Category: 2024 Press Releases

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March 1, 2024

From March 11-13, leaders and climate innovators from all backgrounds and fields of expertise will gather with thousands of attendees in Miami Beach for the third annual Aspen Ideas: Climate. Speakers include Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm, Secretary Deb Haaland, Bill Nye, Al Roker, Kathryn Murdoch, Katharine Hayhoe, Aria Mia Loberti, Lisa Jackson, Governor Jay Inslee, Polly Trottenburg, mayors from across the US, and leading global climate voices from Barbados to Ireland.

Miami Beach, FL – The Aspen Institute and City of Miami Beach today published the agenda for the third Aspen Ideas: Climate. From March 11-13, more than 150 speakers will gather with global expertise spanning policymaking, science, business, technology, art, education, food, media, and more, to elevate and amplify climate solutions. A limited number of passes remain on sale, while members of the media are invited to apply for press credentials.

The full agenda is available here. 

In addition to plenary sessions, breakout discussions, workshops, announcements, and private roundtables, Aspen Ideas: Climate will feature a public arts program with environmental flair from local artists, and excursions and tours to points of interest across Miami-Dade. The Tech Expo will feature climate tech solutions from 25 innovative companies, and runs throughout. Additionally, early stage entrepreneurs will pitch their big ideas at two Climate Solutions Showcases, aimed at investors, potential clients, colleagues and anyone interested in climate tech.

Aspen Ideas: Climate is excited to partner with the global automaker FIAT. The event will host the next North American “drop” of the 2024 Fiat 500e, with CEO Olivier Francois attending. Attendees will have the opportunity to test ride in the new electric model during Aspen Ideas: Climate, with more information to be shared in the coming days. 

From March 9-11, the third Future Leaders Climate Summit brings together 110 dynamic young leaders from around the world to discuss climate policy, communications, advocacy, and individual action with climate and energy experts. Future Leaders will then stay on to attend Aspen Ideas: Climate.

The agenda will regularly update with the latest programming and speaker updates. Among the many programming highlights and topics planned:

Monday, March 11 See agenda for specific timings

  • The opening plenary features US Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm in conversation with NBC Today Weather Anchor Al Roker. Legendary science educator Bill Nye speaks to former White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy. US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland chats with two young leaders from the Aspen Institute’s Center for Native American Youth and Fresh Tracks initiatives. American Clean Power Association CEO Jason Grumet and Constellation EVP Kathleen Barrón discuss the future of the energy system with Cipher’s Amy Harder. And Minister of State at Ireland’s Department of Finance, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, on how Ireland is investing in climate solutions.
  • Coastal cities are finding innovative solutions in the face of climate change. Charleston Chief Resilience Officer Dale Morris, Billion Oyster Project Executive Director Peter Malinowski, Curtis and Rogers Design Studio Director of Resilience Design Mariana Boldu, and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell share what they’ve learned with the Miami Herald’s Alex Harris.
  • Museums are typically testaments to the past, but a growing number are using exhibitions to shape our future response to climate change. Hear from MOMA Senior Curator Paola Antonelli, Local Projects Principal Jake Barton, American Museum of Natural History President Sean Decatur, Director of the Pérez Art Museum Miami, Franklin Sirmans, Science Museum of Minnesota CEO Alison Rempel Brown.
  • Solutions to plastic pollution: Marea Verde Panama President and McNulty Prize winner Mirei Endara de Heras, Kadeya CEO Manuela Zoninsein, L’Oréal North America CSO Marissa Pagnani McGowan, and U.S. State Department Senior Adviser Jonathan Gillibrand are interviewed by CNN’s Rachel Ramirez.

