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ONE SOUNDS LIKE IT.[CALL TO ORDER]
AND WELCOME TO OUR COMMISSION MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 3RD.I'M GONNA ASK OUR CITY CLERK RAFAEL GRANADO TO GIVE US ANY, UH, INSTRUCTIONS.
DURING THIS HYBRID SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING.
THE CITY COMMISSION IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS ON MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL, 1700 CONVENTIONAL CENTER DRIVE THIRD FLOOR.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND THE MEETING.
VIRTUALLY, HOWEVER, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ATTEND THE MEETING OR PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENTS IN PERSON MAY APPEAR AT THE COMMISSION CHAMBER TO PARTICIPATE OR PROVIDE COMMENTS VIRTUALLY DURING THE COMMISSION MEETING.
THE PUBLIC MAY JOIN THE MEETING BY VISITING THE ZOOM APP ON THEIR SMART DEVICE OR ON THE WEB AT ZOOM US OR BY TELEPHONE AT (305) 224-1968.
AGAIN, THE LOCAL NUMBER IS 3 0 5 2 2 4 19 68 OR TOLL FREE 8 8 8 4 7 5 4 4 9 9.
THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 71 POUND.
AGAIN, THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 71 POUND.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WANTING TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY ON AN ITEM DURING THE MEETING MUST CLICK THE RAISE HAND ICON IF USING THE ZOOM APP OR PRESS STAR NINE ON THE TELEPHONE TO RAISE THEIR HAND.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ZOOM LINK WEBINAR ID AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS PROVIDED FOR THIS COMMISSION MEETING ARE STATIC AND REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM MEETING TO MEETING.
I'M GONNA ASK, UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH OUR INVOCATION AS WE ALWAYS DO, AND ASK PASTOR KIP NELSON FROM ST.
JOHN'S IN THE LAKE TO LEAD US WITH WORDS OF WISDOM AND MOTIVATION.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS REVEREND KIP NELSON AND IT IS A, A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO STAND HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
AND I GREET YOU THIS MORNING NOT ONLY AS A RELIGIOUS LEADER OF THIS COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO AS A RESIDENT OF THIS BELOVED CITY.
AND I STAND BEFORE YOU ALL THIS MORNING WITH A HEAVY AND BROKEN HEART.
DUE TO THE ONGOING VIOLENCE, PREJUDICE, AND DIVISION PLAGUING OUR COUNTRY AND WORLD.
SO MUCH OF WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING ACROSS OUR COUNTRY AND ACROSS THE WORLD IS ANTITHETICAL TO EVERYTHING WITHIN MY FAITH TRADITION.
AS A FELLOW UNITED METHODIST PASTOR WRITES, LOVE WILL CONTINUE TO BE OUR SOURCE, OUR MEANS, AND OUR DESTINATION.
IN MY TRADITION, WE BELIEVE THAT LOVE IS OUR ONLY REASON FOR BEING AND THAT OUR WORK AS HUMANS AND THIS LIFE ISN'T FINISHED UNTIL THAT LOVE IS KNOWN AND EXPERIENCED BY EVERY PERSON AROUND US.
SO THIS IS MY DEEPEST DESIRE AND PRAYER FOR US TODAY.
THAT LOVE MIGHT GUIDE OUR EVERY DECISION AND EVERY ACTION THAT WE TAKE IN THIS CITY.
WOULD YOU ALL JOIN ME IN A WORD OF PRAYER? GREAT GOD OF LOVE AND JUSTICE.
TODAY WE PAUSE TO REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE LOVE, THAT YOU ARE OUR VERY SOURCE OF BEING, AND YOU WE HAVE LIFE.
AND IN THAT LIFE YOU HAVE GRANTED US THE ABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESERVE LIFE, LOVE, AND DIGNITY IN AND FOR ONE ANOTHER.
YOU INVITE US TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES AND TO HAVE COMPASSION ON ALL THOSE WHO SUFFER.
SO TODAY I PRAY THAT WE MIGHT REMEMBER THOSE WHO SUFFER IN OUR MIDST AND TAKE ACTION AS IF THEY ARE VERY MEMBERS OF OUR FAMILY BECAUSE WE ARE ONE HUMAN RACE.
LET US REMEMBER THOSE BEING TARGETED BY HATRED AND PREJUDICE OF ANY KIND, AND UTILIZE EVERY OUNCE OF POWER WE HAVE TO PROTECT THOSE IN HARM'S WAY.
MAY WE LEARN TO SEE THE DIVERSITY REPRESENTED HERE IN OUR CITY AND ACROSS THE WORLD, NOT AS SOMETHING TO FEAR, BUT AS SOMETHING TO CHERISH VALUE AND TO LEARN AND GROW FROM.
HELP US TO SEE ONE ANOTHER AS BELOVED NEIGHBORS AND SIBLINGS, AND GRANT US THE COURAGE AND THE WILL TO ACT WHEN ANY ONE OF US HAS BEEN HARMED OR IS IN HARM'S WAY AT SUCH A TIME AS THIS.
EMPOWER THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN EVERY RESIDENT OF THIS CITY TO ACT IN LOVE UNTIL LOVE BECOMES OUR REALITY.
MAY THIS CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CONTINUE TO STAND AS A BEACON OF LOVE, INCLUSIVITY, AND BELONGING FOR ALL OUR HUMAN SIBLINGS.
AND AS YOU WERE SPEAKING, YOU GAVE ME AN IDEA IN THE SPIRIT OF UNITY, INCLUSIVENESS,
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INCLUSIVENESS AND TOGETHERNESS.WHY DON'T WE ALL SAY THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TOGETHER? I GUESS MAYBE OUR COMMISSION WILL START IT OFF, BUT PLEASE WE COULD ALL SAY IT TOGETHER.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LITERACY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, WE'RE GONNA START THE NIK HOUR IN A MOMENT.
IT'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE HALF HOUR, BUT THEY SOMETIMES DO GO AN HOUR.
UM, OUR CITY MANAGER MENTIONED HE, UH, HE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
SO, MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, AS YOU WERE ALL COPIED ON AN EMAIL THAT I JUST SENT OUT WITHIN THE LAST 15 MINUTES, UM, I HAVE IN FACT SUBMITTED THE REQUEST FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN REGARDS TO OUR CROSSWALK AESTHETIC TREATMENT ON 12 AND OCEAN DRIVE.
I KNOW THAT'S GONNA BE A TOPIC TODAY AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS AWARE THAT WE DID NOT WANT MISS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF THIS.
[R9 C DR. STANLEY SUTNICK CITIZEN'S FORUM. (8:35 A.M./1:00 P.M.)]
YOU ERIC.WE'RE GONNA START THE, UH, SUT NICK HOUR MORNING EVERYONE, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.
I REQUEST THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS.
START PLEASE GO AHEAD PLEASE TO ME.
BOB KUNST, 5 2 5 WEST 49TH STREET, NATIVE OF MIAMI BEACH, 83 JEWISH ACTIVISTS AND GAY ACTIVISTS.
AND WANTING TO REMIND YOU THAT, UH, THIS IS THE HOLY LAND OF GAY RIGHTS.
IT ISN'T NEW YORK OR CALIFORNIA, IT'S RIGHT HERE IN DADE COUNTY AND MIAMI BEACH O ALWAYS VOTED WITH US, WENT THROUGH FIVE ELECTIONS BETWEEN 1976 AND 1981 AND WE WON.
SO I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THIS, UH, HOSSEIN ON, UM, THE RAINBOW FLAG STUFF ON THE BEACH, ON, ON THE STREET.
WE NEED TO CLEAN UP ALL GRAFFITI, ALL BLIGHT, ALL TRASH.
WE'RE COMING UP TO THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA.
WE'RE GONNA BE SPONSORING AND HOLDING COURT WITH THE WORLD CUP.
THE OLYMPICS IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER AND IT'S GONNA BE OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY SINCE WE DID THE REVOLUTION ON EMOTIONAL SEXUAL LIBERATION OUT OF DAY COUNTY THAT WAS BENEFITING THE WHOLE COUNTRY AND THE WHOLE WORLD.
THE LAST THING WE NEED IS TO THINK THAT WE'RE HONORING THE GAY COMMUNITY WITH ALL THE TRUCKS AND VEHICLES AND CRAP THAT'S ON THE STREET.
WHAT AN ABSOLUTE SLAP IN THE FACE.
MY SUGGESTION IS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH ALL OF YOU ABOUT IT, A THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO EXPRESS WHO THEY ARE.
DO IT ON YOUR HOME, YOUR BUSINESS.
YOU COULD GET A BLANK WALL FROM SOMEWHERE.
GET PERMISSION, DO A REAL WORK OF ART, NOT THE CRAP ON THE STREETS.
HOW ABOUT WEARING IT ON YOUR CLOTHING? PUT IT ON YOUR CAR.
WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE TO STEAL FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND THEN CLAIM THAT YOU'RE THE VICTIM? IT'S MIND BOGGLING TO BE PUT IN THIS POSITION AND THAT ANYBODY DISAGREES WITH YOU HAS TO BE ANTI-GAY.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THANK YOU, SIR, ON SUNDAY.
ONE PERSON WITH MY SIGN, I WAS OUT THERE AND HE SAID, I HOPE YOU GET RUN OVER.
THAT'S YOUR MENTALITY HERE IN DADE COUNTY.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS GONNA BE VIA ZOOM.
MR. MOORE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND PLEASE GO AHEAD.
GOOD MORNING, JOHAN MOORE, 7 1 7 JEFFERSON AVENUE.
UH, I WANT TO FIRST ADDRESS A CONCERN ON BEHALF OF MERIDIAN COURT COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS IS NOT BEFORE YOU TODAY, UH, BUT IT MAY COME BEFORE YOU.
UH, NAMELY THE PROPOSAL FOR A 15 STORY, 165 FOOT, UH, ALLEGEDLY AFFORDABLE APARTMENT BUILDING AT 1600 WASHINGTON AVENUE.
UH, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECTS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HOPE THAT THE COMMISSIONERS AND CANDIDATES WILL EXPRESS, UH, THEIR VIEWS ON THIS, UH, SUBJECT, UM, WITHOUT WANTING TO, UH, THROW OUT THE BABY WITH THE WATER, GIVEN THAT THE INTENTION IS IN FACT AFFORDABLE OR AFFORDABLE ISH HOUSING.
OUR CONCERN IS THAT A POSSIBLE INABILITY TO PREVENT THE PROJECT
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UNDER RECENT STATE LAW, WHICH I DO NOT KNOW IS THE CASE MAY IN FACT THEN DISINCENTIVIZE THE DEVELOPERS FROM MITIGATING OR NEGOTIATING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF THIS BUILDING, BE IT THE HEIGHT OR BE IT OTHER ISSUES.UH, I'M STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT THIS COMMISSION IN FIVE YEARS HAS NEVER HAD AN IMAM, UH, PRESENT, UH, THE INVOCATION.
PERHAPS IF WE DID, WE MIGHT HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT DEFENDING FREEDOM OF SPEECH FOR THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
UH, THIS IS NOT ON BEHALF OF MERIDIAN COURT COMMUNITY, BUT SIMPLY A PERSONAL COMMENT.
UH, I IN FACT URGE THE COMMISSION TO REFUSE TO REMOVE THE RAINBOW SIDEWALK AND TO CEASE PURCHASING BONDS FROM A GENOCIDE INDICTED FOREIGN REGIME AND USE THAT MONEY INSTEAD TO PLUG THE GAP IN FEDERAL AND STATE TRANSPORTATION FUNDS.
I'LL, I'LL JUST REMIND EVERYONE LISTENING THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO JUST SPOKE HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY CENSURED BY OUR COMMISSION.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UH, 2 3 9 5 LAKE PANCOAST DRIVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER AND MAYOR FOR ALLOWING TO SPEAK TODAY.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT AN ITEM SPONSORED BY ALEXANDER FERNANDEZ, COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER FERNANDEZ.
IT WOULD BE A ORDINANCE TO BAN CONFETTI AND PLASTIC FLOWER PETALS ON OUR BEACHES.
I BROUGHT, UH, SOME THAT WE FIND, UH, AT OUR BEACH CLEANUPS.
THIS WAS JUST ONE PROPOSAL WHERE AN ENTIRE TEAM TRIED TO CAPTURE THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THEY FLY INTO OUR WATERWAY.
WE ADDITIONALLY RECENTLY HOSTED A BEACH CLEANUP WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE.
UH, ALEXANDER FOR COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, UH, UH, JOINED THIS ONE TOO, WHERE WE FOUND ALSO ANY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CONFETTI AND GLITTER ALONG THE DUNES.
OUR SEABIRDS AND WILDLIFE, THEY INGESTED, THEY THINK IT IS FOOD, ESPECIALLY ALL THE SHIMMERY STUFF.
UM, THESE FLOWER PETALS, THEY MIGHT LOOK PRETTY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO MADE OUT OF PLASTIC POLYMERS WHICH BREAK DOWN INTO MICROPLASTICS THAT HARM OUR WATERWAYS, OUR WILDLIFE, AND OUR ESSENTIALLY OUR HEALTH AS WELL.
WE HAVE PICKED UP OVER THOUSANDS OF THESE FLOWER PETALS AT ALMOST EVERY SINGLE CLEANUP, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEAK UP FOR OUR WILDLIFE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS SHARON.
SHARON STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HI, IT'S SHARON WEISS, 2 3 3 80 FIRST STREET.
UH, I'M CALLING TODAY, UH, IN OPPOSITION TO R 5G AND H, WHICH IS TO INCENTIVIZE SCHOOL USES.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR SCHOOLS IN NORTH BEACH.
UH, IT CREATES A LOT OF TRAFFIC, UH, AND I BELIEVE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, INCENTIVIZING SCHOOLS AND NOT REQUIRING PARKING OR HAVING PARKING GIVEAWAYS FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES IS WRONG.
UM, PER THE MOST RECENT CENSUS IN 3 3 1 4 1, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES NORTH BAY VILLAGE, THERE ARE FEWER THAN 5,000 RESIDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
LESS THAN 15% OF HOUSEHOLDS UP HERE, UH, LESS THAN 15% OF THE POPULATION IS SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE FOUR SCHOOLS.
WHY DO WE NEED MORE? IT WOULD JUST BE ATTRACTING PEOPLE FROM, UM, OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND INCREASING TRAFFIC.
SO, UH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GREAT FOR OUR AREA.
I ALSO, UH, JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP.
I THINK WHAT, UH, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, MS. RINGLE IS DOING IS GREAT.
HOWEVER, I'M VERY DISTURBED THAT OUR TAXES BOTH AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND THE COUNTY LEVEL PAY FOR, UM, FOR, UH, UH, COMMUNITY JANITORIAL SERVICES AND, AND, AND CLEANING THE BEACH.
AND YET WE'RE INCENTIVIZING AND HAVING VOLUNTEERS, UH, IN ORDER TO, TO DO THE WORK OF, OF EMPLOYEES.
I, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WRONG.
I THINK WHAT SHE'S DOING IS RIGHT.
I THINK THAT, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP OUR, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY CLEAN, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR IT THROUGH OUR TAXES AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO USE VOLUNTEERS TO DO THE WORK OF CITY EMPLOYEES AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES IS WRONG.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
MY ADDRESS IS 63 63 INDIAN CREEK.
UM, I AM HERE ALSO ON BEHALF OF CLEAN MIAMI BEACH AND I WANT TO ALSO SPEAK ON THE ORDINANCE OF BANNING GLITTER AND PLASTIC PEDALS.
AS SOPHIE MENTIONED, WE FIND THEM AT EVERY SINGLE CLEANUP.
THEY'RE SUPER HARD TO GET OUT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
ONCE THEY'RE IN IT, THEY GET BURIED IN THE SAND, THEY GET SPREAD INTO THE OCEAN, WATERS INTO THE DUNES, AND WE HAVE A VERY HARD TIME GETTING RID OF THEM.
UM, WE REALLY SEEN A PICKUP SINCE 2024 WHERE THEY'RE LITERALLY AT EVERY BEACH CLEANUP.
WE JUST HOSTED A BEACH CLEANUP THREE WEEKS AGO ON FLAGLER MONUMENT ISLAND AND THEY EVEN HAVE MADE IT THERE YET.
SO WE ARE REALLY IN FAVOR OF BANNING THIS AND JUST PROTECTING HUMANS AND OUR WILDLIFE HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
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SCREEN NAME OF IPHONE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.PLEASE, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
I AM, I LIVE AT 29 39 INDIAN CREEK DRIVE.
I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR ITEM R FIVE S.
UM, THE BEACH WALK ITEM, UM, BEACH WALK IS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE I USE WITH MY KIDS TO GET AROUND MIAMI BEACH.
WITHOUT IT, WE'D BE FORCED ONTO THE STREET, WHICH IS MUCH LESS SAFE.
UM, PARENTS ON E-BIKES RIDING WITH THEIR KIDS ARE NOT GOING TO BE GOING TO SPEEDS THAT HAVE CAUSED CONFLICT ON THE BEACH WALK.
SO I JUST URGE YOU TO PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS NARROW EXCEPTION THAT WILL HELP KEEP KIDS SAFE.
HI, LEAH TWELL, 1, 2 5 JEFFERSON AVENUE, THE COURTS.
UM, I WAS WALKING THE OTHER DAY, I WALKED SOUTH OF FIFTH.
I'VE LIVED, UM, IN MIAMI BEACH SINCE 2013.
I RECENTLY BOUGHT MY CONDO IN 2023.
I SUPPORT EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
ALSO, MY OFFICE IS SOUTH OF FIFTH AND I NORMALLY WALK AND RUN EVERY SINGLE MORNING ALONG THE BEAUTIFUL BOARDWALK ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH OF FIFTH.
YOU CAN RIDE YOUR BIKE ALL THE WAY UP TO MILL HARBOR AS WELL.
AND I WAS WALKING MY DOG THAT DAY AND THERE WAS JUST A PLETHORA OF THOSE RED, HORRIBLE PLASTIC PEDALS.
NOW I KNOW IT STARTS WITH AMAZON.
WE CAN ORDER ALL THESE GOODS ON AMAZON AND PARTY CITY.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, GOT DOWN, STARTED GATHERING THEM, IT JUST RAINED, SO THEY WERE KIND OF STICKING ON THE GROUND.
UH, MY DOG'S LOOKING AT ME, PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT ME, WALK BY AND THEY'RE JUST, THEY JUST KEEP WALKING.
LIKE, WHAT IS SHE DOING? WHY IS SHE PICKING ALL THESE THINGS UP? WHAT A WEIRDO, RIGHT? UM, SO LUCKILY WE HAVE SOPHIE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SHE ALSO DOES A LOT OF THE BEACH CLEANUPS WITH MY TEAM, MY HEALTH INSURANCE TEAM.
AND I CALLED HER AND I TEXTED HER.
I WAS LIKE, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THIS? AND SHE'S LIKE, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WE'LL GET A TEAM THERE TO, TO HELP CLEAN UP.
SO I, I GATHERED AS, AS MUCH AS I COULD THAT DAY IN, IN PILES, RIGHT? SWEEPING 'EM UP WITH MY HANDS GETTING DIRTY.
UM, AND THEN I DID A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH AND I'M LIKE, THESE ARE, THESE ARE MADE OUT OF PLASTIC.
SO JUST LIKE THE, SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY THINK IT'S, THEY THINK IT'S PRETTY, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
THEY'RE CELEBRATING, MAYBE LOVE AN ANNIVERSARY OR, YOU KNOW, ENGAGEMENT.
UM, BUT WE JUST, WE NEED TO MAKE IT AWARE.
UM, MAYBE IT STARTS AT THE HIGHER LEVELS UP OF AMAZON AND PURCHASING THESE THINGS.
IT STARTS WITH ALSO PARENTS AS WELL AND THE COMMUNITY AND AND TEACHERS.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE HERE SOON.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS YAEL DIAZ.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I OVERSEE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT SERVE ROBOTICS, HEADQUARTERED AT SEVEN 30 BROADWAY STREET, REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA.
WE CURRENTLY OPERATE PERSONAL DELIVERY DEVICES OR PDDS ON THE SIDEWALKS OF MIAMI BEACH.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN CONSIDERING HOW TO REGULATE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES LIKE BDS.
IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AS WE GEARED UP FOR OUR LAUNCH, AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON ITEM R FIVE R, WE SHARE THE CITY'S GOAL OF SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY.
OUR DEVICES ARE DESIGNED TO OPERATE SAFELY ON OUR OUT AROUND THREE TO FIVE MILES PER HOUR ON THE SIDEWALK.
AND WE O OPERATE SOMETIMES A LITTLE FASTER ON CROSSWALKS TO ENSURE SAFE AND EFFICIENT, UM, PASSAGE AT LARGER INTERSECTIONS.
PDDS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT CONVENIENCE FOR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY WORKERS WITH BUSY SCHEDULES AND THOSE WITH MOBILITY LIMITATIONS.
PDDS AND EXPAND ACCESS TO FRESH, FRESH MEALS WITHOUT REQUIRING A CAR OR TIPPING FOR RESTAURANTS.
PDDS PROVIDE MORE RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT DELIVERY OPTIONS.
THEY HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF DELIVERY COMPLETION AND DO NOT REQUIRE PARKING SPACES THAT SHOULD REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR CUSTOMERS FOR VISITORS.
PDDS ENHANCED DINING AND HOSPITALITY SERVICES WITH A SEAMLESS INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCE REINFORCING THE CITY'S REPUTATION AS A WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION.
AND IT ALSO HELPS TO REDUCE CONGESTION AND VEHICLE EMISSIONS BY REPLACING SHORT CAR TRIPS WITH SAFE ELECTRIC DELIVERIES.
WE SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS TO SECTION E OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONS AT JUST THE PROPOSED LIMIT OF SIX MILES PER HOUR TO 10, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE STATUTE.
AMEND THE THREE MINUTE IDLE TIME TO NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE CITY'S EXISTING PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
AND AS TO THE PERMIT ITSELF, REPLACE THE A HUNDRED DOLLARS FEE WITH A FLAT $2,000 FEE, UH, PER COMPANY OR OPERATOR.
ADDITIONALLY, ALLOW OPERATORS ALREADY IN SERVICE A GRACE PERIOD TO WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU TO CREATE THIS VISION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS.
UH, AND MAYOR, MY NAME IS JOE SAUNDERS.
I LIVE IN 14TH, 39 WEST AVENUE IN MIAMI BEACH.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE, UH, CITY'S TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING A QUALITY FLORIDA FLORIDA'S LARGEST L-G-B-T-Q CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION.
I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONERS FERNANDEZ AND DOMINGUEZ AND MAGAZINE FOR YOUR RESOLUTIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ON THE FUTURE OF THE OCEAN DRIVE PRIDE CROSSWALK.
I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU ALL ALONG WITH COMMISSIONERS BOT AND
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ROSE GONZALEZ FOR ATTENDING THE PROTEST THIS WEEKEND AT THE CROSSWALK.THIS IS A CRITICAL TIME AND WE NEED YOUR LEADERSHIP.
SO LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHY WE'RE ALL HERE.
RON DESANTIS IS THREATENING TO WITHHOLD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAXPAYER TAXPAYER FUNDED PROJECTS FROM CITIES EXPLOITING OUR VULNERABILITY IN THE AFTERMATH OF STORMS, THREATENING TO MAKE TRAFFIC WORSE AND THREATENING PROJECTS THAT HELP ALL OF US IF YOU DON'T COMPLY TO HIS BIGOTED ATTACKS ON THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY INVISIBILITY, THERE'S A WORD FOR THAT EXTORTION.
IT'S A COWARDLY ABUSIVE POWER AND THE LATEST IN HIS CAMPAIGN TO ATTACK THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY AND IT'S PART OF A BROADER EFFORT, EFFORT TO SILENCE LOCAL DEMOCRACY.
HE'S TESTING YOU OUR LOCAL LEADERS, TESTING WHETHER CITY COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS AND MAYORS CAN BE REDUCED TO WINDOW DRESSING, OVERRIDDEN OR COERCED AT HIS WHIM.
IN THE 12 CITIES IN FLORIDA WITH THRIVING L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE PRIDE STREET ART, ALL LEADERS HAVE COMMITTED TO MEETING THIS MOMENT WITH EVEN GREATER VISIBILITY TO BUILD BACK GAYER WITH BIGGER, BOLD VISIBILITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT TODAY, BUT WE ALSO NEED YOU TO FIGHT BACK, FIGHT FOR LOCAL CONTROL AND FOR DEMOCRACY CITIES HAVE A STATUTORY RIGHT TO QUESTION AND CHALLENGE UNFAIR OR ILLEGAL DIRECTIVES FROM THE STATE.
YOU CAN DO THAT IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE SETTING.
CITIES LIKE DELRAY BEACH, KEY WEST ST.
PETERSBURG, ORLANDO, AND FORT LAUDERDALE, THEY'RE ALL PUSHING BACK.
CITIES LIKE KEY WEST LATER TODAY ARE FILING FOR AN INJUNCTION OR ARE GOING VOTE ON WHETHER TO FILE FOR AN INJUNCTION AGAINST, UH, A REPEAL OF THEIR CROSSWALK IN DUVAL STREET.
CITIES LIKE FORT LAUDERDALE ARE GOING TO COURT.
PLENTY OF FILING FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEWS.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS DAVE GREER.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, HEARING US TODAY.
