april 14 pg 3 Article.pdfSTAT
MIAMI BEACH
OFTH
CITY
DAVID DERMER TOUTED MIAMI
I'S ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL
ITY, AND INCLUDED PROPOSALS
;E THE CITY'S SEXUAL OFFENDER
Z) ESTABLISH A TAX REFUND FOR
RESIDENTS
n
d for full-time
a proposal that
sexual offend-
500 feet away
parks or any
ildren congre-
nong the key
Mayor David
nt State of the
o delivered the
died with his
.~nd of punch
Hall on Friday
legislation on
'or presentation
City Commis-
~quires a 1,000-
separation for
rs. Dermer said
nt "doesn't go
r a community
with such a large population of
children.
"I feel very strongly about
this and will do what I can do
locally to protect the children
of this community," Dermer
said.
Dermer plans to introduce
the legislation at the April 20
commission meeting.
He dismissed criticism that
the measure would push the 36
sexual offenders registered in
the city to nearby communi-
ties.
"It's a rational proposal," he
said. "I'm elected by the resi-
dents of Miami Beach and will
do everything I can to protect
our citizens."
He touted the city's eco-
nomic boom driven by soaring
real estate prices and tourism,
and praised staffers and his
fellow commissioners for
helping to make the city one of
the most coveted places to
But there is more to be
done, he said.
With that in mind, he said
he'll sponsor legislation to
establish an Urban Impact
Compensation fund -- a pool
of tax dollars that will be set
aside to return to full-time res-
idents who apply for it. Details
of the plan are still being
ironed out and will be pre-
HARICE COHN BAND/HERALD STAFF
CELEBRATION: Maria Rodriguez, 102, center, helps the city of Miami Beach celebrate its
90th birthday on Friday. The city invited residents over 90 to attend the ceremony,
complete with a cake and a time capsule. Fellow celebrators included, from left,
Commissioner Saul Gross, Commissioner Jose Smith, Mayor David Dermer,
Commissioner ivlatti Herrera Bower, Commissioner Richard L. Steinberg,
Commissioner Simon Cruz and Vice Mayor Luis R. Garcia.
sented at this month's com-
mission meeting, he said.
Many who attended Fri-
day's event shared the mayor's
thoughts about progress.
"Things are much better
than before," said 78 year-old
South Beach resident Delve
laque, who moved to the city
from New York a decade ago.
Commissioner lose Smith
called the speech "upbeat" and
"well-presented."
"Times are good for the
city financially," said Smith.
"From every indication, the
city is on a roll and we ought
to be very proud about that."
The speech was capped
with a ceremonial birthday
cake to honor the city's 90th
birthday and the burial of a
time capsule.
The transparent tube, mea-
suring 24 inches by 4 inches,
was stuffed with memorabilia
includ!ng, a copy of a recent
commLssLon agenda, photo-
graphs of the mayor and com-
missioners, and a resident
guide. The capsule, buried
outside City Hall, will be
reopened in 2065.
kCH
fret during roadwork
on dollar
~venue
=roject will
ng better
street
~. For now, it's
: congestion,
e business
on dollar reno-
tington Avenue
~r promises to
f South Beach's
less-glamorous commercial
streets with new sidewalks,
landscaping and lighting.
But the most recent stage of
the repairs brings its own
woes: A southbound three-
block stretch is shut down,
with all traffic rerouted to the
two lanes on the northbound
side, causing congestion and
cutting into the already lim-
ited parking.
Some business managers
and owners are worried about
the effect the construction will
have on their bottom line.
"We've had hardly any
business at all since they
started work outside," said
Ada Young, manager of Rag-
gee Wear, located across from
the current street closure
stretching from Ninth to llth
streets. "This is killing us."
Young and other business
managers face many more
months before Washington
Avenue is flowing freely again.
Over the next 18 months, simi-
lar three-block segments from
Fifth to 16th streets will be
shut down in phases until the
$13 million renovation --
which includes drainage
improvement and roadway
resurfacing -- is finished.
City administrators say
they have implemented mea-
sures to limit the construc-
tion's impact on businesses.
"We've really made large
investments to mitigate the
effect on businesses, such as
creating pedestrian-friendly
barriers and putting out signs
to let everyone know that
businesses are open and acces-
sible,'' said city spokeswoman
Nannette Rodriguez. "When
the repairs are finished, the
street will have a face lift,
enhancing the experience of
one of the city's most popular
destinations."
The city has also accommo-
dated deliveries and valet
parking operations, and has a
person designated to provide
information to businesses and
to help resolve problems
caused by the construction
when possible, Rodriguez said.
The Washington Avenue
improvements are scheduled
to be complete in early 2007.
The streetscape improve-
ments "will change the ambi-
ence of the street," said Com-
missioner Saul Gross, who has
a business on Washington
Avenue. "It will set a different
mood for the street at night,
making it more conducive for
shopping. Washington Ave-
nue's future can only go up
from hare."
D