Tuesday, March 12

  • In the morning plenary, Nature Conservancy Chief Scientist Katharine Hayhoe and Al Roker explore how to tell America’s climate change story. Futurific Studios co-founders Kathryn Murdoch and Ari Wallach preview their new PBS docuseries, A Brief History of the Future, in conversation with journalist Mariana Atencio. Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice Founder Catherine Coleman Flowers and White House Council Federal Chief Officer  Jalonne White-Newsome speak to CNN’s Rachel Ramirez. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava discuss rethinking the urban environment. Invenergy Founder and CEO Michael Polsky speaks to TIME’s Justin Worland on how he built more than 200 clean energy projects.
  • Authors C. Pam Zhang, Lily Brooks-Dalton, Jenny Offill, and Téa Obreht explore the role fiction plays in conveying the reality of climate change, with podcast host Mitzi Rapkin.
  • What are the multi-sector solutions that promise to cut agricultural emissions? With leading conservation and biodiversity expert Monica Medina, Innovative Genomics Institute Director Brad Ringeisen, US Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Chavonda Jacobs-Young, and Fed By Blue Co-Founder Jennifer Bushman.
  • Cows, Corn, and CRISPR: Brad Ringeisen, Executive Director, Innovative Genomics Institute, Shara Ticku, CEO, C16 Biosciences, David Babson, Executive Director of Climate Grand Challenges at MIT, speak to the Aspen Institute’s Greg Gershuny on the climate potential  of biotech.
  • Leading environmental journalists on how they work towards greater climate coverage, reach, and diversity of thought. With TIME’s Justin Worland, Atmos Magazine’s Yessenia Funes, Grist’s Naveena Sadasivam, former Times of India Correspondent Manka Behl, and Green 2.0’s Adriane Alicea.
  • At the evening plenary, CEO Olivier Francois launches the new Fiat 500e from the stage. Actress and climate activist Aria Mia Loberti, Black Girl Environmentalist Executive Director Wawa Gatheru, and Noticias Telemundo’s Vanessa Huac discuss the concept of “climate joy” and empowering young leaders. Potential Energy Coalition Chairman and CEO John Marshall presents on the power of storytelling and analytics to increase the size and power of the climate movement.

Wednesday, March 13 

  • The morning plenary sees the co-chairs of the climate action coalition America Is All In, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Apple VP and former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, take the stage. Two leading meteorologists, Bernadette Woods Placky and John Morales, discuss their role as climate communicators. Monica Medina speaks to NOAA Chief Scientist Sarah Kapnick about ocean biodiversity. Texas environmental justice leader Hilton Kelley appears in conversation with Grist’s Naveena Sadasivam. Multi-Platinum musician and Human Rights and Sustainable Development phd Adam Met seeks common ground by incentivizing the co-location of renewable energy facilities on land leased for oil and gas. UL Standards and Engagement Executive Director David Steel explains that built environment standards are a pathway for getting to greater climate adaptation. New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell gives a spark talk on offshore wind.
  • What can the USA’s IRA do for global decarbonization? With Barbados’ Climate Resilience Adviser Pepukaye Bardouille, WHOSTP ​Deputy Director for Industrial Innovation and Regional Growth Justina Gallegos, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace African Program Director Zainab Usman, and ORF America Energy & Climate Fellow Shayak Sengupta.
  • 59% of Americans are “alarmed” or “concerned” about climate change, and we have the tech to drastically reduce emissions. So… why don’t we? An interactive panel will explore how to build political will, with Yale Program on Climate Change Communication ​Director Anthony Leiserowitz, Citizens’ Climate Lobby Senior Government Affairs​ Director Jennifer Tyler​,  DEPLOY/US​ VP Alex Bozmoski, and Director of the Environmental Voter Project, ​Nathaniel Stinnett.
  • How can healthcare heal people and planet? Hear from University of Miami President Julio Frenk, Director of Education and Policy at Harvard’s Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment Gaurab Basu, Health Care Without Harm Chief Program Officer Emmie Mediate, and Jackson Memorial Hospital Nurse Practitioner and Educator Elizabeth Joseph.
  • Big ideas in climate tech, from clean energy storage and nuclear fusion to deploying AI to scan the earth’s surface for geothermal potential. Hear from Jamie Beard, Executive Director, Project InnerSpace, David Bierman, Chief Commercial Officer, Antora Energy, Jackie Siebens, Director of Public Affairs, Helion, and Juliet Rothenberg, Lead Product Manager, Google.
  • Aspen Ideas: Climate closes out with Local Projects Principal Jake Barton explaining why culture is the most powerful solution we’ve barely tried. Young ocean activist Bodhi Patil describes how he’s working to increase access to coastal waters for marginalized communities, with more programming to be announced.