I WOULD, UH, MY NAME'S DAVID GREER.
I LIVE AT 1754 MERIDIAN JUST ACROSS THE STREET.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF ITEMS C FOUR S AND C 7:00 AM.
I'D LIKE TO THANK, UM, COMMISSIONERS FERNANDEZ MAGAZINE, BOTTON DOMINGUEZ, UM, WHO ARE SPONSORING AND CO-SPONSORING THESE ITEMS, UM, AND ATTENDING THE PROTEST IN SUPPORT OF THE CROSSWALK AT 12TH AND OCEAN, UM, OVER THE WEEKEND.
UM, I WOULD, I WANT, I WANT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THESE ITEMS TODAY, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO DO MUCH MORE FOR THE LGBT LGBTQ COMMUNITY.
UM, THE STATE'S OVERREACH IN REMOVING THIS PROPERLY PERMITTED SAFE CROSSWALK.
IN FACT, THE SAFEST CROSSWALK ON I COMPARED TO THE OTHER, UM, DEADLY CROSSINGS OF THAT STREET IS ONE OF MANY STEPS TO HARASS THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST, UH, SIX YEARS.
UM, WE NEED THE CITY TO TAKE CLEAR STEPS TO WELCOME AND OUR FIRM, OUR RIGHT TO LIVE SAFELY IN OUR CITY.
WE SHOULD BE TAKING CONCRETE STEPS TO WELCOME L-G-B-T-Q COM VISITORS AND MAKING SURE OUR LOCAL RESIDENT POPULATION THRIVES HERE.
UM, THE QUEER COMMUNITY HAS DONE MUCH FOR MIAMI BEACH OVER THE AGES.
UM, MANY WAYS THAT THE CITY LOOKS, FEELS, UM, AND IS ATTRACTIVE TO VISITORS IS BECAUSE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE ARE ASKING YOU ALL, UH, TO STAND UP FOR US.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I'M CHAIR OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I'M A FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBER AT MIAMI BEACH PRIDE AND I'M ALSO A RESIDENT AT LIVES, A ZIP LINE AWAY FROM YOU AT 1754 MERIDIAN AVENUE.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO THE MAYOR CITY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI BEACH FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO INCLUSI INCLUS INCLUSIVITY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE WHO'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE SUPPORTING THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY SO WE FEEL SAFE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO DISCUSS IS TOURISM.
I CAME HERE IN 2000, IN 2001 FROM LONDON AS PART OF THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY TO WORK FOR WHAT WAS THEN MIAMI BEACH GAY AND LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL.
I ACTUALLY HAD STAMPED IN MY PASSPORT THAT I WAS A MEMBER OF THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY AND HAD THAT IN MY PASSPORT FOR SEVEN YEARS WHILE I WORKED THERE.
I WILL TELL YOU, THE RAINBOW CROSSWALK IS NOT JUST A COLORFUL LANDMARK, IT'S A SYMBOL OF SAFETY, BELONGING, AND VISIBILITY FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY.
AND THE REASON WHY MILLIONS OF VISITORS CHOOSE MIAMI BEACH BECAUSE IT STANDS FOR OPENNESS, INCLUSIVITY, INCLUSIVITY, DIVERSITY AND ACCEPTANCE TOURISM IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF THIS COMMUNITY AND L-G-B-T-Q TRAVELERS ARE A VITAL PART OF THIS CITY'S STORY AND ECONOMY.
THAT CROSSWALK ON OCEAN DRIVE IS ALSO PART OF THE OCEAN DRIVE HISTORY.
AND FOR LEONARD HOROWITZ, WHO WAS THE PASTORAL COLOR ARCHITECT OF ALL THOSE AMAZING ICONIC BUILDINGS ON OCEAN DRIVE,
[00:25:01]
LET'S NOT FORGET WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY, OUR HISTORY AND EVERYTHING, THE L-G-B-T-Q-Q COMMUNITY STANDS FOR IN MIAMI BEACH.I WANT TO THANK YOU PARTICULARLY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ FOR TAKING A STAND FOR YOU, COMMISSIONER B FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR YOU, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, FOR YOU, MR. MAGAZINE, AND ALSO FOR YOU CHRISTINA, MONGO AND GONZALEZ.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS LARRY SCHAFER.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
GOOD MORNING, THIS IS LARRY SCHAFER.
FIRST THREE, UH, NUMBER ONE, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
BEFORE I TALK ABOUT WATER QUALITY, I'VE BEEN OPPOSED TO YOUR SCHOOL USE ITEMS AND INCENTIVES AND I'VE COMMUNICATED WITH YOUR OFFICE.
APPARENTLY YOU HAVE TWO AIDES, BUT NOBODY'S GOTTEN BACK TO ME, YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN BACK TO ME.
MR. TOM MOONEY FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HASN'T GOTTEN BACK TO ME.
MR. WILLIE MCDONALD FROM THE PARKING DEPARTMENT HASN'T GOTTEN BACK TO ME EITHER.
I AM WONDERING WHY YOU ARE CHOOSING TO PUSH SCHOOL USES AT THIS POINT.
YOUR OPPONENT HAS SUGGESTED THAT YOU DIDN'T GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CLEAR THE AIR AND TELL EVERYONE ABOUT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY TO MAKE SURE WE ALL HAVE THE FACTS SO WE KNOW IN THIS UPCOMING ELECTION WHO WE'RE VOTING FOR.
I'M WONDERING WHY YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO PUSH SCHOOLS IF THIS IS THE CASE.
A AS, AS VICE MAYOR, UM, WE DO HAVE, AND THE MAYOR STEPPED AWAY, SO THAT'S WHY I'LL STEP IN.
WE DO HAVE, UH, DECORUM AND RULES WHERE WE DO NOT ADDRESS, UH, SOMEBODY SITTING UP HERE BY NAME, ESPECIALLY IN SUCH A MANNER.
SO IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK IN GENERALITIES, UH, WE ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DO ANY TYPE OF CENSORSHIP, LARRY.
UH, HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, ABOUT ADDRESSING INDIVIDUALS UP HERE BY NAME.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, COMMISSIONER.
SO IF YOU WISH TO CONTINUE, LARRY, UH, WOULD LOVE AND ALWAYS WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS, BUT WE'RE GONNA REFRAIN FROM ADDRESSING PEOPLE BY NAME.
HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE LEFT, JOE? ONE MINUTE, NINE SECONDS.
YOU TALK ABOUT GLITTER AND CLASS PLASTIC PEDALS.
WE GOT THREE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT GLITTER ON THE BEACH.
ARE YOU AWARE THAT THERE'S FECES IN THE PARKVIEW ISLAND CANAL AND FECES O IN THE WATER ON THE BEACHES AND FECES, UH, OFF OF THE WEST AVENUE PUMP STATIONS? DO.
YOU'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON THE RIGHT THINGS.
THREE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT GLITTER.
WHEN WE HAVE HUMAN FECES IN OUR WATER, WE HAVE POLICE CLEANING THE BEACHES INSTEAD OF COUNTY WORKERS.
WHY IS THAT A GOOD THING? YOU KNOW, AND OTHER FOLKS HAVE SPOKEN TODAY ALREADY ABOUT THE RAINBOW CROSSWALK.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A THREAT THAT INSULTS THE IDENTITY OF JUST SOME, AND WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE BROWN FECES POLLUTING OUR WATERWAYS THAT DAMAGE THE PUBLIC HEALTH OF EVERYONE.
I'M QUESTIONING PRIORITIES OF ALL THE PEOPLE CHOOSING TO SPEAK WHEN WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT IN THE WATER.
YOU VOTED FOR 42 MILLION TO REPLACE PUMP STATION 28.
THAT'S A MID BEACH, SOUTH BEACH SEWAGE PROCESSING STATION NEAR THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE HEBREW SCHOOL.
HOW MUCH HAVE YOU BUDGETED? HAVE YOU GIVEN 42 MILLION FOR NORTH BEACH 63RD AND INDIAN CREEK JUST WENT HOT WITH A SCORE OVER 500.
THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A SEWAGE PROCESSING AND PUMP RIGHT THERE AT 63RD.
SO OPERATION CLEAN WATER IS NOT WORKING.
THIS IS FAKE HUSTLE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION LOOKING, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I SUPPORT THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY.
I YOU GUYS LOVE YOU AND PLEASE DON'T TAKE AWAY OUR CROSSWALK, HOWEVER, I AM HERE IN REGARDS TO MAYOR MINOR'S PROPOSED MEMORANDUM, THE R NINE V 7:00 PM CURFEW FOR YACHT CHARTERS AT MIAMI BEACH MARINA.
I, MYSELF HAVE BEEN RUNNING THIS COMPANY, THE ADVANTAGE JOB CHARTERS FOR OVER 19 YEARS.
SINCE THEN, I'VE CREATED 12,000 CHARTERS.
MORE THAN THAT, IF ANYTHING, THAT'S JUST WHAT I HAVE ON RECORD.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE GENERATED TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
MY CHARTER'S NOT ONLY JUST IMPACT LOCAL COMMUNITY, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STORES, RESTAURANTS, LIQUOR STORES.
I KNOW EVERYONE DOESN'T LIKE LIQUOR SOMETIMES, BUT COME ON.
WE ALSO DEAL WITH RESTAURANTS.
HOWEVER, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S GENERATED IS ASTRONOMICAL.
IT AFFECTS MORE THAN JUST THE MARITA, HUNDREDS OF CAPTAINS, CREW MEMBERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS.
IF WE'RE LIMITING 7:00 PM WE'RE LIMITING THE ABILITY TO SEE THE SUNSET TO GO TO RESTAURANTS WE'RE, I UNDERSTAND THE REASONS WHY.
HOWEVER, IT'S JUST TOO EARLY AND REALLY WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE FOCUS MORE ON HAVING BETTER OPERATORS, MORE I GUESS STRINGENT REGULATIONS IF MUCH, BUT NOT REALLY THE TIMING BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE MARINA'S BEEN THERE SINCE THE 1980S.
THE NEW PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN MOVING ARE THE ONES WHO ARE UPSET.
THE MARINA'S BEEN THERE LONG ENOUGH THAT WE KNOW HOW TO HANDLE OUR OPERATIONS.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF ALIYAH AYA, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UM, HELLO, CAN YOU, HELLO? UH, THIS IS ALIYAH ANOVA AND UM, I AM A MOTHER WITH A SMALL CHILD.
WE LIVE ON SOUTH BEACH AT TWO 20 WASHINGTON AVENUE.
UH, WE DO NOT OWN A CAR AND OUR E-BIKE
[00:30:01]
IS HOW WE GET AROUND MIAMI BEACH.UH, PLEASE SUPPORT R FIVE SA NARROW SAFETY FIRST PILOT THAT LETS PARENTS RIDE E-BIKES, UM, AT NO MORE THAN 10 MILES PER HOUR ON THE BEACH WALK WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
RIGHT NOW, FAMILIES ARE PUSHED ONTO STREETS, UH, EVEN WHEN A SAFE PATH DOES EXIST, AND FLORIDA IS AMONG THE DEADLIEST STATES IN THE NATION FOR BICYCLISTS.
UM, THIS PILOT IS TEMPORARY AND ACCOUNTABLE WITH A BUILT-IN SUNSET AND WILL ONLY CONTINUE IF YOU RE-UP IT BASED ON RESULTS.
THE RULES ARE SIMPLE AND EASY TO ENFORCE AN ADULT WITH A CHILD 10 MILES PER HOUR CAP YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS.
TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS FOR MIAMI BEACH COME FROM MANY SMALL ITEMS PUT TOGETHER TO DELIVER REAL RESULTS.
PLEASE TAKE THE STEP TO, UH, FOR SAFETY AND APPROVE R FIVE S.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I LIVE AT EIGHT 80 LAKEVIEW DRIVE AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE SISTER CITIES PROJECT.
WITH ME TODAY ARE THREE MEMBERS OF MY COMMITTEE, FRED JANINA AND SHERRY AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS WHO HAVE JOIN ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
WE ARE HERE TO REQUEST THE PLACEMENT OF TWO DISPLAY CASES IN THE LOBBY OF THE CITY HALL TO SHOWCASE THE MERCHANDISE, THE ITEMS, THE ARCHIVES THAT WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD IN THE PAST YEAR TO PUT TOGETHER ON BEHALF OF THE SISTER CITIES.
AND WE FEEL THAT THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PROJECT AND WE BELIEVE IT'S GONNA BE A POINT OF INTEREST FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH TO SEE THIS, IN ADDITION TO JUST SHOW THE HISTORY BEHIND 50 PLUS YEARS OF SOME OF THE CITIES.
I BELIEVE THE PROJECT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU ALL AGREE TO APPROVE THIS PROJECT.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS VALERIE NAVARETTE.
MS. NAVARETTE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I AM ON LINCOLN CON ROAD ON THE PART THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A FEW BUSINESSES HERE AND THEY ARE BEING, UH, THEY'RE SUFFERING WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF COURSE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THE CITY TO PUT SOME, UM, SOME ADS ON ALTON ROAD, UH, UH, SHOWING THAT THOSE BUSINESSES ARE OPEN.
MY CONVENIENCE STORE, WHICH IS VERY CONVENIENT,
I'M AFRAID THEY'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT.
AND PLEASE DON'T LET MY CONVENIENCE STORE CLOSED.
UH, MY PANZA THE OLDEST MOM AND POPS BUSINESS IN THE ENTIRE LINCOLN ROAD.
ALSO, IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, THREATENING OF, UH, PROBABLY CLOSING.
SO PLEASE IF YOU COULD PUT SOME SIGNAGE, LETTING ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE, UH, THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE OPEN, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.
AND, UH, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UH, IN ANOTHER NOTE, UH, I SUPPORT THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY ONE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE GAY TO SUPPORT A BEAUTIFUL CAUSE.
WE NEED MORE COLOR IN THE WORD.
AND, UM, WELL, SIGMUND FREUD, THE FATHER OF PSYCHOLOGY, EXPLAINS THAT HOMOPHOBIC DIP INSIDE MAYBE, UM, UH, GAY
SO I HOPE THAT ONE DAY THEY CAN EXPRESS THEMSELVES FREELY.
GO AHEAD PLEASE, SIR, STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COMMISSIONERS.
I LIVE AT 3 5 0 SOUTH MIAMI AVENUE.
UM, I SERVE AS DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR SAVE, WHICH IS SOUTH FLORIDA'S LEADING L-G-B-T-Q ORGANIZATION, DEFENDING EQUALITY THROUGH GRASSROOTS POLITICAL ACTION, EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH.
I WANT TO COMMEND COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ FOR SPONSORING THE PRIDE STREET PROPOSAL AND RELATED ITEMS. I THINK RENAMING 12TH STREET AND RAISING RAINBOW FLAGS ARE NOT JUST SYMBOLIC, THEY ARE VISIBLE COMMITMENTS THAT AFFIRM LGBTQ PLUS PEOPLE BELONG IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RESPOND TO SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID EARLIER ABOUT, UM, UPLIFTING OUR COMMUNITY AS NOT STEALING FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, PRIDE PAPERS ARE, UM, AND FLAGS REFLECT THE CITY'S VALUES OF DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND CREATIVITY.
UM, THEY MAKE OUR STREETS MORE WELCOMING AND SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT MIAMI BEACH IS PROUD OF WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY.
UM, WHAT IS REALLY BEING TAKEN FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, IS THE RIGHT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
THE STATE'S DIRECTIVE TO REMOVE THE PRIDE, PAVERS IS CENSORSHIP AND IT ERASES SYMBOLS OF PRIDE.
IT SILENCES COMMUNITIES AND IT UNDERMINES HOME RULE.
MIAMI BEACH HAS ALWAYS LED WITH PRIDE AND IT MUST CONTINUE TO DO SO.
NOW, THIS, UM, THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT PAVERS OR FLAGS THAT IS ABOUT FREE SPEECH, LOCAL AUTHORITY, AND WHETHER MIAMI, UH, MIAMI BEACH STANDS FIRM IN ITS VALUES BY SUPPORTING THESE ITEMS, YOU SEND THE MESSAGE THAT INCLUSION HERE IS VISIBLE, CELEBRATED, AND NON-NEGOTIABLE.
[00:35:01]
THANK YOU.OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS PATRICK CHEK.
HELLO, MY NAME IS PATRICK BICK.
I LIVE AT 1754 MERIDIAN AVENUE AND, UH, JUST RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AND I WANNA THANK, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE THERE AT THE PROTEST, UM, PROTESTING FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY AND FIGHTING BACK AGAINST BIG GOVERNMENT OVERREACH FROM TALLAHASSEE STREET.
ART HAS SHOWN TO BEEN TO MAKE STREETS SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS, AND MOTORISTS.
THE CITY OWN THE CITY'S OWN RECORDS OF ACCIDENTS ON OCEAN DRIVE.
SHOW THAT THE 12TH STREET, UH, THE 12TH STREET CREEK CROSSING IS SAFER THAN THE CROSSWALKS THAT ARE SURROUNDING IT.
AND, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE EVEN COOLER IF WE EX NOT ONLY FIGHT BACK TO KEEP THIS CROSSWALK, BUT EXPAND, MAKE ALL OF OUR, UH, CROSSWALKS ON OCEAN DRIVE MORE COLORFUL.
IT'LL INCREASE TOURISM AND I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO INVEST IN HOW WE CAN, UH, SHOW THAT WE ARE STILL A SAFE PLACE TO VISIT.
AND THIS FIGHTING BACK IS, UH, ONE STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS TWO MINUTES.
MY NAME IS NICHOLAS MACHUCA AT 55 SIXTH STREET.
I'M A MEMBER OF EQUALITY FLORIDA STAFF SERVING THE STATEWIDE L-G-B-T-Q CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION.
I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONERS FERNANDEZ MAGAZINE AND DOMINGUEZ FOR THEIR INITIATIVES AND LEADERSHIP TODAY ON THE AGENDA.
AND TO THOSE WHO HAVE JOINED, COMMISSIONERS ROSEN GONZALEZ AND BOT, AND SPEAKING UP ABOUT ATTACKS, UH, ON THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY COMING FROM TALLAHASSEE.
ON BEHALF OF EQUALITY FLORIDA'S 2,447 SUPPORTERS IN MIAMI BEACH, I'M ASKING YOU TO REJECT THIS POWER GRAB FROM TALLAHASSEE.
GOVERNOR DESANTIS ACTION IS THE LATEST IN HIS CAMPAIGN TO BAN BOOKS, WHITEWASH HISTORY AND ATTACK L-G-B-T-Q PEOPLE.
THE OCEAN DRIVE RAINBOW CROSSWALK IS A VISIBLE REMINDER THAT L-G-B-T-Q PEOPLE BELONG HERE, THAT WE ARE SEEN AND WELCOMED AND THAT MIAMI BEACH VALUES OUR LIVES.
THIS ORDER IS NOT ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY.
A FLORIDA BASED STUDY FOUND THAT CROSSWALK ARE IMPROVED SAFETY RESULTING IN A 10% DECREASE IN DRIVERS RUNNING STOP SIGNS AND A 6% INCREASE IN DRIVERS COMING TO A FULL STOP.
PETERSBURG ALSO FOUND A 70% DECREASE IN OVERALL CRASHES AFTER A MURAL WAS ADDED TO AN INTERSECTION, AN OUTCOME THAT WAS PREDICTED AND SUPPORTED BY YEARS OF RESEARCH.
REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME, PLEASE COMMIT TO L-G-B-T-Q VISIBILITY THAT IS OF EQUAL OR GREATER VALUE IN ORDER TO STAND FIRM IN OUR VALUES OF INCLUSION AND BUILDING A WELCOMING CITY.
THANK YOU TO OUR CITY MANAGER FOR SUBMITTING AN APPEAL ON THE CROSSWALK.
PLEASE USE EVERY TOOL, UH, YOU HAVE TO PRESERVE VISIBILITY FOR OUR L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY AND COMBAT THE STATE'S CENSORSHIP AND OVERREACH.
AND ALSO FOR THE RECORD, I ALSO DON'T LIKE PLASTIC PARTICLES ON THE BEACH OR FECES IN THE WATER.
MR. MAYOR, WE'VE ELAPSED 30 MINUTES ALREADY.
MAY WE CONTINUE AT ONE MINUTE FROM NAAN? YES.
OKAY, SO EVERYONE HAS ONE MINUTE, WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE REQUESTING TO SPEAK IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE ON ZOOM AND PLEASE GET ON IN LINE.
WE'RE GOING TO GO, SIR, GO AHEAD.
I LIVE AT 8 99 WEST AVENUE AND I'M JUST, UM, HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT A, THE PROPOSAL THAT I BELIEVE IS ON THE DESKS OF THE COMMISSIONERS OR THE CITY PLANNERS REGARDING A HIGH RISE CONDO, LUXURY CONDO THAT IS TARGETED TO BE BUILT, UM, BETWEEN EIGHTH AND NINTH STREET ON THE WEST SIDE OF ALTON ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 40 STORIES HIGH.
IT, IT'S UNDER THE, THE LIVE ACT, WHICH MAKES IT, UH, DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY AND RESIDENTS OF THE CITY TO GET INVOLVED WITH, UM, STOPPING THE PROJECT.
UH, UP UNTIL NOW, THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY HIGH RISES CONSTRUCTED ON ALTON ROAD.
THIS APPEARS THAT IT HAS A REALLY GOOD CHANCE OF BEING THE FIRST, UM, MY PLEA WOULD BE FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE A STAND ON IT.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT IF YOU AREN'T IN FAVOR OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS 40 STORY MONSTROSITY, THAT WILL BE THE FIRST ONE ON ALTERNATE.
I WOULD DO SOMETHING TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST IT.
UH, NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS DAVID SEXTON.
MR. SEXTON STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE.
HI, MY NAME IS DAVID SEXTON, A 30 PLUS YEAR RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH.
I'M CALLING IN TODAY TO SAY THAT I TRAVELED ABROAD A LOT THIS, THIS SUMMER AND WENT TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND I WAS ASKED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WHY ARE YOU STILL LIVING IN FLORIDA, A STATE THAT IS CLEARLY HOSTILE TO YOU, UH, BEING AN L-G-B-T-Q MEMBER.
AND I SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT MIAMI BEACH IS AN OASIS
[00:40:01]
AND THAT IT'S ALWAYS FELT LIKE HOME TO ME.AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THE PERCEPTION THAT'S GOING OUT ACROSS THE WORLD, THAT FLORIDA IS CHANGING INTO SOMETHING HOSTILE TO GAY TOURISM AND TO PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF DIVERSITY AND THAT MIAMI BEACH NEEDS TO STAND UP AND SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITIES, ALL OF THEIR COMMUNITIES ACROSS ALL SECTORS.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING DONE AND I HOPE THAT THE COMMISSION TODAY WILL SUPPORT KEEPING THE THE PROD CROSSWALK.
UH, MIKE ES AND LAW 3,800 NORTHEAST FIRST AVENUE REPRESENTING SECURITY ALLIANCE.
MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO GET WRONG.
AND I FEAR ITEM R TWO A DOES JUST THAT IT TAKES A CITYWIDE SECURITY CONTRACT AWAY FROM TWO LARGE FIRMS WITH DECADES OF MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE, AND IT GIVES THE ENTIRE THING TO ONE SMALL COMPANY WITH NO MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE AND NO SUSTAINED MEANINGFUL PRESENCE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST THE RECOMMENDED VENDOR.
THEY APPEAR TO HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, UH, PRIMARILY IN THE SCHOOL SETTING, BUT THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT WORK.
UH, THIS COMPANY HAS NO MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE, UM, VIRTUALLY NO PRESENCE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND JUST 127 SECURITY GUARDS, UM, FIRM-WIDE ACCORDING TO THEIR PROPOSAL.
UM, WE THINK FORTUNATELY THERE IS A PATH FORWARD HERE TO MAKE SURE THE CITY CONTINUES TO RECEIVE SU UH, QUALITY SE SECURITY NOT ONLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT DURING SPECIAL EVENTS.
IN PARTICULAR, OUR, OUR CLIENT SECURITY ALLIANCE WAS RECOMMENDED FOR A SECONDARY CONTRACT.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY UNDER A SECONDARY CONTRACT STRUCTURE, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO PUT TO, TO PERFORM THESE SERVICES, UH, PARTICULARLY DURING HIGH IMPACT WEEKENDS, BUT WE, UH, RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST THAT THERE BE TWO PRIMARY CONTRACTS.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS GAIL DURHAM.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, GAIL, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
UM, MY NAME IS GAIL DURHAM AND I LIVE AT 1504 BAY ROAD AND I'M A RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH FOR 20 YEARS.
I THINK IT'S A DANGEROUS MOVE TO INVITE PLAYBOY TO MIAMI BEACH BECAUSE PLAYBOY IS PART OF THE SEX ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.
I MEAN, I CAN'T IMAGINE MY FATHER COMING HOME ONE DAY AND SAYING, HEY MOM, YOU KNOW, TO MY MOTHER, I JOINED THE PLAYBOY MANSION.
I THINK SHE WOULD HIT ON THE HEAD WITH A, WITH A FRYING PAN.
I, I'M JUST AN AVERAGE FAMILY.
UM, I THINK EVERYONE IN MIAMI BEACH FEELS THE SAME WAY I DO UNLESS YOU ARE GONNA BE WORKING FOR THE, THE CORPORATION, THE, THE, THE MAGAZINE AND THE BUNNY LOGO IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DIRECTION I WOULD WANT MY CITY TO GO IN.
