| | | | | | | | | TO: | Neighborhood and Quality of Life Committee Members |
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| FROM:
| Alina T. Hudak, City Manager
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| | DATE: | September 20, 2021
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| | SUBJECT: | DISCUSSION REGARDING THE ENFORCEMENT OF ILLEGAL CHARTER VESSELS OPERATING IN MIAMI BEACH WATERWAYS. |
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| | | | | | | | HISTORY:
| | Commissioner Steven Meiner (co-sponsored by Mayor Dan Gelber and Commissioner Micky Steinberg) placed a referral to the Neighborhood and Quality of Life Committee (NQLC) on the July 28, 2021 City Commission Meeting to both address the harm in the quality of life of residential neighborhoods along the waterway by illegal charter vessels conducting business in violation of Miami Beach laws and to discuss all available means to enforce the restriction of these illegal activities. |
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| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS
| The Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) is cognizant of recent issues with waterborne vessels and illegal charter activity in the City’s waterway. The Department has therefore began tracking and more forcefully enforcing activity citywide to ensure the public’s safety.
From February 15 to August 18, 2021, MBPD alongside the Code Compliance Department issued more than 500 violations for both lack of a Business Tax Receipt (BTR) and for conducting business on public property. Most if not all of the violations written involved chartered vessels who failed to obtain a Business Tax Receipt prior to conducting business on City property. It should be noted that an illegal charter can also be interpreted as one who rents jet skis without proper permitting.
Additionally, The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has and will continue to issue violations that involve significant monetary fines and will continue the practice of terminating illegal charter voyages at the Miami Beach Marina and elsewhere within in our jurisdiction. The USCG increased its enforcement action over the Labor Day Weekend and the MBPD Marine Patrol team supported the efforts by assisting in the apprehension of some of the illegal charters in the attached flyer.
Along the Indian Creek Waterway from 41st Street north to 65th Street, from January 1 to August 26, 2021 the MBPD and the Code Compliance Department issued 34 violations for lack of a BTR and for conducting business on public property. Once again, it is important to highlight that most of these violations also involved charters. |
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION:
The MBPD will continue to monitor and more closely track all illegal activity related to charter vessels citywide to mitigate crime and protect our residents’ and visitors’ safety on City waterways.
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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? | | | No | | No | |
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| | | | | | | | Strategic Connection
| | Neighborhoods - Prevent and solve crime for residents and visitors. |
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