Ordinance 2024-4632 ORDINANCE NO. 2024-4632
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CODE OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, BY AMENDING CHAPTER 82, ENTITLED
"PUBLIC PROPERTY," ARTICLE IV, ENTITLED "USES IN PUBLIC
RIGHTS-OF-WAY," BY AMENDING DIVISION 3, ENTITLED
"NEWSRACKS," BY CREATING SECTION 82-259, ENTITLED
"NEWSRACKS AND NEWSPAPER STORAGE BOXES PROHIBITED IN
THE CITY'S HISTORIC DISTRICTS"; AND PROVIDING FOR
REPEALER, CODIFICATION, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
WHEREAS, the purpose of this ordinance is to regulate the placement of newsracks and
newspaper storage boxes on public rights-of-way within locally and nationally designated historic
districts within the City of Miami Beach in order to maintain public safety, preserve the aesthetic
character of the City, and ensure unobstructed pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow in the historic
districts; and
WHEREAS, there are currently no newsracks or newspaper storage boxes with a valid
City permit for placement on the rights-of-way in any historic district in the City of Miami Beach,
though many unpermitted newsracks remain on the City's rights-of-way, often in dilapidated
condition, which forces the Public Works Department to remove and dispose of the unpermitted
and unsightly newsracks as they deteriorate; and
WHEREAS, unpermitted newsracks and newspaper storage boxes currently placed on
the City's rights-of-way are, additionally, often left empty by their owners for long periods of time
and are used by the homeless to store personal belongings and by drug dealers to facilitate
narcotics transactions; and
WHEREAS, although these deleterious effects caused by newsracks and newspaper
storage boxes impact all of the City generally, the deleterious effects upon the City's historic
districts, where the City has a heightened interest in maintaining public safety, preserving the
aesthetic character, and ensuring unobstructed pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow, are
particularly acute; and
WHEREAS,the City does not allow any other business, organization, or individual to place
or maintain any other box, container, or product dispenser of any kind on any of the public rights-
of-way of the City; and
WHEREAS, multiple adequate alternative avenues of communication are available for the
distribution of printed newspapers and other publications in the City and in its historic districts;
and
WHEREAS, in order to maintain public safety, preserve the aesthetic character of the
City's historic districts, and ensure unobstructed pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow in these
historic districts, the Mayor and City Commission prohibit the placement or continued presence
of any newsrack or newspaper storage box on public rights-of-way in any locally or nationally
designated historic district within the City of Miami Beach.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA,AS FOLLOWS:
CHAPTER 82
PUBLIC PROPERTY
ARTICLE IV. - USES IN PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY
*
DIVISION 3. - NEWSRACKS
* * *
Sec. 82-259. — Newsracks and Newspaper storage boxes prohibited in the City's Historic
Districts.
(a) The placement or continued presence of any Newsrack or Newspaper storage box on
any rights-of-way in any locally or nationally designated historic district within the City of
Miami Beach is prohibited.
(b) The Publisher of any Newsrack or Newspaper storage box currently placed on the City's
rights-of-way in any local or national historic district within the City shall be provided
notice by the Department of the requirements of this section within ten (10) days of the
effective date of this section and shall remove any prohibited Newsrack or Newspaper
storage box within thirty(30) days of the effective date of this section
(b) Any Newsrack or Newspaper storage box placed or remaining on the City's rights-of-
way in any local or national historic district within the City shall be removed by the
Department, with the cost of removal and storage to be billed to the Publisher. If the
Publisher does not pay the Department and retrieve the Newsrack or Newspaper
storage box within ten (10) days, the Department may discard the Newsrack or
Newspaper storage box and proceed with collection for the outstanding billed amount.
(c) All other provisions of this division otherwise applicable to Newsracks and Newspaper
storage boxes shall be inapplicable to any Newsracks and Newspaper storage boxes
placed, maintained, or remaining in any historic district.
Secs. 82-259 82-260-82-280. - Reserved.
SECTION 3. REPEALER.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances and all section and parts of sections in conflict
herewith be and the same are hereby repealed.
SECTION 4. CODIFICATION.
It is the intention of the City Commission, and it is hereby ordained that the provisions of
this ordinance shall become and be made part of the Code of the City of Miami Beach as
amended; that the sections of this ordinance may be renumbered or relettered to accomplish such
intention; and that the word "ordinance" may be changed to "section" or other appropriate word.
SECTION 5. SEVERABILITY.
If any section, subsection, clause or provision of this Ordinance is held invalid, the
remainder shall not be affected by such invalidity.
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE,
This Ordinance shall take effect ten days following adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this Pi day of "T /it , 2024.