AND, YOU KNOW, I HEAR THESE CODE WORDS LIKE PLAYBOY IS NOW NEW.
IT'S LIKE A LIFESTYLE AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A CODE WORD.
IT REMINDS ME OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN'S LIFESTYLE.
AND NOW I SEE PLAYBOY WANTS TO DO JOB TRAINING, WHICH TO ME IS CODE FOR, YOU KNOW, GROOMING.
HAS THE CITY GONE TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE TO FIND OUT? THANK YOU.
UH, MR. GO STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME'S MATTHEW ALTOFF AND I LIVE AT 1 25 JEFFERSON AVENUE.
I WANNA SPEAK THIS MORNING IN SUPPORT OF A FEW ITEMS. C FOUR A, C FOUR D, C FOUR P AND R FIVE S E-BIKES AND MICRO MOBILITY ARE A GROWING AND IMPORTANT TRANSPORTATION MODE IN OUR CITY.
NOT JUST FOR RECREATION, BUT FOR GOING TO WORK, GOING TO SCHOOL AND GENERAL TRANSPORTATION.
WE ARE A LEADER AND WE CAN BECOME EVEN A SAFER CITY WORKING TOGETHER.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL HERE AND I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO PASS THESE FOUR ITEMS TODAY.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF IN'S, IPHONE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEAR ME.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD PLEASE.
I LIVE AT 15 OCEAN DRIVE AND I JUST WANT TO, BUT MY COMMISSIONER, THE MAYOR THAT IS SPRINKLER, PLEASE DON'T CLOSE ANY STREETS.
PLEASE DON'T BLOCK THESE OR CLOSE STREETS.
IT JUST MAKES EVERYTHING WORSE.
AND ALSO, UM, MAYBE A DIFFERENT MARKETING THAT WILL BRING, UH, THE RIGHT MIX OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, DON'T CLOSE THE BUSINESSES EITHER.
JUST BE VERY AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW,
[00:45:01]
THE BUSINESS NEEDS TO SUSTAIN THEMSELF AND, AND THAT, UH, UH, EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH, YOU KNOW, CONTROLLING THE CRIME FOR SPRING BREAK AND VIOLENCE, UH, THAT NOW MAYBE STARTING TO MOVE ON AND NOT BE BLOCKED IN AND CLOSING, OBSTRUCTING ALL OF THAT.CAN I AHEAD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS? UH, JUBA 2 0 3 9 1 RENT COVE.
I LIVE ALL THE WAY IN AVENTURA, BUT MY FAMILY HAVE BEEN BEACH NATIVES FOR 60 YEARS.
I WANT TO ADDRESS ITEM R FIVE U, WHICH IS THE SPONSORSHIP AND GRANT RESTRICTION FOR ENTITIES THAT BOYCOTT ISRAEL.
THIS MEASURE ENSURES THAT MIAMI BEACH IS TAX PAYER DOLLARS ARE NOT DIRECTED TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN BOYCOTTS VERSUS THE STATE OF ISRAEL.
AT ITS CORE, THIS IS ABOUT VALUES AS MUCH AS FINANCES.
OUR CITY IS KNOWN FOR DIVERSITY, INCLUSIVITY, AND GLOBAL CONNECTION.
AND THE PARTNERS WE FUND SHOULD REFLECT THOSE SAME PRINCIPLES.
WHEN WE PROVIDE GRANTS OR SPONSORSHIPS.
RESIDENTS EXPECT THAT THEIR MONEY SHOULD BE USED RESPONSIBLY, THAT YOU STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY, BUILD BRIDGES, AND FOSTER COOPERATION, NOT DIVISION.
BY ENACTING THIS RESTRICTION, WE SET A CLEAR STANDARD.
MIAMI BEACH SUPPORTS OPENNESS, RESPECT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND HOW PUBLIC RESOURCES ARE SPENT.
I URGE YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM IS A REFLECTION OF OUR CITY'S COMMITMENT TO FAIRNESS AND UNITY.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF GLEN, GLEN STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
UM, I WAS, I WAS KIND OF SHOCKED, UM, TO HEAR, AND CAN ANYONE ANSWER THIS? ARE, ARE WE BUYING LIKE FOREIGN BONDS FROM, UH, FOR COUNTRIES OUT OF THE UNITED STATES WHEN MONEY COULD GO TO SUPPORTING LOCAL THINGS? THIS IS KIND OF SHOCKING TO ME AND ESPECIALLY THE DISCUSSION, HOT DISCUSSION IS THESE BONDS THAT SUPPORT WAR EFFORTS BY OTHER COUNTRIES.
I'M VERY SHOCKED ABOUT THIS AND, UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT.
IT CREATES A POLITICAL SITUATION.
I THINK WE'RE, WE HAVE SUCH A SMALL JEWISH COMMUNITY AND IT'S BEING BROKEN UP WHENEVER SOMEONE SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ERASING THE PALESTINIAN, IT'S ANTI-SEMITIC.
GOOD MORNING, KIMBERLY FALCONER.
I'M OWNER OF OCEAN FORCE ADVENTURES, HISTORICAL SIGHTSEEING AND CULTURAL BOAT TOURS OUT OF THE MIAMI BEACH MARINA.
AND I'M HERE TODAY TO OPPOSE ORDINANCE R FIVE P AS IT IS WRITTEN BECAUSE IT'S HARMING THE GOOD OPERATORS LIKE MYSELF AND MR. GREENSTEIN WHO WILL BE UP, UH, IN A MOMENT.
IT'S DOING NOTHING TO CURB THE BAD BEHAVIOR, WHICH IS ALSO HARMING OUR BUSINESSES.
WHY? BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE THAT TARGETS THIS TARGETS ALL COMMERCIAL VESSELS IN THE MARINA.
THE CHARTERS CAUSING THE ISSUE ARE NOT COMMERCIAL DURING THE TIME OF THE CHARTER, DUE TO A LOOPHOLE CALLED BAREBOAT DEMISE AGREEMENT.
EVERY CUSTOMER THAT GOES ON THOSE CHARTERS SIGNS A CONTRACT.
THEY OWN THE VESSEL FOR THE DURATION OF THE CHARTER.
SO IT IS A PRIVATE OWNED VESSEL WHEN THEY COME BACK AND THEY BREAK THE CODE.
THAT'S A US COAST GUARD REGULATION.
I URGE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO PLEASE LOOK THAT UP AND CORRECT THAT ORDINANCE.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF MIAMI BEACH.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
UH, GOOD MORNING WANDA JAMIE, 8 3 0 5 C KRESGE BOULEVARD.
I'M CALLING TODAY TO, FOR TWO THINGS.
I'M OPPOSING THE PLAYBOY HEADQUARTERS COMING INTO MIAMI BEACH.
WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT COME HERE AND I THINK IT WILL KILL TOURISM.
SECONDLY, THE WATERS, UH, OF MIAMI BEACH MUST BE ADDRESSED BY SIGNAGE.
THE, THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO LET HIS, THEIR CITIZENS, RESIDENTS KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH OUR WATERS AND THE BACTERIA THAT IT CAUSES THOROUGHLY.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A COMPLETE MORATORIUM OF ALL APPLICATIONS ON NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, THIS COULD BE DONE LEGALLY, UH, THROUGH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THEY COULD CITE INFRASTRUCTURE, TRAFFIC, UH, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[00:50:01]
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.DAN BRIGHTEN STEIN, UH, RESIDENT OF 90 ALTON ROAD HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
UH, ALSO AN OPERATOR OF A, UH, COMMERCIAL, UM, BUSINESS OUTTA MIAMI BEACH MARINA.
UH, WE DO PARA SAILING, UH, WE DO FISHING CHARTERS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A, UH, A TOUR BOAT THAT WE DO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TOURS ON.
I'VE GOT 10 OF MY CREW MEMBERS HERE TODAY.
UH, BASICALLY STANDING AGAINST THE, UH, R FIVE P UM, ORDINANCE.
THEY ROLL BACK TO SEVEN O'CLOCK.
UH, THAT'S GONNA AFFECT MY BUSINESS DRASTICALLY AS FAR AS MY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TOUR.
UM, WE DO 65% OF OUR REVENUE, UM, ON OUR LAST TRIP OF THE DAY.
AND BASICALLY THAT TRIP IS OVER BY EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING.
UM, THIS REALLY DOESN'T ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE BRAIN.
IT'S, IT'S PEOPLE THAT ARE BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
A RULE REALLY DOESN'T DO MUCH.
UM, BAD BEHAVIOR'S GONNA HAPPEN AT ANY POINT DURING THE DAY AND, UH, WE NEED TO ACTUALLY LOOK AND SEE HOW THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN AS FAR AS DEFINING THE ACTUAL WHAT A COMMERCIAL BOAT IS COMPARED TO A BARE BOAT.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF IPHONE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
MY NAME IS SANDRA COSLA AND I WAS BORN, UM, I LIVE AT SEVENTY FOUR FIFTY ONE HARDING AVENUE IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND, UM, I'M CALLING, UH, TO SPEAK, UH, FOR TWO SUBJECTS THAT YOU'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER RESISTING, UH, HAVING TO, UH, PAINT OVER THE, THE, THE PRIDE CROSSWALK.
UH, IT'S A SYMBOL FOR THE GT PLUS, UH, QIA, UH, COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, IT'S BEEN THERE AND, UH, IT WAS NEVER AN ISSUE BEFORE AND IT SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE NOW.
AND THE OTHER SUBJECT THAT I'M TALKING, I'M CALLING ABOUT IT HAS TO DO WITH, UH, UH, I HAD HEARD THAT, UH, THE UNI MEALS ARE GOING TO BE CUT AND, UH, AND THEY HAD BEEN APPROVED RECENTLY, UH, TO ONE 50 MEALS AND APPARENTLY NOW IT'S GONNA BE CUT TO ONE 20.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE RECENT, UH, SENIOR LUNCHROOM OPENING ON, ON A 8 33 SIXTH STREET.
BUT PLEASE CONSIDER NOT DOING IT.
WE HAVE NOW EVERYONE WHO WAS ONLINE REQUESTING TO SPEAK HAS SPOKEN.
WE'RE JUST GONNA DO THE REMAINDERS OF, OF THE LINE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS KA SANTOS, 1 2 2 8 WEST AVENUE.
I'M ALSO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT ALLIANCE MIAMI.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON A FEW ITEMS. UH, FIRST IN SUPPORT OF C FOUR D, WE SUPPORT CREATING INCENTIVES THAT IMPLEMENT BIKE SHARES THROUGH RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION.
THIS IS A CRITICAL STEP TOWARDS PROVIDING AFFORDABLE, UH, ACCESSIBLE OPTIONS TO CAR TO CAR OWNERSHIP IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND THERE'S EVEN SMALL ADJUSTMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM EVEN STRONGER.
WE ALSO SUPPORT THIS, UH, SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT TO EPAC RULES TO RUN THIS PILOT PROGRAM THAT ALLOW ALLOWS ADULTS AND CHILDREN, UH, TO DRIVE E-BIKES ON THE BEACH, UH, ON THE BEACH WALK, UH, BELOW 10 MILES AN HOUR.
UH, THIS ALLOWS FOR SAFE MOBILITY AND PUBLIC SPACES THAT CAN BE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR FAMILIES ON THE MULTIPLE CROSSWALK ITEMS. UH, ONE MORE TIME.
CROSSWALK IS NOT JUST ABOUT COMMUNITY CULTURE.
UH, IT'S ALSO ABOUT PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST SAFETY.
IT SLOWS DOWN CARS, IT PROVIDES, UH, SOMETHING THAT MAKES EVERYBODY SAFER ON THE STREET.
NEXT, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I'M THE COO OF DYNAMIC INTEGRATED SECURITY, THE LARGEST PROVIDER OF SAFETY OFFICERS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
I HEAR A GENTLEMAN BEFORE ME SAYING, MAKING SOME STATEMENTS ABOUT MY COMPANY.
I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT DYNAMIC INTEGRATED SECURITY HAVE OVER 600 SECURITY OFFICERS IN FLORIDA, MORE THAN 120 IN MIAMI-DADE ALONE.
UH, SOME OF THE STATEMENTS THAT I HEAR TODAY ARE INACCURATE.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH A, WITH A THOUGHT ABOUT THIS.
THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY IS TO DO THE SAME THING OVER AGAIN OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS.
UM, 98% OF ALL MY OFFICERS ARE RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I AM A VETERAN OF THE IDFI SERVED 10 YEARS IN ISRAELI ARMY IN SPECIAL FORCES.
UM, PART OF MY TEAM IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
I LIVE AT 80 31 NORTHWEST EIGHTH STREET, AND I AM THE OPERATIONS MANAGER OF A CHARTER BOAT THAT OPERATES OUT OF MIAMI BEACH MARINA.
[00:55:01]
OPERATE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD.AND IN REGARDS TO THE CURFEW THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED, I WOULD URGE YOU TO MAYBE PARTNER WITH THE COAST GUARD TO DEVELOP STRICTER THEIR REQUIREMENTS FOR CHARTER BOAT OPERATORS RATHER THAN KNEE CAPPING AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO SOUTH FLORIDA AND MIAMI BEACH.
UM, MY NAME IS IDO LUCINA, UH, 1900 NORTH BAYSHORE DRIVE, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
UM, BEFORE I SPEAK ABOUT THE TOPICS I'M HERE FOR, UM, AND AFTER HAVING JUST LEARNED ABOUT IT, I, I DO WANNA EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY.
UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON TOPICS, UH, RRP, SORRY, R FIVE P AND R FIVE Q AND R NINE.
THEY AIM TO FURTHER RESTRICT OPERATING HOURS FOR CHARTERS OUT OF THE MAIN BEACH MARINA AND FORCE ALL PICKUPS AND DROPOFFS THAT TAKE PLACE FROM THE LOADING DOCK.
FIRST, LEMME STATE THAT I AM AWARE THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THERE WERE TOO MANY CHARTER VESSELS AND TOO MANY BAD OPERATORS.
TODAY, HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF VESSELS HAS HALVE AND THE NUMBER OF BED OPERATORS HAS BEEN REDUCED IN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM, UH, THE LAST OF WHICH CAN BE ADDRESSED WITH EASE.
AS A RESULT, COMPLIANCE WITH RULES AND REGULATIONS AS AN, AS IT'S HIGH AS IT'S BEEN IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND WITH THIS UNDER CONSIDERATION, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PROBLEMS ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE AND WHAT PROBLEMS ARE THESE NEW MEASURES TRYING TO SOLVE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THESE MEASURES ARE GOING TO HARM GOOD OPERATORS, UH, AND THEY WILL ENDANGER PICK OPPOSITE DROP OFFS.
OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE FOR, UH, YOUR COMMENTS AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM, FROM THE PUBLIC.
LET'S GET TO THE AGENDA AND I, AND OBVIOUSLY THE FACT THAT WE EXTEND THE SUDDEN AND WE'VE BEEN, I GUESS WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF SPEAKERS AND CALLERS, SO WE'VE BEEN ROUTINELY EXTENDING IT AND I THINK IT SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE, UH, OF HEARING FROM EVERYONE.
UM, LET'S DO SOME SECOND READING ITEMS, UH, ON THE AGENDA.
LET'S START WITH R FIVE A, MAY, MAY WE DO THE CONSENT
[CONSENT AGENDA]
AND, UH, I'M SORRY.SO THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE BEEN SEPARATED FROM CONSENT.
WE'LL PROVIDE YOU A LIST SHORTLY.
MAYOR MINOR IS SEPARATING C SEVEN M AS IN MARY, C SEVEN M.
COMMISSIONER BOT IS SEPARATING HOLD.
WE'LL PROVIDE YOU ONE SHORTLY IF YOU, IF YOU WISH.
C SEVEN M AS IN MARY, THAT WAS MAYOR MINOR COMMISSIONER BOT HAS SEPARATED THREE ITEMS. C SEVEN A C SEVEN A IC SEVEN AJ.
C SEVEN A CC SEVEN A IC SEVEN A J.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ IS SEPARATING TWO ITEMS. C SEVEN D AND C SEVEN C.
COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE IS SEPARATING ONE ITEM C SEVEN A E.
AGAIN, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, C SEVEN A COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ IS SEPARATING ONE ITEM C SEVEN A.
AGAIN COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ C SEVEN A AND COMMISSIONER SUAREZ IS SEPARATING ONE ITEM C SEVEN A FC SEVEN A F.
THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED TO BE SEPARATED.
UH, I MOVE THE REMAINDER OF THE AGENDA EXCLUDING THE SEPARATED ITEMS AND ALSO THE MAYOR WILL BE APPROVING THE UH, ADDENDUM ITEMS TO BE HEARD LATER AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK.
SO, EXCLUDING ADDENDUM ITEMS AND CONSENT AND THE SEPARATED ITEMS. SO MOVED.
HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, SECONDED BY SECOND, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BOT.
CONSENT, AS I WAS SAYING, R FIVE A GIMME ONE SECOND.
DID YOU SAY R SEVEN MAYOR OR R FIVE? R FIVE.
[R5 A AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 70 OF THE CITY CODE, ENTITLED “MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES,” BY AMENDING ARTICLE II, ENTITLED “PUBLIC PLACES,” BY AMENDING DIVISION 2, ENTITLED “BICYCLING, SKATEBOARDING, ROLLER SKATING, IN-LINE SKATING, MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, ELECTRIC BICYCLES, MOPEDS, MOTORCYCLES, MOTORIZED BICYCLES, AND MOTORIZED SCOOTERS,” BY AMENDING SECTION 70-66, ENTITLED “DEFINITIONS,” BY CLARIFYING THE DEFINITION OF MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 70-67, ENTITLED “PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES,” BY PROHIBITING MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION ON MIAMI BEACH PROMENADE; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
FIVE A IS IN ORDER FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA.AMENDING CHAPTER 70 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH ENTITLED MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES BY AMENDING ARTICLE TWO ENTITLED PUBLIC PLACES BY AMENDING DIVISION TWO ENTITLED, BICYCLING SKATEBOARDING ROLLERSKATING INDY SKATING, MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, ELECTRIC BICYCLE MOPEDS, MOTORCYCLES, MOTORIZED BICYCLES AND MOTORIZED SCOOTERS BY AMENDING SECTION 70 DASH 66
[01:00:01]
ENTITLED DEFINITIONS BY CLARIFYING THE DEFINITION OF MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, AND BY AMENDING SECTION 70 DASH 67 ENTITLED, PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES BY PROHIBITING MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION OF MIAMI BEACH PRADE AND PROVIDING FOR REPEATER OF ABILITY, CLARIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.THIS IS A SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S CONSISTENT WITH OUR REGULATIONS OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES ON THE BEACH WALK.
IT HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND I'D LIKE TO BE LISTED AS A CO-SPONSOR, SIR.
I SEE NO ONE ON ZOOM REQUESTING TO SPEAK AND NO ONE IN THE AUDIENCE REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
MAY I CALL THE ROLL? YES, I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BLACK COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ IS BEING ADDED AS THE CO-SPONSOR VICE MAYOR MAGAZINE.
COMMISSIONER SUAREZ IS ABSENT.
THAT WAS ITEM R FIVE A A COMMISSIONER.
[R5 B AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 18 OF THE CITY CODE, ENTITLED “BUSINESSES,” BY CREATING ARTICLE XX, ENTITLED “POLICE COST RECOVERY,” BY CREATING SECTION 18-950 THEREOF, ENTITLED “RECOVERY OF COSTS FOR FAILURE OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON TO APPEAR ON BEHALF OF BUSINESS,” BY AUTHORIZING THE RECOVERY OF ALL COSTS, OR A MINIMUM SERVICE FEE IN LIEU OF THE RECOVERY OF ALL COSTS, INCURRED BY THE CITY’S POLICE DEPARTMENT UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A CRIMINAL PROSECUTION IS NOLLE PROSSED, ABANDONED, DISMISSED, OR OTHERWISE UNSUCCESSFUL AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF A RESPONSIBLE PERSON TO APPEAR IN COURT PROCEEDINGS ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OR OPERATOR OF A BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
FIVE B AS IN BOY, R FIVE B IS IN NORTH OF MAYOR CITY, COMMISSIONER OF CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.ENTITLED, UH, AMENDING CHAPTER 18 OF THE CITY CODE ENTITLED BUSINESS BY CREATING ARTICLE 20 ENTITLED POLICE COST RECOVERY BY CREATING SECTION 18 DASH NINE 50 THEREOF ENTITLED, RECOVERY OF COST FOR FAILURE OF RESPONSIBLE PERSONS TO APPEAR ON BEHALF OF BUSINESSES, UH, OF BUSINESS BY AUTHORIZING THE RECOVERY OF ALL COSTS OR A MINIMUM SERVICE FEE IN LIEU OF THE RECOVERY OF ALL COSTS INCURRED BY THE CITY'S POLICE DEPARTMENT UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A CRIMINAL PROSECUTION IS NO ABANDONED, DISMISSED, OR OTHERWISE UNSUCCESSFUL AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF A RESPONSIBLE PERSON TO APPEAR IN COURT PROCEEDINGS ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OR OPERATOR OF A BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT I'M PROVIDING FOR REPE HAVE ABILITY, CLARIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING.
IT IS R FIVE B COMMISSIONER BOTS ITEM.
UH, I'M A CO-SPONSOR ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ.
UM, I, THIS IS THE ITEM TO HELP, UM, EFFECTUATE, UM, THE, THE POLICING THAT HAPPENS ALREADY WHEN, UM, BUSINESSES ARE ROBBED OR, UM, OTHERWISE MALIGNED BY OR AFFECTED BY, UH, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
UM, POLICE ARRESTS SHOWS UP IN COURT.
THE PERSON WHO FILED THE COMPLAINT DOESN'T.
THEREFORE, ALL THAT TIME AND EFFORT, AN ENERGY IS WASTED AND THE PERSON WHO DID THE CRIME IS RELEASED.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO BREAK THAT CYCLE.
SO, MARK, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE VERY MINOR CHANGE THAT WE TWEAKED BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND, PLEASE? YEAH, SURE.
COMMISSIONER, BASED UPON YOU KNOW, YOUR FEEDBACK AND FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES, WE ADDED TWO WORDS, VICTIM.
AND SO WHAT IT DOES IS NOW WHEN A BUSINESS, UH, IS THE VICTIM AND THE REPORTER, UH, OR COMPLAINANT ABOUT A CRIME THAT OCCURRED IN THIS PREMISES, ONLY THEN CAN THEY BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICE COST RECOVERY.
IF SOMEONE, A RESPONSIBLE PERSON FAILS TO APPEAR IN COURT.
AND WHAT THAT ACCOMPLISHES IS THE FOLLOWING, IT JUST PREVENTS THE POSSIBILITY WHERE WITHIN A BUSINESS SOMEONE, AN INDIVIDUAL, A CUSTOMER GETS BATTERED OR ASSAULTED OR BEATEN OR WHATEVER, IT WOULD REMOVE ANY HESITATION THAT THE BUSINESS MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO COMPLAIN OR REPORT THE INCIDENT TO POLICE NOW, BECAUSE THEN IT COULD BE STUCK WITH COST RECOVERY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THE VICTIM.
BY ADDING THE VICTIM AND THE COMPLAINANT REPORTER, THEY WOULD NOT BE POTENTIALLY LIABLE FOR COST RECOVERY.
THEREFORE, THEY SHOULD HAVE NO HESITATION IN CALLING TO ASSIST ANYONE WHO'S VICTIMIZED WITHIN THEIR STORE, WHERE THEY'RE NOT THE VICTIM.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE THE ITEM.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE A, UH, AN INTERMISSION AND, UH, LET'S GO OFFLINE.
SO WE, UH, WE'RE BACK AT THE, UH, COMMISSION MEETING.
WE, UM, ONE OF OUR RESERVE OFFICERS HAD A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.
UM, SO THANKFULLY IT APPEARS HE'LL BE OKAY, BUT OBVIOUSLY, UH, NEEDED TO BE ATTENDED TO.
UM, SO WE, WE WENT OFFLINE WHILE, UH, WHILE HE WAS BEING, UH, ATTENDED TO.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO RECOGNIZE AND, UH, SAY THANK YOU TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS FOR ALL THEY DO GENERALLY.
AS FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR VISITORS, GENERALLY IT'S FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
AND, UH, TODAY IT WAS, UH, RESPONDING TO, TO ONE OF THEIR OWN.
SO, UH, VERY PROUD OF OUR, UH, OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, WE'LL PRAY FOR THE OFFICER, BUT IT DOES APPEAR HE'LL BE OKAY FROM WHAT I'M BEING TOLD.
UM, WHERE WERE WE? MARK? UH, ITEM RR FIVE B.
I THINK I WAS JUST EXPLAINING, WE ADDED THE WORDS VICTIM AND IT USED TO BE IF A BUSINESS WAS, UH,
[01:05:01]
FIRST READING, MERELY THE COMPLAINANT TO REPORT, THEY COULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR COST RECOVERY BY ADDING THE WORDS VICTIM.AND NOW IF THEY CALL ON BEHALF OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S VICTIMIZED IN THEIR STORE, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY HESITATION 'CAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COST RECOVERY BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BE THE VICTIM.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD ADDITION BY THE COMMISSIONER.
SO, UM, AND JUST TO REASSURE AND REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THERE WILL BE AN EDUCATION PERIOD SO THAT PEOPLE WILL KNOW, UM, THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
BUT WITH THAT, I WOULD MOVE THE ITEM SECOND.
