Ordinance 82-2316•
e.
ORDINANCE NO. 82-2316
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, REPEALING CHAPTER 20,
GOVERNING CITY OCCUPATIONAL LICENSES, AND
ENACTING A NEW CHAPTER 20 TO REQUIRE BUSINESS
LICENSES BY BUSINESSES OPERATING IN THE CITY;
REGULATING THE TRANSFER OF LICENSES; REGULATING
ALL COIN-OPERATED DEVICES; SPECIFYING LICENSE
FEES; PROVIDING FOR PENALTIES; PROVIDING APPLI-
CATION PROCEDURES AND GROUNDS FOR DENIAL, SUS-
PENSION AND REVOCATION OF LICENSES; PROVIDING
FOR INVESTIGATION OF APPLICANTS AND LICENSEES;
PROVIDING HEARING PROCEDURES; PROVIDING FOR THE
LICENSING AND REGULATION OF GUN DEALERS; PRO-
VIDING FOR THE LICENSING OF RESIDENTIAL LAND-
LORDS AND REPEALING THE MIAMI BEACH LANDLORD -
TENANT ARBITRATION BOARD; PROVIDING FOR THE
LICENSING OF MEDICAL CLINICS; PROVIDING FOR THE
REGULATION OF PARKING LOTS; PROVIDING FOR PRO-
SECUTION OF UNFAIR CONSUMER PRACTICES BY LICEN-
SEES; PROVIDING FOR CIVIL ACTIONS BY AGGRIEVED
CONSUMERS: PROVIDING A SCHEDULE OF FEES.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI
BEACH, FLORIDA:
SECTION 1 REPEAL AND REPLACEMENT OF CHAPTER 20.
Chapter 20 of the Code of the City of Miami Beach is hereby repealed
in its entirety with the exception of Section 20-17, which shall be
preserved as Section 20-11 of this Chapter. New Chapter 20 is here-
by enacted as follows:
CHAPTER 20
INDEX
Section 20 Definitions 3
ARTICLE I BUSINESS LICENSES
A. General Provisions
Section 20-1 Licenses Required 3
Section 20-2 Other Laws 3
Section 20-3 Duration, Expiration Date,
Transferability 3
Section 20-4 Existing Licenses 4
Section 20-5 Cumulative Effect of Article 4
Section 20-6 Limitations on Licensed
Businesses 4
Section 20-7 Posting of Licenses 4
Section 20-8 Convention Center Activities
Exempt 4
Section 20-9 Personal Responsiblity and Lia-
bility of Officers 4
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B. Application Procedures Generally
Section 20-10 Application Procedures 5
C. Fees Generally
Section 20-11 Schedule of Fees 7
Section 20-12 Fees for Other Businesses 7
D. Additional Business Regulations & Fees
Section 20-13 Coin -Operated Machines 7
Section 20-14 Landlords 7
Section 20-15 Gun Dealers 8
Section 20-16 Medical Clinics 10
Section 20-17 Insurance Agents 10
Section 20-18 Contractors 10
Section 20-19 Parking Lots 11
E. Penalties; Enforcement Procedures
Section 20-20 Investigations 13
Section 20-21 Penalty for Late Payment 13
Section 20-22 Collection of Delinquent Fees13
Section 20-23 Penalty for False Disclosures14
Section 20-24 Penalties, Daily 14
ARTICLE II SUSPENSION & REVOCATION OF LICENSES
& PERMITS
Section 20-25 Grounds 14
Section 20-26 Standards 15
Section 20-27 Notice of Violations 15
Section 20-28 Hearings 15
Section 20-29 Hearing Procedures 16
ARTICLE III CONSUMER PROTECTION
Section 20-30 Purpose 16
Section 20-31 Unlawful Acts, Investigations. 17
Section 20-32 Remedies, Consumers & City
Attorney 17
Section 20-33 Other Remedies 17
Section 20-34 Price, Terms 18
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Sec. 20. Construction of Chapter; Definitions.
All of the provisions of this Chapter shall be cons-
trued liberally on behalf of the City. For purposes of
this Chapter, the following words shall have the follow-
ing meanings unless the context otherwise requires:
a. "Person" shall be defined in accordance with
§1.01(3), Fla. Stat. (1981).
b. "He" shall include the feminine and neuter.
c. The singular includes the plural and vice
versa.
d. "Business" shall mean and include every trade,
occupation, profession or other manner of re-
venue-producing activity.
e. "For cause" as used in this Chapter shall mean
the failure of a licensee to comply with those
conditions, standards or requirements required
for the issuance of his license, or the viola-
tion of any other provision of this Chapter or
other Chapters of the Miami Beach City Code in-
corporated herein.
ARTICLE I. BUSINESS LICENSES
A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 20-1. Business licenses required.
No person shall engage in any business within the
City of Miami Beach for which a license is required by
this Article unless a city license has been procured from
the finance director as provided below.
Sec. 20-2. Application of Other Laws.
