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Home My WebLink AboutResolution 2026-34284RESOLUTION NO. 2026-34284 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, IMPLEMENTING THE "END RESIDENT TOWS" REFORM DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NO. 2026-34237 THAT DIRECTED THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO PRESENT A READY -TO -IMPLEMENT PLAN TO REFORM RESIDENTIAL TOWING PRACTICES TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE ("PSNQLC") AT ITS MAY 13, 2026 MEETING; AND FOLLOWING SUCH PRESENTATION AT THE MAY 13, 2026 PSNQLC MEETING, ADOPTING THE DEFINITIVE COMPREHENSIVE "END RESIDENT TOWS" REFORM (A) TO ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY TOWING OF MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS' VEHICLES AND (B) TO ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT OF VIOLATIONS IN RESIDENTIAL PARKING ZONES BY NON-RESIDENTS, FREIGHT LOADING ZONES, COMMERCIAL LOADING ZONES, AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY VIOLATIONS, BY ESTABLISHING A TWELVE-MONTH PARKING ENFORCEMENT DETAIL PILOT PROGRAM, TO COMMENCE NO LATER THAN JULY 1, 2026, TO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS, 24/7 CITATION AND TOWING ENFORCEMENT WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS BOUNDED BY 1ST STREET AND 23RD STREET, AND 63RD STREET AND 87TH STREET, WITH A MINIMUM OF TWO ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, PER ZONE, PER SHIFT; AUTHORIZING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, IF APPROVED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLES ("FLHSMV"), TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ("MOU") TO PROVIDE PARKING DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES ACCESS TO THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE INFORMATION DATABASE ("DAVID") SYSTEM FOR THE LIMITED PURPOSE OF IDENTIFYING DRIVERS AND VEHICLES FOR ENFORCEMENT AND COURTESY NOTIFICATION; AND PROVIDING FOR IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE DIRECTIVES. WHEREAS, on April 22, 2026, the Mayor and City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2026-34237, directing the City Administration to present to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee ("PSNQLC") at its May 13, 2026 meeting a ready -to -implement plan to reform residential towing practices; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 2026-34237, the City Administration presented its plan to the PSNQLC at its May 13, 2026 meeting, where the Committee discussed the elements of the plan, including enhanced enforcement, safety -based towing authority, and measures designed to reduce unnecessary tows affecting City residents; and WHEREAS, after discussion, the PSNQLC supported the adoption of a resident towing reform and enforcement framework and designated the PSNQLC Chair to work on the final resolution to be presented to the full City Commission; and WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission now wish to adopt the "End Resident Tows" comprehensive residential towing reform and enforcement framework that includes the following core components: 1. Immediate Tow -Eligible Violations (Life -Safety / Accessibility / Obstruction). Vehicles parked at fire hydrants; in fire lanes; in handicap spaces without a permit; blocking access aisles, crosswalks, sidewalks, driveways, dumpsters, or traffic; obstructing bus stops, bike lanes, valet ramps, school loading zones, or safety zones; abandoned vehicles; and violations occurring in designated commercial or freight loading zones. These violations shall continue to be citation and tow -eligible, with residents now, as part of the reform to end resident tows, becoming eligible to receive the following courtesy "Text Before Tow" notification prior to towing, except in scofflaw cases: "TEXT BEFORE TOW: Your vehicle is parked in a manner creating a safety violation and will be towed at your expense. Please relocate your vehicle immediately to resolve the safety violation and avoid being towed. This is a courtesy message from the City of Miami Beach." 