Excursions and hands-on opportunities take place throughout Aspen Ideas: Climate, offering participants the opportunity to explore sustainable initiatives in the Miami-Dade region and access facilities normally inaccessible to the public. Among the planned trips and experiences:

  • Miami Beach Clean-up: Hosted by Clean Miami Beach, a nonprofit dedicated to the protection of the beach and its rich marine wildlife.
  • Tour the Underline: The Underline is transforming the land below Miami’s metrorail into a 10-mile linear park, urban trail, and public art destination.
  • University of Miami Coral Reef Futures and Wave Tank: An exclusive guided tour of the Alfred C. Gassell, Jr. SUSTAIN Laboratory wind-wave tank.
  • City of Miami Beach Resiliency Tour: A City of Miami Beach resilience expert, this tour highlights mitigation and adaptation efforts facilitated by intergovernmental and community collaboration.
  • Tuning into True Nature: Garden Immersion & Writing Excursion: A guided writing mediation at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens.

During Aspen Ideas: Climate, the City of Miami Beach and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs will present a series of art commissions and performances highlighting issues related to climate change and sea level rise, with more information about featured artists available next week.

As part of organizers’ commitment to sustainable programming, Aspen Ideas: Climate has partnered with ClimeCo to offset the event’s carbon emissions, funding greenhouse gas abatement projects in Florida. Aspen Ideas: Climate is supported by title sponsors John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Related Group, and the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation. Additional sponsors include Howard and Caroline Draft, Ami and Jack Glottman, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Lennar Foundation, LSN Partners, AstraZeneca, Wells Fargo, American Airlines, Major Food Group, Bank of America, Miami-Dade County, and the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority.

For media: Journalists interested in attending Aspen Ideas: Climate as covering reporters are invited to apply for press credentials here.

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The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

World-famous Miami Beach welcomes millions of visitors each year to its white, sandy beaches, turquoise waters and vibrant cultural scene. Known for its colorful art deco and MiMo architecture, the 7.2-square-mile island offers some of the finest dining and hotel experiences anywhere along with a beautiful oceanfront promenade that connects South Beach to North Beach. Steps away from the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach is also at the forefront of identifying workable solutions to meet the challenge of sea level rise.


To request this material in alternate format, sign language interpreter (five-day notice required), information on access for persons with disabilities, and/or any accommodation to review any document or participate in any city-sponsored proceedings, call 305.604.2489 and select 1 for English or 2 for Spanish, then option 6; TTY users may call via 711 (Florida Relay Service).

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Feb. 29, 2024

- Earning the Highest ISO Class 1 Ranking in Florida -

Miami Beach, FL – The Miami Beach Fire Department has once again earned a prestigious ISO Class 1 rating, a distinction held by slightly more than 1% of the 37,983 participating agencies in the United States. The Insurance Services Office bases its rating on the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule, which was developed to assess the fire prevention and fire suppression capabilities of individual fire departments.

“Our Miami Beach Fire Department earned a total credit of 105.16 out of the highest possible score of 105.5,” Miami Beach City Manager Alina Hudak said. “This is the highest score ever achieved by our department, and, according to our assessor, the highest score he has seen for any department in Florida.”

The Fire Suppression Rating Schedule measures the major elements of a community’s fire protection system and assigns a numerical grade that incorporates nationally accepted standards developed by organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association, the American Water Works Association and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International. The Miami Beach Fire Department also holds accreditation through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

“To be accredited and an ISO Class 1 agency is a big honor for our department,” explained Miami Beach Fire Chief Virgil Fernandez. “This rating is based on an independent review by subject matter experts who evaluated our department against national criteria. I’m very proud of the teamwork that went into this accomplishment.”

Most U.S. insurers, including the largest ones, use the rating information as part of their decision-making when deciding what business to underwrite, coverages to offer or prices to charge for personal or commercial property insurance, according to ISO. The city’s new rating becomes effective on June 1.