AND MARK, IS THIS HOLD, UM, THIS HOLD TRUE FOR OUR MUNICIPAL PROSECUTION CASES AND THE CASES THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT BY THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE? YES, IT DOES MATTER.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AFTER AND EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS TO PEOPLE.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF SHOPLIFTING CASES AND PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PROSECUTE THEM.
THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO PROSECUTE BECAUSE WHEN THEY GET TO COURT, UM, THE STORES THAT WERE SHOPLIFTED OR THE BUSINESSES THAT WERE SHOPLIFT, THEY DON'T SHOW UP.
AND WHEN THEY DON'T SHOW UP TO COURT, WE CANNOT PROSECUTE.
AND I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT PART OF THE REASON MANY OF OUR RETAIL BUSINESSES HAVE LEFT MIAMI BEACH IS BECAUSE OF SHOPLIFTING.
SO TO ME, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
NOW, THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK COMMISSIONER B ON THIS IS THAT WE ARE PASSING THE ONUS ON IF THE STORE THAT CALLS IN THE CRIME, UM, DOES NOT SHOW UP TO COURT, THEY'RE GONNA BE FINED $250.
COULD WE MAKE THIS A ONE YEAR PILOT PROGRAM AND LOOK AT THE DATA ONE YEAR LATER? BECAUSE IF THE STORES GET ANGRY AND STOP CALLING IN, UH, CRIMES, OR WE SEE AN INCREASE IN SHOPLIFTING.
'CAUSE THEY JUST DECIDE, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE DON'T WANNA BE FINED THE $250, WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO REACT AT ALL.
MAYBE WE COULD JUST IN ONE YEAR REVISIT THIS AND SEE WHAT THE STATISTICS ARE, SEE WHAT THE FEEDBACK IS FROM OUR RETAIL COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER THAT? YEAH.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD BE UP TO YOU ALL.
BUT I THINK IT'S UNLIKELY THAT A BUSINESS WOULD REFRAIN FROM CALLING POLICE WHERE THEY'RE VICTIMIZED.
I MEAN, BECAUSE THE REASON WHERE THEY, THEY, THEY DON'T SHOW UP NOW SOMETIMES TO COURT IS BECAUSE THE POLICE ARREST THE BAD GUY, THEY GET BACK THEIR SUNGLASSES OR WHATEVER PROPERTY AND THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY BOTHER SENDING SOMEONE TO COURT? BUT IF THEY WERE TO FOREGO CALLING POLICE, NOT ONLY WILL THEY GET THEIR PROPERTY BACK, BUT IT WOULD THEN BE KNOWN BY THAT INDIVIDUAL AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT PERSON ASSOCIATES WITH THAT THIS STORE DOESN'T CALL THE POLICE.
SO GO IN AND TAKE WHAT YOU WANT AND HEAD ON OUT.
SO I, I THINK IT'S UNLIKELY, BUT CERTAINLY WHETHER IT'S A PILOT PROGRAM IS, IS FOR YOU ALL TO DECIDE, NOT ME.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S TOTALLY YOUR CALL.
CAN, CAN WE GIVE A NOTICE THE FIRST TIME BEFORE WE SEND THE $250 FINES SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE MEAN BUSINESS? YEAH, AND ABSOLUTELY.
AND LIKE COMMISSIONER BOT SAID, THERE WILL BE AN EDUCATION PERIOD AND IT'S ALWAYS IN THE CHIEF CHIEF JONES'S, UH, DISCRETION WHETHER TO, TO TO CHARGE THE $250 COST RECOVERY OR NOT, OR EVEN GO FOR A FULL COST FORMULA FOR A REPEAT FILE.
SO I SPONSOR THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT COME TO MIAMI BEACH AND SHOPLIFT BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO PROSECUTE YOU.
AND THE BUSINESSES THAT DON'T SHOW UP TO COURT ARE GOING TO GET FINED.
THIS IS NOT ANTI-BUSINESS, IT'S ACTUALLY PRO-BUSINESS AND WE WANT TO ATTRACT RETAIL AND SAY, COME BACK TO MIAMI BEACH BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO REACT.
SO, UM, LIKEWISE, A CO-SPONSOR.
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE GRAPPLE WITH, AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THEM, IS MAKING SURE OUR CASES GET PROSECUTED.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF TOURISM HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, MARK AND MARK, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IF THERE'S, UH, IF THERE'S A BATTERY, SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE LET'S SAY THEY GET INTO A DRUNKEN FIGHT, BUT THE PERSON LIVES IN ALABAMA, THEY'RE NOT COMING BACK HERE
SO THOSE ARE, UM, THOSE, THOSE, THOSE CAN BE, THOSE CAN BE CHALLENGING.
AND THEN WE HAVE ISSUES SOMETIMES WHERE THE, UH, AND WE'VE SEEN SOME RECENT CASES WHERE THE JUDGES ARE, ARE, UH, RELEASING PEOPLE ON THEIR OWN RECOGNIZANCE DESPITE BEING ARRESTED NUMEROUS TIMES.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS A GOOD MEASURE.
I ACTUALLY WANTED TO CALL THE CHIEF UP TO, TO ADDRESS.
'CAUSE I, I HAD SEEN SOME NUMBERS AND, UH, CERTAINLY IN CERTAIN AREAS OF OUR CITY WHERE SHOPLIFTING WAS, WAS DOWN.
BUT I THINK THIS WOULD FURTHER ENHANCE THAT AND, AND, AND AND FURTHER SOLIDIFY OUR EFFORTS TO, UH, TO REDUCE CRIME.
MORNING, MR. MAYOR COMMISSION, WAYNE JONES, CHIEF OF POLICE.
UM, IT, IT WILL ENHANCE OUR EFFORTS, UH, MR. MAYOR COMMISSION, UH, SHOPLIFTING NUMBERS, RETAIL THEFT NUMBERS ARE DOWN, UH, WHEN COMPARED TO SAME PERIOD LAST, LAST YEAR.
I GET SPECIFIC NUMBERS FOR YOU IF YOU CAN GIMME A COUPLE MINUTES TO DO THAT.
UH, BUT BY AND LARGE, WE LIKE THIS MEASURE.
UH, QUITE FRANKLY, WE'VE HAD A LONG STANDING ISSUE WITH SOME, UH, SHOPS, PARTICULARLY SOME OF THE MAJOR NATIONAL BRANDS, UM, WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE WHAT THEY CALL SHRINKAGE, BECOMING INTO STORE, STEALING GOODS.
WE GO OFTENTIMES MAKE ARRESTS, BUT THEN THEY DON'T SHOW UP TO COURT.
AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE CASES TO GET ARBITRARY DISMISSED.
UH, AND WE BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS, PEOPLE COMMITTING THESE RETAIL THEFT CRIMES,
[01:10:01]
THEY DO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, CONSEQUENCES FOR BEHAVIOR.SO THIS, I THINK, UM, SORT OF FORCES THE OPERATORS TO SHOW UP THE COURT SO WE CAN GET CONVICTIONS ON THESE, THESE FOLKS AND HOPEFULLY PUT 'EM IN JAIL FOR SOME TIME.
PREVENT THEM FROM OFFENDING AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, A KEY.
AND I, AND I, AND I GIVE YOU CREDIT COMMISSIONER BOT THAT YOU HAVE DISCRETION, FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT'S A SMALL BUSINESS AND IT'S A ONE OFF THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO PENALIZE SMALL BUSINESSES.
I THINK YOU HIT IT ON THE HEAD THAT IT'S SOME OF THE LARGER RETAILERS THAT ARE JUST MAKING IT A POLICY DECISION NOT TO PROSECUTE THE CASES.
AND CERTAINLY THEY HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO, UH, TO SEND INDIVIDUALS, UH, TO TEST, TO, TO COME TO COURT.
IN FACT, THE SMALL BUSINESS ARE VERY LIKELY TO SHOW UP BECAUSE THEY CANNOT CARRY THE LOSS LIKE LARGER CORPORATIONS CAN.
RIGHT? THEY CAN'T WRITE THOSE.
SO I ECHO THE SENTIMENT THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A PRO BUSINESS ITEM.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AND WE GO, WE ALL GO INTO THESE STORES AND WE SEE, AND IT'S BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE INCONVENIENT FOR US BECAUSE MORE AND MORE ITEMS ARE BEHIND LOCK AND KEY BECAUSE OF THESE VERY ISSUES.
AND NOW YOU GOTTA GO GET AN ATTENDANT.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY AS WE CONTINUE TO CRACK DOWN ON, ON SHOPLIFTING, MAYBE THOSE, THOSE, THOSE ROWS WILL BE OPENED UP AS WELL.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I SEE NO ONE ON ZOOM AND NO ONE IN THE AUDIENCE REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
UH, I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BOT SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AS IS MAY I CALL THE ROLL? YES.
COMMISSIONER SUAREZ AIR MINOR? YES.
[R5 C AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 102 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, ENTITLED “TAXATION,” BY AMENDING ARTICLE V, ENTITLED “LOCAL BUSINESS TAX,” BY AMENDING SECTION 102-377 THEREOF, ENTITLED “PENALTIES, ENFORCEMENT; COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT FEES AND TAXES, AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES” BY CLARIFYING THE PENALTIES FOR BUSINESSES THAT REPEATEDLY OPERATE WITHOUT PROCURING THE REQUIRED LOCAL BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
R FIVE C IS BEING OPEN AND CONTINUED TO SEPTEMBER 17TH.[R5 D AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, ENTITLED “ADMINISTRATION,” BY AMENDING ARTICLE III, ENTITLED “AGENCIES, BOARDS, AND COMMITTEES,” BY CREATING SECTION 2-28, ENTITLED “PROCEDURE FOR THE REMOVAL OF BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS,” TO ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR THE REMOVAL OF A BOARD OR COMMITTEE MEMBER; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, CODIFICATION, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
R FIVE D.R FIVE D IS THE NORVILLE MAYOR OF CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA.
MANY CHAPTER TWO OF DAKOTA OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH ENTITLED ADMINISTRATION BY AMENDING ARTICLE THREE ENTITLED AGENCIES, BOARDS AND COMMITTEES BY CREATING SECTION TWO DASH 28 ENTITLED PROCEDURE FOR REMOVAL OF BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR THE REMOVAL OF A BOARD OR COMMITTEE MEMBER AND PROVIDING FOR REPEAT OR CODIFICATIONS OF ABILITY AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
THIS ORDINANCE AMENDS CHAPTER TWO OF OUR CODE TO CREATE A PROCEDURE TO REMOVE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A PROCESS IN OUR CODE.
UM, THE ORDINANCE OUTLINES REQUIREMENTS TO REMOVE BOTH DIRECT APPOINTEES AND AT LARGE APPOINTEES.
IT'S BEEN AMENDED, IT WAS AMENDED AT FIRST READING TO REQUIRE A SIX SEVENS SUPER MAJORITY VOTE TO REMOVE A MEMBER WHO IS APPOINTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION AT LARGE.
AND IT ALSO PROVIDES THAT MEMBERS OF THE LAND USE BOARDS CANNOT BE REMOVED ON THE BASIS OF A MEMBER'S VOTE ON A PARTICULAR MATTER.
UM, MR. CITY TURNER, YOU GAVE ME A CALL.
YOU SAID, YOU SAID YOU, YOU PREFER OR SUGGEST THAT WE GO BACK TO FIVE SEVENS ON THIS.
UM, WE, WE GENERALLY RECOMMEND THAT FOR ORDINANCES THAT REQUIRE SUPER MAJORITY VOTE, THAT THE SUPER MAJORITY REMAIN AT FIVE.
THAT IS A DIFFICULT ENOUGH HURDLE, UH, TO ACHIEVE.
AND SIX SEVENS COULD, COULD MAKE THIS POTENTIALLY MEANINGLESS IF YOU DON'T ACHIEVE, UM, A SUPER DUPER MAJORITY VOTE TO USE A TERM.
IS THAT LEGAL TERM THAT WAS COINED YESTERDAY DURING A BRIEFING? UM, SO THAT WAS JUST FOR THE BODY'S CONSIDERATION.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MY COLLEAGUES FEEL ABOUT THIS, BUT, UM, I'M OKAY WITH EITHER WAY.
SO OUR FIRST READING WE PASSED THE SIX SEVEN.
AND THE QUESTION IS WHETHER TO GO BACK TO A FIVE SEVEN, WHAT'S YOUR THINKING ON THAT, COMMISSIONER? UM, I'M, I'M GONNA GO WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY SUGGESTION FIVE SEVENS, BUT I'M NOT MARRIED TO IT.
MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
I THINK THIS BODY HAS SHOWN THAT, THAT WHEN THERE IS MERIT, UM, WHEN IT'S NECESSARY TO, TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST UNBECOMING BEHAVIOR, AGAINST BEHAVIOR THAT DOESN'T REFLECT, UH, THE STANDARDS THAT WE EXPECT, UH, FROM, FROM BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THIS BODY SPEAKS OUT, THIS BODY TAKES ACTION.
UH, AND THIS BODY DOES SO UNANIMOUSLY, UH, WE RECENTLY DID, DID THAT.
I WOULD SUGGEST, UH, THAT REMOVING A DULY APPOINTED MEMBER FROM A BORDER OR OR COMMITTEE, IT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STEP.
UH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT BE A SIXTH, SEVENTH VOTE.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT SHOULD BE A, A HIGH, UH, A HIGH THRESHOLD.
[01:15:01]
I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS THIS CHECK AND BALANCE.I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY VERY GOOD POLICY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DO NOT HAVE THE MECHANISM TO REMOVE BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME POINT, AT THE SAME TIME, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ESPECIALLY OUR POWER BOARDS, OUR LAND USE BOARDS, DRB, HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNING BOARD BOA, THAT THEY MAINTAIN THEIR LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE.
AND A LOT OF THE TIMES THESE BOARDS DEAL WITH LDR MATTERS, LDR MATTERS THAT WE ADOPT BY A FIVE SEVENTH VOTE.
IF BY THE SAME MARGIN THAT WE CAN AVOID IN A AN LDR MATTER, WE CAN REMOVE A MEMBER OF ONE OF THESE BOARDS, THEN I FEEL WE ARE WEAKENING THE INDEPENDENCE OF THESE BODIES, WHICH I KNOW IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE.
AND FOR THAT PURPOSE, I WOULD SUGGEST TO KEEP THAT HIGHER SUPER MAJORITY VOTE OF A SIXTH, SEVENTH VOTE, UH, SO THAT WE STAY TRUE TO THE INTENT.
UH, RICK, IN, IN THE, UH, ONE OF THE AMENDED LANGUAGE, IT SAYS THAT THE, TALKING ABOUT THE REMOVAL, IT SAYS WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE, AND THIS HAS COME UP IN OTHER CONTEXTS.
I MEAN, REALISTICALLY IS THAT WITHOUT CAUSE? IS THAT EVEN REALISTIC? UM, I THINK THAT THAT IT, IT IS USEFUL IN SITUATIONS WHERE MAYBE THERE'S DISAGREEMENT AMONG YOU AS TO WHETHER CAUSE EXISTS, BUT THERE IS AGREEMENT THAT REMOVAL IS APPROPRIATE.
UM, AND IT GOES FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, UM, AN EASIER MECHANISM THAN HAVING TO ESTABLISH.
CAUSE WE CAN BE OPENING OURSELVES UP TO A CLAIM THAT THERE WASN'T CAUSE AND HAVING TO GO DOWN THAT PATH.
UH, THIS IS COMMON IN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS.
UM, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE JUST CAME UP WITH.
AND IT IS, UH, A USEFUL TOOL IN MY OPINION.
AND MAYOR, IF I COULD ALSO ADD, WE LOOKED AT THE ORDINANCES THAT MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, THE CITY OF MIAMI AND, AND CORAL GABLES HAVE FOR REMOVAL OF BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND THEY ALL PROVIDE FOR REMOVAL, UH, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.
I'LL SECOND LET'S CALL THE VOTE.
AND I'D LIKE TO BE LISTED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
SO I HAVE A MOTION FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UH, DANIEL IS REQUESTING TO SPEAK VIA ZOOM.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE.
HI, DANIEL ERALDO, CANDIDATE FOR MIAMI BEACH COMMISSION GROUP 1 7 30 10TH STREET, MIAMI BEACH.
AS I SPOKE AT THE LAST HEARING, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS IN LIGHT OF HEARING MORE AND MORE FROM MEMBERS OF THE CITY POWER BOARDS THAT CERTAIN COMMISSIONERS ARE REACHING OUT TO THEM EX PARTE AND, UH, TELLING THEM HOW TO VOTE ON QUASI-JUDICIAL PROJECTS, PROJECTS.
SO I DO APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ ADDING THAT HIGHER THRESHOLD.
AND I ALSO WILL BE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE CHECKS AND BALANCES, SO THAT IF BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESSURED BY COMMISSIONERS, THERE'S AN EASY WAY TO REPORT THAT TO ETHICS OR THE CORRECT JURISDICTION.
AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE REQUESTING TO SPEAK IN ZOOM OR ON IN THE AUDIENCE.
UH, AGAIN, I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HERNANDEZ, WHO WILL ALSO BE LISTED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
LET'S DO THE, UH, BUDGET ITEMS. WE'LL START WITH THE NORTH, NORTH BEACH CRA ITEMS R SEVEN A R SEVEN BCRA ONE CA TWO.
SO LET'S DO FIRST THEN THE NORTH
[CRA-1. A RESOLUTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NBCRA), ADOPTING THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA CAPITAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, AS SET FORTH IN ATTACHMENTS A, "PROJECTS"; B "SOURCE OF FUNDS"; AND C "PROGRAMS." JOINT CITY COMMISSION AND NBCRA]
BEACH CRA ITEMS. UH, WE ARE DOING CRA ONE FIRST.WE ARE RECESSING AS A COMMISSION, UH, AND WE ARE RECON AND CONVENING AS A NORTH BEACH CRA COMMISSIONER.
CRA ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING IS ADOPT SECOND AMENDMENT TO FISCAL YEAR 2025 NORTH BEACH, CRA CAPITAL BUDGET CA ONE.
SO I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BOT.
I SEE SOMEONE ON ZOOM REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
YOU WANT, DO YOU WANNA EXPLAIN FIRST OR YOU WANT ME TO GO TO THE ZOOM? TAMIKA? I CAN EXPLAIN.
IF, IF YOU, SO THIS ITEM IS BASICALLY TO APPROPRIATE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, FOR AN ITEM THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION AT THE JULY 23RD COMMISSION MEETING.
AND THIS IS TO FUND THE NORMANDY FOUNTAIN PERMANENT SHADE SYSTEM IN A MULTIPLE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE FIRST PUBLIC SPEAKER IS, HAS A SCREEN NAME.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, SIR.
[01:20:01]
MORNING.THIS IS LARRY SCHAEFER 2 3 3 80 FIRST STREET.
WHY ARE WE APPROVING 100001ST SHADE STRUCTURES WHEN WE HAVEN'T REPAIRED OUR POOR WATER QUALITY? WE HAVE RUST IN OUR WATER COMING OUT OF THE TAPS.
WE HAVE FECES IN PARKVIEW CANAL AND COMING UP AT 73RD AND OCEAN, AND WE'RE SPENDING A HUNDRED GRAND ON SHADE STRUCTURES.
I DON'T, I THINK SHADE STRUCTURES ARE WONDERFUL THERE.
THEY'RE NEEDED, BUT WHY IS THERE, HOW CAN YOU GET A HUNDRED GRAND TO COVER THAT SMALL SPACE? WHO'S BEHIND THIS? IS IS THIS MARGUERITE RAMOS AGAIN? GETTING A NO BID CONTRACT FROM YOU? WE NEED HELP WITH OUR WATER GUYS.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS, HAS A SCREEN NAME ABOVE MIAMI BEACH.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I OPPOSE THIS, UH, FUNDING TO THE NORTHEAST CRA REGARDING THE SHADES.
DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS NOT PROPER PROCUREMENT, UH, WE CANNOT PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS.
SO WITH THAT, UH, WITH THE PRETENSE THAT, UH, SHE GETS THE CONTRACT AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, ANYBODY ELSE THAT COULD BID ON THIS.
AS MR. LARRY SCHAFFER JUST MENTIONED, WE HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS THAN HAVING SHADES IN THE NORMANDY FOUNTAIN.
AND BY THE WAY, I REQUESTED AN AMERICAN FLAG IN THE NORMANDY FOUNTAIN, AND I WAS DENIED UNDER MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT, THE RIGHT TO, UH, PETITION THE GOVERNMENT.
AND, UH, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA FIGHT THE LGBT CROSSWALKS.
I'M GOING TO ALSO FIGHT, UH, I'M, I'M JOINING THE LGBT COMMUNITY BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE A RIGHT TO REPRESENT WHO I AM AN AMERICAN, AND I, I BELIEVE THAT WE ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL AND DISCRIMINATION DOES NOT STAND IN MIAMI BEACH.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS VIA ZOOM, IS DAVID SEXTON.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HI, DAVID SEXTON, UH, PRESIDENT OF THE NORMANDY FOUNTAIN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
THE, THE PROCESS FOR THIS WAS THAT MARGARITE RAMOS'S COMPANY, UM, OFFERED TO DONATE THE FABRIC AND REDUCE THE PRICE CONSIDERABLY.
I, WITH ALL RESPECT TO MY NEIGHBOR AND FRIENDLY SHAPER, WE CAN HAVE, WE CAN BE AGAINST, UH, POOP IN OUR WATER AND SUPPORT MEASURES LIKE THIS THAT WILL HELP SMALL BUSINESSES TO THRIVE OVER THE SUMMER WHERE THE NORMANDY FOUNTAIN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IS REALLY UNABLE TO DO EVENTS OVER THE SUMMER BECAUSE OF THE HEAT.
SO THIS IS ALL FEEDING INTO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA IN WHICH GENERATES TAX REVENUE, WHICH HELPS THE CITY TO SUPPORT CLEAN WATERWAYS.
THESE THINGS DON'T EXIST IN, IN A SILO AND WE, WE NEED TO SUPPORT EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
THERE IS NO OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKER.
MAY I CALL THE RULE VICE MAYOR? MAY I CALL THE RULE? YES.
SO THIS IS ON NORTH BEACH CA ONE.
ANYONE OPPOSED? THE ITEM IS APPROVED SEVEN ZERO WITH COMMISSIONER STEINBERG.
[CRA-2. A RESOLUTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, ADOPTING THE THIRD AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA. JOINT CITY COMMISSION AND NBCRA]
IS CA TWO.IT IS ADOPT THIRD AMENDMENT TO NORTH BEACH CRA OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 CA TWO.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND A SECOND I WITH COMMISSIONER BOT.
UH, IF NO NEED FOR EXPLANATION, THEN UH, THERE'S, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
ANYONE OPPOSED? ITEM IS APPROVED SEVEN ZERO WITH COMMISSIONER STEINBERG.
MAY I DO THE COMPANION ITEMS? WE MAYOR, MAY I CLOSE THE YES.
OH, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA DO THE COMPANION ITEM.
R SEVEN A IS A TOP SECOND AMENDMENT TO FISCAL YEAR NORTH BEACH.
[R7 A A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA CAPITAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, AS SET FORTH IN ATTACHMENTS A, "PROJECTS"; B "SOURCE OF FUNDS"; AND C "PROGRAMS." JOINT CITY COMMISSION AND NBCRA]
A IS JOINT PUBLIC HEARING ADOPT SECOND AMENDMENT FISCAL YEAR 2025 NORTH BEACH.THIS IS THE SAME, THIS IS THE SAME ITEM.
IT'S JUST THE CITY'S VERSION OF THE CRA'S ITEM THAT YOU JUST APPROVED.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
TAMIKA, WHAT'S THE CHANGE? NO CHANGE.
SO WE, WE JUST APPROVED AS A CRA BOARD, NOW YOU'RE APPROVING AS THE CITY COMMISSION.
SO THE RDA, UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF R SEVEN A.
UH, AND AGAIN, THERE'S NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
ANYONE OPPOSED? THE ITEM IS APPROVED SEVEN ZERO.
[R7 B A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE THIRD AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA. JOINT CITY COMMISSION AND NBCRA]
ITEM AGAIN, R SEVEN B.IT IS A JOINT ADOPTER AMENDMENT TO NORTH BEAT CRA OPERATING BUDGET.
NO ONE IS REQUESTING TO SPEAK ON ZOOM OR IN THE AUDIENCE.
[01:25:01]
COMMISSIONER BOT, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.WE'RE ALL GOOD, RALPH? YES, SIR.
[R2 A A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE, PURSUANT TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NO. 2024-277-KB, FOR SECURITY OFFICER SERVICES; AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION TO AWARD CONTRACTS TO THE FOLLOWING (I) DYNAMIC INTEGRATED SECURITY, INC., THE SECOND-RANKED PROPOSER, AS THE PRIMARY CONTRACTOR, AND (II) SECURITY ALLIANCE, LLC, THE FOURTH-RANKED PROPOSER, AS THE SECONDARY CONTRACTOR; AND FURTHER, AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION TO NEGOTIATE THE FOREGOING AGREEMENTS AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE SAME AFTER THE ADMINISTRATION HAS CONCLUDED NEGOTIATIONS. (POLICE)]
R TWO A.R TWO A IS AWARD RFP 20 24 2 7 7 KB, SECURITY OFFICER SERVICES R TWO A.
