HomeMy WebLinkAboutCRA Resolution 041-2025RESOLUTION NO. 04 2 O 2 5
A RESOLUTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NORTH
BEACH CRA) AMENDING THE COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM, FOR AN INITIAL TEST PERIOD OF 18 TO 24 MONTHS, TO: (1)
EXPAND THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES OF THE PROGRAM TO MAKE ALL
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE NORTH BEACH CRA
ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE; (II) PERMIT MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS BY A
PROPERTY OWNER OR TENANT WITH INTERESTS IN MORE THAN ONE
ELIGIBLE PROPERTY; AND (III) AUTHORIZE THE CRA EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OR HIS/HER DESIGNEE TO MAKE NONSUBSTANTIAL
CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES, AS NEEDED.
WHEREAS, on June 28, 2023, the Chairperson and Board of Directors of the North Beach
Community Redevelopment Agency (the "North Beach CRA") adopted Resolution No. 009-2023,
approving the Commercial Fagade Improvement Program (the "Program"), following
recommendations from the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee and the North Beach
CRA Advisory Committee ("Advisory Committee"); and
WHEREAS, the North Beach CRA Redevelopment Plan ("Redevelopment Plan")
emphasizes public realm improvements for North Beach CRA funding, recognizing that an
attractive streetscape positively impacts residential quality of life and supports business retention
and attraction; and
WHEREAS, the Redevelopment Plan's Business Attraction & Retention strategy
encourages incentive programs to inspire building owners to invest in their property and undertake
valuable resiliency and adaptation measures; and
WHEREAS, Redevelopment Goal 1, titled Economic Development Opportunities for
Businesses, Property Owners, and Residents, promotes economic development opportunities
through rehabilitation and beautification grants; and
WHEREAS, Redevelopment Goal 4, titled Protect and Enhance Neighborhood Character,
encourages fagade improvement programs that incorporate resilient design as a form of building
adaptation; and
WHEREAS, the Program aims to substantially improve the visible appearance of
commercial properties and adjacent streetscapes, enhance business functionality and
sustainability, and cultivate an elevated visual experience through aesthetic enhancements; and
WHEREAS, the Program is administered as a matching grant, requiring applicants to
invest their own funds and fostering private reinvestment into the Redevelopment Area, with the
North Beach CRA funding the reimbursement of up to seventy percent (70%) of the grantee's
eligible expenses, not exceeding $20,000 per application; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to North Beach CRA Resolution No. 038-2025 and City Commission
Resolution No. 2025-33949, the North Beach CRA's FY 2026 budget allocates $301,000 for the
Commercial Fagade Improvement Program and the Residential Property Improvement Program;
and
WHEREAS, initially, the Program was limited to the commercial district surrounding
Normandy Fountain; and
WHEREAS, in 2024, via North Beach CRA Resolution No. 016-2024, the Program
eligibility boundaries were expanded to include the Collins Avenue business corridor; and
WHEREAS, under the current Program guidelines, eligibility is limited to a single
application per property owner or tenant, thereby precluding owners or tenants with interests in
multiple properties from submitting separate applications for each eligible property; and
WHEREAS, on May 13, 2025, the Advisory Committee recommended amending the
Program to remove restrictive or limiting language in order to increase participation; and
WHEREAS, broadening eligibility is expected to enable more cohesive improvements
across adjacent properties, a practice successfully implemented by other Florida CRAs; and
WHEREAS, based on staff engagement with businesses located within the North Beach
CRA but outside the current Program boundaries, North Beach CRA staff has determined that
expanding the Program to include all commercial properties within the North Beach CRA would
advance the Program's enhancement and beautification goals, ultimately benefiting the North
Beach CRA as a whole; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission Memorandum accompanying North Beach CRA
Resolution No. 009-2023, approving the Commercial Facade Improvement Program, contained
language allowing the North Beach CRA Executive Director his/her designee to authorize minor
amendments to the Program guidelines; and
WHEREAS, at its December 17, 2025 meeting, the Chairperson and Board of Directors
of the North Beach CRA recommended that the Program changes be revisited in a period of 18
to 24 months to adjudicate if the revised guidelines facilitate the effective implementation and
continued success of the Program; and
WHEREAS, reaffirming the authority granted by CRA Resolution No. 009-2023 to the CRA
Executive Director or designee to make nonsubstantial changes to the Program guidelines will
facilitate the effective implementation and continued success of the Program; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD
OF DIRECTORS OF THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, that
the Chairperson and Board of Directors of the North Beach Community Redevelopment Agency
(North Beach CRA) hereby amend the Commercial Facade Improvement Program, for an initial
test period of 18 to 24 months, to: (i) expand the current boundaries of the program to make all
commercial properties located within the North Beach CRA eligible to participate; (ii) permit
multiple applications by a property owner or tenant with interests in more than one eligible
property; and (iii) authorize the CRA Executive Director or his/her designee to make
nonsubstantial changes to the program guidelines, as needed.