2. Non -Immediate Tow Violations (Administrative / Correctable). Violations such as no residential permit, no parking anytime, yellow curbs, taxi stands, motorcycle spaces, alleyway parking, passenger loading zones, authorized -vehicles -only areas, Council Towers permit violations, and meter -rental spaces shall be addressed through warnings, a correction window, and the following courtesy text notifications: "TEXT BEFORE TOW: Your vehicle is illegally parked. Please relocate your vehicle immediately. Vehicles with four violations within a calendar quarter, or vehicles remaining in violation for more than 24 hours, are tow -eligible and subject to towing after this 15-minute notice. Courtesy message from the City of Miami Beach." After three warnings in a single calendar quarter or after twenty-four (24) hours without correction, the vehicle becomes tow -eligible and shall receive the following 15-minute "Text Before Tow" notification prior to towing: "TEXT BEFORE TOW: You have 15 minutes to relocate your vehicle. If not moved within this time frame, it will be towed at your expense. This is a courtesy message from the City of Miami Beach." For purposes of this Resolution, the calendar year shall be divided into the following quarters: Quarter 1, from January 1 st through March 31 st; Quarter 2, from April 1 st through June 30th; Quarter 3, from July 1 st through September 30th; and Quarter 4, from October 1 st through December 31 st. Notwithstanding the foregoing, motorcycle space violations and meter -rental space violations are not eligible for the three warning text notifications, and instead shall receive only the 15-minute "Text Before Tow" notification prior to towing of the vehicle. 3. Technology -Assisted Enforcement. Freight loading zones equipped with Automotus camera technology shall provide real-time notification to Parking Department personnel and, upon issuance of a citation, notification to the City's towing company partners shall be made simultaneously to ensure consistent and coordinated enforcement. 4. Enhanced Enforcement Staffing. The City Manager shall establish a continuous, 24/7 parking enforcement detail within the geographic areas bounded by 1st Street and 23rd Street, and 63rd Street and 87th Terrace, as a twelve-month pilot program commencing no later than July 1, 2026, with a minimum of two enforcement personnel, per zone, per shift, dedicated to life -safety and quality -of -life parking violations within each zone, such as illegal parking in residential parking zones by non-residents, freight loading zone violations, and commercial loading zone violations. 5. Ongoing Reporting. A weekly Letter to Commission shall summarize towing activity, citations, and enforcement metrics by shift and violation category; and 6. Applicability. Sections 1 and 2 of this Resolution shall only apply to City residents. Any City resident that has registered in any residential parking zone, registered for the "resident discount" program, or holds a valid citywide parking permit for service on a City board or committee will qualify. Any other City resident may register for the "End Resident Tows" program by presenting the Parking Department with a State of Florida Driver License, copy of a residential lease agreement, or utility bill showing a home address in Miami Beach. WHEREAS, the City Commission finds that this framework will improve public safety, protect residential quality of life, and modernize the City's towing and enforcement operations; and WHEREAS, the City Commission supports authorizing the City Administration, contingent upon approval by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles ("FLHSMV"), to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") to provide Parking Department employees access to the Driver and Vehicle Information Database ("DAVID") system for the limited purpose of identifying drivers and vehicles for enforcement and courtesy notification. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City Commission hereby implement the "End Resident Tows" reform developed pursuant to Resolution No. 2026-34237 that directed the City Administration to present a ready -to -implement plan to reform residential towing practices to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee ("PSNQLC") at its May 13, 2026 meeting; and following such presentation at the May 13, 2026 PSNQLC meeting, adopt the definitive comprehensive "End Resident Tows" reform (a) to eliminate unnecessary towing of Miami Beach residents' vehicles and (b) to enhance enforcement of violations in residential parking zones by non-residents, freight loading zones, commercial loading zones, and other public safety violations, by establishing a twelve-month parking enforcement detail pilot program, to commence no later than July 1, 2026, to provide continuous, 24/7 citation and towing enforcement within the geographic areas bounded by 1 st Street and 23rd