A business license issued under this Article does
not waive or supersede other City laws, does not consti-
tute City approval of any particular business activity,
and does not excuse the licensee from all other laws ap-
plicable to the licensee's business. All licenses and
application materials prepared under this Article shall
so state. Neither the payment of a license fee nor the
procurement of a license under this article shall autho-
rize or legalize in any manner a licensee's violation of
city, county, state or federal law. Issuance of a li-
cense hereunder shall not constitute city authorization
or approval of a specific manner of business activity.
Sec. 20-3. Duration and expiration date; transferabil-
ity.
Each license shall be valid for one year and shall
be issued on October 1st of each year and shall expire on
the September 30th of the following year. A business
license may be transferred with the business for which it
was taken out when there is a bona fide sale and transfer
of the business, but such transfer of license shall be
valid only for the period for which it was originally
issued. A business license may be transferred to
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another location within the City of Miami Beach in the
event of relocation of the licensed business. However,
in the event of any such transfer of a license, either
through sale or relocation of a business, the original
license must be submitted to the finance director with a
transfer fee of $10.00; the finance director shall make
note on the license of the transfer and the new location
or new owner, as the case may be, and shall also require
the transfer to disclose all the information concerning
the new owner or location which would otherwise be
required by this Article of a new applicant for the
license.
Sec. 20-4. Pro rata payments; refunds; existing li-
censes.
No license shall be issued for any fractional por-
tion of the year except as expressly authorized by this
Article, and no refund of fees shall be granted. Any
business having a valid occupational license issued under
prior City ordinance may continue to do business under
that license until the expiration date of the license,
and shall then obtain a license under this Chapter by
paying a prorata fee based on the number of months re-
maining from the month of expiration of the license
through and until September 30 of the following year.
Sec. 20-5. Cumulative effect of Article.
Fees paid under this Article are not in lieu of
other fees and taxes required by other city departments,
boards, commissions or officers for permits, registra-
tion, examination, inspection or other regulatory pur-
poses. The provisions of this article are cumulative and
in addition to all other federal, state, county and muni-
cipal laws providing for the collection of taxes, license
and permit fees and charges.
Sec. 20-6. Business limited by licenses.
No business licensed to do a particular type of business
shall engage in any other business subject to licensing
under this Article unless a separate license is acquired
for that purpose. Violation of this section shall be
subject to all the administrative, civil and criminal
penalties authorized under this Chapter.
Sec. 20-7. Posting.
Any person conducting a business for which a license
is required by this article shall post his license in a
conspicuous place in or about his place of business where
it may be seen upon inspection by any official of the
city. For his failure to do so, he shall, upon convic-
tion, be fined or imprisoned, or both, as if he had never
procured such license.
Sec. 20-8. Convention Center Activities Exempt.
All business activities at the Miami Beach Convention
Center and the Theater of the Performing Arts shall be
exempt from the licensing requirement under this Article.
Sec. 20-9. Personal responsibility and liability of of-
ficers and agents.
In the event any business or firm fails to obtain a
business license required by this Article, the manager,
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chief executive and sales agent of the business shall
each, jointly and severally, be required to take out a
license on behalf of the business. It shall be the duty
of all officers of a corporation engaged in business in
the City of Miami Beach to see that such corporation com-
plies with the provisions of this Chapter, and they shall
each personally be subject to the penalties imposed by
this Chapter for failure of a corporation to comply with
the requirements of the Chapter. All corporate officers
applying for a business license on behalf of a corpora-
tion shall be given written notice that they are per-
sonally liable for the corporation's compliance with this
Chapter, and shall in addition be required to execute the
application materials in their individual capacities.
B. APPLICATION PROCEDURES GENERALLY
Sec. 20-10. Application procedures; grounds for denial.
A. Procedures for issuance.
No license shall be issued or granted to any
person to engage in any business named, identified or en-
compassed by this Article unless an application is filed
with the director of finance on forms provided for that
purpose, disclosing the following:
(1) The applicant's name and address, the name of the
business for which a license is sought, the name and
address of the owner and manager of the business,
and if a corporation the names and addresses of each
of its corporate officers and its resident agent,
the type or classification of business for which the
application pertains and the relationship of the ap-
plicant to said business, and the location in the
City where the business will be operated;
(2) When necessary for determining the proper license
fee under this Article, the area, capacity, capital
invested, merchandise or property contained within
the business, the stock carried, number of persons
or things employed or engaged, the quantity, pro-
perty or stock value or such other information as
may be required by this Article for purposes of
determining the proper license fee. It shall be the
duty of the Finance Director, before issuing a
license requiring disclosure of such data, to re-
quire the person applying for such license to file
under oath a statement disclosing such data, which
statement shall be kept permanently on file, and
which statement shall promptly be amended by the
licensee as the circumstances of the business
change.
(3)
If the applicant is a corporation or partnership,
the full name of the corporation or partnership and
the State of incorporation.
(4) If the business is a corporation and is to be con-
ducted under another name, the business name and
county of registration under §865.09, Florida Sta-
tutes.
(5) Whether any of the individuals listed on the appli-
cation has had his license, or the license of any
business in which he had substantial control or
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ownership interests, revoked or suspended under
this or other similar laws.
