LTC 141-2007 Memorial Day Weekend 20072001 JUi~ 20 A~ 2~ 25
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # i4i-2oo~ LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
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FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager ~'" ~~~~:.~.~ -
DATE: June 19, 2007
SUBJECT: Memorial Day Weekend 2007
This Letter to Commission (LTC) is a preliminary report regarding the City's Major Event
Plan (MEP) for Memorial Day Weekend 2007. As is typical with our MEP's, City staff will de-
brief shortly to review the weekend, discuss outcomes and identify any areas for possible
improvement. However, we wanted to share with you preliminary information regarding this
MEP.
As you know, our primary focus for these major event periods is ensuring that our residents
and visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience. By all accounts the holiday weekend was
very successful once again, due in large part to the comprehensive planning efforts of the
City. As previously reported, the Fire Department, Police Department, Parking Department,
Public Works Department Sanitation Division, Parks and Neighborhood Services
Department Code Compliance Division all enhanced staffing levels in order to manage
crowds, maintain safety and ensure quality of life standards throughout the weekend.
Additionally, the City received in-kind support from Miami-Dade County, as well as other
local jurisdictions, including the presence of volunteer "Goodwill Ambassadors" from both the
County and the City, and citizen "God Squad" volunteers.
While the crowds appeared to be smaller than in previous years, our hotels reported
occupancies at approximately ninety percent (90%). As expected, these large crowds
created a very busy weekend both in our commercial establishments and on our streets.
However, the City was able to keep the causeways and streets open throughout the
weekend; no temporary closures of the causeways or major thoroughfares were required.
This year the City implemented a new plan to address pedestrian overflow along Collins
Avenue, and expanded the sidewalk along Collins Avenue into the parking lane to
accommodate the large pedestrian crowds. This reduced available parking and necessitated
the relocation of valet ramps. We are pleased to report that this enhancement to the plan
proved to be successful and was well received by visitors, in addition to making clean-up of
the area easier for our Sanitation crews. In addition, as compared to previous years where
utilization of our garages was not maximized, this Memorial Day weekend resulted in
increased use of our parking garages and surface lots, with full occupancy occurring
re~ularly during the busier days of the weekend. In fact, our garages were so busy that the
17 h Street garage had overflow into the P-Lot. We speculate that the reduced parking on
Collins Avenue may have created an incentive for visitors to park in the garages rather than
drive through the congested streets. In addition, over 4,100 parking citations were issued
and 321 vehicles were towed by our Parking Department.
Page 2 of 2
Memorial Day Weekend 2007
With the exception of the double homicide outside of David's Cafe II early Monday morning,
there were no major incidents reported. During the course of the weekend, the Fire
Department responded to 104 calls for service. A total of nine patients were transported to
either Mount Sinai Hospital or Ryder Trauma Center. The Police Department, in concert with
personnel from the City of Miami, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Multi-Agency
Gang Task Force, as well as otherjurisdictions, provided a visible street presence. A total of
784 arrests were made, 2,828 citations were issued (194 for loud music) and approximately
60 guns were confiscated. Fifty-five (55) of those arrested are Miami Beach residents, while
247 are Miami-Dade County residents; collectively, these `locals' represent 39% of the total
arrested. The balance of the arrests included 240 Florida residents, out of state residents
(198) and 37 individuals with unknown addresses. A majority (82%) of all arrests was for
misdemeanors (637), with over 51 % of those misdemeanors either drug or alcohol related.
By comparison, in 2006, 1010 arrests were made and 2,824 citations (188 for loud music)
were issued. Of the total arrests last year, 86% were misdemeanors, of which 50% were
drug or alcohol-related. Proportionately, the arrests continue to trend the same year-for-
year.
Our Sanitation Division collected over 170 tons of litter, with an estimated 75% of the litter
the product of flyers and handbills. Crews did a remarkable job in having most streets
completely cleared and cleaned every morning beginning at 6:00 a.m. As can be expected,
crowds on the sidewalks during peak hours created challenges for Sanitation Crews.
Our Code Compliance staff was busy, as expected, addressing quality of life issues such as
handbill littering, noise and illegal vending. Code staff issued 338 sign/handbill violations.
The City received a total of 57 noise complaints, 39 of which were issued violations and
three resulted in verbal warnings.
In addition to the new pedestrian management plan, the City also engaged in very proactive
outreach to our visitors. This outreach included radio interviews and PSA's, informational
brochures and signage throughout the entertainment district.
Budget estimates for enhanced staffing for the Memorial Day Weekend were projected at
approximately $1,125,383. Final figures are currently being confirmed. Please feel free to
contact me should you have any questions regarding this or any other matter.
C: Hilda Fernandez, Assistant City Manager
Robert C. Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
Tim Hemstreet, Assistant City Manager
JMG/HMF/mas
F:\info\$ALL\Max\TCD\Special Events\Memorial Day\2006\Memorial Day 2006 Update LTC After Action.doc