Resolution 2025-33783 RESOLUTION NO. 202533783
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITV OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING ALL CITY
STAFF AND PERSONNEL, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INVALUABLE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CITY'S OUTSIDE AGENCY PARTNERS, FOR THE
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS OBSERVED DURING SPRING BREAK 2024
AND SPRING BREAK 2025, PARTICULARLY IN CONTRAST TO SPRING
BREAK PERIODS IN PRIOR YEARS, MOST NOTABLY SPRING BREAK 2021,
2022 AND 2023, WHICH WERE MARKED BY PUBLIC SAFETY INCIDENTS
INCLUDING MASS OVERCROWDING, PUBLIC MAYHEM, AND INSTANCE5
OF GUN VIOLENCE; AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE CORRESPONDING
IMPROVEMENTS IN HOTEL OCCUPANCY, ROOM RATES, REVENUE PER
AVAIIABLE ROOM ("REVPAR"�, AND THE OVERALL RESIDENT AND
VISITOR EXPERIENCE; AND FURTHER, APPROVING AND DIRECTING THE
CITY ADMINISTRATION TO IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY,
SIMILAR TO SPRING BREAK 2024 AND SPRING BREAK 2025, FOR SPRING
BREAK 2026, AS DIRECTED AND SET FORTH HEREIN, IN ORDER TO
PROACTIVELY STEM ?HREATS AND CONTINUE PRIORIT121NG PUBLIC
SAFETY TO SECURE A POSITIVE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR
ALL; AND FINALLY, DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE
THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION WITH, AT A MINIMUM, QUARTERLY
LETTERS TO COMMISSION ("LTCs"), AS WELL AS �UARTERLY UPDATES
ON CITY COMMISSION AGENDAS, REGARDING ITS PLANNING AND
IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS, BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER 2025.
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach ("City") has long been a premier destination for
visitors throughout the year, induding the Spring Break season, hosting tourists from across the
nation and around the world�, and
WHEREAS, in recent years, the Ciry had seen an increasingly large number of visitors
dunng the Spring Break penod, which has posed signifcant challenges including, but not limited
to, eztreme traffic and congestion, and severe impacts to the City's Police, Fire, Sanitation, and
Code Compliance services; and
WHEREAS, in sharp contrast, Spring Break 2024 and Sp�ing Break 2025 were marked
by a substantial reduction in public safery incidents and a vastly improved atmosphere (or both
residents and visitors; and
WHEREAS, this improvement in safery and order coincided with increased hotel
occupancy and higher average daily room rates, suggesting a positive shift toward hlgher-quality
tourism and a more suslainable visitor economy; and
WHEREAS, during the first four(4) months of 2025(January—April), Miami Beach led all
cities in lhe United States in hotel room rate, occupancy, and revenue per available room
("RevPAR"); antl
WHEREAS, additionally, in the monlh of April from Spring Break 2024 vs. Spring Break
2025, the City saw a 3.6% increase in hotel occupancy, a 7.3% increase in hotel room rate, and
an astounding 11.1% increase in RevPAR�, antl
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission commend the outstanding eHorts of the City
Administratioq the Police Department and all other City departments, including the invaluabie
con�ributions of all our supporting personnel and paRners whose coordina[ed and proactive
measures significantty contributed to ihe successful outcomes dunng Spring Break 2024 and
Spring Break 2025; and
WHEREAS, in prior years—including Spring Break 2021, 2022, and 2023, the City
experienced excessively large and unruly crowds ihat led to serious public safety challenges,
including stampedes, the presence and use of firearms, and tragic fatalities from gun violence;
and
WHEREAS, in 2021, unruly crowd conirol issues dunng Spring Break resulfetl in the
imposition of emergency measures, including an 8:00 p.m. cudew in the area between 5th Street
and 16th Street, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Ocean Drive; and
WHEREAS, in March 2022, the City also experienced massive aowds and several
shootings in a concentreted tourist area over a period of a few days, resulting in the declaration
of a state of emergency and imposilion of a weekend midnight curfew for the last weekend of
March 2022 based upon the excessively large crowds and violence occurring on the second and
third weekend of March 2022; and
WHEREAS, such 2022 incidents included the shooting of 5 different innocent pedestrians
antl created stampedes and mayhem in the public streets and rights-06way; and
WHEREAS, also in 2022, the Police Department and its law enforcement partners
impounded one-hundred (100) firearms from February 18, 2022 - March 21, 2022, with
approximately thirty-seven(37)of such f rearms having been im pountled dunng the third weekend
in March spanning Maroh 18-20; and
WHEREAS, in March 2023, the City experienced multiple fights, shootings, and various
other incidents and police calls for service—for example, for Ihe period between February 27,
2023 and March 18, 2023, there were 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 dmg arrests, hvelve(12)arrests(or battery on a law enforcemeM officer,
and eighty-iwo(82)arrests for other felonies; and
WHEREAS, in addition, ihe Police Department and its law enforcement partners
impounded over seventy(70)firearms�rom February 27, 2023-March 19, 2023; and
WHEREAS, such March 2023 incidents includetl hvo (2) shootings that occurretl the
weekend of March 17th, which resulted in two (2)fatalities and injuries to others, and which also
created stampedes that caused injunes to several people, induding hvo (2) volunteer goodwill
ambassadors, and all of which posed a danger to public safety and order in the public streets and
rights-o(-way; antl
WHEREAS, in response to each of ihe two (2) deatlly shoo�ings, oKcers were able to
arzive on [he scene within a matter of seconds, but nevertheless were unable to prevent the
shootinqs(and were, themselves, endangered by their close proximity to the shootings); and
WHEREAS, these conditions placed significant strain on law enforcement and emergency
services, dramatically disrupted residents' quality of lite, and damaged the City's image as a safe