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Feb. 21, 2024

- Miami Beach to Unveil Heliotropic Seekers for Elevate Española -

Miami Beach, FL – The City of Miami Beach is pleased to present Heliotropic Seekers, a newly commissioned art installation by Brazilian artist Beatriz Chachamovits opening March 6, 2024, at 5:30pm on Española Way between Washington and Collins avenues. The work will be the fourth installment of the city’s Elevate Española series of site-specific installations over Española Way.

“My goal is to create site-specific projects that immerse people in coral reef communities. These experiences serve as platforms to showcase the urgent needs of coral reefs while highlighting their captivating beauty and life-sustaining role in our present and future,” shared Chachamovits. “I invite the public to discover a complex biological network, where the concept of ecosystem is materialized through organization, symmetry and repetition.”

Heliotropic Seekers will feature five brightly colored hanging plexiglass cutouts of various endangered species of fish and coral native to South Florida shores, including grouper, angel, grunt, blue tang and parrot fish joined by coral species such as elkhorn, pillar, staghorn, star, starlet and brain coral. The species will overlap in various compositions, emphasizing the interdependence and diversity of coral reefs. Complementing the suspended cutouts will be a mural painted in collaboration with students from Miami Beach Senior High School’s Painting 1 class.

The diverse marine species on display will encourage spectators to immerse themselves in the flora and fauna of the surrounding marine ecosystem, which is inaccessible to most Miami Beach residents and visitors without diving into the ocean. By engaging with the natural world, viewers will be prompted to consider how their behavior may affect coral reefs and inspire action to care for the world’s oceans.

Heliotropic Seekers is the fourth installment of Elevate Española as a dedicated art installation and the fifth to be presented over Española Way. In 2021, the art collective FriendsWithYou presented a hanging installation over Española Way, which was called Little Cloud Sky, consisting of eight inflatable cloud sculptures. In November 2022, Edouard Duval-Carrié debuted the inaugural installation for Elevate Española titled Trapeze Contortionists. In spring 2023, artist Jillian Mayer presented Very Moving, which explored the impact of technology on our lives and artist collective assume vivid astro focus presented a drag-inspired installation called Adora Vanessa Athena Fantasia during Art Week Miami Beach 2023. Commissions at the site will continue twice a year.

The next installment of Elevate Española is planned for December 2024 by artist Jen Stark to coincide with Miami Beach Art Week.

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About the City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places Program
Art in Public Places is a city board responsible for the commission and purchase of artwork by contemporary artists in all media. The program allocates funds totaling 2% of hard costs for city projects and joint private/public projects. Funds from construction projects may be aggregated into the Art in Public Places Fund and allocated for artwork at public sites and for collection maintenance. The fund is administered by a City Commission-appointed citizen’s board of seven members, the Art in Public Places Committee.

About the Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council
The Cultural Arts Council (CAC) is an 11-member council created in 1997 for the purpose of developing, coordinating and promoting the performing and visual arts in the City of Miami Beach. The CAC serves as arts advocates before governmental bodies, coordinates collective marketing initiatives for the local arts community and funds not-for-profit arts organizations. Since the program’s inception, the CAC has awarded approximately $18 million in cultural arts grants, supporting thousands of performances, exhibits and other cultural activities in Miami Beach.

About Beatriz Chachamovits

Beatriz Chachamovits is an environmental artist and educator from São Paulo, Brazil living and working in Miami, Florida. Her work renders tangible the decline of the coral reef ecosystems, and the role played by humans in it. Her intention is to share the majestic beauty of at-risk marine ecologies as well as the appalling rate of their destruction. She works with monochromatic ceramic sculptures and drawings to highlight the unique shape, form and texture that exists in the underwater world. She is the author and illustrator of the “The Little Handbook of Marine Fishes and Other Aquatic Marvels” (Pequeno manual de peixe marinhos e outras maravilhas aquáticas), published by Companhia das Letrinhas in São Paulo, Brazil in 2018. Selected solo shows includes “White Sea” at Galeria Tato in São Paulo, Brazil (2017), “Into the Great Dying: Waters We Share" at Faena Art Project Room (2022) "Our Changing Seas" at the Frost Science Museum (2022). Selected group shows include: National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, “Coral Expedition: 1865 - 2018” (2018) The Phillip and Patricia Frost Science Museum “Transitional Nature” (2020), and the Art and Cultural Center of Hollywood “C[h]oral Stories and Collective Actions” (2022). Chachamovits’ work has recently been featured in Vogue Magazine’s Earth and Us section and in the National Geographic Education platform, part of an AAAS grant to teach fifth graders about women in marine science. She has received a prize from The Village of Pinecrest for artists and is a resident artist at The Bakehouse Art Complex in Wynwood, Miami.

