS THAT LOCATION OR CAN OPERATE AT THAT LOCATION.
THAT'S HOW IT CURRENTLY IS, CORRECT? YEAH, CORRECT.
UM, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, OFFICER, EXCUSE ME, YOUR HONOR, THROUGH THE CHAIR, VICE, UH, MR. VICE CHAIR, UH, BEFORE YOU SAID KEY WEST DOES NOT HAVE A WEEKLY LOTTERY, UH, LOTTERY AT ALL.
ANYBODY WHO ARRIVES AT DUVAL CAN SET UP.
SO BACK IN 2006, 2007 WHEN, UH, THE LOTTERY, THE LOCATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
[02:50:01]
AND WE ALLOWED THE VENDORS TO BE ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS.UM, THAT'S WHY IT, IT CREATED MORE HAVOC THAN, THAN, UM, THAN ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THE VENDORS WOULD START, UM, DISAGREEING WITH EACH OTHER, FIGHTING OVER SPOTS, CALLING IN ON EACH OTHER.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY CREATED THE LOTTERY PROCESS IN ORDER TO, TO, UM, KEEP ONE VENDOR IN ONE SPOT FOR A THREE MONTH PERIOD AND AVOID THE CHAOS OF VENDORS COMING IN, FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, ALL AGGRESSION ALTERCATIONS, VIOLENCE.
AND, UM, IF WE DO THAT FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS JUST ON THE LOTTERY LOCATIONS WE HAVE NOW, WE MIGHT, UH, INCUR THE SAME ISSUES.
SO WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST THE MONTH, THE THREE MONTH LOTTERY THAT WE HAVE NOW? THE QUARTERLY LOTTERY? I MEAN, YEAH, IT WORKS AS FAR AS KEEPING THEM LIKE AT BAY AND NOT FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER.
YOU MEAN, YOU MEAN WITHIN THREE MONTHS THEY HAVE A LOCATION THAT THAT'S THERE FOR, FOR THAT'S THEIR SPOT? YES.
I, I WOULD CONCUR WITH, WITH, WITH KENNY THROUGH, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
SO THEN WHY DID KEY WEST IMPLEMENT THAT PLAN WHERE THEY THEY MOVED IT TO WEEKLY? I THINK THEY, THEY JUST GAVE UP.
THEY SAID GET INSURANCE, BE UNDER THE VOW, STAY 10 FEET AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, HAVE YOUR TABLECLOTH, HAVE YOUR UMBRELLA OFF.
OKAY, SO LOOK, I'M GONNA LEAVE IT OPEN-ENDED FOR STAFF Y YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHETHER WE DO MONTHLY.
UM, SO LET'S JUST E LEAVE THAT OPEN-ENDED AND YOU CAN COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION IN SEPTEMBER FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'VE GOT SOME DIRECTION FROM US ON, ON WHAT, WHAT THE INTENT IS, UM, AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
AND, AND JUST TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, ALLISON PARK SHOULD BE PART OF A RESTRICTED ZONE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE MAY HAVE TO GO FROM 58 TO LIKE 65 BECAUSE WE'RE OPENING UP ANOTHER ZONE.
UM, AND, AND TO BE HONEST, IF THERE IS ANOTHER ZONE BESIDES ALLISON PARK THAT NEEDS, THAT NEEDS, UH, RESTRICTIONS, I THINK YOU CAN ALSO BRING THAT BACK TO COMMISSION AND THE CITY ATTORNEY.
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S MOVE ON FROM THIS ITEM.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MR. STOLLER.
I THINK YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS AND ELOQUENCY, UH, FAR EXCEEDED BOTH DEBATE PARTICIPANTS.
AND SO DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION OR SO THAT, I THINK WE DID ACCLIMATION.
ALL IN FAVOR FIRST READING SEPTEMBER.
[19. DISCUSS REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND DEVICES, ALONG WITH THE CITY’S ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS AND ANY ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS THAT MAY BE NECESSARY TO AID IN ENSURING THE SAFE OPERATION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND DEVICES FOR ALL.]
SO NOW THE LAST ITEM NUMBER 19, WHICH HAD A TIME CERTAIN OF 1230, SO WE'RE CUT OFF.ITEM NUMBER 19 IS DISCUSSED REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND DEVICES ALONG THE CITY'S ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS, AND ANY ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS THAT MAY BE NECESSARY TO AID IN ENSURING THE SAFE OPERATIONS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND DEVICES FOR ALL.
THE ITEM IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER B AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND JOSE WILL, UH, COMMISSIONER B, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE TRANSPORTATION? OH, BOY, WOULD I, JOSE, YOU HAVE A POWERPOINT, RIGHT? YES, I DO.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THE DETAILS OF WHERE WHAT WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT.
I DO WANT TO, FOR ANYBODY WHO'S LISTENING, UM, BESIDES THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN THE CHAMBER, UM, THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE A LONG, THOROUGH AND ROBUST PROCESS TO SOLVE PRETTY UNIVERSAL ISSUES, UM, NATIONALLY AND IN OTHER CITIES AROUND THE WORLD.
UM, IN TERMS OF CHANGING TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION, WE HAPPEN TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE WE ARE SMALL, COMPACT, UM, AND HAVE GENERALLY DECENT WEATHER.
UM, WHICH ENABLES US TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B IN MODES OTHER THAN AN SUV FOR MOST OF THE YEAR UNLESS IT'S FLOODING.
UM, AND WE HAVE, UH, A DEEP HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, WHICH, UM, MEANS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN'T NECESSARILY OR CHOOSE NOT TO SPEND MONEY ON, ON CARS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE USING OUR BEACH WALKS AND SOON TO BE COMPLETED BAY WALKS AND RESIDENTIAL STREETS TO TRY TO AVOID GETTING SMOOSHED BY SAID SUVS.
