| | | | | | | | | | Item 4.
COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM | | | |
| | | | | | | | | TO: | Sustainability Resiliency Committee Meeting |
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| FROM:
| Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
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| | DATE: | February 21, 2018
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| | SUBJECT: | DISCUSSION ON ENSURING MIAMI BEACH SPECIAL EVENTS ADHERE TO ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES.
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| | | | | | | | RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT:
Eva Silverstein, Tourism, Culture, and Economic Development Director |
| | | | | | | | LEGISLATIVE TRACKING:
Item C4J - January 17, 2018 Commission Meeting |
| | | | | | | | SPONSORED:
Commissioner Michael Gongora |
| | | | | | | | BACKGROUND:
At the January 17, 2018 Commission Meeting, an item was referred to the Sustainability and Resiliency Committee to discuss special events adhering to environmentally friendly procedures. |
| | | | | | | | Analysis
As of January 2018, Tourism, Culture and Economic Development (TCED) has begun the process of updating our special event permitting guidelines -- which have not seen a holistic update since 2003. As part of this process, TCED and the Environment & Sustainability Department have already begun identifying opportunities to enhance the environmental protections and sustainability requirements within the special event permit requirements, including enhancing green purchasing standards. One notable early recommendation is streamline the permit application process through submitting applications in the Citizen Action Portal. This will allow multiple departments to review the application online, reducing the number of in person approvals required by the applicant.
Current special event permitting procedures require all event producers to adhere to the following environmental standards:
1. Event producers must present an approved comprehensive sanitation and recycling plan inclusive of all trash removal and single stream recycling.
2. Required sand sifting and restoration of any beach, park, sod or public space used by the event in accordance with state and county guidelines for sea turtle protection.
3. Styrofoam, glass, plastic straws, and flip top bottles are all prohibited for all events on public property.
4. Prohibited activities include any trenching or excavating on the beach, in city parks or any other public right of way locations
5. Events are required to put in place protective measures to avoid any type of leakage, seepage of liquids or chemicals, debris, or any foreign substance. Secondary containment is required when there presents a potential for spills.
Should TCED encounter a violation of any permitting requirements, the protocol is to immediately inform the event producer; suggest corrective measures and mitigation; and if needed, inform Code Compliance to assess whether a violation is warranted. All special events are monitored by the TCED field monitors during load-in, event duration, and load-out to ensure compliance with all permit requirements. Additionally, community outreach sessions are held prior to each event permit approval to discuss in great detail the impacts of the event on the city, and to underline our city's ethos of environmental responsibility.
Each special event permit is reviewed by all city departments, including the Environment & Sustainability Department. |
| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION:
TCED is working with all relevant city departments on a comprehensive update to the special event permitting process and event guidelines. Once the draft special event guidelines are complete, it will be brought before the Commission for review and approval. | | |
| ATTACHMENTS: | | Description | Type | | No Attachments Available |
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