20160316 AM3MIAMIBEACH
Presentation & Awards/Commission Meeting
ADDENDUM MATERIAL 3
Gity Hall, Commission Chambers, 3rd Floor, 1700 Gonvention Center Drive
March 16,2016
Mayor Philip Levine
Commissioner John Elizabeth Alemdn
Commissioner Ricky Arriola
Com missioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez
Commissioner Michael Grieco
Com missioner Joy Malakoff
Commissioner Micky Steinberg
City Manager Jimmy L. Morales
City Attorney Raul J. Aguila
City Clerk Rafael E. Granado
Visrt us at www.miamibeachfl.gov for agendas and video "streaming" of City Commission Meetings.
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Chapter 2, Article Vll, Division 3 of the City Code of Miami Beach entitled "Lobbyists" requires the
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ADDENDUM AGENDA
R9 - New Business & Gommission Requests
RgD Discussion Regarding The Vote On The Convention Center Hotel.
(Sponsored by Commissioner Ricky Arriola)
(There is no backup material for this item)
RgE Discussion Regarding The Results Of The March 15, 2016 City Of Miami Beach Special
Election.
(Sponsored by Commissioner John Elizabeth Alemdn)
(There is no backup material for this item)
RgF Discussion Regarding Mitch Novick's "Minority" Report, And Recommendation Concerning
The Deterioration Of The Quality Of Life ln The MXE District, Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue
And The Surrounding Neighborhood.
(Sponsored by Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez)
1 The sponsor of the addendum agenda item deems that such item either constitutes a public emergency affecting life, health,
property, or public safety and should be considered immediately; or does not constitute a public emergency, but should be
considered immediately. See Miami Beach Code Sec.2-12 (c)(3).
1
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2
Granado, Rafael
From: Rosen Gonzalez, Kristen
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 20L610:14 AM
To: Granado, Rafael
Subject Fwd: Ocean Drive - Emergency Item
Attachments: Mitch Novick ODTF Minority Report Five Point Plan on MXE District 8 January 2OL6.pdf;
ATT00001.htm
Please add this item to the agenda as a discussion item.
Kristen Rosen Gor.zalez
City of Mlami Beach Commissioner
305-965-4725
Begin forwarded message :
From: Mitch Novick <sherbrookehotel@ >
Date: March 16,2016 at 9:51:18 AM EDT
To: "Levine, Philip" <Philiplevine@miam , "Arriola, Ricky"<RickyArriola@miam , "Steinberg, Micky"<MickySteinberg@mi ), "Rosen Gonzalez,Kristen"
<Kristen@miamibeao , "Malakoff, Joy" <JoyMalakoff@miamibe >, "Grieco,
Michael" <MichaelGrieco@mi , "Aleman, John"
<JohnAl eman@miamibeac
Cc: "Morales, Jimmy" {immyMorales@mi
Subject: Ocean Drive - Emergency Item
Dear Mayor Levine and Members of the Miami Beach City Commission:
I was greatly disappointed with your rash decision last week to reward Ocean Drive with yet
another "third-time-taxpayer-funded" multi-million dollar sidewalk widening/lighting project,
etc. Your plan to expand the 24-hour-carnival-like-circus of Ocean Drive and encroach further
into Lummus Park speaks volumes as to what I perceive as your lack of leadership and failure to
understand the needs of the MXE neighborhood.
In January, I provided you with the o'Minority Report and Recommendation" of the Ocean Drive
Task Force (attached - two minute read). The fact that only Commissioner Rosen-Gonzalez
reached out to discuss my report further supports my assertion that you're disconnected with the
needs of my neighborhood. As my 5-Point Plan suggests, 'oCleaning up Ocean Drive will
require strong leadership and a commitment and resolve to stand up to special interests," and not
require the waste of any taxpayer resources.
In light of the murder which took place on Ocean Drive on Saturday night, my request is for this
matter to be placed on today's agenda as an emergency item to finally address the merits of my
report. I can't imagine this item taking-up more than ten minutes of the commissions time.
Agenda ttem Rl F
Date 3'lb- lb3
For informational purposes and for your convenience, I've also attached two YouTube links of
edited clips of proceedings which took place on the dais regarding Ocean Drive.
There's also another clip of an unfortunate incident which took place outside my home/hotel on
Saturday night.