UM, AND ALL OF THESE ARE FACTORS THAT PLAY INTO WHAT, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO PIT RESIDENT AGAINST RESIDENT.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT HARDER TO DRIVE.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT UNSAFE TO RIDE YOUR MICRO MOBILITY, UM, DEVICE OR GOD FORBID, BE A PEDESTRIAN ANY PLACE.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIND BETTER WAYS FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS TO COEXIST IN A WAY THAT ELEVATES THE GAME FOR EVERYBODY AND MAKES IT SAFER FOR EVERYBODY AND MOVES OUR INFRASTRUCTURE INTO THE DIRECTION THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY MOVING.
UM, I WANT TO COMMEND CITY STAFF AT IN GREAT DE DEEP FELT, UM, APPRECIATION BECAUSE
[02:55:01]
THIS HAS STARTED OFF AS A SMALL PROJECT ON, UH, LINCOLN ROAD AND IS MORPHED INTO AN ENORMOUS PROJECT ONGOING FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.MULTI-DISCIPLINED, UM, MULTIDI, UH, DEPARTMENTS, RESIDENTS.
IT'S NOT A RESIDENT COMMITTEE, BUT WE HAVE ONE RESIDENT WHO'S DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THIS, UM, AND WE BROUGHT HIS VOICE ON AS WELL.
UM, IT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
WITH EVERY MEETING THAT WE HAVE, WE THINK WE HAVE SOME NEW SOLUTIONS.
WE OPEN UP FIVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
IT IS ONE OF THE BEST PROCESSES I'VE BEEN IN FROM A PROFESSIONAL POINT OF VIEW BECAUSE THERE'S NO EGO, THERE'S NO PRIDE OF AUTHORSHIP.
THERE IS JUST PEOPLE TRYING TO PUT THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE TO WORK TO FIND BETTER SOLUTIONS FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, SO THIS IS THE KICKOFF POINT.
IF YOU DON'T HEAR SOMETHING YOU CARE ABOUT IN THIS MEMO, OR WHEN YOU READ THE MEMO, WHICH IS A GREAT DOCUMENT TO HAVE AS A STARTING POINT, OR IN THE PRESENTATION THAT JOSE MAKES, DON'T DESPAIR.
WE CAN'T GET TO SOME OF THE HARDER CHALLENGES UNTIL WE GET THROUGH SOME OF THE, WHAT I CALL THE, UM, THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
WE NEED TO MAKE SOME SMALLER CHANGES, UM, AND, AND ARE ABLE TO MAKE SOME SMALLER CHANGES NOW QUICKLY TO START ALLEVIATING SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
AND ALSO TO START COLLECTING MY MOST BELOVED DATA, UM, WHICH I KEEP COMING BACK TO.
THIS IS THE FIRST STOP ON THIS JOURNEY, NO PUN INTENDED.
UM, AND I WELCOME INPUT FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOUGHTS ON THIS AS WE GO ALONG.
IT IS GOING TO, IT'S NOT GONNA BE DONE IN THE NEXT, THIS ENTIRE JOURNEY WON'T BE DONE IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING HERE TODAY WILL HOPEFULLY BE IMPLEMENTED BY THEN, WHICH WILL CONTINUE OUR WORK, AS YOU KNOW.
AND WE ARE MEETING IN THREE WEEKS TO KEEP GOING, UM, UM, TO GET US TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS.
WE MEET EVERY TWO TO THREE WEEKS AND EVOLVE WHAT WE'RE DOING AS NEW INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITIES GET, UM, PRESENTED AND, AND, AND RECOGNIZE.
SO WITH THAT, TAKE IT AWAY JOSE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THROUGH THE CHAIR.
JOSE GONZALEZ, TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY DIRECTOR AND INTERIM PARKING DIRECTOR.
AND BEFORE, UH, PJ IF YOU COULD, UH, SHARE THE PRESENTATION.
BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, I DO WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER B FOR HER STRONG LEADERSHIP, HER TENACITY IN GETTING SO MANY DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE TABLE TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS.
SHE'S PUT TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP, AND AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, JOSE WILL SAY IT WAS THE DOG IN THE CHOCOLATE
UM, SO THIS, THIS PRESENTATION IS INTENDED TO REALLY CAPSULIZE ALL THE MULTIPLE ISSUES THAT THE WORKING GROUP DISCUSSED AND, AND OBVIOUSLY RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, CONCERNS.
UM, THIS PRESENTATION ALSO FOCUSES ON THE BEACH WALK FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
THAT'S THE FACILITY WHERE MOST OF THE ACTIVITY IS OCCURRING IN OUR CITY.
AND, AND WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL SORTS OF USERS, PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, MICRO MOBILITY AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT PROHI, UH, PERMITTED BY CITY CODE.
BUT, UM, AS THE COMMISSIONER POINTED OUT, THIS IS THE FIRST STEP AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GIVE YOU ALL A GOOD PICTURE OF THE ISSUES AND WHERE WE ARE IN EACH OF THEM.
SO AS I MENTIONED, OUR CITY CODE CURRENTLY PROHIBITS ANY MOTORIZED DEVICES ON THE BEACH WALK, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER FACILITIES INCLUDING THE BAY WALK, THE CUT WALK, UH, THE INTERIOR PATHS OF SOUTH POINT PARK AND COLLINS PARK AND SOUTH POINT PARK PIER.
IT'S ALSO PROHIBITED TO OPERATE ANY MOTORIZED DEVICE ON ANY SIDEWALK IN THE CITY.
SO IN THIS SLIDE, THIS SHOWS THE IMAGES OF THE EXISTING, UH, SIGNS THAT ARE ALONG THE BEACH WALK.