(6) The application shall contain a section designated
"emergency locator." The applicant shall fill out
as part of the license application the names, busi-
ness and resident addresses and resident and busi-
ness phone numbers of the owner or owners, and the
manager or other persons to be notified in case of
fire or other emergencies. Any changes in such in-
formation during the period for which the license is
issued shall be made to the Finance Director, in
writing.
(7) The application for any establishment at which alco-
holic beverages are served shall contain a certifi-
cate to be signed by the applicant stating that all
requirements of this Chapter and other city ordi-
nances and State laws governing such businesses have
been met.
(8) All applications and licenses shall be assigned a
number, which may be an individual's social security
number and a corporation's federal tax number, or
such other uniform method of numbering selected by
the Finance Director with the advise of the Director
of Management Information Systems.
(9) The application form shall contain the following
language: "The undersigned has carefully reviewed
this application and all information contained
herein has been freely and voluntarily provided, and
all the facts, figures, statements contained in this
application are true and correct."
(10) The applicant shall print and sign his name to the
applications immediately after the above -quoted
statement. In the case of a corporation, an officer
shall be required to sign the application in his
individual capacity and not solely as a corporate
agent, and shall be advised of the provisions of
Section 20-9 of this Article.
(11) The occupational license shall be signed by the city
employee issuing the same.
B. Grounds for denial.
Any person whose application for a business li-
cense has been denied may seek a hearing under §20-29 of
this Chapter. An application for an occupational license
under this Article may be denied on the following
grounds:
(1) That the applicant has failed to disclose or mis-
represented information required by this Article in
the application.
(2) That the applicant currently has a license under
suspension or revocation. Whenever any businesses
license has been suspended or revoked by the city
for any cause whatsoever, no subsequent business
license for a similar business shall be issued by
the city to the person or persons whose business
license has been revoked or suspended.
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(3) That the applicant desiring to engage in the busi-
ness as described in the application has selected a
proposed site or type of business activity which
conflicts with the zoning or other laws of the city.
C. FEES GENERALLY
Sec. 20-11. Schedule of fees.
[Section 20-17 of prior City of Miami Beach Chapter
20 is hereby reenacted as §20-11 of this Chapter -- for
schedule of fees please refer to §20-17 of prior law.]
Sec. 20-12. Fees for all other businesses.
A city license fee, equal in amount to the license
fee or tax imposed by the Dade County Code, is hereby
levied and imposed upon all businesses operating within
the City of Miami Beach which are not specifically named
or enumerated by this Article.
D. ADDITIONAL BUSINESS REGULATIONS & FEES
Sec. 20-13. Regulations concerning coin-operated ma-
chines.
Every music box, mechanical phonograph, juke box,
pin -ball, mechanical or electronic device of skill, food
or drink dispensing machine, newspaper dispensing rack or
other machine or device operated by insertion of a coin,
shall at all times have posted thereon conspicuously and
legibly the name, address and telephone number of the
person owning the device. The police chief is hereby
authorized and directed to take immediate possession of
any machine or device which does not conform to the re-
quirements of this section, and to sell the same at pub-
lic auction after one publication of notice of such sale,
which notice shall be published in a local newspaper at
least ten days prior to the holding of such sale. The
proceeds of such sale shall be paid into the city trea-
sury. At any time prior to the holding of such sale, the
person owning such machine or device may, upon proof of
ownership as evidenced by bill of sale or other evidence
satisfactory to the chief of police, obtain such machine
or device upon payment to the Finance Director the sum of
$100.00 plus all costs and expenses incurred by the city
for the transportation and storage of the machine or de-
vice and publication of notice, if any, in connection
with the confiscation of such machine or device; provided
however that the device shall be returned without cost or
penalty if the owner establishes that the required infor-
mation was posted in accordance with this section and
that the device was regularly inspected for such compli-
ance.
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this Article
for any person to use or operate, or permit to be used or
operated within his place of business, any such machine
or device which does not have affixed to the said machine
or device the information required by this section.
Sec. 20-14. Licensing of Residential Landlords.
(a) License required; fee:
Notwithstanding §20-11(7) or any other provision of the
Miami Beach Code, all persons engaged in the business of
renting three or more dwelling units for residential
purposes, as defined by §83.43(2), Florida Statutes
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(1981), shall obtain a license pursuant to this Article,
upon payment of an annual fee of $125.00. Failure to
obtain a license required by this section shall result in
penalties as specified by this Chapter.
(b) Prohibited practices; enforcement: No person sub-
ject to the above licensing requirement shall violate any
provision of the Florida Residential Landlord & Tenant
Act, §83.40, et. seq., Fla. Stat. (1981); §501.204, et.
seq., Fla. Stat. (1981); Article III of this Chapter, or
any section of the Miami Beach City Code governing land-
lord -tenant matters. Violations of these provisions
shall be subject to prosecution under this Chapter, shall
be cause for suspension or revocation of a landlord's
licence pursuant to Article II of this Chapter, and shall
be grounds for a civil action by the City Attorney or
injured tenants under Article III of this Chapter.
(c) Other laws. This section shall not supersede and
shall be in addition to all other laws, local, state and
federal, governing landlord -tenant relations, but shall
repeal Sections 2-76 through 2-82, Miami Beach City Code.
