AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE AND CITYWIDE PROJECTS COMMITTEE AT ITS JULY 13, 2018 BUDGET BRIEFING; AND AMENDING APPENDIX "A," ENTITLED "FEE SCHEDULE," TO THE CITY CODE, IN ORDER TO MODIFY THE FEES CHARGED PURSUANT TO SECTION 14-65, ENTITLED "MECHANICAL PERMIT FEES," IN ORDER TO MODIFY THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH ELEVATOR INSPECTIONS; PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, CODIFICATION, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

This year, as part of a budget process that needed to identify ways to address a $5.5 million budget gap and still maintain services, the City has evaluated all components of the budget including employee salaries and benefits, potential efficiencies, and revenue enhancements. At the July 13, 2018 Budget Briefing of the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee, the elevator fees were recommended to be increased.

The last substantial increase to the elevator fees was per Ordinance 2012-3776 effective September 27, 2012. At the July 13, 2018 Finance and Citywide Projects Committee meeting, the Committee recommended increasing all elevator fees by 20% effective October 1, 2018. This will generate an estimated $240,000 in revenue for Fiscal Year 2019.

For Fiscal Year 2018, it is estimated that the City will collect approximately $1.2 million in elevator fees. This is projected to increase to approximately $1.4 million in Fiscal Year 2019.

The proposed fee increases will mainly impact new construction but will also effect all buildings that have an elevator, escalator, wheelchair lift, etc. within the City. For the average residential condominium building with a single elevator, the annual impact is for the certificate of operation, which is being proposed to be $90 (currently $75.00 per elevator), and the fee for Monitoring/Jurisdictional, which is being proposed to be $240 (currently $200 per elevator) which covers inspections/tests, verifying compliance, imposing violations, etc. and represents a total of annual increase of $55 per elevator.

At its September 12, 2018 meeting, the City Commission approved the Ordinance on First Reading and set a Second Reading Public Hearing for September 26, 2018. 

The Administration recommends approving the Ordinance on Second Reading Public Hearing.