THESE SIGNS WERE INSTALLED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THEY'VE SERVED A, A PURPOSE, A VERY GOOD PURPOSE.
HOWEVER, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ENVIRONMENT HAS REALLY TAKEN A TOLL ON THESE SIGNS.
UH, A LOT OF THEM ARE FADED, THEY'RE ILLEGIBLE.
AND SO PART, A BIG PART OF THE WORKING GROUP DISCUSSIONS HAS BEEN, UH, WHAT THE NEXT ITERATION OF THESE SIGNS SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF DESIGN AND, AND MESSAGING.
SO IN THE SPIRIT OF LESS IS MORE, THE WORKING GROUP FELT THAT ALL THE EXISTING SIGNS THAT YOU SAW IN THE, UH, PRIOR SLIDE SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH JUST MORE SIMPLE, BLACK AND WHITE, EASY TO, TO, TO UNDERSTAND REGULATORY SIGNS LIKE THE ONES YOU SEE HERE, SLOW DOWN, KEEP RIGHT YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS.
[03:00:01]
WILL HAVE A PLACE ALONG, ALONG THE BEACH WALK.WE'RE NOT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT A COMBINATION OF ALL THREE SIGNS EVERYWHERE TO HELP ADDRESS THE CONCERN WITH CONFLICTS BETWEEN PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS AND, AND JOGGERS AND ALL, ALL SORTS OF USERS ALONG, ALONG THE BEACH WALK, WE FELT THE WORKING GROUP FELT THAT WE SHOULD BUILD ON THE SUCCESS OF THE CURRENT PILOT THAT'S IN PLACE ON THE BEACH WALK BETWEEN 15TH STREET AND 24TH STREET.
WE HAVE A WHITE LINE THAT WAS PAINTED DOWN THE MIDDLE WITH ARROWS ON EACH SIDE, UH, SUPPLEMENTED BY SIGNS TELLING PEOPLE TO, TO KEEP RIGHT.
SO EVERYONE FELT THAT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED ON A PERMANENT BASIS.
UM, WHICH, WHICH JUST, IT REINFORCES, UM, A PROJECT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ON ONGOING.
WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR THAT'S LINED UP AND READY TO GO TO IMPLEMENT, UM, THO THAT MODIFICATION ALONG ALL SEVEN MILES OF THE BEACH WALK.
UH, JOSE? YES, BEFORE YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHO, WHO KEEPS RIGHT? I'M SORRY, WHO? I, I LIKE, WHERE DOES THE SIGN SAY FOR BICYCLISTS TO KEEP RIGHT, OR PEDESTRIANS TO KEEP, RIGHT.
JUST INTENDED FOR EVERYONE TO KEEP.
SO THESE SIGNS FOLLOW THE TYPICAL RULES OF THE ROAD WHERE WE DRIVE ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
SO AS YOU'RE TRAVELING, YOU TRAVEL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FACILITY.
THAT'S THE INTENT BEHIND THESE, THESE SIGNS, THE CENTER LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE AS, AS IN OUR ROADWAYS WITH THE KEEP RIDE SIGNS TELLING PEOPLE TO BE.
DON'T YOU THINK IT, IT MIGHT HELP PERHAPS IF THERE'S LIKE A, A PEDESTRIAN ICON WITH A BICYCLE ICON THAT SHOWS, HEY, YOU KEEP RIDE, UM, THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT TO INCORPORATE ICONS OF, OF THE DIFFERENT USERS.
A BICYCLE AND A TAKE A LOOK AT THAT STICK FIGURE PERSON, JOSE, IF I, MY HAND THROUGH THE CHAIR? YES.
UM, SO THE THOUGHT WAS WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND, UM, THESE ARE SORT OF UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD NOTIONS.
UM, UH, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE REGULATORY SIGNS.
SO THE COLOR MIGHT BE DIFFERENT OR WHATEVER.
THE FONT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S GENERALLY THE SAME THING.
THE ISSUE, AND WE CAN DEFINITELY DISCUSS THIS FURTHER, BUT THE CONCERN WAS THAT IF, IF WE STARTED PUTTING ICONS, WHICH IS WHERE WE HAD BEEN, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ICON OF SOMEBODY ON ROLLER SKATES, FOUR WHEEL ROLLER SKATES, ARE THEY ALLOWED TO GO LEFT? LIKE IT GETS, IT STARTS GETTING REALLY COMPLICATED BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT ROLLER BLADES, ROLLER SKATES, SKATEBOARDS, MONO BOARDS, WHATEVER THOSE THINGS ARE CALLED.
LIKE, DO YOU SHOW EVERYTHING THAT WAY? OR DO YOU JUST RELY ON PEOPLE'S BASIC COMPREHENSION OF HOW ROADWAYS AND RIGHTS OF WAY ARE USED AND, AND MAKE IT JUST SIMPLER AND CLEANER TO UNDERSTAND? BECAUSE THE OTHER THING IS IF PEOPLE ARE WALKING, THAT'S ONE THING THEY CAN, THEY MIGHT LOOK UP AND SEE THE SIGN AND BE ABLE TO PROCESS ALL THE DIFFERENT IMAGES, BUT IF THEY'RE TRAVELING AT 10 OR 12 MILES AN HOUR, WHICH IS A REASONABLE SPEED TO BE TRAVELING ON WHEELS, THEY'RE NOT CATCHING ALL THAT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO, WE GOT TO THIS AFTER A LOT OF DISCUSSION, WHICH INCLUDED THAT IDEA, UM, TO TRY TO MAKE THE MOST CLEAR, IMPACTFUL, UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD MESSAGING THAT WE COULD, THAT WAS OUR THOUGHT PROCESS.