and enjoyable iravel destinalion; and
WHEREAS, for Spnng Break 2024 and Spring Break 2025, the Mayor and City
Commission adopted Resolution Na 2024-32905 and Resolution No. 2025-33263, respectively,
which authorized and directed lhe City Adminisiretion to enact the proactive measures set forth
in this ResoWtion, leading to the City's most successful Spring Break iesponse; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest oi our residents and the public interest to continue to
build upon this progress by ensuring that future Spring Break seasons con�inue to prioritize safety,
order, and a welcoming environment ihat enhances Ihe City's reputation and supports its
residents and businesses; and
WHEREAS, based on the foregoing, the Mayor and City Commission desire to approve
and direct the City Administra�ion to implement the measures specifed in this Resolution,as part
of the Mayor and City Commission's comprehensive strategy to protect ihe health, safety and
welfare of all residenis and visitors in the Ciry of Miami Beach; and
WHEREAS, in order to ensure continued accoun[ability, transparency, and sustained
progress toward a successful and well-managed Spring Break 2026,the City Commission desires
quarterly updates. commencing in September 2025, from the City Administration via Letteis to
Commission("LTCs")and quarterly update items to be placed on ihe Ci�y Commission's meeting
agendas detailing the Administration's planning efforts and implementation progress.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULV RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE GTY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, Ihat the Mayor and City
Commission hereby recognize and commend all City staff and personnel, in conjunction with the
invaluable coniributions of the City's outside agency partners, for the significanl improvements
observed dunng Spring Break 2024 and Spring Break 2025, particularly in cont25t b Spring
Break periods in prior years, most notably Spring Break 2021, 2022 and 2023, which were marked
by public safety incidents including mass overcrowding, public mayhem, and instances of gun
violence; and acknowledge the corresponding improvemenis in hotel occupancy, room rates,
revenue per availa6le room ("RevPAR"), and the overall resident and visitor expenence; and
further, approve and direct the City Administration to implement a comprehensive sirategy, as
directed and set forth below, for Spiing Break 2026 in order to proactively stem ihreats and
continue pnontizing public safety and secwing a positive and welcoming environment!or all; and
fnally, directing the City Administration to provide the Mayor and Ciry Commission with, at a
minimum, quarterly Letlers to Commission ("LTCs"), as well as quarterly updates on City
Commission agendas, regarding its planning and implementation progress, beginning in
September 2025.
(1) Adopt and execute a heightened law enforcement staffing plan, induding "Alpha
Bravo" staffing from Thurstlay through Sunday on the second and ihird weekends in March, in
partnership with law enforcement agencies providing additional resources to the Miami Beach
Police Department, including the Florida Highway Patrol, Miami-0ade County Police Department,
Ciry o/Miami Police Depariment, and Coral Gables Police Department, among other jurisdlctions;
(2) vigorously enforce ihe "Open Container" law, prohibitin9 consumption ot alcoholic
beverages in public aieas and rights-of-way;
(3) close public beaches, from 5'" Street to 15'" Sireet, or portions thereof, at 6:00 p.m.,
from Thursday, March 5, 2026 until Sunday, March 8, 2026�, from Thursday, March 12, 2026 until
Sunday, March 15, 2026; and Thursday, March 19, 2026 until Sunday, March 22, 2026, as
necessary, and as authorized by Section 82-443 of the City Cotle;
(4) support, if necessary, the suspension of sitlewalk cafe operations on Ocean Dnve,
(rom 5'" Street to i5th Street, at 7:00 p.m., for similar weekends as the beach dosures, as
authonzed by the City's outdoor dining concession agreements;
(5) enforce the City's Noise ONinance to the fullest extent permitled by law, with a focus
on preventing the splllover of loud music from establishments that con[ri6ute to the party
atmosphere on public righ�s-of-way;
(6) increase Code enforcement, Parking enforcement and Fire Code staffing antl
inspections of business establishments to ensure compliance with all laws;
(7) continue to explore the implementation of a secured penmeter on Ocean Drive or
portions thereof;
(8) continue to expbre the implementation of midnight cuAews and other emergency
measures in accordance with all laws, as deemed necessary by the Ciry Manager based on on-
the-ground observations of conditions during and leading up to Spring B�eak as well as historical
data and Irends;
(9) implement a robust marketing and communications campaign to apprise the public
and area businesses to anticipate possible curtews and to be aware of the significant additional
restrictions during Spring Break;
(10)work dosely with Uber, Lyft, antl other rideshare apps to communicate reslnctions to
the public via their platforms;
(11)close all City-owned or City-operated parking bts and garages in the Art Dew Culturel
Oislrict, including along Washinglon Avenue and Collins Avenue, belween 5'" Street antl 15'"
Street, starting each Thursday at 6:00 p.m. and reopening at 6 a.m. each Monday moming of the
second and third weekends oi March (and reserving the ability to close any City-owned garages
and parking bts, if necessary, any of the five weekentls of March 2026);
(12) implemeM the high impact parking rate in City-0wned or Cify-operated parking lots
and garages, with a daity rate of up to $100, wifh the exception of residents, employees working
in the City, and access card holders;
(13) restrict on-street parking on Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Washington Avenue,
fram 5'" Street to i 6'^ Streek
(14) work with Miami-Dade County to explore Ihe cbsure of the Venetian Causeway
and/or restrict the Venetian Causeway for resident use only;
(15) create a special event zone or zones, if legally justified, pursuant to Fla. Stat.