CHRIS BALA, CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER.
THIS ITEM PRESENTS A RESOLUTION, UM, TO THE CITY COMMISSION TO APPROVE THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT FOR SECURITY OFFICERS, UM, 20 24 2 77 KB.
THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, AS RECOMMENDED IN THE ORIGINAL COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH WAS MAY 21ST, 2020 FOURTH, MAINTAINS ITS ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD DYNAMIC INTEGRATED SECURITY, THE SECONDARY, UM, UH, VENDOR, THE PRIMARY CONTRACT AND GOOD GUARD FLORIDA, THE SECONDARY CONTRACT.
HOWEVER, THIS ITEM WAS REFERRED TO FERC AND PRESENTED TO FERC.
AND FERC RECOMMENDS SUBSTITUTING GOOD GUARD, UM, WHICH WAS RECOMMENDED AS SECONDARY WITH, UM, SECURITY ALLIANCE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT FERC'S RECOMMENDATION.
SO IT'S A MOTION TO ACCEPT FOR RECOMMENDATION.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SU SUAREZ IF NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON R TWO A.
R TWO A IS APPROVED, ACCEPTING THE FERC RECOMMENDATION.
[R5 L SUSPENSION OF EXTERIOR COLOR REVIEW REQUIREMENTS AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, SUBPART B, ENTITLED “MIAMI BEACH RESILIENCY CODE,” CHAPTER 7, ENTITLED “ZONING DISTRICTS AND REGULATIONS,” ARTICLE I, ENTITLED “GENERAL TO ALL ZONING DISTRICTS,” SECTION 7.1.7, ENTITLED “COLOR OF EXTERIOR SURFACES,” TO SUSPEND THE PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE REVIEW OF EXTERIOR SURFACE COLORS ON BUILDINGS; AND PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION, REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
L IS IN ORDER TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH ENTITLED ZONING DISTRICTS, UH, I'M SORRY, SUBPART B ENTITLED MIAMI BEACH RESILIENCY CODE CHAPTER SEVEN, ENTITLED ZONING DISTRICTS AND REGULATIONS.ARTICLE ONE ENTITLED GENERAL TWO OH ZONING, DISTRICT SEC SECTION 7.1 0.7 ENTITLED COLOR OF EXTERIOR SURFACE TO SUSPEND THE PROCEDURE AND REQUIREMENT FOR THE REVIEW OF EXTERIOR SURFACE COLORS AND BUILDINGS AND PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION REPEATERS OF ABILITY AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A FIRST READING, PUBLIC HEARING.
THE ITEM REQUIRES FIVE SEVEN'S VOTE.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
I THINK MANY OF US HAVE DRIVEN AROUND THE CITY AND I, AND SEEN AT TIMES BUILDINGS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY COULD HAVE SOME TLC.
AND THIS IS JUST A SIMPLE EFFORT TO TRY TO WAIVE SOME REGULATIONS FOR A TEMPORARY BASIS TO ENCOURAGE OUR PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET THEIR BUILDINGS PAINTED, MAKE THEM LOOK GOOD.
WE'RE DOING IT ON THE CITY SIDE, UH, WITH THE COLOR PALETTES THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON OUR PUBLICLY OWNED BUILDINGS.
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PRI PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS NOT ONLY ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THEIR, THEIR PROPERTIES AND THE AESTHETICS OF IT, BUT THAT WE ENCOURAGE IT.
AND IF WE CAN DO IT BY TEMPORARILY WAIVING SOME REGULATION, THEN UM, THEN, UM, I I I THINK IT'S A STEP IN, IN A GOOD, UH, DIRECTION.
UM, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT OF WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM, BUT WHAT I'M CONCERNED IS THAT THE CITY ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T RECOMMEND THIS ITEM BECAUSE THE CONCERN IS THAT IT TAKES AWAY THE OVERSIGHT.
AND IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO NEON PAINT SOMETHING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY COULD.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW AND UNDERSTOOD.
AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION IS NOT THE EASIEST PROCESS.
I KNOW FOR US AS COMMISSIONERS, IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY FOR, FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, IT'S EVEN HARDER.
UH, AND, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO CUT RED TAPE FOR, FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, FOR OUR PROPERTY OWNERS, FOR FOR OUR TAXPAYERS TO HELP COMMUNITIES LOOK BETTER, UH, TO MAKE THEM BE MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT EVEN, EVEN IF IT'S JUST ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL THAT THIS IS, THIS IS SAYING ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PROPERTY OWNERS TO FRESHEN UP THEIR FACADES, MAKE THEIR PROPERTIES LOOK GOOD, AND
[01:30:01]
JUST FOR A TEMPORARY PERIOD OF TIME, LET'S JUST WAIVE THIS JUST TO BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE IT.BUT I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
COMMISSIONER BOTT? YEAH, I, I SHARE MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ'S, UM, CONCERNS.
I, WHEN I LIVED IN BAYSHORE, I HAD A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE AND I NEEDED TO REPAINT IT AND I HAD TO FIX SOME SPING.
AND IT TOOK, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, AND THIS IS A LONG TIME AGO BEFORE I WAS EVEN AN ACTIVIST, LET ALONE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
UM, IT TOOK NO TIME AT ALL TO COME DOWN TO CITY HALL, GET THE PERMITS FILLED OUT, GET THE COLOR APPROVED.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT THE COLOR CHART, MY COLOR FIT BETWEEN ONE AND THE OTHER, AND THEY'RE LIKE, YEP, THAT'S FINE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT JUST ISN'T A BIG DEAL.
DOING THIS THE RIGHT WAY IS NOT A, IS NOT A HURDLE.
IT'S ONE OF THE EASIEST THINGS TO GET APPROVED IN THE CITY.
AND I, I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO, UM, CONTINUE TO HAVE THE, THE MODICUM OF OVERSIGHT ON THIS THAT WE DO.
NOW, COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ.
OKAY, SO IF THIS PASSES, THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN PAINT YOUR HOUSE LIKE BRIGHT PURPLE OR BLACK OR NEON.
CORRECT? YOU HAVE TO STICK WITHIN THE COLOR PALETTE.
NO, IT, IT JUST MEANS, CAN I, AND DO I STILL NEED A PERMIT TO, TO PAINT? OR CAN I JUST, I MEAN, MAKE A PERMIT? NO, IT, IT BASICALLY WAIVES ALL OVERVIEW OR REVIEW OF COLOR.
SO SOMEBODY COULD POTENTIALLY PAINT THEIR HOUSE PINK OR NEON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IF THEY DO, THEY'LL BE IN VIOLATION OF THE CODE AND THEY'LL HAVE TO REPAINT.
NO, BECAUSE THE REGULATIONS ARE SUSPENDED FOR SIX MONTHS.
WELL, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS REMOVE THE REGULATION, BUT SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO ENFORCE OUR PALETTE BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T WANT PEOPLE PAINTING.
YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT THINK THAT A HOUSE PAINTED BLACK
THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO DO BOTH WAIVE THE REQUIREMENTS, BUT KEEP OUR, KEEP OUR RESTRICTIONS SO THAT WHY CAN'T WE DO BOTH? I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO PULL A PERMIT TO PAINT MY HOUSE.
I WANNA USE OUR COLOR PALETTE.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PAINT THEIR HOMES NEON.
SO HOW CAN WE DO BOTH? TOM? THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THAT SOMEBODY IS STAYING WITHIN THE ADOPTED COLOR PALETTE IS TO ENFORCE THE REGULATION.
SO IF SOMEBODY NOW CURRENTLY WANTS TO UTILIZE A COLOR THAT'S ON THE COLOR CHART, THEY DON'T NEED TO PULL A PERMIT, THEY CAN JUST GO PAINT IT.
UM, IF THEY WANT TO USE A DIFFERENT COLOR, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET A PERMIT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY CAN, IT IS JUST THAT THEY TECHNICALLY WOULD NEED TO GET THE AUTHORIZATION.
WHY DON'T WE, UM, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, TOM, CAN YOU GIMME SOME BACKGROUND? WHAT'S DRIVING THIS? UH, AS I UNDERSTAND, THERE'S BEEN SOME INSTANCES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST WHERE THINGS ARE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO THAT COLOR PALETTE VERY CLOSE.
AND STAFF GO, WELL, SORRY, IT'S, IT'S NOT WITHIN THIS, SO PERHAPS WE DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER, BUT WE BECOME A BIT MORE FLEXIBLE OR ACCOMMODATIVE WHERE THERE'S MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN PAINTING A HOUSE NEON PINK VERSUS HAVING A BIT OF AMBIGUITY AND FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THIS COLOR PALETTE.
CAN WE SOMEHOW THREAD THIS NEEDLE WHERE I, I, I DON'T WANT TO USE THE TERM RELAX, BUT WHERE WE ARE, UH, A BIT MORE GENEROUS WITH OUR INTERPRETATION FOR WHAT ALIGNS WITH OUR ACCEPTED COLOR PALETTES, WHERE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ONE EXTREME OR THE OTHER, BECAUSE I SAW SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF WHAT WAS BEING REJECTED AND TO MY ELEMENTARY, I'M WOW.
AND THAT IS PLACING SIGNIFICANT STRAIN ON SMALL BUSINESSES.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THIS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE PROTECTIVE AND CHERISHED WHAT'S SPECIAL AND NOT HAVE NEON PINK HOUSES.
HOW CAN WE THREAD THIS NEEDLE? UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFICULT.
WE DO ACTUALLY EXERCISE A LOT OF DISCRETION, PARTICULARLY IF SOMEBODY IS PROPOSING A COLOR THAT DOESN'T QUITE LINE UP.
BUT THE INTENSITY IS THE SAME.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY IS IF THE INTENSITY EXCEEDS WHAT IS IN THE COLOR PALETTE, THERE ARE OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO EITHER SEEK, REVIEW AND APPROVAL FROM THE HPV OR DRB OR THEY CAN MODIFY THAT COLOR TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH IT.
UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY, NOW YOU'RE FORCING SOMEONE TO GO TO HPV OR DRB FOR SOMETHING FOR COLOR, THAT MIGHT JUST BE A SHADE OFF.
AND FOR US, HE'S SITTING HERE, IT SOUNDS, OH, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST GO TO HPB OR DRB, THAT'S BUREAUCRACY, THAT'S RED TAPE.
THAT'S COST, THAT'S HIRING NOW SOMEONE TO MAKE PLANS, FILE APPLICATION,
[01:35:01]
SIT MONTHS IN, IN, IN THE PROCESS OVER BEING A SHADE OFF, NOT ON OUR PROPERTY, ON THE TAXPAYER'S PROPERTY, ON, ON SOMEONE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE NOW SAYING YOU HAVE TO PAINT IT THIS COLOR THAT'S ON THE SCALE.BUT IF YOU'RE JUST SLIGHTLY OFF ON THE SHADE NOW, WE'RE GONNA SEND YOU THROUGH THIS WHOLE BUREAUCRACY SITTING FOR MONTHS OF GOING THROUGH AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF, OF REVIEW.
AND IF I COULD, UM, I, I HOPE WE LEARN FROM WHAT'S GOING ON, AND I'M NOT REFERRING TO THE CROSSWALKS, BUT X THAT WITH TALLAHASSEE, OKAY.
WHERE IF WE DON'T SHOW FLEXIBILITY, WE WILL GET THESE THINGS TAKEN OUT OF OUR HANDS.
OKAY? SO TO SUGGEST THAT SOMEBODY THAT IS TRYING TO OPEN UP OR CONTINUE OPERATIONS OF SMALL RESTAURANT, AH, I MEAN, WE THROW THAT OUT.
SO NONCHALANTLY, JUST GO TO DRB, JUST GO TO HPB.
PROCESS COSTS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
I'M ON AN EMAIL THIS MORNING, I WANNA RIP MY HAIR OUT.
OKAY? THIS IS FOR A RESTAURANT TRYING TO OPEN ON LINCOLN ROAD, WHAT WE ALL SIT UP HERE ON CAMPAIGN ON AND SAY, HOW CAN WE GET BUSINESSES OPEN? AND WE GET ALL THIS PUSHBACK FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
RIGHTFULLY SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT? WHY IS LINCOLN ROAD LOOK LIKE THIS? THIS RESTAURANT'S BEEN TRYING TO OPEN FOR THREE YEARS AND THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A WALL ON THE UPSTAIRS ABOUT THE OUTER FACADE.
JUST GO BACK TO DRB OR GO BACK TO HPB.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST HOSPITALITY OPERATORS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.
AND THEY WANT TO SIT HERE AND GIVE OUR CITY THE MIDDLE FINGER AND GO, GUYS, IT'S BEEN A LOT GUYS AND GALS, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN.
WE ARE PUTTING UP, AND IT'S NOT US.
IT ARE THESE REGULATIONS AND BUREAUS THAT ARE IN PLACE MM-HMM
THAT MAKE SUCH A BUSINESS DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT.
AND IF WE DO NOT LEARN WHAT HAPPENED THROUGH LIVE LOCAL, THAT'S GOING TO COME DOWN ON ALL OF THIS STUFF.
IF THIS RESTAURANT OPERATORS IN ANY WAY CONNECTED TO THE PEOPLE THAT SPONSORED THE LIVE LOCAL BILL IN TALLAHASSEE, AND THEY GO, LOOK AT THIS PROCESS THAT JUST HAPPENED.
THEY'RE GONNA COME IN AND SAY ALL THIS HISTORIC NONSENSE.
THIS IS KILLING PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS.
AND WITH PROCESSES LIKE THIS, IF WE CAN'T HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY IN A COLOR PALETTE, THE SAME THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE CAN'T JUST SIT HERE AND CONTINUE NONCHALANTLY TELLING A SMALL BUSINESS OPERATOR, FATHER, JUST GO BACK TO DRB.
MAYBE THE MEMBERS SHOW UP, MAYBE THEY DON'T.
MAYBE WE'LL JUST DELAY A FEW MEETINGS.
I AM SO SICK OF OUR CITY BEING SO NONCHALANT ABOUT PEOPLE'S TIME, PEOPLE'S TIME.
WE NEED TO APPRECIATE THAT AND RESPECT THAT THESE BOARD PROCESSES ARE SO BURDENSOME AND THE REGULATIONS AND PERMITTING ARE SO BURDENSOME, IT HAS TO STOP.
WE HAVE BEEN GIVING A UNIFIED MESSAGE UP HERE FOR YEARS ABOUT HOW TO DO SO, AND WE ARE NO FURTHER ALONG.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF ANY EFFORT.
YOU HEAR A UNIFIED VOICE FROM EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.
WE WANT IT TO BE EASIER TO COME THROUGH AND DO BUSINESS IN THIS CITY FOR OUR BUSINESSES, OUR RESIDENTS.
AND WE'RE NOT MAKING PROGRESS.
SO IF I HAVE TO VOTE TO GO TO THE EXTREME WHERE SOMEBODY CAN PAINT THEIR HOUSE PINK, THEN THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTINUE WITH THE STATUS QUO.
SO I'M ASKING IF WE CAN FIND A BETTER WAY TO THREAD THIS NEEDLE WITHOUT TELLING SOME SMALL RESTAURANT TO GO TO DRB FOR SIX MONTHS.
AND IF WE CAN'T, THEN I'M GONNA THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE WERE FORCED TO DO THAT.
AND CAN I, MR. MAYOR? AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST A BUSINESS, IT'S A HOUSE, IT'S AN APARTMENT BUILDING.
IT, IT'S JUST, THERE'S A REASON WHY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE AESTHETICS OF CERTAIN, CERTAIN AREAS.
AND IT'S BECAUSE WE DISCOURAGE OUR, OUR PROPERTY OWNERS FROM MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTIES THROUGH OUR REGULATIONS, THROUGH OUR B BUREAUCRACY.
AND TO YOUR POINT, IT'S NOT ANY OF US.
IT'S WHEN THEY GO TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATION AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TELLS 'EM, OH NO, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST GO TO DRB.
JUST GO THROUGH ANOTHER ROUND OF REVIEW THROUGH ANOTHER ROUND OF, OF, OF THIS PROCESS.
LIKE IF THEIR TIME DOES NOT MATTER, LIKE IF THEIR TIME IS NOT MONEY.
CAN I, AND THAT'S A FRUSTRATION WITH THIS.
UH, MY QUESTION, TOM, HOW OFTEN DO YOU GRANT REQUESTS FOR WEIRD COLORS? NOT WEIRD COLORS, BUT COLORS OUT OF THE ORDINARY? NOT THAT OFTEN.
THEN I, I'M GONNA SUPPORT IT SIMPLY BECAUSE IF IT DOES MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO GO, I, I MEAN, I PULLED A PAINTING PERMIT ON
[01:40:01]
MY HOUSE BEFORE IT SEEMED PRETTY EASY.I PAID THE FEE, I WENT TO PLANNING AND SHOWED THEM THE COLOR AND IT WAS, IT GOT SIGNED OFF ON.
BUT HOW LONG ARE YOU GUYS TAKING TO REVIEW THAT FOR HOMES? IF THEY'RE, UM, UTILIZING A COLOR THAT'S ON THE COLOR PALETTE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PULL A PERMIT.
UM, THEY JUST PAINTED THAT COLOR.
IF THEY'RE USING A COLOR THAT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT THE SAME INTENSITY, THEN THAT CAN BE DONE ONLINE.
LOOK, I'M WILLING TO WAVE RED TAPE.
I HEAR THE SAME THING THAT YOU HEARD.
IT'S VERY UPSETTING TO HEAR THAT ANOTHER RESTAURANT IS HAVING A PROBLEM OPENING ON LINCOLN ROAD.
WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH SALT AND STRAW AND CHEESECAKE FACTOR.
ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO OPEN UP, I MEAN, THEY'RE ALMOST LEAVING BECAUSE OF OUR REGULATION.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA BE SUPPORTIVE.
THIS IS FOR SIX MONTHS, RIGHT? AND I'M HAPPY TO AMEND IT FOR THREE MONTHS TO TEST IT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OR, UH, YOU KNOW, OR WE CAN STUDY THE, TOM LET'S YOU AND I MEET BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING TO DETERMINE WHAT'S THE RIGHT LEFT.
RIGHT NOW IT'S SIX MONTHS IF NECESSARY.
I'M HAPPY TO DO SHORTER TO IF, IF THERE WAS CONCERNS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.
AND COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, THANK YOU FOR THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX.
UM, WHEN I FIRST READ IT, I WAS HESITANT.
UM, BUT I REALIZED IT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE INTENT.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN LOOKING AT, UH, AND I'M GONNA BRING AN ITEM REGARDING VARIOUS REGULATIONS IN OUR PERMITTING PROCESS THAT COULD BE REMOVED.
UM, I KNOW I AM TALKING WITH LEGAL, I UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE IS ALSO LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL.
SO MAYBE WE'LL JOIN, UH, I HAVE A FEELING WE'LL ALL PROBABLY END UP JOINING TOGETHER, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AND, UH, CERTAINLY WE WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE OUR BUSINESSES, UM, AND OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL, BUT OUR BUSINESSES CAN OPEN QUICKLY AND SAFELY.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE ITEM SECOND.
ORIGINALLY HAD A MOTION FOR
SO IS IT AMENDED TO THREE MONTHS INSTEAD, OR, I'M GONNA CONSIDER THAT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING.
I WANNA UNDERSTAND ANY OTHER CONCERN THAT THE ADMINISTRATION MAY HAVE THAT I CAN, YOU KNOW, BAKE INTO THIS BEFORE WE BRING IT BACK FOR SECOND READING.
OKAY, I'LL, FOR NOW, IT'S, I'M SUPPORTED FOR FIRST READING AND I'LL ALSO GIVE SOME INPUT TO, UM, THE CITY ADMINISTRATION SO THAT WE DON'T END UP WITH GARISH COLORS ALL OVER THE CITY.
I HAVE A MOTION BEFORE COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SWAR.
I HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HI, DANIEL ERALDO, CANDIDATE FOR MIAMI BEACH COMMISSION GROUP 1 7 30 10TH STREET, MIAMI BEACH.
UM, YOU KNOW, COLOR PALETTES IS SORT OF ONE OF THE FIRST REQUIREMENTS WHEN YOU'RE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD OR AN HOA AND IT'S VERY BASIC AND VERY SIMPLE.
I'M GLAD THAT THE PLANNING DIRECTOR WAS ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT YOU DON'T EVEN NEED A PERMIT TO PAINT YOUR HOUSE.
IT'S, UH, A LITTLE DISTURBING TO HEAR SOME OF THE COMMENTARY CLAIMING THAT BECAUSE WE'RE SO, SUCH A DIFFICULT CITY, TALLAHASSEE IS TAKING AWAY ALL OUR RIGHTS.
THAT COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
UM, MY BIG CONCERN ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL IS THAT YOU'RE GONNA START SEEING VERY STRANGE COLORS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND IN SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS.
MAYBE POLIO, TROPIC HALL WILL, WILL, UH, JAZZ UP THEIR, UH, FACADE IN, IN THEIR LOGOS OR PLAYBOY.
UM, I THINK THE THREE MONTHS PROBABLY MAKES THE MOST SENSE, BUT I KNOW THAT MIAMI BEACH IS A CITY THAT CARES ABOUT ITS COLORS AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE, UM, RECENT WORK TO ADD MORE PASTEL TO THE CITY BUILDINGS.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS, UH, LARRY SCHAFER.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
LARRY SCHAFER, 2 3 3 80 FIRST STREET.
I JUST WANTED TO CALL IN AND SAY BRAVO TO VICE MAYOR JOE MAGAZINE.
UH, IF I'M GONNA PUT THAT IN A FOLDER WITH THE JOE MAGAZINE'S GREATEST HITS OF SPEECHES.
HE TOTALLY GETS THE ISSUES HERE.
HE'S SENSITIVE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DEFINE THE COLOR.
UM, ONE ADDITIONAL POINT, YOU KNOW, PAINT MATTERS, BUT ONLY SO MUCH.
WE THREW PAINT ON OLD BUILDINGS.
BARBARA CAPMAN DID IT, AND WE HAD A REVITALIZATION AND WE BECAME WHAT WE ARE TODAY.
I DID THINK IT WAS MR. GOLDMAN.
HE THREW A BUNCH OF PAINT ON MURALS ON WALLS, AND THEY CREATED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF VALUE WITHOUT A LOT OF RULES.
THEY LET THE ARTISTS ROLL AND THEY CREATED A NEIGHBORHOOD AND STOLE SOME OF OUR SIGN.
SO I THANK THE COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERING THIS, AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
THERE'S NO ONE ELSE REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
MAY I CALL THE ROLL? YES, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, VICE MAYOR MAGAZINE.
[01:45:01]
BACH.PUBLIC HEARING IS OCTOBER 29TH AND COMMISSIONER BOT IS A YES.
[R5 N AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 50 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, ENTITLED “FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION,” BY AMENDING SECTION 50-10, TO ESTABLISH PERMITTING FEES TO RECOVER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLIANCE OF THE MINIMUM RADIO STRENGTH FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS IN ALL NEW AND EXISTING BUILDINGS, AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 633.202(18), FLORIDA STATUTES; AND FURTHER AMENDING SECTION 1-15, ENTITLED “FEE SCHEDULE,” BY AMENDING APPENDIX “A” THEREOF, TO PROVIDE FOR THE PERMITTING FEES AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLIANCE OF THE MINIMUM RADIO STRENGTH FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS IN ALL NEW AND EXISTING BUILDINGS ; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
N AS IN NANCY.R FIVE N IS THE NORTH OF THE MAYOR OF CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.
AMENDING CHAPTER 50 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI REGION.
TITLE, FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION BY AMENDING SECTION 50 DASH 10 TO ESTABLISH PERMITTING FEES TO COVER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLIANCE ARE THE MINIMUM RADIO STRENGTH FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS IN ALL NEW EXISTING BUILDINGS AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 6 3 3 0.208 SUBSECTION 18, FLORIDA STATUTES AND FURTHER AMENDING SECTION ONE DASH 15 ENTITLED FEE SCHEDULED BY AMENDING APPENDIX A THEREOF TO PROVIDE FOR THE PERMITTING FEES AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLIANCE AT THE MINIMUM.
RADIO STRENGTH FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS IS ALL NEW EXISTING BUILDINGS AND PROVIDING FOR RE REPEALS OF ABILITY, CODIFICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A FIRST READING PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THIS IS A FIRE DEPARTMENT ITEM TO CONFORM WITH STATE LAW.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR ESTEEM.
HEY, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR MINOR AND COMMISSIONER STAFF AND THE RESIDENTS, UM, LISTENING TO US OVER ZOOM.
SO I'M HERE TODAY AS YOUR FIRE CHIEF, UH, TO SEEK YOUR ADOPTION OF OUR ORDINANCE OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE ORDINANCE.
SO 63.202 REQUIRING BIDIRECTIONAL, UM, AMPLIFICATION SYSTEMS, UM, IN ALL BUILDINGS, 75 FEET OR GREATER.
THESE WERE LESSONS THAT WERE LEARNED FROM SEPTEMBER 11.
THAT COMMUNICATION WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS.
ONCE THEY ENTERED US INSIDE A BUILDING, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH COMMAND.
AND THAT IS PUTTING PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, IN DANGER.
AND I, I DON'T THINK THAT THE CITY SHOULD ALLOW THAT OR, YOU KNOW, CONFORM OTHERWISE.