SO ANOTHER CONCERN THAT WAS DISCUSSED AMONGST THE WORKING GROUP IS THE FACT THAT ALONG VARIOUS POINTS ON, ON, ON THE BEACH WALK, THERE ARE ENCROACHMENTS.
THIS IMAGE SHOWS, UH, ONE, I BELIEVE IT'S, IT'S IN FRONT OF THE, UH, W IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WHERE IT'S, UH, THE VEGETATION HAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, OVERGROWN AND ENCROACHED ONTO A SECTION OF BEACH WALK, WHICH IS ONLY 15 FEET WIDE.
SO IN THESE SECTIONS THAT, IS IT STILL THAT WAY THERE? 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT, UM, A RESIDENT, MATTHEW HAD SENT ME THAT INFORMATION AND RODNEY NOEL'S TEAM TOOK CARE OF IT IMMEDIATELY.
PUBLIC WORKS WENT OUT AND THEN THE W FINISHED IT UP.
SO THE IDEA IS TO EXPLORE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD, UH, RESTRICT THE TYPE OF VEGETATION, THE, THE AMOUNT OF, OF VEGETATION THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN A, UH, SETBACK AREA IF YOU, IF YOU WILL.
AND, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY ENFORCING, UH, YOU KNOW, ENFORCEMENT OF THAT WOULD BE, WOULD BE ESSENTIAL.
UH, BUT THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WORKING, LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT CODE, SEEING IF THERE'S ANY SETBACK THAT'S REQUIRED, AND IF NOT, PERHAPS
[03:05:01]
LOOKING INTO REQUIRING A SETBACK AND THEN FURTHER REGULATING THE TYPE OF VEGETATION THAT COULD BE, UH, ALLOWED FOR PLANTING IN THAT SETBACK AREA.A SIMILAR, UH, CONCERN, UH, BUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT IS SITE LIMITED SITE VISIBILITY AT CERTAIN EGRESS POINTS FROM THE PRIVATE PROPERTIES ALONG THE BEACH WALK.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A LOCATION WHERE, UM, FOLKS ARE COMING OUT OF THE PRIVATE PROPERTY, WHETHER IT'S A HOTEL OR A CONDO, REALLY DOESN'T MATTER.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BASICALLY, THEY COULD BE ENCOUNTERING A BI, A BICYCLIST, TRAVELING FAIRLY QUICKLY OR, OR ANY OTHER USER.
AND THEN THAT'S A POTENTIAL COLLISION.
SO THE IDEA HERE IS TO, AGAIN, IN THE SPIRIT OF LESS IS MORE, AND, UH, TRYING TO MAXIMIZE JUST STANDARD, CLEAR, UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED SIGNAGE IS A SIGN THAT SAYS, LOOK, LOOK BOTH WAYS AS FOLKS ARE COMING OUT OF THE PRIVATE PROPERTIES OR ALSO EGRESSING ON THE BEACH SIDE.
AND, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, COMMISSIONER BOT HAS PROPOSED, UM, AN ORDINANCE THAT, UM, WAS BRIEFLY HEARD YESTERDAY AT, UH, THE LAND USE COMMITTEE MEETING.
BUT IT'S GOING, IT'S, UH, IT'S BEING DEFERRED TO THE SEPTEMBER MEETING THAT WOULD LIMIT THE ALLOWABLE HEIGHT OF ANY FENCING, A WALL, GATE, SHRUBS, ANY VEGETATION, UM, ALONG THESE, UH, INGRESS AND EGRESS POINTS, UH, FRONTING THE BEACH WALK.
HOW MANY MORE SLIDES? UH, ABOUT 10 MORE.
SO I'LL GO, I'LL GO VERY, VERY FAST.
THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE OKAY.
WHEN THEY'RE TRAVELING ALONG THE BEACH WALK.
SO THE IDEA THERE IS TO INSTALL, UH, SIGNS AT EACH OF THE INTERSECTIONS.
THE CROSS STREETS, BASICALLY JUST THERE'S SIGNS ON THE GROUND.
NOW ON SOME LOCATIONS, THE NEWER SECTIONS OF, OF THE BEACH WALK THAT WERE CONSTRUCTED BY CIP DO HAVE THE STREET NUMBER SIGN.
THE MAJORITY OF THE LOCATIONS DO NOT.
NEXT IS LAUNCHING A DIGITAL CAMPAIGN.
THOSE ARE DECALS ON THE PAVEMENT.
UM, SIMILARLY FOR LINCOLN, UH, FOR, FOR, UH, ON LINCOLN ROAD, UM, SORRY, ON LINCOLN ROAD, UM, NO BICYCLISTS ARE ALLOWED BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9:00 AM AND 2:00 AM SO BICYCLISTS ARE ONLY ALLOWED FOR SEVEN HOURS FROM 2:00 AM TO 9:00 AM BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T, DON'T, DON'T KNOW THAT THE, UH, THE WORKING GROUP FELT THAT THE EXISTING SIGNS THAT ARE, UM, ALONG LINCOLN ROAD SHOULD BE REPLACED, SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH THE SIGN THAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT.
AGAIN, A VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND BLACK AND WHITE REGULATORY SIGN LISTING THE PROHIBITED USES ALONG LINCOLN ROAD MALL, AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE TIMES THAT BIKE RIDING IS PROHIBITED, SIMILAR TO THE DIGITAL CAMPAIGN ON THE BEACH WALK.
UH, THESE WOULD BE TEMPORARY DECALS ON THE PAVEMENT.
UM, THE WORKING GROUP ALSO EXPRESSED A CONCERN WITH THE LACK OF DATA CRASH STATISTICS AND, AND, AND JUST CRASH DATA IN GENERAL, MAINLY DUE TO THE LIMITATION IN THE FORM THAT POLICE USES TO DOCUMENT INCIDENTS THAT OCCUR ON THE BEACH WALK.
