A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING AMENDMENTS TO THE FILM & PRINT REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES IN SECTION V, PARAGRAPH F, ENTITLED "STREET/ LANE CLOSURES," TO MODIFY THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SIGNED LETTER OF NO OBJECTION FOR FILM & PRINT PRODUCTIONS TO CLOSE A LANE OR STREET; IN SECTION V, PARAGRAPH I, ENTITLED "PARKING," TO MODIFY THE REQUIREMENTS FOR METERED PARKING RENTAL(S) FOR FILM & PRINT PRODUCTIONS; IN SECTION VI, PARAGRAPHS C AND D, ENTITLED "NOTIFICATION FORMS/REQUIREMENTS," AND "SIGNATURE LETTERS OF NO OBJECTION; REQUIREMENTS," TO REDUCE THE REQUIRED RADIUS FOR SIGNED CONSENT; AND, IN SECTION XV, ENTITLED "MIAMI BEACH PRODUCTION INCENTIVES PROGRAM" TO AMEND "BEACH ACCESS" AND "PRODUCTION COMPANY MOBILE UNIT (PCRV) PERMIT" REQUIREMENTS AND TO ESTABLISH PROVISIONS FOR "DISCOUNTED PRODUCTION CREW PARKING AT MUNICIPAL LOTS AND GARAGES."

The Administration recommends approval of the resolution.

The Administration provided an overview to the Mayor and City Commission on February 8, 2017, regarding the continued viability of the film and print industry in Miami Beach.  The City of Miami Beach has historically been a desirable location for film and print production for the better part of five decades, and has hosted major celebrities and box office and ratings sensations; which included Miami Vice, Burn Notice, Magic City, Bird Cage, Bad Boys 1 & 2, Iron Man 3 and the recent Oscar winner Moonlight.   Regrettably, the State of Florida’s Film and Entertainment Incentive Program has not been funded by the Florida Legislature, and has resulted in a decline of 44% in dollars spent, and a reduction of 36% in hotel room nights utilized in Miami Beach.  The Mayor and City Commission tasked the Administration identifying those circumstances in which film and print production may continue throughout the City, and to further promote the City of Miami Beach as a film friendly destination.  The Administration coordinated meetings with production industry figures, the City’s Production Industry Council and reviewed processes and local incentive options provided by other communities to evaluate the City’s internal mechanisms.  The City reviewed its key constraints towards improving the approval process and the City’s image, and developed options that would potentially bring more production work to Miami Beach.

The Mayor and City Commission, at the April 26, 2017 Commission meeting, discussed the following options for encouraging more film and print production in Miami Beach:

·         Eliminate the signed consent requirement for reservation of metered parking, requiring merely notification with all details.

·         Reduce signed consent for road or lane closures to 75% of directly affected properties, instead of the current 100%.

·         Reduce the residential signature consent area to 200’ from the production use, where it currently requires 500’.

·         Reduce permitted production crew parking to $10 per vehicle (a 50% reduction from the usual $20 per vehicle) in all municipal lots and garages, where/ when capacity permits.

·         Extending the number of free vehicle access passes to productions which demonstrate Miami Beach room nights, to a scale of 5 passes for 50 room nights; 10 passes for 100 room nights; and 20 passes for 200 room nights.

·         Reinstate the PCRV pass for motorhome parking allowance in metered spaces and taxi/ ride share spaces.

These changes were supported by the City Commission, and will be accomplished by amendments to the Film & Print Requirements and Guidelines.  If adopted, the Administration will evaluate the impacts of these changes, and report back to the City Commission in six months.