UM, BASICALLY WHAT THE ORDINANCE DOES IS ALL PRE-EXISTING BUILDINGS, THEY, UH, HAVE TO GO AND GET CERTIFIED THAT THERE IS RADIO COMMUNICATIONS INSIDE, AND IF NOT, UH, THEY NEED TO BASICALLY, IT'S ALMOST LIKE ADDING A WIFI INSIDE THE STRUCTURE SO WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.
THIS IS A MANDATE THAT IS REQUIRED IN ALL BUILDINGS THAT WERE BUILT AFTER 2019.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS WE'RE NOT COLLECTING FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
AND WE HAVE OVER 900 BUILDINGS THAT, UH, IN THE BUILDINGS THAT NEED TO GET CERTIFIED, UH, ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS.
I MEAN, THIS IS GONNA PASS EASILY, BUT JUST WHAT, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DIDN'T PASS THIS? UH, IT'S, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALLOWING SOMEONE NOT TO CONFORM WITH THE LAW, WHICH IS A PUBLIC SAFETY OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE OUTSIDE.
THAT'S EXACTLY THE ANSWER I THOUGHT YOU'D GIVE.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, MOTION BY, EXCUSE ME.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BOT SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
THERE'S NO ONE IN THE AUDIENCE REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 17TH.
[R5 I RO DISTRICT REGULATIONS FOR ALCOHOL SALES IN NONCONFORMING USES – COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH YEAR 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BY AMENDING GOAL RLU 1: LAND USE; OBJECTIVE RLU 1.1: ESTABLISHMENT OF FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORIES; POLICY RLU 1.1.11: RESIDENTIAL / OFFICE (RO), TO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR NONCONFORMING CAFES SERVING ALCOHOL AND LOCATED ON ALTON ROAD; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN; TRANSMITTAL; REPEALER; SEVERABILITY; AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
IR FIVE I IS IN ORDER TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION.THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA AMENDING THE CITY CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, UH, YEAR 2040.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY AMENDING GOAL RLU.
ONE, LAND USE OBJECTIVE, RLU 1.1.
ESTABLISHMENT OF FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORIES.
POINT 11 RESIDENTIAL SLASH OFFICE RO TO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-CONFORMING CAFES, SERVING ALCOHOL AND LOCATED ON ALTERNATE ROAD, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TRANSMITTAL REPEAL OF ABILITY AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A SECOND READING, PUBLIC HEARING.
THE ITEM REQUIRES FIVE SEVEN'S VOTE.
SO THIS ITEM, UH, WAS HEARD AND PASSED, UM, ON SECOND READING AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, AND, UH, TOMMY CAN ADVISE WHY WE HAVE TO HEAR IT AGAIN.
UH, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, AFTER THIS ITEM WAS ADOPTED, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION HAD IN INADVERTENTLY MISSED THE DEADLINE TO TRANSMIT THE ITEM TO THE STATE.
SO IT'S BACK BEFORE YOU FOR RE-APPROVAL OF THE SAME ITEM.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL BE SURE THAT WE, UH, TRANSMIT IT TO THE STATE IMMEDIATELY UPON ADOPTION.
AND WHAT IS THE REQUIREMENT TO
[01:50:01]
TRANSMIT IT TO THE STATE? SO AFTER SOMETHING IS APPROVED, UH, AT FIRST READING, IT HAS TO BE, UH, TRANSMITTED TO THE STATE WITHIN 10 DAYS.AND WE HAD MISSED THAT DEADLINE.
SO WHEN IT WAS APPROVED, UH, UM, ON, IN JULY, WE IMMEDIATELY TRANSMITTED IT.
SO IT MET THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT.
NO ONE IN THE AUDIENCE REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BOT SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
THAT WAS ITEM R FIVE I, IT'S CALLED, UM, R FIVE RR
[R5 R AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 70 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, ENTITLED “MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES,” BY AMENDING ARTICLE II, ENTITLED “PUBLIC PLACES,” BY AMENDING DIVISION 2, ENTITLED “BICYCLING, SKATEBOARDING, ROLLER SKATING, IN-LINE SKATING, MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, ELECTRIC BICYCLING, MOPEDS, MOTORCYCLES, MOTORIZED BICYCLES, AND MOTORIZED SCOOTERS,” BY CREATING SECTION 70-73, TO BE ENTITLED “SAFE OPERATION OF PERSONAL DELIVERY DEVICES AND MOBILE CARRIERS,” TO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL LOCAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
FIVE R IS A ANCE OF THE MAYOR CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA.AMENDING CHAPTER 70 OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
UH, CODE ENTITLED MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES BY AMENDING ARTICLE TWO ENTITLED PUBLIC PLACES BY AMENDING DIVISION TWO ENTITLED, BICYCLING SKATEBOARDING, ROLLER SKATING, INLINE SKATING, MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, ELECTRIC BICYCLING AU PITTS MOTORCYCLES, MOTORIZED BICYCLES AND MOTORIZED SCOOTERS BY CREATING SECTION 70 DASH 73 TO BE ENTITLED, SAFE OPERATION OF PERSONAL DELIVERY DEVICES AND MOBILE CARRIERS TO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL LOCAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW AND PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ABILITY, CODIFICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS THE FIRST READING PUBLIC HEARING.
IT IS ITEM R FIVE R, COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ.
SO MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE ROBOTS AROUND MIAMI BEACH, THE DELIVERY ROBOTS, WHICH I'M NOT NECESSARILY AGAINST.
UM, THERE'S ONLY ONE COMPANY THAT HAS THESE ROBOTS, UM, ON MIAMI BEACH RIGHT NOW.
THE COMPANY IS SERVE AND UM, THEY CAME TO SEE ME.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE WRAPPING OUR ROBOTS.
SPEAKING OF PAINT COLORS, I ASKED THEM TO WRAP THE ROBOTS IN PASTEL AND MIAMI BEACH COLORS.
SO YOU'LL SOON SEE COLORFUL DELIVERY BOTS.
RIGHT NOW THEY'RE IN MIAMI BEACH AND THEY'RE IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI AND THEY'RE TESTING THESE MARKETS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE HIGHEST DENSITY IS.
NOW WE'VE BEEN PREEMPTED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA AS TO HOW MANY ROBOTS CAN BE ON OUR STREETS.
SO TECHNICALLY IF THEY WANTED TO ADD 50 MORE, A HUNDRED MORE A HUNDRED, YOU KNOW, 150 MORE, UH, THEY COULD.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THESE COMPANIES AND WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO CREATE A SET OF REGULATIONS.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT THE SERVE CALLED IN THIS MORNING AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME AMENDMENTS TO THIS, INCLUDING ALLOW THE BOTS TO GO UP TO 10 MILES PER HOUR, UM, WITH A 30 MINUTE IDLE TIME AND A $2,000 FEE WITH A GRACE PERIOD FOR COMPLIANCE.
I WOULD LIKE THE PEOPLE FROM SERVE TO KNOW THAT, UM, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH A GRACE PERIOD FOR COMPLIANCE OR RAISING THE FEE TO $2,000.
THAT'S FINE IF YOU WANT TO OPERATE, UH, THE BOTS IN OUR CITY.
UM, BETWEEN I HAVE FIRST AND SECOND READING.
SO BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING, I WILL, I'D LIKE TO MEET WITH SIR AND, UM, TALK ABOUT THE 10 MILES PER HOUR.
'CAUSE THAT SEEMS PRETTY FAST.
UM, I'M NOT SURE I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN PEOPLE ON THE STREETS KIND OF BUMP INTO THE ROBOT, SO IF THEY'RE GOING REALLY FAST, THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM ALSO.
UM, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE IDLE TIME.
SOMETIMES A BOT IS STUCK AT A STREET BECAUSE OUR STREET LIGHTS AREN'T SYNCHRONIZED.
SO I SAW ONE POOR DELIVERY BOT STUCK ON WEST AVENUE FOR LIKE
I FELT KIND OF SORRY FOR WHOEVER'S DELIVERY IT WAS BECAUSE THEY JUST COULDN'T CROSS THE STREET FOR WHATEVER REASON.
SO, UM, WE HAVE SOME KINKS TO WORK OUT.
I PROPOSE TO WORK THEM OUT BETWEEN, UH, FIRST AND SECOND READING.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A POSITIVE WAY THAT WE CAN REGULATE OUR STREETS TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MOVE INTO THIS ROBOTIC TECH AI ERA THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE STILL COME FIRST
SO THAT WAS THE INTENT AND SPIRIT OF THIS.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, I WOULD MOVE THE ITEM A SECOND.
I, I PERSONALLY DON'T LOVE THESE, UH, ROBOTS.
AND I THINK IT'S THE PEAK OF IRONY SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR ROADWAYS AND TALKING ABOUT PAINT VERSUS THESE ROBOTS THAT ARE SOMEHOW, UH, ALLOWED.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE PREEMPTED AND WE CAN'T DO MUCH.
SO TO THE EXTENT WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO PUT SOME SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE AT A LOCAL LEVEL, I I VIEW THAT AS POSITIVE.
I I'M INDIFFERENT, UH, AS TO WHAT THEY ARE.
AND I'LL LET YOU LEAD THE CHARGE ON THAT.
[01:55:01]
IT'S BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO OTHER THINGS FOR IT.SO WE MIGHT AS WELL MAKE THESE AS SAFE AS WE CAN AT A LOCAL LEVEL.
WELL, WHEN I HEARD THAT WE COULDN'T CONTROL HOW MANY WERE ON OUR STREETS, I WAS NOT VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT.
AND THIS IS A PREEMPTION THAT I FIND INCREDIBLY, UM, INTRUSIVE.
BUT THAT SAID, I THINK THESE REGULATIONS GO A LONG WAY AND WE COULD POSSIBLY GET THE NEXT CYCLE.
AND THOSE ADDITIONAL 50 ARE COMING SOON.
UM, THERE'S GONNA BE BOTS, UH, EVERYWHERE.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR BOTS ARE COLORFUL AND, UM,
AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THE BIG DELIVERY BOTS BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THE SMALL ONES, BUT I SAW ONE AS BIG AS A DUMPSTER.
UH, SO THEY CAN GET REALLY BIG.
SO I WOULD HOPE, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE CUTE, LIKE WHEN THEY BLINK THEIR EYES, THERE'S SOMETHING CUTE ABOUT IT.
BUT I MEAN, LOOK, I AGREE WITH YOU COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE CREATING THIS SET OF REGULATIONS.
WHAT'S THE CURRENT SPEED THAT THEY OPERATE? I BELIEVE SIX MILES AN HOUR IS WHAT THEY INDICATED.
BUT WHEN THEY GO OVER CROSSWALKS, THEY SPEED UP TO 10.
I SAW A LITTLE KID JUMPING IN FRONT OF IT.
IT ACTUALLY WAS, IT WAS PRETTY GOOD.
IT TRIED TO AVERT THE KID AND THE KID CUT.
BUT WHAT, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME, MAYBE IT'S ROBERT, RICK, WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE JURISDICTION TO REGULATE AND WHAT WE DON'T AND WE'RE PREEMPTED SURE.
ROB ROSENAU WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE ARE PREEMPTED FROM JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR ADDITIONAL SAFETY REGULATIONS OTHER THAN THE ONES THAT THE STATE HAS ALREADY ADOPTED, UH, WHICH, UH, HAVE TO DO WITH PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND UH, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THE REGULATIONS THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED HERE ARE, UH, EITHER SUPPLEMENTAL TO OR CLARIFYING WHAT IS ALREADY REGULATED IN STATE LAW.
UH, WE ADD IN, UH, A PERMIT REQUIREMENT.
AND SO THAT THE PERMIT, UH, IS, IS THE, IS HOW WE ENFORCE ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE THROUGH THIS ORDINANCE.
LIKE THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE PENANT ON THE, UH, ON THE ROBOT SO IT CAN BE SEEN THAT IT HAS LIGHTS, SO IT CAN BE SEEN, UH, THAT GOES A CERTAIN SPEED, SO IT DOESN'T, UH, SIT ON THE SIDEWALK FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND WE HAVE RECEIVED THE LETTER FROM SERVER ROBOTICS WITH THEIR SUGGESTED CHANGES AND WILL WORK WITH THEM AND WITH, UH, THE SPONSOR BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING ON WHICH OF THOSE, UH, CHANGES SHOULD BE INCORPORATED.
BUT WE FEEL FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT THE ONES THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED AT FIRST READING ARE NOT PREEMPTED.
I SEE THEM SOMETIMES ALSO THEY RUN OFF THE SIDEWALK.
HAVE YOU SEEN THEM LIKE ON THEIR SIDES? SOMETIMES.
AND
AND BY THE WAY, OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THEY HAVEN'T ROLLED OUT THESE ROBOTS YET BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE CRITICAL MASS.
THE PLACES LIKE DOWNTOWN MIAMI AND MIAMI BEACH HAVE.
BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THAT IS, OTHER CITIES, UM, HAVE THESE BOTS AND THEY FIND OUT THAT THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE BOTS.
I THINK THERE WILL BE A PUSHBACK AT THE STATE LEVEL BECAUSE, UM, NOW IT'S LIKE YOU CAN ROLL OUT A BUSINESS WITHOUT A BRAND NEW BUSINESS AND GET A PREEMPTION AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND, UH, THIS IS A TREND THAT IS, UH, VERY, UH, OVERREACHING AND HOPEFULLY, UH, WE CAN REVERSE IT BY WORKING WITH OUR LEGISLATURE AND EXPLAINING WHY YOU CAN'T REGULATE SOME THINGS FROM TALLAHASSEE.
WHERE ARE WE ON THE SPEED? SIX MILES OR 10 MILES? WE'RE SAYING SIX.
'CAUSE I, I, YOU KNOW, I, I FIND IT, UM, I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE WORDS FOR IT, WHICH IS NOT USUAL.
I LIKE SO IRONIC THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE PREEMPTED FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY DEVICE OR PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, REGULATIONS ABOUT A DEVICE THAT IS ONLY GONNA MAKE GETTING AROUND ON OUR SIDEWALKS MORE COMPLICATED AND LESS SAFE.
UM, IT, IT'S JUST THE HEIGHT OF HYPO HYPOCRISY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS NOT UNCOMMON THESE DAYS.
AND SO, UM, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE PREEMPTED, I WOULD LIKE TO BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES ON THIS AND KEEP IT AS SLOW AND AS VISIBLE AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCIDENTS AND UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
[02:00:01]
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WE CAN DO OTHER THAN LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY SLOW THE ROLL.UM, ALSO THEY'RE ASKING THE, THE CURRENT COST TO, UH, OF THE OPERATION PERMIT FOR A ROBOT IS A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR IT TO BE $2,000.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH THE COMPANY AND TO SEE WHY THAT IS, BUT, UM, I WILL GO OVER THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND, UM, COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOU ON THE SIX MILES.
I DON'T, I WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE SLOWER RATHER THAN FASTER.
SO THEY'RE CURRENTLY GOING 10 MILES ACROSS THE CROSSWALKS, CORRECT? THAT IS WHAT THEIR LETTER INDICATED, YES.
I DON'T KNOW IT, I SO YOU WANNA KEEP IT ALL AT SIX, EVEN IF THEY'RE GOING ACROSS? YES.
WE'LL, I'LL TALK WITH THEM BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING AND GET BACK TO YOU.
I HAVE, UH, INDIVIDUAL BY THE NAME OF ZOOM USER.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
OKAY, LET'S GO THEN TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
OKAY, WE'VE LOST ADAM ZOOM USER.
HI, IT'S, IT'S JANE CROP OVER HERE AT 1390 OCEAN DRIVE.
UM, SO I HAD ONE OF THESE BOTS IN FRONT OF MY PROPERTY YESTERDAY AND THE DAY BEFORE FOR OVER 24 HOURS, IT JUST SAT DEAD ON THE SIDEWALK.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THESE THINGS? UH, WHO DO YOU CALL? I CALLED CODE.
I SENT A, A, A EMAIL TO ERIC CARPENTER.
NO ONE'S IN CHARGE OF THESE THINGS AND THERE'S NO, WHO'S GONNA ENFORCE ANY REGULATIONS ON THESE THINGS AND FOLLOW A HUNDRED ROBOTS AROUND THE CITY? ARE THEY GETTING A CITATION A FINE? COULD WE NEED TO THINK THIS OUT A LITTLE FURTHER AS TO YES, WE NEED TO REGULATE THEM, BUT HOW, SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DEPART WHEN I SEE A DEAD ROBOT ON THE STREET, WHO DO I CALL? SO THAT'S BASICALLY MY QUESTION.
I BELIEVE YOU WOULD CALL CODE COMPLIANCE AND WE WOULD ISSUE A, WE ONLY HAVE ONE COMPANY OPERATING RIGHT NOW IN MIAMI BEACH, BUT IF IT IS ON A RIGHT OF WAY AND SOMETHING'S WRONG, COULD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALSO ISSUE A CITATION? HOW ARE WE GOING TO, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN, IN OUR ORDINANCE IS THAT THE ROBOTS MUST HAVE A 24 HOUR NUMBER, UH, VISIBLE SO THAT A SITUATION LIKE MS. KRUPP, UH, DESCRIBES COULD BE ADDRESSED BY CALLING THE COMPANY AND, AND THEY SHOULD TAKE CHARGE OF THAT.
BUT I THINK BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING, WE COULD LOOK AT SOME OF THESE NUANCES AND AND ADDRESS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A ROBOT ROBOT EXCEEDS THE WHATEVER PERIOD OF TIME WE ALLOW, UH, FOR THEM TO REMAIN IDLE ON THE SIDEWALK.
AND YES, CODE COMPLIANCE WOULD BE THE, THE ARM OF THE CITY THAT WOULD BE ENFORCING THE, THE CODE PROVISIONS.
AND WE COULD INCREASE FINES, CORRECT.
'CAUSE WE ARE ALLOWED TO FINE FOR THESE VIOLATIONS.
SO WE COULD DO THAT SUBJECT TO THE STATE'S LIMITS ON, ON FIGHTS.
MR. MARIA, THEY EVEN PUT LIMITS ON THE FINES, HUH? MITCH NOVAK? MITCH NOK.
WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU COMING AT EIGHT 30 IN THE MORNING? BEING THE FIRST SPEAKER I WAS HERE.
I'M TRYING TO REMAIN LOW KEY OR KEEP GOING.
I GET NERVOUS THAT YOU'RE OKAY EVERY TIME.
I DON'T SEE EVERYTHING'S PERFECT.
UH, JUST I WOULD URGE YOU TO, UH, REJECT THE $2,000 FEE PER, UH, FOUR PER COMPANY AND, UH, EITHER KEEP THE HUNDRED IN PLACE, UH, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO SEE OUR CITY BLANKETED WITH THOUSANDS OF THESE THINGS.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS LARRY SCHAEFFER.
LARRY, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET A WRAP ON ONE OF THESE BOTS IN THE SHAPE OF COMMISSIONER TANYA BOT AND THEN CALL IT THE BOT? BOT? THAT'S IT.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS, UH, NE'S IPHONE.
I JUST WANNA BRING TO EVERYONE ATTENTION THAT EVERY TIME YOU RAISE THESE FEES AND YOU MAKE THEM UNAFFORDABLE, THEN YOU MAKE EVERYTHING ELSE UNAFFORDABLE.
AND ALSO WITH THE FINES, THEY'LL BE SO QUICK TO FIND AND JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVE MORE COMPASSION EVEN TO ROBOTS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD MAYBE HAVE A, A FIRST WARNING, SECOND WARNING, AND MAYBE ON THE THIRD ONE, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM A FINE, BUT NOT, 'CAUSE AGAIN, THIS FINES WILL MAKE ALSO LIFE UNAFFORDABLE.
THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
[02:05:02]
GREAT.I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT COMPASSION IS REALLY RESERVED FOR HUMAN BEINGS IN AS, I MEAN, I, I LOVE YOU, BUT I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF COMPASSION FOR THE BOTS.
IT'S
SO I HAVE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, AS IS RIGHT COMMISSIONER, UM, AS IS.
AND I'M ALLOWED TO MAKE CHANGES BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING, AND I WILL DO WHATEVER I CAN TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE STRINGENT REGULATIONS.
AND, UM, UH, TO INEZ IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING THIS MORE DIFFICULT.
I THINK IF YOU HAVE A HUNDRED DOLLARS FEE FOR A BOT, THEN WE COULD POTENTIALLY BE SEEING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BOTS EVENTUALLY, BECAUSE THEY ARE EXPANDING.
RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE ONLY DELIVERING FOOD.
EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GOING TO BE DELIVERING MEDICINE.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO, AMAZON'S GOING TO HAVE BOTS.
EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE BOTS.
SO IT IS REALLY GOING TO, UH, POLLUTE THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO, UH, ON THE VOTE, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ? YES.
SEVEN ZERO SECOND READING, PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 17TH.
[R5 S AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 70 OF THE CITY CODE, ENTITLED “MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES,” BY AMENDING ARTICLE II, ENTITLED “PUBLIC PLACES,” BY AMENDING DIVISION 2, ENTITLED “BICYCLING, SKATEBOARDING, ROLLER SKATING, IN-LINE SKATING, MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, ELECTRIC BICYCLES, MOPEDS, MOTORCYCLES, MOTORIZED BICYCLES, AND MOTORIZED SCOOTERS,” BY AMENDING SECTION 70-67, ENTITLED “PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES,” TO CLARIFY THE PROHIBITIONS RELATING TO MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION BY PROVIDING AN EXCEPTION, ON A PILOT PROGRAM BASIS, TO PERMIT AN ADULT RIDING AN ELECTRIC BICYCLE WITH A CHILD TO OPERATE SUCH ELECTRIC BICYCLE ON THE BEACHWALK AND OTHER SPECIFIED AREAS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
SR FIVE S IS AN OR ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONER.THE CITY MAY REACH FOR AMENDING CHAPTER 70 OF THE CITY CODE ENTITLED MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES BY AMENDING ARTICLE TWO ENTITLED PUBLIC PLACES BY AMENDING DIVISION TWO ENTITLED, BICYCLING SKATEBOARDING, ROLLERSKATING INLINE SKATING, MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND ELECTRIC BICYCLE MOPEDS MOTORCYCLES, MOTORIZED BICYCLES AND MOTORIZED SCOOTERS BY AMENDING SECTION 70 DASH 67 ENTITLED PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES TO CLARIFY THAT PROHIBITION RELATING TO MOTORIZED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION BY PROVIDING AN EXCEPTION ON A PILOT PROGRAM BASIS TO PERMIT AN ADULT RIDING AN ELECTRIC BICYCLE WITH A CHILD TO OPERATE SUCH ELECTRIC BICYCLE ON THE BEACH WALK AND OTHER SPECIFIED AREAS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
AND PROVIDING FOR REPEAT OBSERVABILITY CLARIFICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A FIRST READING PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TO ME BY A RESIDENT WITH SMALL CHILDREN AND TAKING THEIR CHILD TO SCOTT REKO CENTER AND OTHER PLACES ACROSS MIAMI BEACH.
ON THE BEACH WALK, UM, WAS BECOMING CUMBERSOME AND WITH MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH, UH, PEOPLE FROM THE TRANSIT COMMUNITY AND BIKE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT'S WHERE THIS ITEM WAS BORN.
UM, AND JUST THIS WEEK, UH, THIS PERSON WAS SHOWING ME PICTURES OF THE SCOTT RAEL CENTER, WHERE EVEN IF THEY WOULD HAVE GONE BY CAR, IT WAS COMPLETELY FULL.
AND SO WERE ALL OF THE METERS ON THE OUTSIDE.
SO HAVING A BIKE WOULD, UH, TAKE A, ELIMINATE A CAR FROM THE ROAD.
AND, UM, THERE'S BEEN MEETINGS WITH MBPD AND, UM, SO THERE'S THE ITEM.
RAISE MY HAND FOR ME, I GUESS.
UM, I APPRECIATE THIS COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, AND, UH, I MET WITH THE PERSON THAT WAS PUSHING THIS FORWARD AS WELL.
UH, ROBERT, ONE, CONGRATS ON, UH, THE NEW ROLE AT MBU.
UH, LOOK FORWARD TO STEADY HAND.
LOVE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND VISION.
WHAT I, UH, SUGGESTED TO THE PERSON THAT IS PROPOSING THIS, UH, I WILL BACK IT ON FIRST READING.
I WANT TO BUILD LIKE MANY THINGS, COMMUNITY CONSENSUS, RIGHT? IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO THREAD THAT NEEDLE CONCERNS THAT YOUR GROUP MAY HAVE, AND ANOTHER PROMINENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, MBNA, UH, WE GOT THIS MORNING THAT THEY, UH, DID NOT SEE EYE TO EYE IN THIS.
I DON'T LIKE TO BE PLACED IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE PUT IN THE MIDDLE TRYING TO DECIDE BETWEEN GROUPS THAT ARE GREAT STAKEHOLDERS OF OUR CITY ON TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
I'D REALLY LIKE TO ALMOST HAVE, UH, IT MORE COMMON WHERE PEOPLE ARE MEETING AMONGST EACH OTHER AS GROUPS, AS COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND LOOKING TO BUILD CONSENSUS BEFORE EVEN COMING TO US.
UM, AND I HOPE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING, UH, THAT'S WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHERE, UH, THE SPONSOR, SOME OF THE TRANSIT GROUPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT CAN MEET WITH TREMENDOUS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MBU AND MBNA HERE, THEIR CONCERNS, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE, AND SEE HOW WE CAN ESSENTIALLY ACHIEVE CONSENSUS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT COULD BE A REALLY GREAT TEMPLATE TO REALLY COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD.