THEY'RE DOCUMENTED AS INCIDENCES, INCIDENTS NOT AS CRASHES.
AND SO THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT IS, IS WORKING TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE FORM THAT THEY USE TO BETTER GAUGE AND DOCUMENT AND REPORT, UM, CRASHES AMONGST ALL THE USERS, NOT ONLY ON THE BEACH WALK, BUT ON ANY SHARED FACILITY, UH, IN THE CITY.
UM, THEN THE, THE, THE THIRD PRONG THAT THE, UM, WORKING GROUP DISCUSSED WERE FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO, TO THOSE FACILITIES.
SO STILL ON THE, UH, ON, ON THE BEACH WALK, UM, THERE ARE CONCERNS WITH FLOODING PONDING AT SOME LOCATIONS ALONG THE BEACH WALK.
UM, THAT'S GOING, THAT, THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT OF A MORE ROBUST EFFORT.
UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO DO A FULL ASSESSMENT OF ALL SEVEN MILES OF THE BEACH, WALK AFTER A, UH, STORM EVENT, AFTER A RAIN EVENT, AND DOCUMENT ALL THE LOCATIONS WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING, AND THEN DEVELOP A WORK PLAN WITH COSTS AND TIMELINES TO ADDRESS.
UH, THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF CHOKE POINTS ALONG THE BEACH WALK.
THE MAJORITY OF THE BEACH WALK, ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF IT IS ACTUALLY ONLY 15 FEET WIDE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY HAPPENING THERE.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT AREAS THAT, UH, HAVE A CURVE, A HORIZONTAL
[03:10:01]
CURVE.SO THERE ARE VARIOUS CHOKE POINTS THAT RESULT IN CONFLICTS AMONGST THE, THE, THE USERS.
UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION THERE IS TO IDENTIFY ALL THOSE CHOKE POINTS AND IF, IF FEASIBLE, WIDEN THE BEACH WALK A BIT.
UM, PRIMARILY IT WOULD BE ONTO THE EAST SIDE WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE THE DUNE SYSTEM.
SO WE'D HAVE TO, UH, RESEARCH THAT A LITTLE BETTER TO SEE WHAT IS FEASIBLE IN TERMS OF MINOR.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MINOR WIDENING JUST OF A, A FOOT OR, OR TWO IN SOME CASES.
UM, WE ALSO, UM, MY, MY TEAM ASSESSED THE CONDITION OF ALL THE BIKE LANES IN, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THE STRIPING AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE, THE GREEN PAINT.
AND WE IDENTIFIED AREAS WHERE THE, THE, UM, THE PAINT IS, IS EITHER FADED, THE STRIPING IS VERY POOR, AND IT NEEDS TO BE RETRIED AND REFRESHED.
UM, WE'LL BE PUTTING A REPORT TOGETHER THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN AUGUST, AGAIN WITH, UH, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TIMELINE, UH, A WORK PLAN AND A TIMELINE AND COST TO ADDRESS.
AND IF NECESSARY, WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE, UH, BUDGET PROCESS FOR THAT.
UH, AND THEN, UM, IN TO, TO TRY TO COMPEL BICYCLISTS MAINLY TO SLOW DOWN AS THEY'RE WALKING ALONG THE BEACH WALKTHROUGH WORKING GROUP HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON WHETHER TO ESTABLISH A SPEED LIMIT OR NOT, AND THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT ESTABLISHING A SPEED LIMIT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE.
A LOT OF TIMES BICYCLES DON'T HAVE SPEEDOMETERS.
THE USER, THE BICYCLIST DOESN'T REALLY KNOW HOW FAST THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRAVELING UNLESS THEY'RE AN EXPERIENCED, UH, CYCLIST.
SO THE LAST YEAR I MET WITH, UH, CHIEF CLEMENTS AND, UM, WE CAME UP WITH THE ITEM, SOLAR POWERED ELECTRONIC, UH, SPEED LIMIT SIGNS AND FACILITIES CAME BACK AND IT WAS COST PROHIBITIVE.
UH, SO THE SIGN THAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT, EACH DEVICE IS, IT WAS SOLAR POWERED AS WELL, AND SOLAR POWERED IS APPROXIMATELY $20,000.
SO TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND INSTALL A SERIES OF THEM, UM, IT'S COULD BE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
IT POTENTIALLY COULD BE A LOT.
UM, HOWEVER, WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT VENDORS.
WE, WE REACHED OUT TO DIFFERENT VENDORS.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU SEE A, ANOTHER POTENTIAL DEVICE THAT ESSENTIALLY PERFORMS THE SAME FUNCTION.
THESE DEVICES WOULD NOT HAVE A SPEED LIMIT.
THEY WOULD ALSO NOT TELL THE USER HOW FAST THEY'RE TRAVELING, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S CONCERNS THAT THAT MAY BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
YOU MAY HAVE PEOPLE THAT THEN ARE TRYING TO RACE TO SEE HOW FAST THEY CAN GO.
UM, SO THE IDEA IS TO, TO, THE IDEA IS THAT THESE DEVICES WILL BE PROGRAMMED TO A SPEED, UM, 12 MILES AN HOUR, WHICH THE GROUP FELT WAS REASONABLE.
AND THEN POLICE AT THAT TIME ALSO FELT THE SAME THAT WE COULDN'T PUT, COULDN'T ENFORCE A NUMBER TO IT.
SO, BUT THESE DEVICES COULD BE PROGRAMMED TO A NUMBER.
NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE PROGRAMMED TO, LET'S SAY 12 MILES AN HOUR.
AND, UM, AS A, AS A BICYCLIST APPROACHES, IF THEY ARE TRAVELING FASTER THAN 12 MILES AN HOUR, THE SIGN WOULD JUST DISPLAY SLOW BIKE AS FAR AS, OKAY.