 

Media Contact

For additional information, images and interview requests please contact:

Katrina Stewart or Andy Cushman

Blue Medium

E: katrina@bluemedium.com or acushman@bluemedium.com

T: 212.675.1800

To request this material in alternate format, sign language interpreter (five-day notice required) information on access for persons with disabilities, and/or any accommodation to review any document or participate in any city-sponsored proceedings, call 305.604.2ADA (2232) and select 1 for English or 2 for Spanish, then option 6; TTY users may call via 711 (Florida Relay Service).

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Feb. 13, 2024

- Measures range from $100 flat parking rates at some city-operated parking lots to double towing fees for nonresidents -

Miami Beach, FL – Fed up with unruly crowds, lawless behavior and a string of violent acts in recent years, the City of Miami Beach is implementing tough new measures aimed at putting an end to spring break. These include bag checks, restricted beach access, DUI checkpoints, license plate readers and heightened police enforcement for consumption of alcohol in public, drug possession and violent behavior.

“The measures I proposed approved by our Commission will ensure that our residents, businesses, and visitors are safe and thrive during Spring Break,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “Everyone is invited to enjoy the beauty and hospitality of our City. But we are a law and order City and we will enforce our laws all year round, including during March’s Spring Break.”

More details on the city’s plan to end spring break will be released by the mayor, Miami Beach Commission and senior members of the city administration at a spring break press conference on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 3:30 p.m. The event will take place at Miami Beach Police Headquarters at 1100 Washington Ave.

“If you are looking to cause problems, do not come to Miami Beach,” added Chief Wayne Jones. “We are fully prepared to ensure our city is safe for everyone. Our message is simple: we want people to enjoy their time here, but will not tolerate the behavior we have witnessed in the past few years”.

The entire month of March has been designated as a high-impact period in Miami Beach, which will result in additional measures being taken with respect to traffic, staffing and public safety. The periods between March 7-10 and March 14-17 are expected to generate the largest spring break crowds of this year. As such, more stringent measures will be implemented during these two weekends as described below:

Every Thursday through Sunday in March, the following high-impact measures will be in place:

  • A flat parking rate of $30 will be in effect at city parking garages and surface lots in the Entertainment District, including the garages at 7 Street and Collins Avenue (G1), 12 Street and Washington Avenue (G2), 13 Street and Collins Avenue (G3) and 16 Street between Collins and Washington avenues (G4).

The flat parking rate and 6 p.m. entrance restriction does not apply to residents, access card holders or authorized employees. The flat parking rate will be increased to $100 on the two highest-impact weekends in March (pending second reading on Feb. 21 as referenced below).

  • The nonresident towing rate will be $516 — double the regular rate — for vehicles towed in South Beach.
  • Beach entrances on Ocean Drive will be limited to 5, 10 and 12 streets and will have security checkpoints and bag checks to ensure prohibited items are not brought onto the beach. These entrances will close at 6 p.m. Coolers, inflatable devices, tents, tables and similar objects will not be permitted on the beach. Amplified music without a city-issued permit will be restricted. As a reminder, alcohol and smoking are always prohibited on city beaches.
  • Packaged liquor stores in the Entertainment District will strictly adhere to the 8 p.m. regular closing time.
  • The Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) will implement a traffic plan beginning at 6 p.m. each Friday through Sunday to reduce traffic impacts around the South of Fifth (SOFI), West Avenue and Flamingo Park neighborhoods. Motorists can access the SOFI neighborhood via Alton Road, Washington Avenue and Collins Avenue. The Flamingo Park neighborhood can only be accessed via Alton Road. Local access restrictions will be enforced on some city streets to limit traffic and improve mobility for residents and business patrons.

