The Wednesday, September 11, 2024 Commission Meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. with the Sutnick Hour where residents may speak on any topic. The meeting will be held at: Miami Beach City Hall, 1700 Convention Center Drive, 3rd Floor, Commission Chamber

or Zoom at https://miamibeachfl-gov.zoom.us/j/81392857671 1.305.224.1968 or 1.888.475.4499 Access ID 81392857671#

September 11, 2024 - 8:30 AM

It will also be streamed live on MBTV Channel 660 on Atlantic Broadband or 99 on AT&T U-Verse, on the City’s website, and on Facebook Live at facebook.com/cityofmiamibeach.


IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM DURING THE MEETING: 

Via Zoom, please click the “raise hand” button on the screen to raise your hand as soon as the item is called. This will pull you to the top of the list and make it easier for the team to find you in the list of attendees. Or via phone, press *9 to raise a hand to be placed in queue to speak.

Want to read the proposed Commission agenda items and get info about the Commission meeting? Click HERE

Want to contact your elected officials directly? Click here.


R5E Sponsored by Fernandez -- 10:30 AM Second Reading Public Hearing


AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED "STOP THE PAUSE POLICY"; TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM VOTING THRESHOLDS RELATING TO CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS HAVING AN ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST ABOVE A STATED THRESHOLD..


MBU RESOLUTION:


MBU SUPPORTS the main intent of this ordinance, but believes that as currently drafted, it is not sufficiently comprehensive. Funding and completing our critical infrastructure projects are crucial to the City.  As it stands now, four (4) votes can kill an infrastructure project which is about to break ground and upon which millions of tax dollars have been spent. Requiring more votes for critical infrastructure projects over $1 million that are beyond 60% design sets a higher threshold for protecting the taxpayers' investment. In almost all cases, unnecessary delays or postponing critical needs increases the costs to complete them. Our primary objection is that this does not apply broadly to all types of major life safety projects and excludes, for example, fire station buildings, which are clearly critical infrastructure.


Read the Commission document by clicking HERE


R5G Sponsored by Fernandez, Bhatt, Magazine Suarez -- First Reading Public Hearing


ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO ELIMINATE 0.5 FAR BONUS FOR HOTELS LOCATED WITHIN CD-2 DISTRICTS IN SOUTH BEACH


MBU RESOLUTION:


MBU SUPPORTS eliminating the .5 FAR Bonus for hotels.  The original intent of the hotel FAR bonus was to incentivize hotel development. Since then, goals for hotel development have been fulfilled and even more hotel incentives have been adopted such as reduced parking requirements and eliminating the limit of number of units per acre. The result is a City losing full-time resident population even as Florida’s population explodes. Since Florida state law preempts municipalities from prohibiting short term rentals and the city goal is to increase housing, removing the bonus .5 FAR for hotel development is a viable tool to accomplish new, full-time residential housing.


Read the Commission document by clicking HERE

R5K Sponsored by Suarez -- First Reading Public Hearing


AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT PROHIBITING COMMERCIAL VESSEL ACTIVITY HOURS OF OPERATION AT PUBLICLY-OWNED AND PRIVATE MARINAS BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9 PM AND 7 AM WITH EXCEPTIONS FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING, DIVING, TOWING AND ECO-TOUR VESSELS.

MBU RESOLUTION:


Miami Beach United SUPPORTS this resolution. We are concerned, however, with the apparent proliferation of eco charters, presumably to avoid restrictions on party boats. We recommend that eco charters not be exempt from the curfew.


Read the Commission document by clicking HERE

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2024 MBU Board of Directors

 

Officers

Clare McCord, President

Ron Starkman, VP Government Affairs

Saul Gross, Treasurer

Adam Kravitz, Recording Secretary


Committee Chairs

Hortense De Castro, Membership

Gayle Durham, Strategic Policy & Advocacy

Elizabeth Latone, Strategic Policy & Advocacy

Roger Goldblatt, Marketing

Valerie Navarrete, Forums & Events

Amanda Knapp, Administration


Directors

Jack Finglass

Jorge Gonzalez

Scott Needelman

Manning Salazar

Robert Selsam

Our Mission Dedicated to improving the quality of life for Miami Beach residents, managed and measured growth of our city, and ethical leadership of government – for a vibrant city rooted in history, its people, resources and neighborhoods, with focus on the future – by providing educational and analytical focus on the organization, structure, policies and performance of Miami Beach government. We share our newsletters with over 8,000 subscribers, the majority of whom are registered Miami Beach voters.