Sec. 20-15. Licensing of gun dealers; fees.
(a) Licenses required: Every person engaged in the
business of selling firearms at retail shall obtain a
license pursuant to this section. All such persons shall
be required to comply with sections 25-103, 25-108, 25-
109, 25-112, 25-124, 25-125, 25-127 and 25-128 of the
Miami Beach City Code and in the case of violations shall
be subject to the penalties specified by §25-126, Miami
Beach City Code as well as all penalties authorized by
this Chapter.
(b) Licensing procedures: No license shall be issued
under this section until the City Manager has examined
the applicant and obtained certain information as fol-
lows:
(i) Prohibition. It shall be unlawful for any per-
son, without being licensed as provided in this section,
to engage in the business of selling firearms. This sec-
tion applies to persons in the firearms business or in
the business of gunsmithing, and does not apply to iso-
lated sales, transfers or trades between individuals who
are not regularly engaged in the sale or offering for
sale of firearms.
(ii) Application for license; content. Applicants
for licenses to sell firearms under this section must
file with the Finance Director their applications in dup-
licate in the form prescribed by the City Manager. All
applications must be signed and verified by all person(s)
in whose name(s) the license is to be issued. The appli-
cation shall state the full name, age, residence, present
and previous occupations of each person so signing the
same, and shall also specify the complete name, address
and location of the place of business, as well as other
facts as may be required by the City Manager to show the
good character, competency and integrity of each person
signing the application or otherwise involved in the
business.
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(iii) Demonstration of knowledge of city, county,
state and federal laws applicable to sale of firearms re-
quired; fees. As part of the application procedure for a
license to sell firearms, two forms of license shall be
devised. The first license shall be the dealer license,
which shall be issued to the owner, whether corporate or
individual, of any business which sells firearms at re-
tail, for a license fee of $300.00; the second shall be
the employee license, which shall be issued for a fee of
$300.00 to any employee who is engaged as an agent or em-
ployee in the retail sale of firearms. It shall be the
duty of the City Manager, with the advice of the police
chief, to prepare a manual from which questions on a
short written examination will be taken so that the ap-
plicant, whether a dealer or employee, shall show his
knowledge of federal, state, county and city laws govern-
ing firearm sales and ownership. If the applicant should
have difficulty with the written or spoken English lan-
guage, which seriously impairs his ability to demonstrate
his knowledge of such laws, special provisions shall be
made through an interpreter or otherwise, for the admin-
istration of the required written examination to such
person. In the event of failure, the applicant may re-
take the test seven days from date of examination; how-
ever, no person shall be allowed to take this test more
than three times in a twelve month period.
(iv) Investigation of application; fingerprinting.
(1) The City Manager shall require, upon the
initial application, for applicants for licenses to be
fingerprinted, and shall require them to attach to their
initial applications their photographs. The chief of po-
lice may make a records check of each applicant. The
chief of police shall make a complete investigation of
the applicant only when so directed by the City Manager.
(2) The applicant's fingerprints shall be
searched for any previous criminal record and shall be
placed on file by the chief of police of the city.
(v) Issuance of license. Upon completion of an in-
vestigation showing the statements on the application to
be true, and the taking and passing of the required writ-
ten examination on gun control laws and the sale of fire-
arms, and due inquiry into the good character, competency
and integrity of the applicant, if the City Manager is
satisfied as to the applicant's good character, compe-
tency and integrity, a license shall be issued to the ap-
plicant by the Finance Director, provided that:
(1) No license may be issued to any person who
has been convicted of a felony in this state or elsewhere
or who is under eighteen years of age.
(2) No license may be issued solely in the
name of a corporation, firm, partnership, company or
other legal entity, but the corporate name may be listed
on the license.
(vi) File of applications and licenses. After dis-
position of the application, the original shall be main-
tained in the files of the City Manager. The duplicate
copy and all renewal licenses shall be filed with the
chief of police. Attached thereto shall be information
as to the final disposition of the application.
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(vii) Conditions; revocation. A license issued in
accordance with the provisions of this section shall be
revoked upon a violation of section 25-119, Miami Beach
City Code or any other federal, state or local law go-
verning the sale of firearms.
(viii) Annual renewal for either dealer or employee
licenses shall be a form listing the name, address, com-
pany name and address, City of Miami Beach license num-
ber, and notarized signature of the applicant and shall
require payment of a renewal fee of $300.00.
(ix) Repeal of contrary ordinances. This section
shall supersede any contrary or inconsistent provisions
of the City of Miami Beach Code governing the licensing
and testing of gun dealers, including but not limited to
§§25-113 through 25-118, Miami Beach City Code.
Sec. 20-16. Medical Clinics; license fee; disclosure of
physicians; insurance requirements.