PASSED and ADOPTED this
ATTEST:
Rafael E. Granado, Secretary
17th day of December, 2 5.
Steven Meiner, Chairperson
JUN 17 2026
(Sponsored by Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt)
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
& F EXECUTION
(Zo2 �
Redevelopment Agenc Date
General Counsel G
North Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (NBCRA) 1
MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Eric Carpenter, Executive Director
DATE: December 17, 2025
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NORTH BEACH
CRA) AMENDING THE COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TO:
(1) EXPAND THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES OF THE PROGRAM TO MAKE ALL
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE NORTH BEACH CRA
ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE; (II) PERMIT MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS BY A
PROPERTY OWNER OR TENANT WITH INTERESTS IN MORE THAN ONE
ELIGIBLE PROPERTY; AND (III) AUTHORIZE THE CRA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OR HIS/HER DESIGNEE TO MAKE NONSUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE
PROGRAM GUIDELINES, AS NEEDED,
RECOMMENDATION
CRA staff recommends that the Board of the North Beach Community Redevelopment Agency
("North Beach CRA") approve modifications to the Commercial Facade Improvement Program
("Program") to expand access and increase utilization.
Specifically, the Resolution would:
1. Expand Program eligibility to all commercial properties within the North Beach CRA;
2. Allow property and business owners with multiple folios or businesses to participate; and
3. Reaffirm the authority of the CRA Executive Director or designee to implement
nonsubstantial changes to Program guidelines as needed.
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
The Commercial Facade Improvement Program was established in 2023 via North Beach CRA
Resolution No. 009-2023, following a City Commission referral (December 14, 2022) and
recommendations from the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee (May 24, 2024) and the
North Beach CRA Advisory Committee (LTC 176-2023).
The Program supports the North Beach CRA Redevelopment Plan, which encourages
initiatives that enhance the visual appearance, functionality, and sustainability of commercial
properties:
• Redevelopment Goal 1 - Economic Development Opportunities for Businesses,
Property Owners, and Residents promotes economic development opportunities
through rehabilitation and beautification grants (Section 8.3).
• Redevelopment Goal 4 - Protect and Enhance Neighborhood Character
encourages facade improvement programs that incorporate resilient design as a form of
building adaptation.
Per Program guidelines, each application must be approved by the CRA Board and is eligible for
a maximum reimbursement of $20,000.
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Current Program Guidelines & Applicability
Initially, the Program was limited to the commercial district surrounding Normandy Fountain, and
as recommended by the FERC and CRA Advisory Committee. This pilot approach allowed CRA
staff to assess interest and refine administration on a smaller scale. Despite extensive outreach,
including business canvassing, public meetings, media marketing, community engagement, and
discussion at multiple CRA Advisory Committee meetings, application interest was limited.