316.1891, posl all legally required signage, and enforce penalties, such as double fnes and
vehicle impoundmeni for noncriminal Iraffc infractions within the designated special event
zone(s); and
(i6) explore all alternative modes of transporlation to reduce traffic congestion during
high impact pe�iods.
PASSED and ADOP7ED this �S day of ✓GNZ , 2025.
ATTEST: •
D
Sleven Meiner, Mayor
�� 9 S :P�'1 B'��.�"'+
�/ ���� � � cQ�.. ti'',:
� aR�elE Granatlo, CityClerk '`r`� ;
A� � '.
REGIS Ap BOII ; '.iXcowP�o��Eo: '
(Sponsored�y Mayor�Steven Meiner and Commissioner Alex J. Fernandez) °,,,�;.. .w"I
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APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
&FOR EXECUTION
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Resolutions -C7 BV
MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: City Ariorney Ricardo J. Dopico
DATE: June 25, 2025
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDWG ALL GTY STAFF
AND PERSONNEL, W CONJUNCTION WITH THE INVAWABLE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CITY'S OUTSIDE AGENCY PARTNERS, FOR THE
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS OBSERVED DURING SPRING BREAK 2024 AND
SPRING BREAK 2025, PARTICULARLY IN CONTRAST TO SPRING BREAK
PERIODS IN PRIOR YEARS, MOST NOTABLY SPRING BREAK 2021, 2022 AND
2023, WHICH WERE MARKED BY PUBLIC SAFETY INCIDENTS INCLUDING
MASS OVERCROWDING, PUBLIC MAYHEM, AND INSTANCES OF GUN
VIOLENCE; AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE CORRESPONDING IMPROVEMENTS
IN HOTEL OCCUPANCY, ROOM RATES, REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM
('REVPAR"), AND THE OVERALL RESIDENT AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE; AND
FURTHER, APPROVING AND DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO
IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGV, SIMILAR TO SPRING BREAK
2024 AND SPRING BREAK 2025, FOR SPRING BREAK 2026,AS DIRECTED AND
SET FORTH HEREIN, IN ORDER TO PROACTIVELY STEM THREATS AND
CONTINUE PRIORITIZING PUBLIC SAFEN TO SECURE A POSITIVE AND
WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL; AND FINALLY, DIRECTING THE CITY
ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION WITH,
AT A MINIMUM, �UARTERLY LETTERS TO COMMISSION ("LTCs"),AS WELL AS
QUARTERLY UPDATES ON CITV COMMISSION AGENDAS, REGARDING ITS
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS, BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER
2025.
RECOMMENDATION
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
ANALYSIS
The attachetl Resolution was prepared at the request of the sponsors, Mayor Steven Meiner antl
Commissioner Alex Femandez.
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
The sponsor of this item requests that the Administration be prepared to atldress the(iscal impact
of this proposed measure, if any, at the City Commission meeting.
Does this Ordinance reauire a Business Imoact Estimate�
(FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)
If applicable, the Business Impact Estimate (BIE)was published on:
See BIE at: httas:l/www.miamibeachfl.aovlcitv-hall/citv-clerk/meetino-notices/
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
CONCLUSION
ADDlicable Area
Citywide
Is this a "Residents Riaht to Know" item. Is this item rela[ed to a G.O. Bond
oursuant to Citv Code 5ection 2-17? Proiect?
No No
Was this Aaenda Item initiallv reauested bv a lobbvist which as defined in Code Sec 2-081.
includes a orincioal enoaaed in lobbvinq? No
If so, specify the name of lobbyist(s) and principal(s):
Deoartment
Ciry Attorney
SDonsorlsl
Mayor Steven Meiner
Commissioner Alex Fernandez
Co-soonsor(s)
Condensed Title
Spring Break 2026 Comprehensive Strategy and Action Plan. (MeinedFemandez) CA
Previous Action IFo�CiN Clerk Use Onlvl