Coversheet


NEW BUSINESS 14.


COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM

TO:	Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee Members

FROM:	Rickelle Williams, Interim City Manager

DATE:	April 17, 2024

SUBJECT:	DISCUSSION REGARDING CO-NAMING OF A MIAMI BEACH STREET IN HONOR OF WOMEN WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE CITY’S HISTORY AND CULTURE.

HISTORY:

At the February 21, 2024 City Commission meeting, at the request of Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt, the Mayor and City Commission referred an item (C4 Q) to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (“PSNQLC” or ”Committee”) to discuss co-naming of a Miami Beach street in honor of women who have significantly impacted the City’s history and culture.

On February 6, 2024, the Miami Beach Commission for Women (“Commission for Women”) unanimously passed a motion recommending the co-naming of City of Miami Beach (“City”) streets in honor of women who have significantly impacted the City’s history and culture. The recommendation was transmitted via Letter to Commission (“LTC”) 041-2024 (Attachment A). The Commission for Women recommended seven (7) noteworthy candidates of historical female figures to be considered for ceremonial street co-namings:

· Josephine Baker;

· Judy Drucker;

· Naomi Wilzig;

· Elizabeth Goodnow Cooper;

· Sophie Tucker;

· Gwen Margolis; and

· DeAnne Connolly Graham

Tangentially, at the October 18, 2023 City Commission meeting, Commissioners Laura Dominguez and Kristen Rosen Gonzalez referred two (2) items (C4 D and C4 K) to the PSNQLC to discuss the co-naming of 12 Street between Ocean Drive and Washington Avenue in honor of Naomi Wilzig and 13 Street between Ocean Drive and Meridian Avenue in honor of Gloria Estefan, respectively.

Both referral items were discussed at the February 14, 2024 PSNQLC meeting, and received favorable recommendations to the City Commission to proceed with both co-naming and amending Section 82-503(c)(1)(a) of the City of Miami Beach Code of Ordinances (“City Code”) to create the criteria in honor of a notable woman who has significantly impacted the City’s history and culture with a sunset or expiration. The City Administration is working with the City Attorney’s Office to bring the City Code amendment to the next City Commission meeting.

The referral requests that the Committee consider the Commission’s list of recommendations, as specified in LTC 041-2024, and specifically, any candidates that have not been already separately referred to the Committee for consideration of a street co-designation.

ANALYSIS

Under existing criteria in Section 82-503 of the City Code, City streets may only be conamed in honor of (1) Miami Beach police officers who died or were killed in the line of duty; (2) a public facility located on the street to be co-named; (3) private not-for-profit organizations with significant historic value to the city and associated with structures which have a significant historical value or architectural significance to the city; (4) geographic areas within the city; (5) a commercial establishment that has been in business in the City of Miami Beach for 100 or more years and which is located on the street to be co-named.

Whenever a request is made to co-name streets, or portions thereof, in the City, Section 82-503(c)(2) of the City Code requires the sponsor to submit the proposal in writing to an appropriate committee (in this case, PSNQLC), which shall include the following: (1) the street, or portion thereof, to be co-named; (2) the proposed co-name of the street, or portion thereof; (3) the reason for the request; and (4) a factual summary confirming that the proposed person falls under the specific criteria outlined in Section 82-503(c)(1)(a) of the City Code.

In order to co-name a street in the City in honor of women who have significantly impacted the City’s history and culture, the PSNQLC must first recommend an amendment to Section 82-503(c) of the City Code to provide for additional criteria for the co-naming of streets in honor of a notable woman who made lasting and significant contributions to the Miami Beach community through arts and culture. As mentioned above, the PSNQLC has already made such a recommendation and the Administration is currently working with the City Attorney’s Office to bring this Code amendment to the next City Commission meeting. The amendment would require two readings by the City Commission.

Once the Code amendment has been adopted by the City Commission, the PSNQLC may consider and recommend co-naming a City street in honor of women who have significantly impacted the City’s history and culture, which also requires a City Commission resolution.

Following City Commission approval, the proposed co-naming would need to be sponsored by a Miami-Dade County Commissioner and approved by the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners (“BCC”) via a resolution. Subsequent to BCC approval, the City’s Transportation and Mobility Department staff would coordinate with Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works staff on the fabrication and installation of the new street co-name signs.


CONCLUSION: The Administration recommends the Committee discuss the item and provide a recommendation.

Applicable Area

South Beach

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

ATTACHMENTS:
	Description	Type
	Referral Item February 21, 2024 Item C4 Q	Memo
	Attachment A- LTC 041-2024	Memo