Every firm or establishment which provides outpatient
and/or ambulatory medical treatment, diagnosis or care
within the City of Miami Beach shall be required to
obtain a business license for a fee of $200, and shall,
in addition to the other registration requirements under
Sec. 20-10(A) of this Article, disclose in writing the
names of each physician associated with the
establishment. In additon, each such establishment, as a
condition of being licensed, shall file with the Finance
Director copies of the medical licenses of all such
physicians and evidence of professional malpractice
and/or liability insurance policies insuring each
patient of the clinic for up to $3 million dollars in
injuries or loss of life. The City Manager is authorized
to adopt adminstrative rules to define and establish the
nature of such insurance and the proper evidence thereof.
Sec. 20-17. Disclosures required of insurance agents.
Any person conducting the business, occupation or
profession of an insurance agent shall file a sworn
statement with the Finance Director listing the name of
each insurance company for which he is acting. Failure
to do so shall, upon conviction, result in a fine not
exceeding $5,000 and imprisonment not exceeding 90 days,
in addition to any other penalties authorized by this
Chapter.
Sec. 20-18. Contractor's permit.
No contractor shall initiate or engage in work in the
City of Miami Beach without first submitting to the
Finance Director evidence of compliance with all
applicable Dade County laws governing contractors, in-
cluding a copy of a certificate of competency duly issued
by the proper authority of Dade County, and a certificate
showing that the applicant is covered by workers' compen-
sation and public liability insurance equal to or exceed-
ing the minimum limits required by Dade County for con-
tractors. Any contractor who violates this section, or
who engages in work in the City without complying with
this section, or whose County certificate of competency
or insurance has expired or been cancelled, revoked or
suspended shall be subject to the penalties specified by
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Section 20-24 of this Article In the event of
cancellation or repeal of the County fee collection and
disbursement system under Sec. 10-28 of the Dade County
Code, then the City of Miami Beach fee for contractors'
licenses shall be equal to those established by §10-27,
Dade County Code (1982).
Sec. 20-19. Parking lot; definitions, applicablity.
(1) Definition. The term "parking lot" for purposes of
this section shall mean any business engaged in whole or
in part in the storing or parking of three or more motor
vehicles for payment of a fee, provided that the
following shall be exempt from this section:
(a) Garages and other places where motor vehicles
are stored for hire within a building and for which
a license has been obtained under another provision
of this Article;
(b) Off-street parking spaces required under the
Zoning Ordinance of Miami Beach, for multiple -
family uses, and not in excess of 2,000 square feet.
However, the physical, structural and maintenance
requirements of this section shall apply to all
places, lots, parcels, yards or areas owned or used
for the parking of motor vehicles, whether or not
exempted by this subsection.
(2) License required. No person shall conduct, operate
or maintain a parking lot without first obtaining an an-
nual license therefor from the Finance Director. No
license shall be issued without a certificate from the
City Manager or his designate stating that the particular
parking lot or area conforms in all respects with the
landscaping requirements of this section or of Section
33-122, et seq, Metropolitan Dade County Code, whichever
provisions impose the higher standard.
(3) Application. No license required by this Chapter
shall be granted until the applicant for such license
shall file with the Finance Director a written
application on a form, which application shall have been
approved by the City Manager or his designate. Each ap-
plication shall satisfy all requirements for issuance of
permits under Section 20-10 of this Article.
(4) Barriers required. All operators of parking lots
shall construct and maintain permanent barriers of either
concrete or square or rectangular cut timber on each side
of the parking lot. Such barriers shall be so located,
constructed, maintained and fastened as to prevent any
portion of any motor vehicle parked in such parking lot
from extending over, across or upon the line of any ad-
joining property, sidewalk, alley, street or other public
way.
(5) Fences, walls or hedges. An opaque wall or fence of
material and construction to be approved by the Chief
Building inspector, or an opaque dense hedge, not less
than six feet in height, shall be erected or placed and
maintained upon the side and rear lines of parking lots
where such side or rear lines are within fifty feet of
any dwelling, apartment building, or hotel, provided how-
ever, if there is any conflict between the provisions of
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this Section and any provision of the Zoning Ordinance,
the provisions of the latter shall prevail, and provided
further that the requirement of walls, hedges or fences
along rear or side lines of parking lots may be waived,
at the discretion of the City Manager where the occupants
of the abutting property consent to such waiver in writ-
ing. The consent of the owner of multiple -family or
business property abutting the parking lot shall be
deemed to be consent by all the occupants thereof.
(6) Requirements along street frontages. In addition to
the foregoing requirements, all parking lots shall have
constructed and maintained along the street frontages,
exclusive of alleys and excepting approved driveways or
other openings:
(a) A wall, not less than five feet nor more than
six feet in height, of a stucco or equal finish; or
(b) A living hedge not less than five feet nor more
than six feet in height, such hedge to be within a
verdant grass or equal landscaped border four feet
in width.
(7) Surface to be smooth and well -drained. All parking
lots shall be constructed and maintained to provide a
smooth surface, adequately drained, that will not retain
water or dust or loose particles. Nothing contained
herein shall be deemed or construed to waive or modify
any of the provisions of any other ordinance of the City
regulating the use, erection or maintenance of buildings
or structures within the City.
(8) Lighting facilities. If lighting facilities are
maintained on a parking lot, such lighting facilities
shall be of the shielded floodlight type or other type of
lighting to permit drivers of cars to have reasonable and
safe access to all portions of such parking lot during
the hours of darkness. A certificate approving the
lighting installation shall be obtained from the chief
building inspector prior to issuance of a parking lot
license hereunder.