I would appreciate if each commissioner replied to this email and state if whether they have any
issue with my request.
https ://),outu.be/BRFFdQzNjug LUDC 2l I 4 I I 6, 5 minutes
https://youtu.be/HBNtmuiUgo4 ODTF Acceptance of Recommendations, 319116less than 7
minutes
https://youtu.be/JBJbMNBHqk Ocean Drive attracts Unsophisticated Lightweights, 4
minutes
Thank you,
MitchNovick
30s s32 09s8
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S.POINT PLAN FOR MXE DISTRICT
Mitch Novick "Minority" Report and
Recommendation to the Miami Beach Gommission
Concerning the Deterioration of the Quality of Life in the
MXE District, Ocean Drive, Gollins Avenue and the
Surrounding Neighborhood
January 8, 2016
For several years I have witnessed the deterioration of the quality of life in
the Ocean Drive Entertainment District. I have continuously resided in this
neighborhood since prior to the MXE zoning which was adopted in 1989. I also
operate a hotel in the District. The MXE zoning was intended to accelerate the
revitalization of the Art Deco District. lnstead, what we have today is a 24 hour
circus-like carnival atmosphere which was never anticipated, and is entirely
unacceptable.
Before preparing this report, I have conferred with members of the
business community, residents, and government officials. I have examined plans,
reports, and have attended all the Ocean Drive Task Force meetings to study
these issues.
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From my home, I have witnessed drug deals, prostitution, public
inebriation, defecation, and urination, stabbings which precipitated murder,
sexual assaults, robberies (up 35% this past year), and the list goes on and on.
The MB Police Department have visited me regularly to view my CCTV
public right of way footage which has assisted in the arrest and conviction of
hardened criminals. I also have little doubt that the problems which plague
Washington Avenue along the districts western boundary, are causally related to
the nearby MXE zoning district which spans from 5th to 16th Street along Ocean
Drive and Collins Avenue.
The area is congested with all kinds of riff-raff, it's dirty, dangerous, loud,
and the vacancy factor has skyrocketed. The three streets are saturated with tee
shirt shops, 7-elevens, pizza joints, liquor stores, tattoo parlors and smoke
shops.
Due to the continued degradation of the neighborhood, this past year
we've seen the departure of national tenants including: Barney's Co-op, Urban
Outfitters, Benetton, Kenneth Cole, Ralph Lauren and just recently, Levi's
announced it too, will be leaving. As a hotelier, I can attest that international
tourists are also finding safer destinations to spend their dollars.
I urge you to reject all recommendations having to do with throwing the
public's money to hire more police and code officers. Moreover, a "third-time"
waste of tens of millions of dollars of the publics money to widen sidewalks and
encroach further into Lummus Park reducing its green-space are all the same
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costly and unwise mistakes made by your predecessors serving on the
commission.
Cleaning up Ocean Drive will require strong leadership and a epmmitment
and resolve to stand up to special interests that often make their living off the riff-
raff drawn by the chaos we find so abhonent. Transforming this neighborhood
could be done rapidly and would certainly be encouraged by the new
development occurring in and around the entertainment district. My
recommendations would be easy to implement and more importantly, will not
require special public expenditures of taxpayers funding.
My recommended five-point plan is as follows:
1. lmmediately begin enforcement of vehicular
noise violations. !t is the noise which fuels the riff-raff
which is destroying the neighborhood. (This was done
effectively during the Dermer administration, but has
since been abandoned).
2. Amend the noise ordinance as it relates to
Ocean Drive. Currently there are no restrictions and
businesses can blast noise as loud and as lar
Eastward as possible without threat of violation.
Again, it is the noise which fuels the riff-ratf which
continues to destroy the Miami Beach brand.
Observe the folks who congregate and are often
drinking from "Solo" cups in Lummus Park to enjoythe free entertainment from these
noisy establishments.
3. Revisit the MXE Zoning. I strongly believe the
"E" should be changed to an "H". How does Mixed-
Use-Hotel or Mixed-Use-Residential sound? It
sounds like a compatible use to me.
4. Preclude any additional entertainment
establishments from opening on Ocean Drive and
grandfather in those existing establishments with the
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provision that they contain or substantially reduce
their noise levels.
5. The tunnel-like gauntlet of awnings and
umbrellas cunently obscuring Ocean Drive can only
be resolved by limiting table coverage on the Right of
Way. Ocean Drive looks like a squalid tent city from
the serpentine walkway. It is the tables that dictate the
umbrellas and awnings required to protect patrons
from sun and rain.
I am looking to this commission to show leadership and resist the
incessant pressure from the Ocean Drive businesses which continue to want
more and more to the detriment of the greater good of the City of Miami Beach,
its residents and businesses.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mitch Novick
901 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida
305 532 0958
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