Latest news with #AlexFernandez
Axios
3 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
State policy may threaten rainbow street art across South Florida
New state and federal guidance restricting art on public roads could force cities across South Florida to paint over rainbow-colored street markings celebrating LGBTQ pride. Why it matters: The Florida Department of Transportation's new crackdown on "social, political or ideological" street art has already led the city of Boynton Beach to paint over a rainbow-colored intersection. It remains unclear how other South Florida cities with Pride-themed street art — from Key West to Fort Lauderdale — might be affected. Some of the murals have been targets of vandalism. Catch up quick: The guidance, laid out in a June 30 memo from FDOT assistant secretary Will Watts, requires that street markings comply with state and federal traffic rules. Noncompliant governments stand to lose state transportation funding. "Non-standard surface markings, signage and signals … can lead to distractions or misunderstandings, jeopardizing both driver and pedestrian safety," the memo says. Earlier this week, the city of St. Petersburg — which has street murals celebrating LGBTQ pride and Black history — received an email from FDOT requesting a list of all painted crosswalks, roads and other traffic infrastructure. A spokesperson told Axios Tampa Bay the city intended to "comply with federal and state requirements." Zoom in: Miami Beach, which has displayed the LGBTQ colors along Ocean Drive since 2014, hadn't received communications from FDOT, a spokesperson tells Axios. The city used to paint the crosswalks at the intersection of Ocean Drive and 12th Street with rainbow colors but installed permanent Pride-themed pavers in 2018. Friction point: Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez, the city's only openly gay commissioner, says he will push back against the new policy if it's "applied in a way that targets inclusive symbols, such as rainbow crosswalks, that have already received regulatory approval." "It is a dangerous regression when public safety is manipulated as a guise to erase a community's public visibility," Fernandez said. "History has shown that this manifestation of supremacy — which today targets LGBTQ people — will inevitably threaten people of diverse races, faiths, and backgrounds." Zoom out: FDOT spokesperson Michael Williams told Axios Tampa Bay that the agency "is currently performing an evaluation on facilities across the state. The cities of Key West and Fort Lauderdale had not been contacted about their street art, city spokespeople confirmed to Axios. Fort Lauderdale spokesperson Ashley Doussard said in a statement that the "city is aware of the FDOT internal memo and is reviewing to determine whether any pavement markings in the city are subject to the directive." Mayor Dean Trantalis, the city's first openly gay mayor, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that he hopes his city's Pride flag mural near Fort Lauderdale Beach can survive since it's painted on a side street and not at an intersection.
CBS News
25-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Miami Beach approves pilot program for alcohol sales on public beaches
For the first time, visitors may soon be able to legally buy alcoholic beverages on Miami Beach. The city commission this week approved a one-year pilot program allowing alcohol sales at two public beach locations, despite concerns from some city leaders about public safety and beach cleanliness. The program grants permission to the Boucher Brothers, the city's longtime beach vendor partner, to sell alcohol behind Lummus Park and along the 21st Street beachfront. The company already operates chair rentals and other concessions in those areas. "I'm a local so I don't like bringing coolers," said Orlando Alonzo, a lifelong Miami Beach resident. "It sounds like it will be a problem eventually. Because people come to our city and kind of mess up our beaches. I think if they control it it will be ok. But they're gonna have to put more garbage cans for sure." Not everyone on the commission supported the initiative. Commissioner Alex Fernandez voted against it, citing concerns about its impact on safety and public order. "We take a step forward but then we take three steps backwards. It's not aligned with the direction we want to go in in terms of public safety," Fernandez said. He added that while the city stands to receive 18 to 20 percent of total sales revenue, the potential risks outweigh the financial benefits. Commissioner Joe Magazine offered a different perspective, arguing that regulated sales could help reduce illegal alcohol vending, which has been a persistent problem on the beach. Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones reported 151 arrests last year related to unauthorized vending. "I'd rather have something that's regulated than having things that are sold... margaritas sold out of people's backpack," Magazine said during a June hearing. Lola Mason, a tourist from Texas who visits South Beach twice a year, said she's seen unlicensed vendors firsthand. "I've never purchased it because I don't know what they used to make it. And if the alcohol is actually alcohol. And if they haven't spiked it," Mason said. The pilot program will last one year, though the city manager retains authority to suspend or terminate it at any time. While a set menu will be established, specific offerings have not yet been finalized. Fernandez noted it will take several months to secure the proper licenses before sales can begin.
