Resolution 2023-32543RESOLUTION NO. 2023-32543
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO
EXPLORE THE VIABILITY OF THE CITY ENTERING INTO A MEMORANDUM
OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE CITY MANAGER WITH
ADVANCE AUTHORITY TO CLOSE ANY OF THE CAUSEWAY(S) LEADING
INTO THE CITY DURING THE SECOND AND THIRD WEEKENDS OF SPRING
BREAK IN MARCH 2O24, BASED UPON CERTAIN CAPACITY LIMITS HAVING
BEEN MET AND/OR THE OCCURRENCE OF OTHER ESTABLISHED
CRITERIA; AND FURTHER, DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO
PRESENT ITS FINDINGS, ALONG WITH ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTION(S), TO
THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION AT THE MAY 17, 2023 CITY
COMMISSION MEETING.
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach is a small barrier island nestled between Biscayne
Bay (on the west) and the Atlantic Ocean (on the east); and
WHEREAS, the City only has approximately 90,000 residents and fifteen (15) square
miles of land within its territorial jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, nonetheless, the City of Miami Beach is an internationally renowned tourist
destination that is famous for its beautiful beaches, world -class shopping, entertainment, fine
dining, and vast array of artistic and cultural events; and
WHEREAS, however, in recent years, the City (which has a limited capacity for ingress
and egress) has seen a tremendous number of visitors during the Spring Break/ March high
impact period, which has posed significant challenges including, but not limited to, extreme traffic,
congestion and parking issues, multiple shootings, stampedes, and severe impacts to the City's
Police, Fire, Sanitation, and Code Compliance services; and
WHEREAS, in March 2021, similar unruly crowd control issues during the month of March
resulted in the imposition of emergency measures, including an 8:00 pm. curfew in the area
between 5th Street and 16th Street, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Ocean Drive, while the
remainder of the entire City was subject to a Miami -Dade County midnight (12:00 a.m.) curfew;
and
WHEREAS, in March 2022, the City also experienced massive crowds and several
shootings in a concentrated tourist area over a period of a few days, resulting in the declaration
of a state of emergency and imposition of a weekend curfew for the last weekend of March 2022;
and
WHEREAS, many of the visitors to the City during the month of March are under the
influence of alcoholic beverages (and/or other substances) and have demonstrated a blatant
disregard for the rule of law; and
WHEREAS, in March 2023, there have been multiple fights, shootings, and various other
incidents and police calls for service -- for example, for the period between February 27, 2023
and March 18, 2023, there have been four (4) aggravated assault arrests, three (3) aggravated
battery arrests, seven (7) robbery arrests, twenty (20) arrests for carrying a concealed firearm,
thirty-seven (37) felony drug arrests, twelve (12) arrests for battery on a law enforcement officer,
and eighty-two (82) arrests for other felonies; and
WHEREAS, such incidents include two (2) shootings that occurred the weekend of March
17, which resulted in two (2) fatalities and non -fatal injuries to other persons, and which also
created stampedes that caused injuries to several people, including two (2) volunteer goodwill
ambassadors, and all of which pose a danger to public safety and order in the public streets and
rights -of -way; and
WHEREAS, despite the vast and highly -visible police officer presence in the City,
criminals and their illegal behavior continue undeterred; and
WHEREAS, the City's police officers have been faced with unruly crowds and dangerous
situations, and have been working additional shifts and foregoing some of their days off during
the pendency of Spring Break; and
WHEREAS, the Police Department and its law enforcement partners have impounded
over seventy (70) firearms from February 27, 2023 - March 19, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the City's Police Department and its law enforcement partners have
effectuated 322 arrests from February 27, 2023 to March 19, 2023; and
WHEREAS, regrettably, some of these disturbing incidents and arrests have garnered
attention (including national attention) from various news outlets and media; and
WHEREAS, the City's Police and Fire Departments have also notified the City
Administration that the volume and level of crowds have made it extremely difficult for Police and
Fire emergency vehicles to get through portions of the area in order to adequately protect the
health, safety and welfare of the public; and
WHEREAS, even with the assistance of other law enforcement agencies and their officers,
the Police Department cannot adequately control the overwhelming throngs of revelers in the City;
and
WHEREAS, there are only four (4) causeways (the "Causeways") linking the City of Miami
Beach to the mainland in the City of Miami; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Department of Transportation is the state agency that controls the
operation of, and has authority over, the Causeways; and
WHEREAS, by providing the Miami Beach City Manager advance authority to close any
of the Causeway(s), during 2"d and 31 weekends in March, based upon certain capacity limits
and/or other criteria being met, FDOT would be bestowing an invaluable tool upon the City in
order to assist in maintaining law and order, and protecting the health, safety and welfare of all
persons and establishments within the City of Miami. Beach.
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 direct the City Administration to explore the viability of the City entering
into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Florida Department of Transportation, in
order to provide the City Manager with advance authority to close any of the Causeway(s)
2
leading into the City during the second and third weekends of Spring Break in March 2024,
based upon certain capacity limits having been met and/or the occurrence of other
established criteria; and further, directing the City Administration to present its findings,
along with any alternative option(s), to the Mayor and City Commission at the May 17, 2023
City Commission meeting.
PASSED and ADOPTED this4 / day of HA9G'-%Ar 2023.
ATTEST:
-/Y BAR 3 1 2023
Rafael E. rana o-Iff City Clerk
Dan Gelber, Mayor
(Sponsored by Commissioner Alex J. Fernandez)
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE•
& FOR EXECUTION
(Y-7f � 3 - -
City Attorney Date
3
a
Resolutions - C7 AE
MIAMIBEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Rafael A. Paz, City Attorney
DATE: March 27, 2023
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH,
FLORIDA, DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO EXPLORE THE VIABILITY OF THE
CITY ENTERING INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE CITY MANAGER WITH
ADVANCE AUTHORITY TO CLOSE ANY OF THE CAUSEWAY(S) LEADING INTO THE CITY
DURING THE SECOND AND THIRD WEEKENDS OF SPRING BREAK IN MARCH 2O24, BASED
UPON CERTAIN CAPACITY LIMITS HAVING BEEN MET AND/OR THE OCCURRENCE OF
OTHER ESTABLISHED CRITERIA; AND FURTHER, DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION
TO PRESENT ITS FINDINGS, ALONG WITH ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTION(S), TO THE MAYOR
AND CITY COMMISSION AT THE MAY 17, 2023 CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
ANALYSIS
Pursuant to the request of Commissioner Fernandez, the above -referenced Resolution is submitted for consideration by the Mayor
and City Commission at the March 27, 2023 Commission meeting.
SUPPORTING SURVEY DATA
N/A.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
N/A.
Applicable Area
Citywide
Is this a "Residents Right to
Know" item,_pursuant to
City Code Section 2-14?
No
Legislative Tracking
Office of the City Attorney
Sponsor
Commissioner Alex Fernandez
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
❑ Resolution
Does this item utilize G.O.
Bond Funds?
No