AND THEN, UM, THERE'S ALSO A, A NEED TO COLLECT DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA SUCH AS SPEED, VOLUME, AND THE TYPE OF DEVICES.
WE KNOW THERE'S A HODGEPODGE OF DEVICES USING THE, UH, THE BEACH WALK, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE WHICH ONES ARE E-BIKES, WHICH ONES ARE REGULAR BIKES, WHICH ONES ARE SKATEBOARDS.
SO THERE ARE SENSORS NOW THAT, UH, DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE TYPE OF OF DEVICE AND THE MODE.
AND WE, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY REQUESTING, AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAS RECOMMENDED A BUDGET ENHANCEMENT TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL THOSE DEVICES THROUGHOUT THE BEACH WALK, AS WELL AS OTHER FACILITIES IN THE CITY.
UM, UH, STILL ON THE LINE OF, UH, FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, COMMISSIONER B ASKED US TO, WITHIN OUR BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN THAT, UH, RECOMMENDS HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS, SOME WHICH HAVE BEEN, UH, BUILT, OTHERS WHICH ARE PENDING.
UH, SHE ASKED US TO IDENTIFY LOW HANGING FRUITS.
AND SO THIS IS A PRELIMINARY LIST OF ABOUT SIX PROJECTS THAT, UM, MY TEAM FELT, UH, COULD BE UNDERTAKEN AT A RELATIVELY LOW COST AND QUICK TIMEFRAME.
HOWEVER, I WILL NOTE THAT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE NOT CURRENTLY FUNDED, SO WE WOULD NEED TO WORK THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS TO, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 31 MILES OF BIKE LANES, AND I THINK DOWN THE PIKE WE HAVE ANOTHER 20.
HOW MANY MORE MILES WOULD THIS BRING? SO I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, UH, AT THIS MOMENT, BUT I, I CAN, I CAN COME BACK AND PROVIDE THAT.
UM, AND THE LAST SLIDE ARE OUR NEXT STEPS.
AS THE COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER BOT MENTIONED, UM, THIS, THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, UH, THERE ARE STILL VARIOUS ISSUES THAT NEED FURTHER FLUSHING, FURTHER VETTING.
[03:15:01]
UM, I'LL JUST TO TO SUMMARIZE, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL LEGISLATION, UM, MORE OF, WELL THE, THE FORM THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MODIFIED TO REFLECT CRASHES, UH, IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS THAT ARE EITHER CHOKE POINTS OR HAVE FLOODING AND A WOR UH, DEVELOPING A WORK PLAN FOR THAT, UM, RES STRIPING AS WELL OF BIKE BIKE LANES THAT ARE ON, ON STREET, UH, AND REFINE THE LIST OF, OF THE LOW HANGING PROJECTS.THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF AREAS WITH FINANCIAL IMPACT, SO I THINK A REFERRAL TO FERC SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS VICE CHAIR.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO SHARE? JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT WAS VERY SMART COMMISSIONER BOT TO HAVE THE, WHERE THE POOLING AND THE PONDING HAPPENS BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE DON'T WANNA WALK THERE AND NEITHER DO THE BICYCLIST.
AND SO THAT CREATES A CHOKE POINT OR AN INTERSECTION POINT BETWEEN PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS.
SO I THINK THAT'S, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A CIP THING, BUT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY GET THAT, UH, LOOKED AT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD, UH, FOCUS ON NOW.
YEAH, MATTHEW AND I HAVE BEEN DOING THAT ONE OFF AND WITH THE EMPLOYEE THAT'S GONE NOW, JOHN RIPPLE, BUT
PUBLIC COMMENT, HENRY, STILL WE'RE 1500 OCEAN DRIVE.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO COMMISSIONER BACH FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE AND FOR ALSO TODAY, ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZING THE MASSIVE COMPLEXITY AND THE MULTIFACETED ASPECTS OF IT.
THIS WILL NOT GET DONE QUICKLY.
UH, THIS IS WILL GO ON FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
AND THANK YOU, JOSE, FOR A HUGE COMPREHENSIVE AND WELL-WRITTEN STAFF REPORT AND TO ALL THE OTHERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO IT IN THE SPIRIT OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
LET ME DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THREE THINGS, PLEASE.
UH, FIRST, UH, OVER THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS, WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED THREE COMPILATIONS OF ENFORCEMENT NUMBERS AGAINST MOTORIZED VEHICLES IN THE WRONG PLACES.
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM, DECEMBER 13, COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM MARCH 20TH COMMISSION COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM TODAY TAKEN TOGETHER THOSE THREE COMPILATIONS, AND I'VE LOOKED AT THOSE TABLES VERY CLOSELY.
THOSE THREE COMPILATIONS ARE INCONSISTENT IN METHODOLOGY, INCONSISTENT IN GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE, INCONSISTENT IN TIME PERIODS, COVERED INCONSISTENT IN IDENTIFICATION OF THE RESPONSIBLE AGENCIES AND INCONSISTENT IN THE REMEDIES APPLIED TO VIOLATIONS.
THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT IS THAT YOU AS LEGISLATORS DO NOT KNOW THE EXTENT TO WHICH THERE ARE VIOLATIONS WHICH ARE NOT BEING ENFORCED OR ACTED AGAIN.
WHAT DOES EMERGE FROM THOSE JUMBLED COMPILATIONS IS THAT THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO RELIANCE ON CITATIONS.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL WORKING NOV CITY CODE NOTICES OF VIOLATION.
UH, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO RELY JOSE UPON THE STATE'S STANDARD FORM OF UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION THAT OPENS UP A WHOLE WEALTH OF OTHER SUBJECTS.
