Miami Beach prepares for next waves of tourists on spring break, boat show
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Miami Beach residents know that the “I live where you vacation” flex takes a whole different meaning every year during spring break. It’s what gave priority to the city’s “quality of life” committee.
During the committee’s meeting on Wednesday, David Simon, a resident, said he was worried about a court ruling Florida’s ban on open carry unconstitutional. Property owners can still prohibit weapons.
“People are going to be bringing in loaded weapons. I think it’s a bad mix,” Simon said.
The committee focused on checkpoints, street closures, traffic, parking, signs, barricades, and possible problems in preparation for the next commission meeting’s votes.
Earlier this year, Mayor Steven Meiner appointed four commissioners to the committee: Alex Fernandez, the chair; Laura Dominguez, the vice chair; Monica Matteo-Salinas, a member; and Tanya K. Bhatt, an alternate.
Commissioner Joseph Magazine, who is the chair of the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee, also participated on Wednesday. He said he wanted to avoid the use of the barricades.
“I want to be a welcoming community,” Magazine said.
Dominguez and Matteo-Salinas said they also opposed having barricades on Washington or Collins Avenues.
“It’s a bad look,” Dominguez said.
William MacDonald, the city’s parking director, said the neighborhood protection barricades help protect residents’ parking, and he was working with IT on flagging possible commercial use of visitors’ passes.
Matteo-Salinas said she lives in the Flamingo Park area and understands the fear that “the neighborhoods are going to be taken over.”
Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne A. Jones told the committee that the restricted entrances for security screenings at the beach had not been determined yet, and he is counting on a team of goodwill ambassadors.
Fernandez said he supported the use of barricades in “hot spots of concern.”
THE BOAT SHOW
The committee also discussed preparations for the upcoming Miami International Boat Show from Feb. 11-15. The city expects more than 100,000 people at 1901 Convention Center Drive.
Maria Hernandez, an assistant city manager, said the show will also be at Pride Park, at 1809 Meridian Ave., and 250 yachts on the Indian Creek waterway between 42nd and 43rd street off Collins Avenue.
On traffic, John C. Norris, the city’s public works director, said there will be open excavations to replace sewer lines that are over 90 years old on Pinetree Drive and La Gorce Drive during the boat show.
“It might be wise to actually specify heading over to Alton Road and then having the traffic detail staffed appropriately to then manage the chaos,” Bhatt said during the meeting, later adding, “We don’t want the proverbial poop show of having an open sewer line go bust in the middle of all of this.”
José R. González, the city’s transportation and mobility director, said the city’s real-time active traffic management services include 20 digital message boards for drivers during the boat show.
The city commission is set to meet at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. For more information, visit this page.
Watch the meeting
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