Time Out
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time Out
Miami Beach is graciously making it cheaper to park this summer
In a rare act of municipal kindness, Miami Beach is dramatically slashing parking prices this summer. From July 1 through Aug. 31, the city is offering $1-per-hour parking at all municipal parking zones citywide, including lots, garages and metered street parking, as long as they're operated by the City of Miami Beach. It's an effort to drive both cars and customers toward local businesses during what's typically a sweltering, sluggish season for tourism. The offer, available only through the ParkMobile app, allows drivers to park for up to three hours at the discounted rate per session. Each user can claim up to 15 discounted sessions, adding up to 45 hours of cheaper parking over the two-month period. The program auto-locks the discount by zone once the code is entered, so repeat parkers don't have to jump through digital hoops each time. 'Summer is here and we welcome everyone to enjoy Miami Beach with our lowest parking rates ever,' said Commissioner Alex Fernandez in a release announcing the initiative. 'With $1 hourly parking and incredible seasonal offerings like Miami Spa Month and Miami Spice, this is the perfect time to explore, unwind and savor all that Miami Beach has to offer.' Beyond the convenience for drivers, the city is hoping the program will give local restaurants, spas, boutiques and small businesses a much-needed seasonal boost. Visitors coming for prix fixe menus or discounted spa treatments may be more inclined to stay longer, shop more and explore beyond the usual hotspots when they're not feeding an aggressive meter. There's a bit of fine print, of course: Each individual parking session is capped at three hours, though back-to-back sessions are allowed until the 15-session limit is reached. The discount is valid only through ParkMobile—not at pay stations or kiosks—and will only apply to municipal-run zones, not private lots.
CBS News
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Miami Beach offers $1 per hour parking rate in July and August to help boost businesses
Miami Beach is giving visitors a break when it comes to parking in the city. For the months of July and August, the city is implementing a flat $1-per-hour parking rate at municipal parking lots, garages and on-street parking throughout the city. "With $1 hourly parking and incredible seasonal offerings like Miami Spa Month and Miami Spice, this is the perfect time to explore, unwind and savor all that Miami Beach has to offer," Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez said. Not only does this help visitors, it's also good for local businesses in what has traditionally been one of the slowest periods of the year. "Reducing parking costs is about boosting our local economy during the slower summer months," Maor Steven Meiner said. "We are encouraging more activity in our commercial districts, helping our small businesses stay strong and grow." Here's how it works The parking discount is available exclusively through the ParkMobile app. To take advantage of the discounted rate, motorists must open the ParkMobile app and enter the zone number. A promo code unique to that parking zone will appear in a pop-up banner within the app. Users will only need to enter the code one time if they plan to keep their vehicle within any zone that shares the same hourly rate. Users will receive up to three discounted hours per parking session and up to 45 discounted hours in total throughout the two-month promotional period.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
50-story buildings on South Beach? Affordable housing bill needs carve out for this city
Editorials 50-story buildings on South Beach? Affordable housing bill needs carve out for this city | Opinion South Beach's historic Art Deco District. Miami The new version of Florida's controversial Live Local Act — meant to get local regulations out of the way for the construction of affordable housing — risks opening the flood gates to rampant development in Miami Beach if lawmakers don't keep exceptions for the city. Think of South Beach lined with buildings as tall as 50 stories. That's how Commissioner Alex Fernandez described the impact of legislation the Florida Senate passed with a 36-0 vote this month. So far, the Senate and House differ on their versions of legislation to fine tune the 2023 Act. The law gave developers the ability to bypass local height and density regulations in certain cases if they are building rental projects where 40% of units meet certain affordability requirements. Local not-in-my-backyard policies have historically stymied efforts to build more multi-family projects that are affordable for working and middle-class residents. But the jury is still out on whether the law will actually help address South Florida's lack of housing options for those who aren't wealthy, or if it will be better for developers trying to circumvent community wishes for controlled development. In 2023, for example, the owners of the iconic Clevelander Hotel and Bar on Ocean Drive announced they were planning to use