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City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
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| | | | | | | | | | Item 16.
COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM | | | |
| | | | | | | | TO: Land Use and Sustainability Committee
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| FROM: Alina T. Hudak, City Manager
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| DATE: September 14, 2021
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| | | | | | | | | TITLE: | DISCUSSION REGARDING CITY OUTREACH EFFORTS TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ON LAND USE AND ZONING MATTERS |
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| | | | | | | | HISTORY:
| | On July 28, 2021, at the request of Commissioner Steven Meiner, the City Commission referred a discussion item to the Land Use and Sustainability Committee (LUSC) pertaining to city outreach efforts to neighborhood associations on land use and zoning matters (C4U). |
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| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS:
| BACKGROUND
At the request of the item sponsor, this discussion pertains to community outreach by the City on applicable Zoning Ordinance amendments and major proposed amendments to the Land Development Regulations (LDRs). In addition to required notices and targeted notices under the Residents’ Right to Know Ordinance, the City has, in the past, hosted town hall meetings and/or attended neighborhood association meetings on major initiatives, including amendments to the LDRs. The sponsor has requested that the LUSC discuss a process, in coordination with the City’s Neighborhood Affairs Division, for a registered neighborhood association to formally request the participation of City staff in a town hall or other meeting hosted by a neighborhood association, about land use and zoning matters.
The Neighborhood Affairs Division (NAD) is integrated across all City departments to help disseminate information to our residents and stakeholders. The team works closely with neighborhood associations and homeowner associations (HOAs), as well as internal departments to ensure staff participation at scheduled meetings. The NAD also drafts responses to stakeholder questions and/or concerns as they relate to a specific neighborhood, project or department.
ANALYSIS
In only a handful of instances has the NAD team facilitated communication between neighborhood associations and representatives of large-scale private projects within an area. The NAD has also ensured that the appropriate staff are present during meetings related to the private project. The responsibility to advertise such a meeting typically is handled by the private project representatives.
As a best practice, the City does not use any City owned equipment or software to host neighborhood association meetings. All meetings and workshops hosted by the City are required to comply with applicable notice requirements. In an effort to remain impartial, all meeting invites are required to have Miami Beach branding, and typically private logos are not included.
Neighborhood associations and HOAs are encouraged to register with the Neighborhood Affairs Division. While the division reviews the applications, there are limited opportunities for a denial and any group can form due to a proposed project within an area. In terms of notification for new projects, the engagement toolbox has myriad ways to stay engaged with the City. The following link has more specific information: www.miamibeachfl.gov/EngagementToolbox.
The NAD will continue to assist registered groups and facilitate any request to meet a property representative as they have done in the past. At this time however, due to limited resources, it is not recommended that town hall or public meetings be facilitated by the NAD for Land Use Board applications on a regular basis. The involvement of the NAD should continue to be project or area specific, and as directed by the City Commission. Additionally, all costs associated with town hall or public meetings should continue to be borne by the project applicant, including all public noticing.
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION:
| | The Administration recommends that the Land Use and Sustainability Committee discuss and conclude the item with no further action. |
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| | | | | | | | | Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? | | Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds? | | | Yes | | No | |
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