On March 7-10 and March 14-17, the following additional high-impact measures will be implemented:

  • An amendment to the high-impact ordinance regarding increasing parking rates to $100 for March 7-10 and March 14-17 was approved on first reading at the Jan. 31 Commission Meeting for city parking garages and surface lots in the Entertainment District, including the garages at 7 Street and Collins Avenue (G1), 12 Street and Washington Avenue (G2), 13 Street and Collins Avenue (G3) and 16 Street between Collins and Washington avenues (G4). Second reading will be heard on Feb. 21.

Entry to the city parking garages and surface lots in the Entertainment District will also be restricted from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. The parking garage closures will not apply to residents, access card holders and authorized employees.

  • Sidewalk cafes on Ocean Drive will be closed on March 8-10 and March 15-17.
  • The Miami Beach Police Department will implement a License Plate Reader (LPR) detail on the eastbound lanes of the MacArthur and Julia Tuttle causeways on March 8-10 and March 15-17 starting at 6 p.m. with set up at 5 p.m. Motorists should expect significant traffic impacts and delays as eastbound travel lanes will be reduced on the MacArthur and Julia Tuttle causeways. MBPD will also have an LPR detail along the 5th Street corridor on March 22-24 starting at 6 p.m. with set up commencing at 5:30 p.m.

License Plate Readers have been instrumental in the identification of serious and violent offenders as well as the recovery of stolen vehicles.

  • A DUI sobriety checkpoint will be in place along the 400 block of 5 Street starting at 5 p.m. over March 8-9 and March 15-16.
  • Businesses renting or leasing golf carts, low-speed vehicles, autocycles (i.e. slingshots), motorized scooters, mopeds, motorcycles powered by motors of 50 cubic centimeters or less and motorized bicycles will be suspended from operating on March 7-10 and March 14-17.
  • Ocean Drive will only be accessible to vehicles via 13 Street with a sole exit at 5 Street on March 7-10, March 14-17 and March 21-24. Barricades will line both sides of Ocean Drive to reduce the potential of pedestrians coming into contact with motor vehicles.

Parking

The city will conduct enhanced parking enforcement and increased towing throughout the month of March — with priority attention given to residential areas.

Parking will not be allowed on Collins Avenue from 5 Street to Española Way and Washington Avenue from 5-16 streets starting at 5 a.m. on March 7-11, March 14-18 and March 21-24.

Parking along the 100 blocks of 6-14 streets will be restricted 24 hours per day on March 7-11, March 14-17 and March 21-24. Residential Zone 5 parking permit holders are exempt from these restrictions, unless noted otherwise on signs.

Parking along the 200 blocks of 6-15 streets will be restricted nightly from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. on March 7-10, March 14-17 and March 21-24. Residential Zone 5 parking permit holders are exempt from these restrictions unless noted otherwise on signs.

Staffing
Staffing levels for Miami Beach Police, Fire Rescue, Ocean Rescue, Code Compliance, Park Rangers, Parking and Sanitation will be significantly enhanced throughout the month of March.

MBPD will be supplemented by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami-Dade Schools Police Department and other municipal law enforcement agencies.

The Miami Beach Fire Department will have augmented staffing, including Fire Inspectors who will be conducting nightly, weekend inspections for occupancy loads and life safety systems at nightclubs and other establishments.

Goodwill Ambassadors wearing pink “Take Care of Our City” T-shirts will be deployed throughout the Entertainment District to answer visitor questions, provide directions and give tips on how to enjoy the city.

Miami Beach Trolley Service

The Miami Beach free citywide trolley service will operate on an enhanced schedule during two of the highest-impact periods, with additional vehicles operating on South Beach Loops A and B as well as two additional vehicles assigned to the Collins Express route. The enhanced trolley service will operate from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. on March 8-11 and March 15-17.

For additional information, visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/breakup.

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To request this material in alternate format, sign language interpreter (five-day notice required), information on access for persons with disabilities, and/or any accommodation to review any document or participate in any city-sponsored proceedings, call 305.604.2ADA (2232) and select 1 for English or 2 for Spanish, then option 6; TTY users may call via 711 (Florida Relay Service).