(9) Fire protection. Licensed parking lots shall be
equipped with fire -extinguishing apparatus approved by
the fire department of the City.
(10) Removal of parked vehicles. It shall be unlawful
for any owner, operator or employee of any licensed park-
ing lot, to move any parked motor vehicle from the
parking lot to any public street, parking area or any
other public or private property without the consent of
the owner, the owner's agent, or the Chief of Police, un-
less specifically authorized to do so by law.
(11) Signs to be posted. Operators of licensed parking
lots shall place and maintain at each vehicle entrance
printed signs conspicuously disclosing the price or fee
charged for the parking of motor vehicles thereon, and
indicating, in two-inch red letters, the City license
number issued to the owner or operator.
(12) Fees. Annual parking lot license fees shall be
$100.00.
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY • 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE - MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
(13) Penalties. It shall be unlawful and a violation of
this Chapter for any licensee to use, or permit to be
used in whole or in part, any parking lot, unless the
same is in compliance with the requirements of this ordi-
nance. It shall be unlawful for any licensee to fail to
maintain the requirements of this ordinance for any per-
iod during the period licensed hereunder. It shall be
unlawful for any person owning or operating a parking lot
in the City, unless expressly exempted by this Article,
not to obtain a license under this Article.
(14) Repeal of other laws. Chapter 27, Miami Beach City
Code, is hereby repealed.
E. PENALTIES; ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES
Sec. 20-20. Investigation to determine compliance with
chapter.
The City Manager or his designee may investigate
persons engaged in any business encompassed by this arti-
cle and make such inquiry as shall be necessary to deter-
mine whether or not such persons have procured a license
as required by this article, or engaged in conduct which
violates this chapter.
Sec. 20-21. Penalty for late payment.
Any person engaging in any business without obtaining a
valid license under this Article shall be subject to a
penalty of twice the applicable license fee in addition
to any other penalty provided by this ordinance or any
other law. Any person failing to timely apply for the
annual renewal of a license under this Article may be
issued a license only upon payment of a delinquency pen-
alty of ten percent for the first month of delinquency or
portion thereof and an additional five percent for each
month of delinquency thereafter or portion thereof.
Sec. 20-22. Method of collection of delinquent fees and
taxes.
Whenever any licensee or person who is required to
obtain a license under this Article fails to pay a fee
when due or to pay any other fee or fine imposed by this
chapter, or to pay any other City tax or fee required by
the City Code, the City Attorney and City Prosecutor may,
in addition to any other penalty provided by law:
(1) Seek civil and criminal penalties as authorized by
this Chapter;
(2) Recommend the imposition of administrative sanctions
by the City Manager under Article II of this Chapter;
(3) Petition the Circuit Court to enjoin the licensee
or person from engaging in the business for which he has
failed to pay said sum, until such time as he shall pay
the same with costs of such action;
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY - 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE • MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
(4) File a petition with the County or Circuit Courts,
or with the Dade County Tax Collector, to obtain a war-
rant or other order authorizing the levy upon and sale of
any real or personal property of the person owning the
business, to collect the amount due plus the cost of ex-
ecuting the same, plus court costs and reasonable attor-
ney fees. The officer to whom the warrant or order is
delivered shall proceed in all respects and in the same
manner prescribed by law in regard to executions issued
against property upon judgments of a circuit court, and
shall be entitled to the same fee for his services in
executing the warrant, to be collected in the same man-
ner. A copy of the warrant or order shall be filed with
the clerk of the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial
Circuit, and the clerk shall record the same, whereupon
the amount due shall become a lien upon the title to and
legal or equitable interest in any property, whether
real, personal or mixed, of the person or business
against whom the lien is obtained, in the same manner and
to the same extent as a judgment duly docketed in the of-
fice of the clerk of the circuit court with execution
duly issued. In addition, any person who fails to pay a
license fee, tax, fine or other sum required by this
chapter shall, on petition of the City Attorney, be en-
joined by the Circuit Court from engaging in the business
for which he has failed to pay said sum, until such time
as he shall pay the same with costs of such action.
Sec. 20-23. Penalties for false disclosures.
Any person who shall knowingly make a false statement on
a City application or knowingly fail to disclose or sup-
plement information required by this Article, shall upon
conviction thereof be imprisoned for no longer than 90
days and fined no more than $5,000, and shall also be
subject to the civil and administrative penalty autho-
rized by this Chapter.
Sec. 20-24. Penalties; Each day's operation without li-
cense considered separate offense.
Any person who shall carry on or conduct any busi-
ness for which a license is required by this article,
without first obtaining such license, or who violates any
other provision of this Chapter may be prosecuted and
shall upon conviction be punished by a fine not exceeding
$5,000 and imprisonment not exceeding 90 days.Each day a
business is conducted without first having procured a
license therefor, shall be an individual offense punish-
able as specified herein.
ARTICLE II. SUSPENSION AND REVOCATION OF LICENSES AND PERMITS
Sec. 20-25. Grounds for suspension or revocation.
