At its April 3, 2024 meeting, the City Commission approved a referral to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee to discuss taking whatever action is necessary, including allocating funding, to improve overall cleanliness and aesthetic appeal of the city’s sidewalks, streets, and neighborhoods, fundamental to the positive image of our community. 

Items presented for discussion by Mayor Meiner include:

1. Find ways to develop more uniformity in the appearance and maintenance of our sidewalks, streets, and lighting fixtures to contribute to a cohesive and attractive environment. Moving forward discuss one color option for a uniform sidewalk look.

2. Investigate latest upgrades to street lighting to energy-efficient, uniform fixtures that provide optimal visibility and enhance safety while contributing to the overall aesthetic curb appeal.

3. Emphasize through signage the importance of cleanliness to residents and visitors and encourages responsible behavior. Signage throughout the city reminding everyone to dispose of trash properly and maintain cleanliness standards.

4. Clean high-traffic areas more frequently, and empty trash bins more regularly to prevent litter buildup.

5. Invest in more state-of-the-art cleaning technology and additional equipment to improve efficiency and effectiveness. This might include purchasing high-powered vacuums, and innovative waste management systems.

6. Explore implementing added schedules for sidewalk cleaning ensuring sidewalks are kept free from litter, debris, and stains.

7. Develop a campaign to encourage residents and visitors to take pride in their community by disposing of litter responsibly, respecting public spaces, and reporting any issues regarding cleanliness or maintenance promptly.

8. Consider lockable or secured dumpsters and trash bins to prevent persons from rummaging through trash.

9. Foster more collaboration with local businesses, community organizations, and tourism stakeholders to promote a shared responsibility for maintaining cleanliness.

10. Allocate sufficient resources, including funding, equipment, and personnel, to support extra enhanced sanitation efforts.

The overall cleanliness and aesthetic appeal of all our sidewalks, streets, and neighborhoods are fundamental to the positive image of our community and as such, some of these items have been a topic of conversation at Committee meetings, with some being sent to the City Commission with a favorable recommendation for approval.  The items have been grouped by similar topic.  After action notes are included below:

1. Find ways to develop more uniformity in the appearance and maintenance of our sidewalks, streets, and lighting fixtures to contribute to a cohesive and attractive environment. Moving forward discuss one color option for a uniform sidewalk look.

• At its April 10, 2019 meeting, the City Commission approved, via Resolution No. 2019-30800 (ATTACHED), the replacement of gray concrete sidewalks throughout the City with the "Miami Beach Red" sidewalk color standard, unless otherwise specified by any applicable City Land Use Board.  The Resolution allows for the replacement of gray sidewalks to be completed gradually over time, as new neighborhood projects are implemented and the sidewalks within an entire block are replaced.  The Resolution also allows delegation to the Public Works Director to determine, on a street-by-street basis, if replacement of sidewalks to a "Miami Beach Red" color standard is appropriate.  The Resolution further directed that the foregoing be incorporated in the City's Public Works manual.

2. Investigate latest upgrades to street lighting to energy-efficient, uniform fixtures that provide optimal visibility and enhance safety while contributing to the overall aesthetic curb appeal.

• Public Works has a Citywide Smart Lighting Project (Phase 1C) in place, led by Consultant EAC Consulting, Inc., currently in its 90-100% Design Phase.  The project's goal is to promote safety and enhance the resident and tourist evening experience (outdated streetlights are being upgraded to LED lighting).  This will allow for uniform streetlight conditions throughout the city while minimizing unwanted lighting on residences or property windows by strategically adding "house shields" to the luminaires.  Proposed improvement areas include Flamingo-Lummus-Palm View, Bayshore South, North Shore, and Upper North Bay Road-Allison Island Neighborhoods (PRESENTATION ATTACHED).

3. Emphasize through signage the importance of cleanliness to residents and visitors and encourages responsible behavior. Signage throughout the city reminding everyone to dispose of trash properly and maintain cleanliness standards.

7. Develop a campaign to encourage residents and visitors to take pride in their community by disposing of litter responsibly, respecting public spaces, and reporting any issues regarding cleanliness or maintenance promptly.

9. Foster more collaboration with local businesses, community organizations, and tourism stakeholders to promote a shared responsibility for maintaining cleanliness.

• There have not been Committee discussions specific to signage encouraging residents and/or visitors to maintain favorable cleanliness standards.  However, the Office of marketing and Communications in partnership with the Department of Environment and Sustainability created the "We Heart Biscayne Bay" water quality campaign including the "Don't Be Trashy" sub-campaign which amplifies the need to properly dispose of garbage and recycling throughout the City and informing residents and visitors on how misplaced garbage makes its way into our water system and negatively affects overall water quality.  The marketing collateral has been amplified across various digital, social and out of home placements including trolleys, bus shelters and social media.  The campaign won a 2023 Communicator Award for "Best Environmental Campaign".  In addition, the City has evergreen content from the "Keep MB Clean' campaign that is promoted on MBTV, trolley screens and advertisements placed in various locations throughout the City.

4. Clean high-traffic areas more frequently, and empty trash bins more regularly to prevent litter buildup.

5. Invest in more state-of-the-art cleaning technology and additional equipment to improve efficiency and effectiveness. This might include purchasing high-powered vacuums, and innovative waste management systems.

6. Explore implementing added schedules for sidewalk cleaning ensuring sidewalks are kept free from litter, debris, and stains.

10. Allocate sufficient resources, including funding, equipment, and personnel, to support extra enhanced sanitation efforts.

• The Public Works Sanitation Division works diligently to maintain City cleanliness with a focus on hotspots and high trafficked areas such as the MXE and provides daily pressure washing on high impact weekends and special events. The team also responds to Egov complaints, phone calls, and interdepartmental Sanitation requests.

There is a discussion coming up at the April 19, 2024 Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee meeting with regards to Enhancement and Expansion of Sanitation and Code Compliance Efforts for FY 2025.  Based on staff analysis, added services for sanitation needs and code compliance enforcement will require the hiring of 12 additional full-time Sanitation crew members and 3 Code Compliance Officers (subject to budget allocation and approval).

8. Consider lockable or secured dumpsters and trash bins to prevent persons from rummaging through trash.

• At its February 14, 2024 meeting the Public Safety and Quality of Life Committee held a discussion regarding the use of secured dumpsters and trash bins to prevent rummaging.  Committee members made a unanimous motion, advising against the utilization of secure dumpsters or trash bins.