In 2024, CRA Resolution No. 016-2024 expanded the Program boundary to include Collins
Avenue, following the recommendation of the CRA Advisory Committee (LTC 159-2024). This
expansion aimed to increase access to grant funding and targeted the CD-2-zoned commercial
corridor. Outreach has since included regular canvassing of Collins Avenue businesses.
ANALYSIS
The Administration recommends additional measures to broaden eligibility, reduce participation
barriers, and improve operational efficiency.
1. Proposed Expansion of Program Area
While the 2024 expansion included Collins Avenue, the Program still excludes portions of 71 °1
Street in Town Center and other scattered commercial properties within the CRA. Following
engagement with businesses outside the current boundaries, CRA staff recommends expanding
eligibility to all commercial properties within the CRA to better align with redevelopment goals.
See Exhibit A - Proposed Program BoundaryExpansion
2. Proposed Broadening of Eligibility
Current guidelines restrict participation to ensure equitable access:
• No property may receive more than one grant within a five (5) year period.
• Second applications within five years are placed on a waiting list.
• Property owners must wait two (2) years before applying for a different address.
These restrictions have proven limiting in North Beach, where many property owners control
multiple folios. Rather than enabling cohesive improvements across adjacent properties, a best
practice in other Florida CRAB, the current rules result in fragmented upgrades.
At its May 13, 2025 meeting, the CRA Advisory Committee recommended relaxing these
restrictions (LTC 214-2025), following input from a local business owner and Program
participant. With additional program funding available, the Administration supports this
recommendation to promote coordinated property improvements across multiple properties and
corridor -wide enhancements.
3. Reaffirmation of Authority for Minor Modifications
CRA Resolution No. 009-2023, which created the Program, authorizes the CRA Executive
Director (City Manager) or designee to approve minor programmatic changes:
'Amendments to these guidelines may be incorporated from time to time by the North Beach CRA.
Vested authority shall be granted to the North Beach CRA Executive Director or his/her designee
to authorize minor waiver or amendment to these guidelines. All major amendments to or
deviation from these guidelines shall be approved by the North Beach CRA Board. -
CRA staff seeks to reaffirm this authority to clarify that the Executive Director may approve minor,
nonsubstantial changes, such as clarifying language or removing barriers to participation, without
returning to the Board for each adjustment. This will streamline administration and facilitate timely
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grant disbursement. All grant awards and any proposed changes with material or fiscal
implications will continue to require CRA Board approval.
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
The combined budget allocation for the CRA's residential and commercial improvement programs
is $301,000. Structured as a reimbursable matching grant, the Program covers up to 70% of the
eligible expenses, not to exceed $20,000 per application. Each grant award remains subject to
CRA Board approval.
The proposed changes will expand access to a program that fosters public -private partnerships,
encourages private reinvestment, and empowers business and property owners to drive
revitalization in North Beach.
Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate?
(FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)
If applicable, the Business Impact Estimate (BIE) was published on:
See BIE at: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/city-clerk/meeting-notices/
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
CONCLUSION
To support the North Beach CRA's mission of enhancing commercial corridors, supporting local
businesses, and attracting investment, CRA staff recommends approval of the proposed Program
modifications to:
• Expand eligibility to all commercial properties within the North Beach CRA;
• Remove restrictive provisions that limit participation;
• Allow property and business owners with multiple holdings to apply; and
• Reaffirm the Executive Director's authority to make nonsubstantial adjustments to
improve efficiency.
These changes will increase participation and help accelerate North Beach's transformation into
a vibrant, walkable, and economically resilient destination.
Applicable Area
North Beach
Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item,
pursuant to City Code Section 2-17?
Yes
Is this item related to a G.O. Bond
Project?
M
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
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Economic Development
Sponsor(s)
Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt
Co-sponsors)
Condensed Title
Amend NBCRA Commercial Facade Improvement Program. (Bhatt) ED
Previous Action (For City Clerk Use Only)
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