•
ATTEST: J I I 3 0 2021 Steven Meiner, Mayor
Rafael E. Granado, City Clerk
(Sponsored by Commissioner David Suarez) Co-Sponsored by Commissioner Joseph Magazine
Underline denotes additions APPROVED AS TO
S ike-t r-e denotes deletions. _,M�"B„ FORM & LANGUAGE
: ,,, &FOR EXECUTION
=.IN ORATEO•`•
� 2o7A--
.., ;��.= rt torneY Date
Ordinances -R5 J
MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: City Attorney Ricardo J. Dopico
DATE: July 24, 2024 11:00 a.m. Second Reading Public Hearing
TITLE: AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI
BEACH, BY AMENDING CHAPTER 82, ENTITLED "PUBLIC PROPERTY,"
ARTICLE IV, ENTITLED "USES IN PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY," BY AMENDING
DIVISION 3, ENTITLED "NEWSRACKS," BY CREATING SECTION 82-259,
ENTITLED"NEWSRACKS AND NEWSPAPER STORAGE BOXES PROHIBITED IN
THE CITY'S HISTORIC DISTRICTS"; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER,
CODIFICATION, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ANALYSIS
At the request of the sponsor, Commissioner David Suarez,this proposed ordinance is presented
to the Mayor and City Commission for your consideration.
The purpose of the proposed ordinance is to regulate the placement of newsracks and newspaper
storage boxes on public rights-of-way within locally and nationally designated historic districts
within the City of Miami Beach in order to maintain public safety, preserve the aesthetic character
of the City, and ensure unobstructed pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow in the historic districts.
There are currently no newsracks or newspaper storage boxes with a valid City permit for
placement on the rights-of-way in any historic district in the City of Miami Beach, though many
unpermitted newsracks remain on the City's rights-of-way, often in dilapidated condition, which
forces the Public Works Department to remove and dispose of the unpermitted and unsightly
newsracks, as they deteriorate.
Unpermitted newsracks and newspaper storage boxes currently placed on the City's rights-of-
way are, additionally, often left empty by their owners for long periods of time and are used by the
homeless to store personal belongings and by drug dealers to facilitate narcotics transactions.
Although these deleterious effects caused by newsracks and newspaper storage boxes impact
all of the City generally, the deleterious effects upon the City's historic districts, where the City
has a heightened interest in maintaining public safety, preserving the aesthetic character, and
ensuring unobstructed pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow, are particularly acute.
The City does not allow any other business, organization, or individual to place or maintain any
other box, container, or product dispenser of any kind on any of the public rights-of way of the
City. Multiple adequate alternative avenues of communication are available for the distribution of
printed newspapers and other publications in the City and in its historic districts.
Therefore, in order to maintain public safety, preserve the aesthetic character of the City's historic
districts, and ensure unobstructed pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow in these historic districts,
the proposed ordinance prohibits the placement or continued presence of any newsracks or
Page 974 of 1750
newspaper storage box on public rights-of-way in any locally or nationally designated historic
district within the City of Miami Beach.
A map of the City's historic districts is attached here and is available for online viewing at:
https://www.miamibeachfl.qov/city-hall/planninq/maps-and-quidelines/.
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate? No
(FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)
The Business Impact Estimate (BIE)was published on 7/5/2024. See BIE at:
https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/citv-clerk/meetinq-notices/
Applicable Area
Citywide
Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, Is this item related to a G.O. Bond
pursuant to City Code Section 2-17? Proiect?
No No
Was this Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481,
includes a principal engaged in lobbying? No
If so, specify the name of lobbyist(s)and principal(s):
Department
City Attorney
Sponsors)
Commissioner David Suarez
Co-sponsor(s)
Commissioner Joseph Magazine
Page 975 of 1750
Unsightly Newsracks : -ry" ?f
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Page 980 of 1750
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Page 981 of 1750
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Page 982 of 1750
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Miami New Times Newsrack Locations s
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Page 983 of 1750
Miami Beach Historic Districts
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' * Approximately 3/ of newsracks
on the public right-of-way are
located within historic districts.
Page 984 of 1750
Miami Beach Historic Districts
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Page 985 of 1750
Financial Impact of Newsstand Boxes
DAVIO SI'AREZ
• Very little income is generated for the city ($25
per box per year)
• Total of $4,125 per year based on current
estimates
• Boxes are neglected by the owners
• City currently pays for all removal and disposal
costs of destroyed newsstand boxes (labor and
fees to unbolt, remove, and properly dispose of
llYAf911] t]7SikJi�7R::#e-
the boxes)
Page 986 of 1750
Environmental Impacts - *
DAVID SUAREZ
C OMM1151()M/R
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• Waste of paper — Content is available online
• Print readership is low
• Most newspapers are not recycled
Page 987 of 1750
•r _
e
Conclusion 4.17ITmit?DAVID Si ARE?
i-()MMIS S,0$FR
It
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70 1' -: 7.4k _ el - : 1 74,
r - - , nyrte- .
Due to the neglect and dilapidated condition of many of the Miami New Times
newsracks, the City has a compelling interest to remove the affected newsracks from
the public right-of-way and further regulate the existing newsracks.
Page 988 of 1750