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Feb. 7, 2024

- Miami Beach will provide up to $20,000 in matching funds for approved projects -

Miami Beach, FL – The City of Miami Beach will begin accepting applications this month for up to $20,000 in grant funds for flood risk assessments and flood mitigation projects as part of the city’s innovative Private Property Adaptation (PPA) program. Applications for second-round funding may be submitted between Feb. 15 and March 15.

The first-of-its-kind program generated 65 applications and 42 site assessments during the first round of funding. The flood risk assessments were valued at $2,500 in addition to up to $17,500 in matching project reimbursements. As in the case of the first round, the program is open to single-family residential, multifamily residential and commercial properties. Low-to-moderate income applicants are eligible to receive the entire $20,000 maximum reimbursement without a funding match.

“We want to encourage Miami Beach residents and businesses to become more resilient as we experience unprecedented challenges from sunny-day flooding, sea level rise and changing weather patterns,” Miami Beach City Manager Alina T. Hudak explained.

Every $1 spent on resilience can save an estimated $13 in disaster response and recovery costs, according to the National Institute of Building Sciences.

Approved projects in the first round of the program range from seawall upgrades, home elevation projects, rain gardens, dry floodproofing and the relocation of mechanical systems to prevent intrusion from flood waters. This includes, electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing and air-conditioning systems.

Miami Beach property owners can learn more and submit an application starting Feb 15 for consideration by clicking here. Informational virtual workshops for residential properties will be held via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 and 22. Another workshop will be held for businesses on Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. Zoom meeting information is also listed on the website.

An internal team of reviewers will evaluate and prioritize each application based on established criteria that includes elevation, residential status, historic designation, income and flood data.

For more information, visit www.mbrisingabove.com/ppa.

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Feb. 1, 2024

- Under the city’s new ordinance, violations will be enforced by civil fines based on the number of balloons -

Miami Beach, FL – Seeking to keep local waterways clean as well as protecting birds and marine life, the Miami Beach City Commission voted to ban party balloons in city parks, public marinas, marine facilities and along city beaches.

“We are surrounded by natural beauty and it’s our duty to prevent harm to our marine life,” explained Miami Beach Commissioner David Suarez, who sponsored the ordinance. “Our environment must always be at the heart of our commitment to the city.”

The State of Florida prohibits the release of 10 or more balloons within a 24-hour period in the case of balloons that have been inflated with any gas lighter than air. Such offenses are considered a noncriminal offense. The Miami Beach ordinance goes a step further by banning balloons altogether in a public marina, public marine facility, park or city beach.

An educational written warning will be provided to any person or entity with balloons at any public marina, marine facility, public park or beach, unless they’ve had a previous warning within the preceding 12 months. The first violation of the Miami Beach ordinance by a person or entity within a 12-month period will carry a $100 civil fine for each balloon up to $1,000. Fines will increase for repeated violations within the prior 12 months.

Please help to keep our wildlife safe and waterways clean. Environmentally friendly alternatives to balloons include paper garlands, banners, streamers, flowers, pompoms, pinwheels, bubble-blowing solution and kites.

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Feb. 1, 2024

- Ordinance Passes First Reading at Jan. 31 Commission Meeting -

Miami Beach, FL – The Miami Beach City Commission voted to remove an optional civil penalty for people caught with 20 grams or less of marijuana or possessing drug paraphernalia. The approval requires a second reading and final approval on Feb. 21.

“We’re shutting the door on Spring Break, re-criminalizing marijuana and imposing our strictest consequences for reckless behavior,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who sponsored the change. “The anything-goes party atmosphere is over.”

The optional $100 civil penalty did not prove to be an adequate deterrent to discourage people from smoking or possessing marijuana in public. Since the optional civil penalty went into effect eight years ago, the Miami Beach Police Department reported issuing only a limited number of civil citations in lieu of arrests.

“The optional $100 civil penalty didn’t deter public marijuana use. Instead, people were emboldened to disregard our laws,” emphasized Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “Miami Beach enforces its laws reinforcing our commitment as a law and order city.”

Miami Beach is the only city in Miami-Dade County that operates its own Municipal Prosecution Program, allowing the city to prosecute its own criminal municipal ordinance violations. Smoking marijuana in public carries a criminal penalty of up to 60 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.

