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Panel Input - Suggestions for Action (2-23-21)Suggestions for Action Items 02/23/2021 Curtis Slipman 1. Murals (recs# 10 and #16) could devolve into a mechanism to spread political ideology or a vehicle for social change. we should not become San Francisco. As such, if murals are to be painted, then we need a mechanism to ensure the aforementioned concerns do not occur. 2. Christmas lights (rec #11) should be white. Multicolored lighting would not be welcomed by the il Villaggio and/or 1500 community. 3. Enhanced storefront lighting (rec#15) should be balanced such that it increases security, while creating a pleasurable ambient environment. Perhaps we secure input from a lighting expert. 4. Graffiti enforcement (rec #20) - it may be wise to have a regulation that stipulates all property owners must remove graffiti within 24 hours or receive a fine that escalates with each occurrence. Of course, public property should be treated similarly by the appropriate agency/dept. Jen Roberts Perhaps we can enlist some of the local arts organizations to do a cohesive empty store fronts exhibition? There could be an opportunity for the artists to win a signage design as well. It could be great marketing for the district. Number 18 on Jonathan’s list is also interesting because the City could probably get some of the institutions to support with inexpensive sponsorship of the banners. I think the real problem right now is crime and congregation of drunk or rowdy people. I am not sure how to make a change to that other than policing, but perhaps there’s a way to lure people away toward the park so they do not impede traffic on the side streets or people strolling. I have seen a few videos posted on Facebook that make the area look extremely uninviting at the moment and promote the bad image that many have of Ocean Drive. Is it a quick seating solution, more Xmas lights hanging between the trees to create a nicer ambience? Classical music evenings Thurs – Saturday… I do not really know what is possible in such a short period of time. I do think a call to artists to help support is an interesting idea for the boarded-up storefronts and possibly to help avoid the graffiti. Some of the organizations to reach out to: • Oolite • Bakehouse • Fountainhead Foundation • Mana I think Jonathan’s list is great. Daniel Ciraldo For the first point about increased sanitation, I'd like to know with the Washington Ave and Lincoln Road and Espanola Way BIDs, what their sanitation budget is. I don't think the City should be paying extra costs for Ocean Drive when that group has not been able to set up a BID. That would 2 be another hit on our taxpayers who continue to fund a lot of these issues that the business community should be more responsible for. John Stuart • Create an Art Deco Cultural District website and map including all the cultural offerings in the area. • Turn select parking spaces on the Lummus Park side of OD into pocket parks to help people to start thinking about the idea of the expansion of the green area. • Section off a dog park in Lummus Park. • Create pop-up children’s parks. • Create an ADCD neighborhood wifi system. • Work with the Bass Museum to curate a sculpture park in Lummus Park. • Allow empty spaces to be used as temporary creative incubator spaces for small businesses. • Make the alley into a series of virtual workout stations. • Create a social, cultural and architectural history of the ADCD (with MDPL?). Make sure that people (hotel owners, guests, artists, visitors, etc) are in those narratives and they are not just standard stylistic building histories! • Host urban hackathons to get people to this cultural district and to recognize its potential as such! • Invite artists to paint crosswalks in the ADCD. • Host a Pokeman Go style augmented reality game in the ADCD. • Make t-shirts with graphics that highlight the ADCD. • Create special garbage cans for the ADCD. • Add bike parking. Jane Krupp After the terrifying stolen car chase on Ocean Drive, in the middle of the afternoon, with frightened tourists running for their lives, and broadcast on social media and the news yesterday, I see very little on this list that would transform the MXE 'wild west' into the ADCD. Residents have been working proactively with Code Enforcement and the Police Department for over a year to clean up the mess. We are in self-preservation mode and do not make lists, we act. Code is enforcing graffiti laws and has also done a great job with noise, hawking and illegal dumping. Residents have enthusiastically supported the city hiring more police officers and acquiring new enforcement tools. We are on the ground, literally every day, working with them to fix the failures of the MXE. 3 I suggest that the Panel, which is comprised of 80% commercial interests, come up with some ideas that can be immediately implemented by commercial stakeholders to upgrade their own environment and operations and take responsibility for the carnival/club image they nurture and promote. Safety and all quality-of-life, except the weather, has been dragged down by commercial neglect and corporate, absentee landlords degrading their own properties. We are left with Miami Beach as a social media, reality show, video prop for criminal and anti- social behavior. As I mentioned at the last Panel meeting, Barlooza continues to be promoted by the Washington Avenue BIDS, even though the City wisely shut down Spring Break. The irresponsibility of all those involved in promoting this event is astonishing. Washington Avenue is a failure, it is now crime central. Is anyone surprised that there was another brawl last night, with 3 arrested, in front of the Licking? Name one desirable retail store to move in since the "experiment" began. Garbage in, garbage out. Crime is entertainment and we keep giving it a platform and glamorizing it. Close down the tattoo parlors, vape shops, liquor stores and the check cashing stores and all other criminal support systems. Get rid of all beach rental toys including the bluetooth speakers and ugly advertising they ride around with...'Rent-me' signs have got to go. Commercial responsibility: Review building codes at each property. Owners must restore, repair, paint and clean around their own properties. The Ocean Drive Association could look into sponsoring their own cleaning force, since it's their clientele doing the littering, not the tax-paying residents. Implement a stepped-down, commercial delivery system now to mitigate the traffic chaos. Communicate with parking enforcement, suppliers and drivers to schedule staggered deliveries and strictly enforced loading locations. Permit use of 4-wheeled vans only east of Collins Avenue. No weekend deliveries when the streets are full of tourists. Remove defunct parking and loading signage due to the closing of Ocean Drive. Enforce parking regulations on the 100 blocks off of Ocean Drive. We need radical change to improve the quality-of-life that has been degraded by commercial operators at street level. Create proper architectural and path lighting. If new codes are needed to make owners more responsible, then the city can consider new standards in the lighting code for property owners. Lighting should be discreet and properly illuminate the architecture and streets around each property. It's for the safety of their own customers. Upgraded historical lighting should be researched, restored and required. Remove Covid-era sidewalk cafes. This cluttered, street carnival/club atmosphere has dragged us down the drain. 4 Unencumber historic facades, get rid of the plastic grass, make-shift barriers, hookahs and circus tents in the right-of-way. The coming, low density, residential market will transform the MXE more than anything else, to the ADCD, and will require upscale retail. Throw off this ghetto/tourist trap economy. Polish our iconic, architectural gems, upscale market them so they are desirable real estate for the repurposing/bidding war/tsunami that's about to hit, similar to what's happening on Lincoln Road with the high interest in city properties for the 'low density' live, work, play market. Close 11th Street between Washington and Ocean Drive to vehicles on the weekends. Go there on a Friday night and you will understand the issues-mainly centered around vehicles...It's an open-air club for 2 blocks and a source of trouble. We are way beyond the 'Christmas lights and murals' fix. We are sitting on a property gold mine and the last thing we need to do is put any effort into attracting more low-end, mono-tourism that drains our enforcement dollars and lowers property values with more of the same high school prom decorations. The rights-of-way are a chaotic, visual mess and invite likewise behavior. Unclutter and create a sophisticated, upscale atmosphere. It begins by stopping and protecting our properties from abuse by owners who operate with disrespect and cater to criminals, who come to pillage and destroy our community. The commercial community must become proactive, step up to the plate and start taking responsibility for their own failures, as residents work with city agencies and are doing everything we can, with no profit motive, to fix this mess that we didn't create.