UM, SO LONG STORY SHORT, I'LL SUPPORT HER ON FIRST READING.
[02:10:01]
NOT PROMISING HOW, UH, I'LL VOTE ON SECOND READING 'CAUSE I WANT TO HEAR BOTH SIDES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.BUT I'M HOPING IN THE INTERIM, IT'S NOT INCUMBENT ON US ABOUT TRYING TO GO AND SEE WHICH GROUP IS RIGHT.
THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS WITH OPPOSING VIEWS SHOULD COME TOGETHER AND SEE IF THEY CAN BRING, UH, SOME CONSENSUS AND MAYBE HEAR OUT SOME CONCERNS AND HOW THEY CAN BE MITIGATED.
SO I'LL, I'LL BE A YES HERE, BUT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, THOSE GROUPS KIND OF COME TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO TO, UH, BRIDGE THAT GAP, UH, IN BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, THERE IS.
UH, I HAVE ALICIA CASANOVA REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
MS. CASANOVA STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
MS. CASANOVA, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
HI, MY NAME IS ALICIA CASANOVA.
I'M REPRESENTING THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE SAID.
UM, OUR PRESIDENT, ANNA MARIE FERREIRA DELLO HAS MET WITH MATTHEW, UM, WHO IS, UM, LEADING THIS INITIATIVE.
UH, HOWEVER, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD HAS MET AND THE MBNA FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT ADOPTING THIS AMENDMENT WOULD CONTRADICT ESTABLISHED CITY TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY PLANS, DISMANTLE CRITICAL, UH, PROTECTIONS, SET ENFORCEMENTS EFFORTS OF FOR FAILURE, DIMINISH THE SHARED ENJOYMENT OF THE BEACH WALK AND PLACE ITS MOST VULNERABLE USERS, INCLUDING CHILDREN, SENIORS, AND PEDESTRIANS AT UNACCEPTABLE RISK.
WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS TO PRESERVE THE CURRENT ORDINANCE PROHIBITING ALL MOTORIZED VEHICLES ON THE BEACH WALK WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTIONS.
THERE IS NO OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKER.
SECOND, MAKE SURE, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR DEPARTMENT THAT'S WORKING ON THE PARALLEL BIKE WALK NEXT TO THE BEACH WALK, WHERE ARE WE IN THAT PROCESS? I KNOW YOU'VE ANSWERED THIS BEFORE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THIS ONE OF OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
IT'S NOT PARTISAN, IT'S NOT CONTROVERSIAL.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THE PERMISSION AND CUT THROUGH THE RED TAPE AND GO TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS AND EXPLAIN THAT WE REALLY NEED THIS PARALLEL BIKE PATH NEXT TO THE PEDESTRIAN PATH.
AND, AND GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER AMY KNOWLES, CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER.
SO THIS ITEM WAS ACTUALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A PRIORITY OF THE CITY COMMISSION LAST FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE DID, UM, HIRE A CONSULTANT FIRM TO HELP US FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TO A YES TO DO THIS, ANYTHING IN THIS AREA OF MIAMI BEACH AS THE PART OF THE COASTAL CONSTRUCTION CONTROL LINE.
IT IS HIGHLY REGULATED BECAUSE THE STATE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING IS, IS BUILT THAT CAN IMPACT THE BEACH IN A NEGATIVE WAY THAT CAN IMPACT, UM, SEA TURTLE HABITAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS HERE.
UM, SO THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT.
WE WILL HAVE THE FEASIBILITY REPORT SOON, UM, THIS FALL, AND THEN WE WILL DISCUSS WITH THE MANAGER'S OFFICE HOW TO SHARE THAT.
BUT THERE IS A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS BECAUSE IT IS ON THE BEACH, AND THE BEACH IS VERY PROTECTED BECAUSE OF STORMS AND HABITAT AND JUST THE STABILITY OF OUR COASTLINE.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE GONNA GET THE FEASIBILITY REPORT THIS FALL AND THEN WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? AND THEN WE WOULD, SO KIND OF DECIDE WHAT TO DO.
IT'LL HAVE A CONCEPTUAL PLAN, A VERY HIGH LEVEL ON, UM, HOW WIDE THIS PATH WOULD BE, HOW LONG IT WOULD BE, UM, ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT THAT WOULD BE NEEDED, UM, AND WHAT THE KIND OF PATHWAY WOULD BE, UM, IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL COST AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE MINUTE YOU GET THE REPORT, WE SHOULD HAVE THE PLAN READY TO GO.
THE COST, IT SHOULD PROBABLY BE ALREADY BUDGETED SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE THIS ONCE BEFORE SO WE KIND OF KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT LAST TIME IT TOOK US LIKE A DECADE.
AND, AND REMEMBER LAST TIME WE HAD THE DUNES ON THE, ON THE EAST SIDE.
SO THAT I THINK HELPED US AS A CITY.
UM, THE PLANS WILL BE VERY HIGH LEVEL.
THEY'LL BE CONCEPTUAL PLANS, SO IT'S NOT THE KIND OF PLANS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR ACTUAL PERMITTING.
SO THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER BIG STEP.
SO IF YOU HAD A TIMELINE FOR US, BECAUSE THIS IS, I GET MORE, THIS IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ISSUES.
I GET SO MANY EMAILS ABOUT THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THE TIMELINE IS FOR THE PATH REALISTICALLY? SURE.
WELL, I THINK THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROBABLY BRING IT TO THE CITY COMMISSION, UM, EARLY NEXT YEAR, UM, TO DETERMINE THAT.
I MEAN, IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A YEAR TO TWO IN DESIGN AND PERMITTING IF IT WAS, IF THERE'S A PATHWAY FOR APPROVAL AND THEN CONSTRUCTION AFTER THAT.
BUT USUALLY DESIGN AND PERMITTING IS A GOOD ONE TO TWO YEARS.
SO DESIGN AND PERMITTING TWO MORE YEARS FROM NOW AND THEN CONSTRUCTION ANOTHER TWO YEARS A YEAR.
YEAH, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE, ON THE TYPE OF FEEDBACK WE GET.
LIKE SO FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS? WE COULD, I MEAN, WE COULD REALISTICALLY MAYBE TOUCH BASE WITH CIP
[02:15:01]
SINCE THEY BUILT THE, THE BEACH WALK COMMISSIONER, IF I MAY, WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WE DON'T OWN ALL OF THOSE PROPERTIES.AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TO GET THE APPROVALS OF THE UPLAND OWNERS LIKE WE DID DURING THE INITIAL BE BEACH WALK PROCESS.
SO AS WE'VE SEEN, PARTICULARLY WITH THE BAY WALK, IT'S EXTREMELY CHALLENGING WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH INDIVIDUAL OWNERS.
UH, SO THEN WE CAN MAKE AN ASSUMPTION THAT THIS BEACH WALK PATH IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
HOW MANY PROPERTY OWNERS DO YOU NEED TO GET PERMISSION FROM AT THIS POINT? AND WHY ARE WE NOT, WE SHOULD BE GETTING THE PERMISSION NOW SO THAT WHEN YOU GET THE PERMIT, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, PUT IT OUT FOR CONSTRUCTION.
HAVE WE BEEN DOING THAT PROACTIVELY GOING OUT AND GETTING THE PERMISSIONS RIGHT NOW? WE DON'T EVEN HAVE CONCEPTUAL APPROVAL FROM THE STATE THAT THEY WOULD ALLOW US TO DO THAT, SO.
WELL I UNDERSTAND, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO ALLOW US TO BUILD THIS, THIS, THIS PATH.
I MEAN, SO WE MIGHT AS WELL, WHAT DOES IT HURT IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE JUST REACHING OUT TO THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS RIGHT NOW, SHOWING THEM KIND OF WHAT WE PLAN TO DO SO THAT WE'RE NOT, SO THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE US A DECADE TO, TO BUILD THIS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PARALLEL PATH ON THIS AND REALLY PUSH FORWARD BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS IS REALLY ESSENTIAL FOR US.
DON'T YOU GUYS AGREE WITH ME? YEAH.
AND MR. MANAGER, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH, WITH OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, LET'S, LET'S BE SMART AND, AND USE THE AUTHORITY THAT WE HAVE NOW TO BE ABLE TO GET BENEFITS, TO BE ABLE TO, FOR WHENEVER WE HAVE THE REGULATORY APPROVAL, BE ABLE TO DELIVER, UH, DELIVER THIS, THIS PROJECT.
WHILE, WHILE, WHILE WE HAVE THEM, BEFORE US, THEY'RE GOING TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OUR HISTORIC PROPERTIES ALONG THE BEACH WALK AND THE DENSEST, THE, THE, THE BUSIEST AREAS OF THE BEACH WALK.
MANY OF THESE BUILDINGS, THEY'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW.
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH REVIEW, UH, FROM OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
NOW, WHY DON'T WE START GETTING COMMITMENTS NOW, GIVEN THAT THIS WAS THE DIRECTION GIVEN TO YOU BY THIS COMMISSION, THAT WE WANT TO SEE THIS DONE.
LET'S START GETTING THOSE APPROVALS SO THAT ONCE WE GET THE STATE'S APPROVAL, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE MORE EFFICIENTLY.
IF NOT, WE'RE JUST CONSTANTLY GONNA BE SLOW AND DELAYED AND IT'S GONNA BE AT A, AT A PACE THAT, THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE JUST GOING TO BE CONSTANTLY FRUSTRATED AT THE PACE THAT THE GOVERNMENT MOVES.
COMMISSIONER BING AND COMMISSIONER ING GONZALEZ, AMY, I, I THOUGHT ONE OF THE POSSIBILITIES WAS CONSTRUCTING AN ALTERNATE AND, AND AN INCREMENTAL PATH TO THE EAST OF THE DUNES.
LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE IN BELL HARBOR AND SURFSIDE, IS THAT ALSO BEING CONSIDERED? YEAH, SO WHAT IS BEING CONSIDERED IS, IS A PATH EAST OF THE DUNES.
SO WE HAVE OUR EXISTING BEACH WALK AND THEN WE HAVE THE DUNES.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH UPLAND PROPERTIES.
UM, WE, WE ARE NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE STATE WILL WILL REQUIRE AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO ALLOW THIS AT ALL.
BUT, BUT WHAT WE'RE PURSUING IS SOMETHING THAT, BECAUSE THE STATE OWNS ALL OF THE BEACH, AND SO I THINK THE UPLAND PROPERTIES THEN DON'T FACTOR INTO THIS.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT WAS WHAT THE, THE MANAGER BROUGHT FORWARD.
BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO, HONESTLY, WE, WE'D HAVE TO HEAR MAYBE FROM THE, THE EXPERIENCE OF THE BEACH WALK.
SO I THINK THERE'S, UM, UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR GETTING A, A SECOND BEACH WALK DONE, UM, AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE, AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND ANYTHING THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING CAN BE DOING TO HELP WITH THAT.
UM, LET'S BRING THAT FORWARD AS A SEPARATE ITEM.
UM, I KNOW THE, THE BEACH WALK IN AND OF ITSELF IS AN ITEM THAT THE MAYOR BROUGHT FORTH THAT I'M A CPRIME ON WITH HIM.
AND SO THIS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, A HOT TOPIC FOR ALL OF US, BUT THAT IS NOT THE ITEM BEFORE US.
AND I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO THIS ITEM THAT BEFORE US TODAY, JUST BECAUSE IT IS ALSO A HOT TOPIC AND IT'S SOMETHING, CAN I JUST MAKE ONE LAST COMMENT ON THE ITEM THAT'S NOT BEFORE US THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING?
I KNOW YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU'VE WORKED HARD ON THIS.
I BROUGHT THIS INITIATIVE A LITTLE WHILE AGO AND, UM, AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT I KNOW THIS, UH, UNANIMOUS SUPPORT IN THIS COMMISSION.
AND I, AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD DISCUSSION.
I JUST WANTED TO CHECK IN WHETHER THIS IS ONE OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
'CAUSE I THINK YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION THAT IT CERTAINLY IS, IF IT'S NOT, THEN WE CERTAINLY CAN ADD IT WITH THE, WITH THE APPROVAL OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES WITH TALLAHASSEE.
THE CHALLENGE, IF I MAY, I JUST, THE CHALLENGE, I JUST WANNA JUST ADD THE CHALLENGE IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW WITH, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE PERHAPS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE HAS BEEN.
IT'S UNNECESSARILY EVEN AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATUTE, BUT IT'S FROM, FROM WHAT I GATHER AND IT MAKES SENSE TO PUT IT INTO OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE.
UH, IT'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW BY, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PRO PROTECTION WHERE WE'VE ENCOUNTERED, I THINK PROBABLY MOST CHALLENGED WITH
[02:20:01]
THIS.THIS IS MY FINAL, I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT ON THE ITEM.
BUT I JUST HAVE ONE FINAL, ONE FINAL QUESTION.
UM, HAVE WE MET IN PERSON WITH THE PEOPLE IN TALLAHASSEE THAT ARE GIVING US THE PERMISSION? OR IS IT A, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM TALLAHASSEE LOCALLY? YEAH, SO WE HAD REACHED OUT, UM, INITIALLY LAST YEAR AND, AND TALKED TO FOLKS.
UM, AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AND OUR NEXT STEP IS FOR THE PRE, UH, APPLICATION MEETINGS WHERE WE'LL HAVE FORMAL MEETINGS WITH THEM.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN FOR THEM TO GIVE YOU A REACTION.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW.
AND THOSE ARE, IF THEY'RE NOT SET UP ALREADY, THEY'RE THEY'RE BEING SET UP.
YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE REALLY PROACTIVE WITH THIS.
AND ONCE WE GET THE, THE DESIGN FROM THE CONSULTANT, LITERALLY LIKE TRAVEL TO TALLAHASSEE WITH OUR CONCEPTUAL PLAN AND PUSH AND PUSH AND PUSH, UM, SO THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE US YEARS AND YEARS.
'CAUSE WE'RE JUST GONNA GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE, OF THE PILE.
SO I THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS, TRAVEL TO TALLAHASSEE, TALK ABOUT IT, GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, DOING THE APPROVALS.
UM, I THINK THAT REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
COMMISSIONER MARTIN, DID YOU HAVE THINGS YOU WANTED TO FINISH UP? YOU WERE DONE? YEAH.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER? NO, I MEAN, I DID HAVE THINGS TO FINISH UP.
OH, UM, GO AHEAD LAURA
UM, IT IS VERY NARROWLY TAILORED AND I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE ITEM SECOND, WHAT I'D LIKE TO COMMISSIONER BOT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UH, FOR THE LAST ALMOST TWO YEARS ON MICRO MOBILITY ISSUES BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY ARE AN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING TOPIC.
UM, WE SEE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES USING E DEVICES, UM, TO GET AROUND MORE EASILY.
AND WE ARE HAMSTRUNG BY FDOT AND SOMETIMES THE COUNTY ON MAKING OUR ROADS SAFER.
SO IT IS A NATURAL DESIRE TO PUT PEOPLE ONTO SAFER PATHWAYS, UM, TO, TO, UM, MAKE IT WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
PEDESTRIANS, REGULAR BIKES, E-BIKES, SCOOTERS AND CARS.
UM, THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT, FIRST OF ALL, WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A MECHANISM TO ENFORCE THIS, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK POLICE CHIEF JONES TO COME UP, UM, AND DISCUSS THIS.
BUT SECOND OF ALL, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WAS, UM, LET'S, LET'S TAKE AN ASSESSMENT OF WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR MICRO MOBILITY EFFORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, THIS YEAR LET'S IMPLEMENT A BUNCH OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE AND COLLECT DATA.
AND NEXT YEAR LET'S MAKE DECISIONS AND EFFECTUATE CHANGE BASED ON THAT DATA.
SO THIS YEAR WE ARE PAINTING OUR GREEN, UM, BIKE PATHS, REPAINTING THEM.
A LOT OF THEM ARE, YOU KNOW, IN SIGNIFICANT STATE OF DISREPAIR.
WE ARE REPAINTING OUR WHITE BIKE LANES, UM, SHADOWS, ROAD MARKINGS TO MAKE THEM MORE VISIBLE.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, DIGITAL DATA COUNTERS BEING INSTITUTED IN, UM, UH, SORRY, YEAH.
INSERTED INTO DIFFERENT, UM, ROADS THAT ARE HEAVILY USED BY BICYCLES AND, AND OTHER E DEVICES AS WELL AS ON THE BEACH WALK.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY TO CAPTURE THE DATA TO FIND THE CORRECT PATH FORWARD, NO PUN INTENDED.
UM, YES, THERE WAS NO, I COULDN'T DO THIS IF I TRIED TO.
UM, AND, AND SO TO SUBVERT THE PROCESS BEFORE WE HAVE THE DATA IS NOT HELPFUL.
UM, MOREOVER, THE WAY THIS IS DRAFTED, SO FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T, I I DON'T LOVE THIS.
AND IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE MATTHEW, WHILE I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN SITTING IN, IN THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS WITH US, THESE TASK FORCE MEETINGS WITH US, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO WITH THIS.
SO IT IS A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING.
UM, WE ALL WANNA MAKE THIS SAFER FOR EVERYBODY.
THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN NOW, IT'S A, UH, AN ADULT OF 18 YEARS OLD SUPERVISING A CHILD OF UP TO 16 YEAR YEARS OLD.
TO ME THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE BIKE GANGS WHO COME INTO THE CITY AND RUN ROUGH SHOT ALL OVER US.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO LIMIT THIS TO, UM, A, A PARENT WITH A CHILD ON A BIKE, I COULD HAVE, I WOULD BE WILLING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, UH, IF, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET YOUR DRIVER'S PERMIT FOR A CAR AT 15, SO IF YOU NEED SUPERVISION ON A BICYCLE, ON A OFF ROAD PATH, THAT'S A BIGGER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING ON EITHER OF THOSE VEHICLES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE WAY THIS IS DRAFTED ABOUT THE, THE FACT THAT IT'S HERE BEFORE US.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONCERN BECAUSE I'VE SPENT THE LAST ALMOST TWO YEARS TO GET TO THIS, TO, TO RESOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS AS WELL.
BUT WE ALSO GET EQUAL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE SAYING, I'M JUST WALKING, MINDING MY BUSINESS.
UM, AND TRYING TO NOT GET RUN OVER BY PEOPLE WHO AREN'T, UM, PAYING ATTENTION, WHO ARE SPEEDING, WHO ARE CARELESS, WHO AREN'T OBEYING TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
WE'VE GOT TONS OF PEOPLE ON SCOOTERS WHO ARE, UM, RUNNING THROUGH
[02:25:01]
RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS AS IF THE LAWS OF THE ROAD DON'T APPLY TO THEM.WE ARE LITERALLY HAVING A MICRO MOBILITY TOWN HALL A WEEK FROM TUESDAY, THIS PAST TUESDAY, YESTERDAY, A WEEK FROM OKAY, TUESDAY COMING UP
I MEAN, IF YOU'RE ON A MICRO MOBILITY DEVICE, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
IF YOU'RE ON THE ROAD, YOU NEED TO ACT LIKE YOU'RE IN A CAR, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE IN A CAR, IN A SCOOTER OR ANYTHING IN BETWEEN.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE ON THE BEACH WALK, IT IS NOT OKAY TO BE BLASTING THROUGH AT 15, 20 MILES AN HOUR BECAUSE THERE ARE VERY NARROW PORTIONS OF THE BE WALK AND PEOPLE WHO ARE STROLLING ELDERLY FOLKS WHO ARE WALKING THEIR DOGS.
AND EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE SAFE.
SO I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS, THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO DO A PILOT PROGRAM 'CAUSE WE ARE LITERALLY IN THE PROCESS OF COLLECTING DATA.
UM, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE, TO THE POLICE OFFICERS, TO THE CHIEFS, UM, TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD ENFORCE THIS GIVEN, GIVEN WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TODAY.
UM, WAYNE JONES, POLICE CHIEF, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, DANNY MCGALL, ASSISTANT CHIEF.
YOU KNOW, BROADLY SPEAKING, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS IN FAVOR OF MICRO MOBILITY, UH, FOR THE CITY.
GIVEN THE TRAFFIC ISSUES WE HAVE ON A DAILY BASIS AND FRUSTRATION THAT THAT SURROUNDS THAT WE, WE DO BELIEVE IN IN DOING IT OPERATING THESE MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES SAFELY.
I'VE ASKED, UH, CHIEF BOGAL TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND TO PROVIDE SOME, SOME THOUGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON IT.
UH, THE BIGGEST CONCERN WE HAVE WITH THE ORDINANCES THAT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW IS THE ENFORCEABILITY OF IT.
UH, IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE LIMITED RESOURCES WE HAVE THAT ARE CONDUCTING ENFORCEMENT ON THE BEACH WALK TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ORDINANCE BASED ON THE 16 AND UNDER, AS OPPOSED TO IF IT WERE RESTRICTED TO SOMEBODY OF A YOUNGER AGE, 10 AND UNDER, WHICH IS MUCH EASIER FOR AN OFFICER TO DETERMINE AS THESE VEHICLES ARE GOING BY THE AGE OF THE PERSON ON THE BIKE.
THE OTHER CONCERN IS THAT CONCEIVABLY, AND YOU TOUCHED ON IT, COMMISSIONER, UH, A PERSON 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, THAT IS WITH SOMEONE 16 YEARS OF AGE OF YOUNGER, NOT NECESSARILY SUPERVISING BEHAVIOR, BUT WRITING THESE DEVICES TOGETHER WOULD BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE AS LONG AS THEY WERE TRAVELING AT A CERTAIN SPEED.
UH, SO IT, IT BECOMES DIFFICULT FOR US TO ENFORCE WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
AND OBVIOUSLY FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT'S PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERYONE'S SAFETY ON THE BEACH WALK, NOT JUST THE FOLKS THAT ARE OPERATING, UH, THE, THE E-BIKES.
UH, THIS IS FOR THE, THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE OUT THERE WALKING.
SOME OF OUR ELDERLY RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY VOCAL IN THE PAST.
I KNOW HENRY STOLLER IS ONE OF THE, THAT HAS BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT HIS ABILITY TO ENJOY THE BEACH WALK AS A PEDESTRIAN AND HOW HE'S PLACED IN FEAR OFTENTIMES BY THE OPERATION OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES AND E SCOOTERS THAT SHOULDN'T BE ON THE BEACH WALK.
SO IT, IT BECOMES A CHALLENGE FOR US WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE.
HOWEVER, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH WHATEVER PATH, UH, THE ELECTED BODY CHOOSES FOR US TO DO, AND WE WILL DO THE BEST JOB WE CAN, AS ALWAYS, TO CONDUCT ENFORCEMENT.
NOW, HOW LONG IS THE PILOT FOR? NINE MINUTES? I THINK THAT'S, I THINK IT'S VERY REASONABLE, UM, TO, TO SEE WHERE THIS LANDS.
UM, I THINK THERE IS A GOOD POINT TO BE MADE THAT YOU ARE GONNA BE TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN ON A SCOOTER.
UM, I, I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE A SECURE SAFE PATH WITH, WITH CERTAIN REGULATIONS THAN, UM, ON THE STREET WHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING RUN OVER.
UH, SO, UH, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, UH, FOR, FOR A PILOT PROGRAM FOR NINE MONTHS.
I TAKE MY KIDS ON THE SCOOTER, YOU KNOW, I'M A PARENT.
I, I, UH, I'M RESPONSIBLE WITH MY CHILDREN AT, AT SOME POINT.
I, I, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE GETTING INVOLVED IN, IN HOW YOU PARENT OR TRANSPORT YOUR, YOUR CHILDREN AS LONG AS IT'S DONE IN A SAFELY MANNER.
MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT HAS RESONATED WITH ME IS THE SAFETY OF PARENTS TAKING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT ALWAYS AFFORDABLE FOR A PARENT TO HAVE A CAR.
UM, AND WE DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO EXPLORE CARLESS LIFESTYLES IN, IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO THIS IS ALL A PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.
NOW, YOU MENTIONED THE AGE, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS AN AGE THAT YOU WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY WILL
[02:30:01]
ALWAYS BE A TOP PRIORITY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PASSING AN ORDINANCE.IT IS AN ORDINANCE THAT IT IS ENFORCEABLE.
UH, THE LAST THING WE NEED ARE MORE RULES IN THE BOOKS THAT WE CAN'T ENFORCE.
YOU MENTIONED, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, ASSISTANT CHIEF, THAT THE AGE THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IS 10 YEARS OF AGE.
SO IN OUR INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, UM, BECAUSE AS CHILDREN GROW IN THEIR TEENS, WE HAVE 16 YEAR OLDS THAT ARE INDISCERNIBLE FROM AN ADULT.
SO THE INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD IS THE EASIEST WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE AGE ON A PARTICULAR ORDINANCE LIKE THIS WOULD BE TO HAVE A RESTRICTION OF 10 AND UNDER.
BECAUSE THEN IT ALLOWS THE OFFICERS TO HAVE TO MAKE A VERY QUICK DETERMINATION TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY SOMEONE THAT IS POTENTIALLY OLDER THAN THEY SHOULD BE OPERATING.