The tougher stance on marijuana is only one element of a comprehensive plan to address the various aspects of spring break that diminish the quality of life for Miami Beach residents and visitors. Other elements of the plan address traffic impacts, alcohol sales, unlawful gatherings, excessive noise and illegal short-term rentals.

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Jan. 31, 2024

- Requiring a super 6/7 majority vote from the Commission, as opposed to the current 5/7 threshold -

Miami Beach, FL – The Miami Beach City Commission voted unanimously today to raise the approval margin from five to six of the body’s seven eligible voting members to approve any request to exceed the city’s maximum allowable floor area ratio (FAR), which is the measurement of the total buildable floor area based on the size of a particular property.

“This is an absolute game changer for our city,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner, who sponsored the item. “It's time to halt overdevelopment and embrace smart, sustainable growth. We are shaping a future that preserves our city's essence while fostering responsible development."

The commission also voted to add an enhanced application process for requesting an exception to FAR requirements. The process includes a requirement for applicants to conduct an impact assessment of any proposed change.

“Our residents have sent us a clear mandate to reduce congestion in the city and limit the overall number of development projects that exceed our maximum buildable floor area ratio and deteriorate the quality of life,” said Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who suggested the enhanced application process.

The Land Development Regulations of the City Code, commonly known as the ‘LDR’s, defines floor area, including the method of measuring floor area, as well as all applicable exceptions to what constitutes floor area. Floor area ratio, or “FAR,” refers to the amount of floor area permitted on a property and is based upon the zoning district that a property falls within.

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Jan. 29, 2024

- The ceremony will take place in Collins Park at 21 St and Collins Ave -

Miami Beach, FL – Join the City of Miami Beach in celebrating the birth of Cuban national hero José Martí on Monday, Jan. 29 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The poet’s writings on freedom and independence continue to inspire Cuban Americans and Latin Americans more than a century after Martí’s death.

“Proud to join the Miami Beach Hispanic Affairs Committee to celebrate the visionary poet Jose Martí's incredible legacy,” shared Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “Marti’s profound writings and ideals continue to inspire a commitment to freedom, justice and human rights.”

The event gives older generations an opportunity to reflect on Martí’s life and younger generations an opportunity to discover his historical contribution.

Cafecito and pastelitos will be served at 1:30 p.m. courtesy of the Miami Beach Parks and Recreation Department. The ceremony will take place near the José Martí monument at 21 Street and Collins Avenue.

WHAT: Celebrate the birth of Cuban national hero José Martí.

WHEN Monday, Jan. 29 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Near the José Martí monument at 21 Street and Collins Avenue.

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Jan. 25, 2024

- The program is open to all income-eligible residents -

Miami Beach, FL – Recognized as a best practice site by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for its fast and reliable tax preparation program, the City of Miami Beach will once again offer free income tax preparation services from Feb. 6 through Apr. 10, 2024, for households earning $60,000 or less and persons with disabilities.

“Last year, more than 380 households benefited from the free tax preparation services, resulting in approximately $400,000 in refunds,” Director of Housing & Community Services Alba Tarre said. “We look forward to providing the same high level of service this year.”

Dedicated to making annual tax filing obligations less costly by preparing accurate and detailed

tax returns, the city’s income tax preparation services are offered by appointment at the Office of Housing and Community Services at 765 17 St Miami Beach, FL 33139. The service is offered in partnership with Branches, Inc. and the IRS via its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Tax preparation services will be offered in person on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Appointments can now be made through our online appointment link: https://calendly.com/cmbvitataxes/appointments or by calling 305.673.7491.

Special services are offered to taxpayers with limited English skills or disabilities.

Residents are reminded to bring the following documentation:

  • Valid government-issued identification card
  • Social Security card for all persons declared as dependents on the tax return
  • All 2022 W-2s and information for other income
  • Information for all deductions (including charitable contributions)
  • Bank account information for direct deposit of refund
  • Forms 1095-A, B, or C (ACA Statements)
  • Total paid to daycare providers and their tax ID number, if applicable
  • Birth dates for everyone listed on the return, including spouse and/or dependents.
  • Copy of last year's tax return
  • Identity theft PIN, if applicable

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