THERE IS, AS THE ALL THREE SETS OF STATISTICS SHOW INCREDIBLY HIGH RELIANCE ON VERBAL WARNINGS AND VERBAL DIRECTIONS TO CEASE OPERATION OF THE MOTORIZED VEHICLE.
THOSE ARE ABSOLUTELY USELESS UNLESS THE VIOLATORS PHOTOGRAPH AND IDENTIFYING INFORMATION GO INTO AN ACCESSIBLE DATABASE FOR USE IN THE EVENT OF FUTURE VIOLATIONS BY THE SAME PERSON.
SECOND, THE FRAGMENTATION OF RESPONSIBILITY HERE IS DEVASTATING.
IF THE COMPILATIONS ARE JUMBLED, THIS IS EVEN MORE JUMBLED.
WHERE ELSE WOULD WE HAVE POLICE CODE AND PARK RANGERS ALL INVOLVED IN SOME ASPECT OF ENFORCEMENT? I'VE SPOKEN TO MANY POLICE OFFICERS ABOUT THIS.
THEY WON'T TOUCH THIS SORT OF THING WITH A 10 FOOT POLE.
THEY'LL TELL YOU STRAIGHT OUT THEIR OBLIGATION IS MURDER, ROBBERY, RAPE, AND ARSON.
AND UNLESS THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO, AND THAT WOULD BE A RARE DAY IN THE CITY, THEY DON'T BELONG IN THIS KIND OF BUSINESS.
ANYTHING MORE? BECAUSE YOUR TIME IS UP.
MAY I HAVE 30 SECONDS MORE PLEASE? SURE.
UH, FINALLY, JOSE, YOU AND I HAVE HAD, UH, EXTENSIVE CORRESPONDENCE ABOUT WHETHER IN FACT THE STRIPING, THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS AND THE SIGNAGE, WHICH HAVE WORKED VERY WELL IN THE PILOT, WILL GO THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE BEACH WALK FROM THE MACARTHUR CAUSEWAY TO THE CITY LIMIT AT 79 80 SEVENTH STREET.
MM-HMM,
[03:20:01]
YES.IT, IT, IT, THE, THE STRIPING, THE DIRECTIONAL ARROWS AND THE SIGNAGE WILL BE INSTALLED FROM SOUTH POINT DRIVE ON THE SOUTH TO 87TH TERRACE ON THE NORTH.
AND THEN AS, AS, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, IF THERE IS, BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITED BUDGET FOR THAT, FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, IF THERE IS REMAINING, UH, FUNDS, WE WILL THEN EXTEND THAT TO THE CUT WALK AND THE BAY WALK.
ALRIGHT, SO AT THIS STAGE WE STILL HAVE A FINAL GAP, WHICH THE $200,000 THAT WENT INTO THE BUDGET TWO YEARS AGO FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE STRIPING DIRECTIONAL ARROWS AND SO ON, THERE IS A GAP THAT IS NOT BEING DONE AS PART OF THE PROGRAM.
I DIVIDED OUT THE COST OF THE SIX MILES.
THE COST IS ABOUT $29,000 FOR PER MILE.
I HOPE WE CAN FIND $29,000 NOT TO CREATE THIS GAP.
AND IN FACT, CODE DEFINITION OF THE BEACH WALK IS THAT IT BEGINS AT THE CITY OF LIMIT 87TH AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE MACARTHUR CAUSEWAY.
THANK MUCH, THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK, HENRY.
WE HAVE A CALL THAT WANTS TO SHARE.
WE HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT FOR PATRICK.
PATRICK, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THANKS COMMISSIONERS, AND THANK YOU JOSE FOR THE, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS IN THERE, BUT OVERALL I'M CONCERNED THAT OUR CITY IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE OPPOSED TO GREEN FORMS OF MOBILITY.
UM, AND JUST BECAUSE OF A FEW BAD FACTORS, AND INSTEAD OF TRYING TO PROMOTE GOOD BEHAVIOR, WE'RE MOVING TO BAN GREEN MOBILITY.
EVERY PERSON ON AN E SCOOTER OR AN E-BIKE IS ONE LESS PERSON CONTRIBUTING TO TRAFFIC, WHICH IS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS.
AND THIS IS LIMITING THE CAR-FREE ENJOYMENT OF BY RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
FOR EXAMPLE, MY PARENTS CAME TO VISIT US LAST MONTH AND WANTED TO TAKE A LEISURELY BIKE RIDE ON THE BEACH PATH.
AND WE HAD TO TELL 'EM THAT, UH, YOU, THE FOUR COMMISSIONERS HERE, UH, TOLD THEM NO, AND THEY WOULD GIVE THEM A TICKET.
I KNOW I LOVE YOU GUYS, BUT BECAUSE, UM, WE ONLY HAVE SPACE, WHICH IS PRETTY COMMON NOW FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, TWO BIKES, WHEREAS WE CAN'T HAVE AN E-BIKE AND A REGULAR BIKE BECAUSE THE E-BIKES ACTUALLY AREN'T REGULAR BIKES WHEN YOU'RE NOT UNDER MOTOR.
AND I'VE BEEN KICKED OFF FOR RIDING MY E-BIKE UNDER PEDAL, UM, ON THE BEACH PATH, WHICH I THINK IS LIMITING THE ENJOYMENT FOR OUR, OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DON'T HAVE SAFE ALTERNATIVES, UH, OTHER THAN THE BEACH PATH.
THE BEACH PATH IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO, TO TAKE YOUR BIKE ON, YOU KNOW, WATCH THE SUNSET.
IT'S A, IT'S REALLY SAFE AND ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE LIKE MY PARENTS WHO AREN'T AVID CYCLISTS, UM, NOW IT'S REALLY LIMITING THE PLACES THAT THEY CAN GO WITHOUT OFFERING, UM, ALTERNATIVES.