The City Manager shall either revoke or temporarily
suspend the license of any person where it is determined
by the City Manager that:
(1) The licensee has misrepresented or failed to dis-
close material information required by this chapter
to be included in the license application form;
(2) The licensee, as part of the licensee's business ac-
tivity within the City of Miami Beach, is engaged in
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY • 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE - MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
,2o-2
conduct which is an actual threat to the public
health, welfare or safety.
(3) The licensee is conducting business from premises
which do not possess a valid and current certificate
of occupancy and/or certificate of use as may be re-
quired by City or County laws.
(4) Habitual conduct has occurred at the licensee's pre-
mises which violates City, County or State law.
(5) The license issued by the City depended upon the li-
censee's compliance with specific provisions of
federal, state, city or Dade County law and the li-
censee has violated such specific provisions of law.
(6) The licensee has violated any provision of this
Chapter and has failed or refused to cease or cor-
rect the violation after notification thereof.
Sec. 20-26. Standards; rule-making authority.
A suspension not exceeding 6 months shall be imposed in
cases where the licensee's violation is shown to be inad-
vertent and can be promptly corrected by the licensee; a
revocation of the license shall be imposed in all other
cases. The City Manager shall have the authority to
adopt written administrative rules to enforce the provi-
sions of this Article, which rules shall have the force
and effect of City law provided the rules are approved by
the City Attorney and ratified by the City Commission.
Sec. 20-27. Notice of violation; emergency action.
If the City Manager believes that a licensee has en-
gaged or is engaged in conduct warranting the suspension
or revocation of a license, he shall notify the licensee
by certified mail or hand delivery of the violation and
provide a prior administrative hearing pursuant to §20-22
below, unless the City Manager finds that an emergency
condition exists involving a serious danger to public
health, safety or welfare, in which case advance notice
and hearing shall not be required. In the case of an
emergency suspension or revocation, the licensee shall
immediately be advised of the City Manager's action and
afforded a prompt post -suspension or revocation hearing
in accordance with §20-29 of this Article.
The notice shall be in writing and shall set forth
the particulars of the violation and shall state the
things required to be done to eliminate the violation if
any. Service of such notice shall be by mail, addressed
to the licensee at his business address, as disclosed in
his application for the license.
Sec. 20-28. Hearing when licensee or permittee fails to
comply with notice.
If a licensee or permittee fails to comply with any
notice issued as provided above, the City Manager or his
designee may issue an order in writing to the licensee,
by certified mail, notifying him to appear at an admin-
istrative hearing before the City Manager to be held at a
time to be fixed in such order, which date shall be not
less than five days after service thereof. In the event
a licensee fails to comply with a lawful order of the
City Manager, the City Manager may order the closing of
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY - 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE - MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
the offending business and enforce his order by action of
Miami Beach Police Department.
Sec. 20-29. Hearing procedures.
Upon order of the City Manager or upon the request
of a person whose license has been denied or revoked or
suspended by emergency order of the City Manager, or
whose license has been threatened with denial, revocation
or suspension by the City Manager, or upon the request of
any other licensee or applicant affected by action of the
city, a hearing shall be provided and conducted in the
following manner:
(1) The City Manager shall give written notice of the
time and place of the hearing to the licensee and to
the City Attorney's office.
(2) The proceedings shall be informal but shall afford
the licensee the right to testify in his own de-
fense, present witnesses, have legal counsel pre-
sent, submit relevant evidence and cross-examine
witnesses.
(3) Within ten (10) days of the close of the hearing the
City Manager shall render his decision in writing
determining whether or not the license shall be re-
voked or suspended or denied, or other action taken
or continued, as the case may be, and stating his
reasons and findings of fact.
(4) The City Manager shall file his findings with the
city clerk and shall send a true and correct copy of
his order by registered mail, return receipt re-
quested, to the business address listed on the oc-
cupational license or to any such other address as
the licensee or applicant shall designate in writ-
ing. The City Manager's findings shall constitute
the final administrative action of the City of Miami
Beach for purposes of judicial review under Florida
law. The standard of review shall be whether the
City Manager's action or decision is supported by
substantial competent evidence and whether the ad-
ministrative hearing departed from the essential
requirements of law.
ARTICLE III. CONSUMER PROTECTION
Sec. 20-30. Purposes; rules of construction.
This Article shall not supersede, but shall be in
addition to, all other Miami Beach ordinances governing
commercial activities and consumer practices. The provi-
sions of this Article shall be construed liberally to
promote the following policies:
(1) To protect consumers of retail goods, ser-
vices, property or intangibles (including but not limited
to retail purchasers, patrons, borrowers and residential
lessees) from deceptive and unfair trade practices by any
business within the City of Miami Beach.
(2) To make city regulation of consumer practices
consistent with established policies of county, state and
federal law relating to consumer protection.
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY - 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE - MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
Sec. 20-31. Unlawful acts and practices.
Unfair methods of competition and unfair or decep-
tive acts or practices in the conduct of any business,
trade or commerce are hereby declared unlawful.