AND, AND IF THAT IS AMENDED, WOULD THAT SATISFY YOUR CONCERN ON ENFORCEABILITY? I BELIEVE THAT WAS WHAT WE DISCUSSED INTERNALLY, AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT, THAT AS AN ORGANIZATION WE WOULD BE OKAY AND IT WOULD MAKE IT MUCH MORE FEASIBLE FOR US TO CONDUCT ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE I VALUE VERY MUCH, UH, MY COLLEAGUE COMMISSIONER BOT'S CONCERN, UH, ABOUT SAFETY, ABOUT, ABOUT ENFORCEABILITY.
I DON'T WANT US PUTTING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR OFFICERS IN THE POSITION OF AN EXPECTATION, AN EXPECTATION TO ENFORCE AN EARNEST THAT THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE.
IF YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT 10 YEARS OF AGE IS WHAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH AND THAT WILL HELP YOU GUYS BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THIS, I LIKE TO PROPOSE IT AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE SPONSOR IF YOU'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT IT.
UH, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ULTIMATELY NEED TO ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE.
I ALSO WANNA SHARE, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
WE HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION AT NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I KNOW THE FOLKS THAT APPROACHED ME ABOUT THIS ITEM HAVE ALSO MET WITH MBPD MULTIPLE TIMES.
THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING.
UM, I WILL ENCOURAGE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING AMENDMENT.
AND I THINK I MOVED THE ITEM SECOND.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE SPONSOR.
COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ, THANK COMMISSIONER BOT.
SORRY, I NEVER GOT TO WEIGH IN ON THE ITEM BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE BEACH WALK.
THIS IS VERY, THIS IS SO DIFFICULT TO VOTE ON BECAUSE THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT LITERALLY LIVES ON THE BEACH WALK.
SO THE BEACH WALK IS IN THEIR BACKYARD AS SAID, PLEASE DON'T VOTE ON THIS.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY'RE SAYING THIS BECAUSE THEY'VE EITHER ALMOST BEEN HIT OR HAVE WITNESSED OTHER PEOPLE GETTING HIT OR INJURED.
AND SO THEY'RE, THEY DON'T WANT IT.
IT'S THEIR, THAT IT'S EVERYONE'S BEACH WALK, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT THESE BUILDINGS ACTUALLY LIVE RIGHT ON IT.
SO TO VOTE FOR THIS WHEN THEY'RE ASKING US NOT TO IS SOMETHING THAT I, I DON'T WANNA DO AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU ARE ALLOWED RIGHT NOW ON IN A REGULAR BICYCLE TO GO ON THE BEACH WALK, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO IF WE'RE PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND WHATNOT, CAN WE JUST GET REGULAR BIKES FOR RIGHT NOW? YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA TAKE YOUR KID TO SCHOOL ON A BIKE? OKAY, WELL THEN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO PEDAL OR
THAT'S IF YOU WANNA USE THE BEACH WALK, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN THINK ABOUT THIS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ELECTRIC MICRO, BUT IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE WOULD HAVE A PROTECTED PATH, BUT WE DON'T.
AND IF WE VOTE FOR THIS AND SOMEBODY GETS HIT OR SOMEBODY GETS INJURED, THEN ON A, BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S ON AN E-BIKE, THEN IS THAT OUR FAULT? AND I THINK IT WOULD BE BECAUSE WE'VE SAID YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
EVEN IF YOU'RE GOING AT SIX MILES AN HOUR OR YOU KNOW, BOT SPEED, IF 10 MILES AN HOUR, UM, I THINK WE SAID EIGHT MILES, RIGHT? UNDER EIGHT MILES, I BELIEVE IT'S 10 MILES AN HOUR IN THIS ORDINANCE, 10 MILES AN HOUR.
UM, IT JUST, IT GIVES ME PAUSE BECAUSE WHAT IF SOMEBODY GETS HURT AND WE'RE CONDONING THAT AND IT HAPPENS.
HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE, HAVE WE HAD OF, OF E-BIKES HITTING PEOPLE? SO THAT ONE'S DIFFICULT TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM GO UNREPORTED.
SO SOMETIMES FOLKS DON'T CALL US AND WE HEAR ABOUT THEM THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OR IN OPEN FORUMS LIKE THIS.
SO I THINK THE ACTUAL REPORTED NUMBERS TO US MIGHT NOT REFLECT THE REALITY THAT OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUT IN THE FIELD.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT OUR NUMBERS DON'T REFLECT THE AMOUNT OF ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN.
I KNOW THAT I'VE ALMOST BEEN HIT A FEW TIMES, UM, BY AN E-BIKE, BUT HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN HIT WITH A PARENT, A CHILD ON THE SCOOTER? THAT'S VERY RARE.
I I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THERE'S A REASON WHY.
IS THERE A WAY THAT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING, WE HOLD SOME SORT OF PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND COME TO SOME AGREEMENT LIKE COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE SAID SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING THEIR POSITION AND CREATE, CRAFTING
[02:35:01]
SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE TO EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE WHOSE BEACH WALK IS IN THEIR BACKYARD.COMMISSIONER, I JUST SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO THAT.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING, BUT I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE IN PERSON.
I DON'T, THE ZOOM MEETINGS ARE NOT THE SAME.
WHERE WE, I WOULD LIKE US TO BE ABLE TO MEET HERE IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS OR MEET IN A DESIGNATED SPACE AND, AND HAVE A CONVERSATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW MANY PARENTS AND, AND CHILDREN SHOW UP, HOW MANY RESIDENTS OF THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SHOW UP.
LET'S HAVE A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD DOING WHAT WE KNOW IS, IS THE RIGHT THING AND THE SAFEST FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
COMMISSIONER BTA AND COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
CAN I GET
ONE IS, UM, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BEING A NINE MONTH PILOT PROGRAM BECAUSE THAT TAKES US THROUGH THE MONTH OF MARCH AND SPRING BREAK.
AND I THINK THAT THAT COULD GET PRETTY HAIRY WITH YOUNG LOOKING ADULTS BEING ON, ON E-BIKES ON THE BEACH WALKS.
SO I CAN I JUST INTERJECT SOMETHING.
THE REASON WHY IT WAS NINE MONTHS IS SO THAT IT WOULD COVER THE SUMMER, WHICH IS OUR DEAD SEASON.
UM, SO IF YOU WANT TO EXCLUDE MARCH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE AMENABLE.
AND THEN THE OTHER, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD, UM, BE VERY WILLING TO SUPPORT IS IF WE DID THIS FOR PARENTS WITH, UM, KIDS ON THEIR BIKES AS OPPOSED TO PARENTS SUPERVISING 10 YEAR OLDS.
SO IT WOULD, IT WOULD APPLY TO PEOPLE WITH WHO ARE BIKING THEIR KIDS ON THEIR BICYCLES RATHER THAN, UM, RIDING.
I THINK THAT JUST LIMITS TO THIS, TO THE PEOPLE WHO WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT.
SO IF YOU'RE TAKING YOUR KID TO SCHOOL OR TO THE SCOTT RAY HOUSE CENTER AND YOUR KIDS IN A BIKE SEAT, THEN OKAY, WE CAN DO A TEST PILOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL NOT SUPER PLEASED ABOUT THIS ENTIRE SITUATION, BUT I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO, BUT, UM, CAN, CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT YOU MEAN? WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO CRAFT HERE? IF YOU HAVE, UM, A CHILD ON A BIKE SEAT THAT YOU ARE TRANSPORTING ON THE BEACH WALK, THEN YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BE THERE.
IF YOU ARE RIDING NEXT TO A CHILD, YOU KNOW, ON A SEPARATE BIKE, DID HE, SO YOU WANT THE CHILD TO BE ON THE STREET.
I DO NOT WANT THE CHILD TO BE ON THE STREET, BUT ELSE ARE THEY GONNA GET TO WHERE THEY GO? THEY CAN BE ON A BICYCLE ONE, ONE AT A TIME.
THIS, THEY CAN BE ON A BICYCLE.
I DON'T THINK AN 8-YEAR-OLD CHILD SHOULD BE ON AN ELECTRIC BIKE OR A SCOOTER.
THEY CAN GO UP TO 59 MILES AN HOUR.
I MEAN, LET'S NOT FORGET THAT YOU CAN BUY SCOOTERS OFF OF AMAZON.
THERE'S NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
THERE ARE NO LIGHTS REQUIRED, THERE'S NO LICENSING REQUIRED, THERE'S NO SAFETY TESTING REQUIRED.
I'VE SEE, I SEE PEOPLE PUTTING THEIR CHILDREN INTO ELECTRIFIED VEHICLES AND LETTING THEM DRIVE AROUND.
I THINK YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO CONDUCT YOURSELF, UM, WITH THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT ON A BICYCLE IN A SAFE PLACE.
AND IF A CHILD IS RIDING A BICYCLE TO SCHOOL WITH THEIR PARENTS, THAT IS FINE.
I THINK TO HAVE A CHILD ON AN E-BIKE OR AN E SCOOTER IS A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
AND I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
AND OF COURSE, I AM NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE PUT CHILDREN ON THE STREET IN VEHICLES THAT CAN GO UP TO 59 MILES AN HOUR.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO CLARIFY THAT.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
SO I'M, I'M SENSITIVE TO THE ARGUMENT OF COURSE, THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT ON THE BEACH WALK BY BICYCLISTS.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THOSE ARE BICYCLISTS THAT PRETTY MUCH TREAT THE BEACH WALK LIKE THE TOUR DE FRANCE, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY THEY'RE GOING IN HIGH SPEEDS AND, AND THEY'RE NOT DOING IT FOR, TO TAKE THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL.
THAT'S NOT THE PERSON THAT IS RUNNING INTO ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS.
THAT'S NOT THE PERSON THAT'S RUNNING INTO KIDS.
IT IS A VERY, IS IT, IT IS SPECIFICALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE SPORTING ON THE BEACH WALK AND, AND, AND LITERALLY THEY'RE TREATING THE, THEY'RE TREATING THE BEACH WALK LIKE IT'S A SPORT COMPETITION.
LIKE IF IT'S A TOUR DE FRANCE AND THEY'RE GOING ON THE, UH, I THINK THERE ARE ALUMINUM BICYCLES OR YOU KNOW, THAT ARE VERY THIN WITH A VERY THIN, WHAT'S THAT CARBON, CARBON, CARBON FIBER, THE CAR, CARBON FIBER, OR BICYCLES THAT ARE VERY LIGHTWEIGHT AND GOING VERY HIGH SPEEDS.
THOSE ARE NOT THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE GONNA BE USING THIS TO COMMUTE AND TAKE THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL.
AND, AND SO I COMPLETELY EMPATHIZE AND UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALSO THE SAFETY CHILDREN AND OF PARENTS, UH, TAKING CHILDREN NOW WE'VE LIMITED TO THE AGE OF 10, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN 10 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER TO SCHOOL.
UM, AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH
[02:40:01]
GREAT AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC IN OUR CITY, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE DIFFERENT MODES OF, OF TRANSPORTATION.I DON'T THINK, I REALLY DON'T THINK IN MY HEART THAT IT'S THE PARENT WITH A 10-YEAR-OLD THAT'S GONNA BE CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON OUR BEACH WALK.
UH, I DON'T THINK ANY ONE OF US WOULD BE PROPOSING THIS ITEM OR SUPPORTING THIS ITEM IF THAT WAS THE CASE.
I THINK WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT THE SPONSOR HAS, HAS PROPOSED, AND KNOWING THAT THERE'S ALSO A TOWN HALL MEETING ON MICRO MOBILITY HAPPENING NEXT WEEK AS WELL, UH, I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THIS TO TEST IT.
AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT, THAT IT'S A PILOT PROGRAM AND IF WE NEED TO AMEND IT, THERE'S ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM.
BUT I, YOU KNOW, I I I RESPECT SUNSHINE RULES VERY MUCH.
I JUST SAW YOU PASS A NOTE TO COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
DO YOU MIND READING IT TO US PLEASE? SINCE WE'RE IN THE SUNSHINE? SURE.
UM, REALLY IT SAYS, AND I QUOTE, THANKS FOR PLAYING TEACHER AT SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S THE LEAD PARAGRAPH OF A NEWSLETTER.
SO, BECAUSE AS I WAS SAYING, EXCUSE ME, SPEAKING, UM, AS I WAS SAYING THAT IF, IF WE'RE TAKING, IF WE'RE GONNA ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO BRING THEIR KIDS TO, TO SCHOOL, UH, IN A SAFE MANNER, THEY CAN'T RIDE IT ON THE SIDEWALK.
THE ONLY OTHER PLACE THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT IS ON THE ROAD.
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, I I THINK I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AS A, AS A, AS A PILOT PROGRAM.
UM, I CERTAINLY THINK THAT UNTIL WE HAVE A BEACH WALK THAT'S APPARENTLY FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AWAY, UM, THIS IS PROBABLY THE SAFEST WAY TO GET CHILDREN, UH, TO, TO SCHOOL.
UH, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE IN, IF THEY'RE GONNA BE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, I BELIEVE THAT AGE IS BETWEEN 11 AND 14.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BRING IT UP TO 12 SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADERS CAN USE THE BOARDWALK.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, LIKE COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ HAS MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO GIVE RELIEF TO CHILDREN AND, AND THE PARENTS, NOT THE TOUR DE FRANCE, UH, BICYCLISTS LIKE, UH, OUR PLANNING DIRECTORS.
AND SO
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT OF THE ITEM.
UH, AND THE REASON IS I JUST, SINCE I WAS ELECTED, I'VE HEARD FROM, I, I HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN FROM ELDERLY, MOSTLY ELDERLY RESIDENTS ABOUT THE CONCERNS THEY HAVE.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND TRYING TO CARVE OUT, BUT I GOT AWAY, I GOT WEIGH IT AND JUST, I JUST, THOSE CONVERSATIONS OVER AND OVER WHERE CERTAIN PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY'RE, THEY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE BECAUSE OF THE SPEED OF SOME OF THESE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, WHICH CURRENTLY ARE NOT ALLOWED.
AND I KNOW POLICE AND PARK RANGERS HAVE, UH, MADE AN EFFORT TO ENFORCE THAT.
AND I THINK THAT ADDS ONTO IT.
I I THINK WE'RE ALSO PUTTING OUR POLICE IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION.
I MEAN, I'M TRYING TO, I TRY TO VISUALIZE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I TRY TO VISUALIZE, VISUALIZE MYSELF IN ALL THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
WHAT A POLICE OFFICER, THE JUDGEMENTS YOU HAVE TO MAKE, AND THEY'RE QUICK, THEY'RE, I MEAN, THIS IS A QUICK DECISION AN OFFICER HAS TO MAKE.
HOW OLD IS THE KID? HOW OLD IS, AND, UH, WHAT'S THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE, UH, REALLY PUTS A, TO ME, A STRAIN ON, ON THE OFFICERS AS WELL, AS OPPOSED TO A CLEAR CUT RULE.
SO AGAIN, BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE FROM HEARING THESE RESIDENTS, UH, I'M NOT GONNA BE SUPPORTIVE.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, YOU HAVE THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH HAS, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED HERE, HAS REALLY BEEN PROACTIVE AND, AND BEAUTIFYING.
AND, UH, OUR BEACH WALK, THE SAFETY OF OUR BEACH WALK.
MIAMI BEACH UNITED IS AGAINST IT.
AND I, AND I SHARE THOSE CONCERNS.
SO, UH, FOR THOSE REASONS, UH, ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS AND, AND, AND THE PILOT, AND WE'LL SEE.
I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA, WE'LL SEE WHERE THE VOTES FALL OUT AND THEN WE'LL SEE HOW THE PILOT GOES.
AND, UH, MAYBE I'LL REASSESS, BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, I CAN'T BE SUPPORTIVE THERE INDIVIDUALS REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
UH, AND IF ANYONE'S IN THE AUDIENCE REQUESTING TO SPEAK, PLEASE QUEUE UP.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES THE CALL.
KEITH STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
KEITH MARKS, PRESIDENT OF
[02:45:01]
WE HAVE BEEN PUSHING, UH, AND HAVE HAD RESIDENT AFTER RESIDENT TALK ABOUT THE UNSAFE, UH, ASPECT OF PARTICULARLY WALKING ANYWHERE NEAR, UH, SOUTH POINT, UH, PARK, UH, WITH MOTORIZED VEHICLES.IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE POLICE TO MONITOR THIS AS IS.
AND NOW WE WANT CARVE OUTS AND EXCEPTIONS.
I DON'T THINK YOU WILL FIND ANYONE WHO WALKS AND LIVES ON THE BEACH WALK, WHETHER IT'S, UH, MID BEACH, NORTH BEACH, OR ANY BEACH WANTS THIS TO HAPPEN.
IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, PUT IT ON THE STREET.
IF IT'S AN ELECTRIC BIKE, PUT IT ON THE BIKE, WHICH WE BUILT ON THE STREETS.
THESE VEHICLES CAN GO FROM ZERO TO 60 WITH JUST AN ACCIDENTAL HIT OF THE THROTTLE, WHICH YOU CANNOT DO WITH A BICYCLE.
AND, UH, IT, THIS IS THIS, I, I HAVE NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS, BUT, UH, WE WILL CERTAINLY GIVE A FORMAL RESOLUTION.
I HOPE IT DOESN'T PASS ON FIRST, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS PROBABLY THE WORST SAFETY PROPOSAL I HAVE HEARD IN THE LAST YEAR.
GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, MATTHEW HANOFF.
I DO WANT TO THANK, UH, THE COMMISSIONER FOR SPONSORING THIS ITEM AND FOR THE LIVELY DISCUSSION TODAY.
I AGREE WITH YOU ALL THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE IN THIS CITY.
AND LAST YEAR THERE WERE OVER 4,000 CRASHES ON OUR STREETS.
WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THROUGH MAY OF THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO DATA THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED TO THE STATE, MORE PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES ON OUR STREETS THROUGH MAY OF THIS YEAR THAN THEY DID ALL OF LAST YEAR.
AS, UH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ MENTIONED IT, PARENTS ARE GONNA BE, BY DEFAULT, THEY'RE GONNA BE SAFE WHEN THEY'RE RIDING WITH THEIR KIDS BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING MORE PRECIOUS THAN YOUR OWN CHILDREN.
AND THERE IS, THERE ARE SAFEGUARDS BUILT IN A 10 MILE PER HOUR SPEED LIMIT.
I THINK THERE'S NOTHING THAT WILL GIVE YOU BETTER DATA THAN A REAL WORLD PILOT.
AND THIS ONE THAT WE HAVE HERE, AND TO MY, MY FRIEND AND MY NEIGHBOR IN THE SOUTH OF FIFTH NEIGHBORHOOD, KEITH, WHO JUST CALLED IN E-BIKES, DON'T GO 60 MILES AN HOUR.
THOSE THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT, THOSE ARE NOT E-BIKES, THOSE ARE DIRT BIKES.
THEY'RE NOT LEGAL TO RIDE ON ANY PUBLIC STREET, ANY PUBLIC ROADWAY, ANY PUBLIC PATH.
IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, E-BIKES HAVE TOP SPEEDS OF 20 MILES AN HOUR.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS, AS A PARENT, MYSELF, AS SOMEONE WHO RIDES WITH THEIR CHILDREN, AND BY THE WAY, MY 8-YEAR-OLD WOULD BE WITH US TODAY IF SHE WASN'T IN SCHOOL.
BUT SHE WAS SUPER EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS AND SHE SAID, QUOTE, I WANNA BE FAMOUS.
UM, BUT THIS IS A MEASURED RESPONSE TO A REAL ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY, WHICH IS SAFETY ON OUR STREETS AND TRAFFIC ON OUR STREETS.
AND SO I ASK THAT YOU PASS THIS ON FIRST READING, WE CAN GET TOGETHER.
BY THE WAY, I REACHED OUT FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS TO THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO MEET WITH THEIR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO GO OVER THIS.
I OFFERED TO MEET WITH MBU IN PERSON AT THEIR MEETING ON FRIDAY, AND THAT WAS TURNED DOWN.
OKAY, OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER HAS SCREEN NAME OF WT UNMUTE YOURSELF.
I MUST HAVE, UH, I MUST HAVE HIT THE WRONG
HOW ARE YOU? UM, I'VE BEEN, UH, VERY INVOLVED IN, IN, UH, THE BEACH WALK, UH, MOBILITY WITH BIKES VERSUS PEDESTRIANS SINCE I MOVED HERE.
UM, I'VE BEEN HIT ONCE OR TWICE BY BIKERS, BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH LAURA'S, UH, TEST, UH, AS LONG AS IT'S 10 YEAR OLDS.
AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN WITH THE TEST IS NOT WHAT A 10-YEAR-OLD WILL DO ON A BICYCLE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE PERCEPTION AMONG, UH, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SEE SOMEBODY WITH A MOBILITY BIKE OR A A, UH, AN ELECTRIC BIKE, UH, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO, TO THINK THAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT AS WELL ON THE BEACH WALK.
SO IT'S REALLY A COUNTER OF HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, 10 YEAR OLDS WITH A PARENT ARE UTILIZING THE, UH, KING AND LAW TO, TO UTILIZE THE BEACH WALK.
AND THEY MAY GET
THE BIKERS COME UP AND DOWN ALL THE TIME NOW 'CAUSE THERE'S NO ENFORCEMENT REALLY.
[02:50:02]
YEAH, SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT I WOULD BE VERY KEEN TO UNDERSTAND LIKE HOW PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT KIDS AND PARENTS SEE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, UTILIZE THAT, THAT STRETCH.AND WE NEED TO CONTROL THE BIKERS.
WE CAN'T HAVE TO THE FRONTS ON THE BEACH WALK.
UH, HELLO, BLANC RELO, 1881 WASHINGTON AVENUE.
UH, HELLO, UM, MAYOR, COMMISSIONER, CITY MANAGER CITY DECLARES ATTORNEY.
I HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT SUMMER.
AND THIS IS AN, UH, TOPIC I FEEL VERY STRONG ABOUT BECAUSE I LIVE OUT ACROSS THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE SIDEWALK OF THE CONVENTION CENTER ON WASHINGTON AVENUE IS VERY WIDE.
AND I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN ABOUT TO BE HIT FOR THESE PEOPLE ANY AGE KIDS, OLDER ONES BECAUSE THEY USE IT LIKE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN SPEED BECAUSE THERE IS VERY LITTLE FOOD TRAFFIC.
AND THEN ALSO THE WORST PART OF IT IS WHEN THESE PEOPLE USING MICRO MOBILITY GET TO THE CROSSROADS, THEY DON'T EVEN RESPECT THE TRAFFIC LAWS.
YOU ARE ABOUT TO GO AND THEY COME JUST ACROSS YOU.
AND SO THIS IS BOUND TO, TO CAUSE A LOT OF, UM, UH, ACCIDENTS OR SCARCE OR WHATEVER.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR TRAFFIC AND PARKING AND ALL THAT, BUT, UH, IF YOU HAVE RIDE THE TROLLEY WHEN THE KIDS COME OUT OF SCHOOL, THE TROLLEYS ARE FULL OF KIDS IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENING.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS TO HELP THIS TRAFFIC AND THIS PARKING STUFF IS FIXING THE TROLLEY, UH, SCHEDULES THAT THEY'RE CLEANED, THAT THEY HAVE AC BECAUSE WE HAVE TO WAIT TWO YEARS UNTIL THE NEW CONTRACT.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE CAN FIX THE TROLLEYS THAT THEY'RE THERE, ESPECIALLY THE SCHEDULE.
SO EVERYBODY, WE CAN JUMP IN AND OUT WHEN NECESSARY.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS ANNAMARIE FERRELO.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
GOOD MORNING, THIS IS ANNA MARIE FERREIRA DELO.
I'M WITH THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
MY HOME ADDRESS IS 4 7 7 9 COLLINS AVENUE.
I AM REPRESENTING, UM, THE MB A'S OPPOSITION TO THIS AMENDMENT.
YES, I, UM, UM, MATTHEW GATTOV DID NOT MEET WITH OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD.
HE MET WITH ME AND AS THE PRESIDENT, I VETTED IT WITH OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THEY WERE NOT OPEN TO MEETING AND DISCUSSING THIS FOR SEVERAL CONCERNS AND REASONS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN OUR RESOLUTION.
THE THOUGHT OF HAVING A BICYCLE THAT IS HEAVIER THAN A REGULAR BICYCLE BIKING ON OUR BEACH WALK AND, AND THE THOUGHT OF THE FORCE OF COLLISION CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES TO PEDESTRIANS, CHILDREN'S, AND ELDERLY RESIDENTS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS OF GREAT CONCERN TO THEM.
THE THOUGHT THAT HAVING AN AN EXEMPTION FOR ONE GROUP AND, AND OTHERS TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS AN EXEMPTION.
AND NOT HAVING OTHERS OR, OR MORE ELECTRIC BIKES ON THE BEACH WALK WAS ALSO A CONCERN.
THEY FELT THAT PEDESTRIANS WERE NOT BEING PRIORITIZED AS MANY CITY PLANS HAVE, UM, HAVE OUTLINED TO BE A PRIORITY, AND THAT IT WOULD GO AGAINST ADVANCING VISION ZERO GOALS FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
WE ARE VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF, UH, MICRO MOBILITY, OF MAKING SURE THAT THE BEACH WALK IS A PLACE THAT IS ENJOYABLE AND SAFE FOR EVERYONE.
AND WE HOPE THAT THIS REALLY BRINGS TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO INVEST