I KNOW JOSE TALKED ABOUT ADDING ADDITIONAL, UM, BIKE PATHS, WHICH I REALLY HOPE THE CITY MOVES EXPEDITIOUSLY ON BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ADDING BIKE LANES FOR A LONG TIME AND WE HAVEN'T MADE MUCH PROGRESS, IF ANY, ON THAT IN SEVERAL YEARS.
SO, UM, I PLEASE, UH, FOCUS ON GATHERING DATA ON ACTUAL INCIDENTS, NOT JUST VIOLATIONS, BECAUSE VIOLATIONS OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, EVEN HAVING AN E-BIKE OR, OR E SCOOTER, THAT'S NOT REALLY A, AN, AN INCIDENT THAT'S CAUSING, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY SORTS OF CHAOS.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, TAKING THE TIME YOU, PATRICK, TO LOOK INTO THIS SYSTEM.
UM, REGARDING THE EMAIL THAT YOU SENT ME REQUESTING THE DATA, I DID SEND THAT TO THE POLICE CHIEF, SO I'M WAITING TO RECEIVE THAT AND WE'LL SHARE IT WITH YOU.
UM, JUST, UM, PATRICK, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.
WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN GREAT DETAIL YET, BUT THE DATA POINTS THAT WE DID COLLECT, AND HENRY, YOU AND I SPOKE ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AS WELL, UH, WAS MORE TO SHOW DIRECTIONALLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, IT'S IMPRECISE, IT'S, IT IS A BIT OF A JUMBLE, BUT TO INDICATE THAT THIS WAS A GROWING NEED AND THE TREND LINES WERE THAT IT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A NEED TO GET ADDRESSED.
THE GOAL IS PRECISELY TO CREATE MORE SAFE SPACES FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS AND E MOBILITY DEVICES TO BE ABLE TO EITHER MOVE ABOUT FREELY OR, OR, UM, COEXIST.
CURRENTLY THE BEACH WALK, BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT WAS FUNDED CANNOT ALLOW, UM, E MOBILITY DEVICES.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE GATHERING DATA IS TO BE GET BETTER INFORMED ABOUT WHAT POTENTIAL, UM, SOLUTIONS COULD BE MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE ALL ALIGNED TO GETTING TO THE SAME POINT.
IT'S JUST GONNA TAKE SOME MORE WORK TO GET THERE.
AND THEN THE LAST PUBLIC COMMENT, MATTHEW.
MY NAME'S MATTHEW ALTOFF, AND FIRST I WANT TO THANK THE SPONSORS OF THIS ITEM, COMMISSIONER BOT AND COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS WHO REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN INCREASING SAFETY AND MOBILITY IN OUR CITY.
AND ON THAT NOTE, MICRO MOBILITY
[03:25:01]
IS THE FUTURE OR PART OF THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY IN OUR CITY AND IN CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.SO IT'S GREAT THAT YOU ALL, AND, AND THE STAFF AS WELL ARE TAKING A LEADING ROLE SO THAT THAT MIAMI BEACH CAN BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS.
I'VE SEEN SOME NUMBERS SHOWN THAT 45% OF RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY WALK TAKE TRANSIT AND BIKE AS THEIR PRIMARY MEANS OF, OF MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT SAFETY AND TRY TO FIND THE BEST WAY TO MAKE IT AND PEOPLE CAN GET AROUND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE POINTS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT DATA IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT AND IT'S REALLY, UH, REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT DATA COLLECTION'S GONNA BE A BIG PART OF THIS PA PACKAGE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M REALLY THRILLED THAT, THAT WE'RE STARTING THIS CONVERSATION.
AND TO THE COMMISSIONER'S POINT, THE PURPOSE IS TO, AT LEAST WHEN I'VE GATHERED THE PURPOSE IS TO, IS TO ALLOW MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MICRO MOBILITY AND BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANISM TO THRIVE AROUND OUR CITY.
AND I THINK THAT YOU ALL ARE ON THE WAY.
UM, COMMISSIONER, WHAT MOTION WOULD YOU LIKE FROM THIS COMMITTEE? UM, CAN YOU DISCUSSION? RIGHT.
SO WE, SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO GET APPROVED.
I DON'T REMEMBER IF THIS WAS A DUAL REFERRAL, UM, TO FINANCE.
SO, UM, WE SHOULD, ONCE WE HAVE OUR NUMBERS TOGETHER, I, I KNOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FINALIZE SOME PILOT PROGRAM IDEAS AND MAYBE GET SOME, YOU KNOW, THINGS DONATED AND THINGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO MAYBE WE CAN, UM, BIFURCATE THE THINGS THAT DON'T NEED, DON'T HAVE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT WE CAN BRING TO THE COMMISSION, UM, AT, FOR THE, THE LAST MEETING SEPTEMBER OR THE NEXT MEETING, RATHER, YES.
AND THEN TO BRING THE THINGS THAT DO HAVE MORE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO, TO FERC.
UM, MARCIA, WILL YOU MAKE THAT MOTION? YEP.
MADAM CHAIR, IF I, IF I, IF I MAY, JUST TO THE MOTION, UH, ONE OF THE PILOTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IS THE, THE, THE STRIPE DOWN THE CENTER WITH THE ARROWS AND INDICATING FOR FOLKS TO KEEP RIGHT.
BUT THAT'S PART OF THE SIGNAGE.
SO WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STRIPING AND THE ARROWS AND LEAVE THE SIGNAGE FOR POSSIBLY SEPTEMBER IF WE CAN GET, UM, COMMISSION DIRECTION ON THE SIGNAGE THAT'S GOING TO BE USED.
WE'RE PROPOSING TO KEEP RIGHT.
WELL THANK YOU EVERYBODY AND, UH, THANK YOU CITY ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
ACTUALLY, JULY 24TH OR