It is the intent of the City Commission that in con-
struing this section, due consideration and great weight
shall be given to the rules of the Florida Department of
Legal Affairs under §501.204, Fla. Stat. (1981) and the
rules and decisions of the Federal Trade Commission and
the federal courts relating to §5(a)(1) of the Federal
Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45(a) (1)), as from time
to time amended.
Sec. 20-31.1. Investigations and referrals.
The City of Miami Beach City Manager or his designee
shall be empowered to investigate alleged violations of
this Article. In the event the City Manager finds that
probable cause exists to believe that a violation has oc-
curred, he may refer the case to the City Attorney or
take such other action as may be authorized by this Chap-
ter. The City Attorney, in addition to those other civil
and criminal penalties authorized by this Chapter, shall
have the discretion to initiate a civil action to enforce
the provisions of this Article, as provided below. Any
person who engages in a course of business activity con-
sisting of repeated or egregious, unfair or deceptive
trade practices, shall have his occupation license re-
voked by the City Manager, in addition to any other cri-
minal or civil penalties authorized by this Chapter,
subject to the hearing and notice procedures described in
Article II.
Sec. 20-32. Remedies of consumers and City Attorney.
(a) Any consumer injured or aggrieved by an act or prac-
tice in violation of this Article may bring a civil
action for damages and, if the prevailing party, shall be
awarded by the court reasonable attorney fees and court
costs. In the event the court finds that such an action
by a consumer was frivolous, it shall award the defendant
business its court costs and attorney fees.
(b) The City Attorney is hereby authorized to bring:
(1) An action to obtain a declaratory judgment that
an act or practice violates any provision of this Chap-
ter.
(2) An action to enjoin a violation by any busines
which has violated, is violating, or is likely to violate
any provision of this Chapter.
Sec. 20-33. Effect on other remedies.
The remedies of this Article are in addition to re-
medies otherwise available for the same conduct under
city, county, state or federal law. This Article is sup-
plemental to, and makes no attempt to preempt other con-
sumer protection laws and ordinances not inconsistent
with this part.
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY - 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE - MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
Sec. 20-34. Complete price; representations; official
terms.
The following conduct shall constitute per se viola-
tions of §20-25 but this section shall not be construed
as an exclusive definition of unfair or deceptive trade
practices.
(a) Representation by any business of price of a commo-
dity, service or other thing of value unless such
price representation is the complete purchase or
lease price, which shall be unconditioned and in-
clude all charges except taxes levied at the retail
level.
(b) A representation by any business of brand, quality,
quantity, trade name, or other character of any
good, property or service that is untrue or mislead-
ing.
(c) Passing off goods or services as those of another;
(d) Creating likelihood of confusion or of misunder-
standing as to the source, sponsorship, approval, or
certification of goods or services;
(e) Creating likelihood of confusion or of misunder-
standing as to affiliation, connection, or associa-
tion with, or certification by another;
(f) Using deceptive representations or designations of
geographic origin in connection with goods or ser-
vices;
Representing that goods or services have sponsor-
ship, approval, characteristics, ingredients, uses,
benefits, or quantities that they do not have or
that a person has a sponsorship, approval, status,
affiliation, or connection that he does not have;
Representing that goods are original or new if they
are deteriorated, altered, reconditioned, re-
claimed, used or secondhand;
Representing that goods or services are of a parti-
cular standard, quality, or grade, or that goods are
of a particular style or model, if they are of
another;
Disparaging
another by
fact;
Advertising
the goods, services or business of
false or misleading representation of
goods or services with intent not to
sell them as advertised;
Advertising goods or services with intent not to
supply reasonably expectable public demand, unless
the advertisement discloses a limitation of quan-
tity;
Making false or misleading statements of fact con-
cerning the reasons for, existence of or amounts of
price reductions;
(n) Keeping for the purposes of sale, advertising or of-
fering or exposing for sale, or selling any commo-
dity, thing, or service in a condition or manner
contrary to law or regulation;
(o) Selling or offering or exposing for sale, less than
the quantity represented of any commodity, thing or
service.
(p) Violation of City, County or State laws governing
refund and exchanges.
SECTION 2
OTHER ORDINANCES
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be and
the same are hereby repealed.
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY - 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE - MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
•
SECTION 3: SEVERABILITY.
If any article, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or
portion of this Ordinance is, for any reason, held invalid or un-
constitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such portion
shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision and
such holding shall not effect the validity of the remaining portions
of this Ordinance.
SECTION 4 EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Ordinance shall take effect twenty (20) days after adoption in
accordance with law, on July 6 , 1982•
PASSED and ADOPTED this 16th day of
1982.
ATTEST:
i2�t%v1lii c<
City Clerk
1st Reading - June 2, 1982
2nd Reading - June 16, 1982(as amended)
TMP:ab 6112
-19-
June
Mayor
APPROVED
LEGAL DEPARTMENT:
:j• - to,ICc
Date
OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY - 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE - MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
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Chapter 20 repeale' in entirety with
exception of Sect. 20-17 which is
preserved as Sect. 20-11.
Section -76 through 2-82 repealed.
Repealed Chapter 27 in entirety.