On January 27, 2017 a discussion was held at the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee Meeting regarding the proposed Site Plan for North Shore Open Space Park. During this discussion, the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee approved by vote of acclamation a discussion at the March 1, 2017 City Commission Meeting regarding funding from Art in Public Places for public art in North Shore Open Space Park.
The Art in Public Places Ordinance (No. 95-2985) was adopted in 1995 and was created to “enhance the aesthetic environment of the City of Miami Beach by including works of art on public property within the City and in City construction projects.” The Art in Public Places program is funded by 1 ½ % of all “hard costs” of City capital construction projects, including new construction, additions, and costs for construction of joint private/public projects. As provided in Sec. 82-562 “Powers and Duties of the Art in Public Places Committee, the Art in Public Places Committee shall recommend to the City Commission whether a particular proposed city construction project is an appropriate site for works of art and whether all or a part of the appropriation required by section 82-587 should be utilized at the site or, reduced or waived in its entirety or, placed, whether in its entirety or a portion thereof, in the art in public places fund for other acceptable uses. The city commission shall also consider whether the funding source for a particular city construction project is restricted by public bond covenants; federal, state or local laws; and/or legal parameters which would require that the appropriation be utilized on the particular city construction project site.
The provisions of this article shall not apply to the new construction of, renovations, or additions to the following city construction projects:
a. Water and sewer related facilities, such as pump stations, water mains, water
lines, sewer lines, treatment facilities, etc.
b. Storm drainage infrastructure.
c. Road construction or bridges.
d. Streetscape beautification projects, which include but are not limited to, one
or all of the following elements: resurfacing, new curbs, gutters, pavers,
sidewalks, landscaping, lighting, bus shelters, bus benches, street furniture
and signage.
e. City construction projects undertaken to replace, reconstruct, or repair an
existing public building or facility damaged or destroyed by a sudden
unexpected turn of events, such as an act of God, riot, fire, flood, accident, or
other urgent circumstance.
f. The construction, remodeling, repair or improvement to a public electric or gas
utility system.
g. Where the city construction project is undertaken as a repair or maintenance
of an existing public facility.
The Office of Capital Improvement Projects has submitted a Capital Budget Request for the North Shore Open Space Park as part of the proposed FY 2018 budgeting process for appropriation over the next two years . The request estimates construction cost of approximately $9,000,000, which would result in an allocation of $61,313 for Art in Public Places based on the proposed cost of new construction and major renovations associated with this project. As referenced in Section 82-587 (c) 3. of the Art in Public Places Ordinance, if a particular city construction project is not an appropriate site for works of art, the City Commission may, by resolution, elect to place all or a portion of the required appropriation in the Art in Public Places fund for use at another site. However, the City Commission shall also consider whether the funding source for a particular city construction project is restricted by public bond covenants; federal, state or local laws; and/or legal parameters which may require that the appropriation be utilized on the particular city construction project site.
As part of the collection, Art in Public Places has three public art installations in North Beach, including the Beatles Mandala (2014) at North Beach Bandshell by Kevin Arrow, Circle (2004) located at North Shore Youth Center by Connie Lloveras and the city-wide manhole cover project entitled Urban Deco by Garren H. Owens.