At its November 16, 2022 meeting, the City Commission approved a  referral to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (PSNQL) to discuss improving landscaping, cleanliness, and aesthetics of Miami Beach Drive at 24th and 29th Streets.  

The discussion originates from a Mid-Beach Neighborhood Association meeting, where residents expressed a desire to work with the City to improve the area.  Improvements requested include litter collection, pressure cleaning, additional landscape installation, repairs and replacement of brick pavers and concrete walkways, and bollard replacement. 

Public Safety and Quality of Life Committee meetings regarding improvements along Miami Beach Drive have taken place on February 28, 2023, March 24, 2023, and April 28, 2023.  A meeting with the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee is due to take place on May 24, 2023 to discuss potential funding for long term initiatives.

At the request of the PSNQL, the following short-term initiatives have taken place:

• Greenspace – Greenspace Management has determined that the deficient landscaping at the 29^th Street Beachwalk entrance was installed and is maintained by The Edition, via a development agreement.   Code Compliance has since contacted The Edition regarding the need for the restoration of the landscaping.  The remaining landscaping at the Beachwalk entrances from 24^th Street to 27^th Street is in good condition overall, but staff will perform some minor plant in-fills as required within the next two weeks.  Greenspace has also trimmed the lower limbs of the trees along the 24^th Street Beachwalk entrance for better pedestrian clearance and MBPD visibility.

• Sanitation – Sanitation has installed 2 Victor Stanley trash cans and 2 doggie dispensers on Miami Beach Drive.  Additionally, the City's Beachwalk crew is providing daily service to the trash cans, doggie stations and litter control, 7 days per week.  Pressure washing was performed on Miami Beach Drive during the last two weeks in March and is scheduled again for the end of June as a quarterly rotation. City staff have pressure washed all beach entrances and Beachwalk, from 24^th   through 29^th Streets.  Beginning May 8^th pressure washing twice per month will become part of the permanent schedule for the area.

• Operations – Operations has engaged our Street Lighting crew to address lights along Miami Beach Drive and ordered bollards for the 24^th & 29^th Street entrance to prevent private service vehicles from entering the area, as was noted during the field review.  Street Lighting crew will also replace all lighting fixtures identical to the ones located on 2401, 2899, and 2897 Miami Beach Dr to have consistency throughout. It will be a total of eighteen (18) lighting fixtures that will be converted from Acorn Holophane 3000K/ 120volt light to Holophane 3000k/ 120volt China Hat.  Staff has identified various locations where brick pavers and concrete walkways have cracked or lifted on this strip and are currently working on repairing/replacing them.  Once sidewalk repairs are completed, the Sanitation Division will hand pressure clean the area.