the Live Local Act to redevelop the property into a multi-story tower. Now, Miami Beach is again at the center of what will happen with the new version of Live Local. The House has moved a bill sponsored by Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, that creates an important exemption for the city. The Senate so far has not done the same. The legislation does many things to make it easier for developers to build projects that contain affordable housing. For example, the bill requires local governments to reduce parking requirements for those projects and to allow the construction of accessory dwelling units, also known as efficiencies, in single-family neighborhoods. Here's the part that matters the most to Miami Beach — and is especially alarming to Miami Beach officials: The legislation expands what state law defines as properties zoned for 'commercial' uses to include those where building a hotel, restaurant or retail would be allowed, which covers a good portion of Miami Beach, including neighborhoods with older apartment buildings, according to Fernandez. Those two-to-three-story buildings are the last vestiges of affordability in the city. That's important for two reasons: First, the Live Local Act already allows commercial land to be used for for mixed-use or residential multi-family rental projects that surpass height and density limits as long as affordability standards are met. Second, unless there's an exemption for the city, the Live Local Act would allow developers to demolish — without city approval — historic buildings in the famous Art Deco Historic District, 'replacing iconic, low-scale, two- and three-story historic buildings with modern high-rise towers and forever erasing the architecture that defines the city's identity and drives its economy,' the city wrote in a news release. Also affected would be historic neighborhoods such as Flamingo Park and North Shore. Those historic buildings could be knocked down and replaced with towers as tall as what's allowed within a one-mile radius of a construction site on the Beach — in the most extreme cases, more than 500 feet, or 50 stories, according to the city. 'It would turn South Beach into Manhattan,' Fernandez told the Herald Editorial Board. The House version (House Bill 943) would protect buildings within a historic district that was listed in the National Register of Historic Places before Jan. 1, 2000. That would include hundreds of buildings in South Beach's Art Deco District, Fernandez said. The bill would also require city approval for the demolition of structures that have been classified, as of July 2023, as 'contributing' in a local government's historic properties database. There's a caveat: The demolition of the rear part of a building abutting or facing an alley would not require a public hearing. That still means that 2,600 historic properties, according to the city, would have some type of protection on the Beach compared to the Senate version. The House is scheduled to hear its version on Tuesday. With the legislative session expected to end this week, a compromise needs to happen soon on behalf of a city whose historic architecture is a major economic and tourism driver. Click here to send the letter. BEHIND THE STORY MORE What's an editorial? Editorials are opinion pieces that reflect the views of the Miami Herald Editorial Board, a group of opinion journalists that operates separately from the Miami Herald newsroom. Miami Herald Editorial Board members are: opinion editor Amy Driscoll and editorial writers Luisa Yanez and Isadora Rangel. Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right. What's the difference between an op-ed and a column? Op-Eds, short for 'opposite the editorial page,' are opinion pieces written by contributors who are not affiliated with our Editorial Board. Columns are recurring opinion pieces that represent the views of staff columnists that regularly appear on the op-ed page. How does the Miami Herald Editorial Board decide what to write about? The Editorial Board, made up of experienced opinion journalists, primarily addresses local and state issues that affect South Florida residents. Each board member has an area of focus, such as education, COVID or local government policy. Board members meet daily and bring up an array of topics for discussion. Once a topic is fully discussed, board members will further report the issue, interviewing stakeholders and others involved and affected, so that the board can present the most informed opinion possible. We strive to provide our community with thought leadership that advocates for policies and priorities that strengthen our communities. Our editorials promote social justice, fairness in economic, educational and social opportunities and an end to systemic racism and inequality. The Editorial Board is separate from the reporters and editors of the Miami Herald newsroom. How can I contribute to the Miami Herald Opinion section? The Editorial Board accepts op-ed submissions of 650-700 words from community members who want to argue a specific viewpoint or idea that is relevant to our area. 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