Street, and 63rd Street and 87th Terrace, with a minimum of two enforcement personnel, per zone, per shift; authorize the City Administration, if approved by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles ("FLHSMV"), to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") to provide Parking Department employees access to the Driver and Vehicle Information Database ("DAVID") system for the limited purpose of identifying drivers and vehicles for enforcement and courtesy notification; and provide for immediate implementation of these directives. PASSED and ADOPTED this o�k) ATTEST: as Rafael'E. Granado, City Clerk day of %%, 2026. S even Meiner, Mayor (Sponsored By Commissioner Alex J. Fernandez; co -sponsored by Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt, Vice -Mayor Laura Dominguez, Commissioner Joseph Magazine, Commissioner Monica Matteo-Salinas, Mayor Steven Meiner and Commissioner David Suarez) APPROVED AS TO FORM & LANGUAGE IkCOREORATED = & FOR EXECUTION At 16 ) 2.0Z 69 City Attorney ;eR Date Resolutions - C7 AS MIAMI BEACH COMMISSION MEMORANDUM TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission FROM: City Attorney Ricardo J. Dopico DATE: May 20, 2026 TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, IMPLEMENTING THE "END RESIDENT TOWS" REFORM DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NO. 2026-34237 THAT DIRECTED THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO PRESENT A READY TO IMPLEMENT PLAN TO REFORM RESIDENTIAL TOWING PRACTICES TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE ("PSNQLC") AT ITS MAY 13, 2026 MEETING; AND FOLLOWING SUCH PRESENTATION AT THE MAY 13, 2026 PSNQLC MEETING, ADOPTING THE DEFINITIVE COMPREHENSIVE "END RESIDENT TOWS" REFORM (A) TO ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY TOWING OF MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS' VEHICLES AND (B) TO ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT OF VIOLATIONS IN RESIDENTIAL PARKING ZONES BY NON-RESIDENTS, FREIGHT LOADING ZONES, COMMERCIAL LOADING ZONES, AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY VIOLATIONS, BY ESTABLISHING A TWELVE MONTH PARKING ENFORCEMENT DETAIL PILOT PROGRAM, TO COMMENCE NO LATER THAN JULY 1, 2026, TO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS, 24/7 CITATION AND TOWING ENFORCEMENT WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS BOUNDED BY 1ST STREET AND 23RD STREET, AND 63RD STREET AND 87TH STREET, WITH A MINIMUM OF TWO ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, PER ZONE, PER SHIFT; AUTHORIZING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, IF APPROVED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLES ("FLHSMV"), TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ("MOU") TO PROVIDE PARKING DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES ACCESS TO THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE INFORMATION DATABASE ("DAVID") SYSTEM FOR THE LIMITED PURPOSE OF IDENTIFYING DRIVERS AND VEHICLES FOR ENFORCEMENT AND COURTESY NOTIFICATION; AND PROVIDING FOR IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE DIRECTIVES. RECOMMENDATION BACKGROUND/HISTORY ANALYSIS The attached Resolution was prepared at the request of the sponsor, Commissioner Alex Fernandez, and Co -sponsored by Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt, Commissioner Laura Dominguez, Commissioner Joseph Magazine, Commissioner Monica Matteo-Salinas, Mayor Steven Meiner, and Commissioner David Suarez. FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT 5 N/A. Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate? (FOR ORDINANCES ONLY) If applicable, the Business Impact Estimate (BIE) was published on: See BIE at: https://www.miamibeachfl.goy/city-hall/city-clerk/meeting-notices/ FINANCIAL INFORMATION CONCLUSION Applicable Area Citywide Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-17? gre Is this item related to a G.O. Bond Protect? No Was this Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481, includes a principal engaged in lobbying? No If so, specify the name of lobbyist(s) and principal(s): Department City Attorney Sponsor(s) Commissioner Alex Fernandez Co-sponsor(s) Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt Commissioner Laura Dominguez Commissioner Joseph Magazine Commissioner Monica Matteo-Salinas Mayor Steven Meiner Commissioner David Suarez Condensed Title End Resident Tows. (Fern andez/Bhatt/Dominguez/Magazine/Matteo-Salinas/Meiner/Suarez) CA 11 Previous Action (For City Clerk Use Only)