FYI Miami: March 19, 2020

Below are some of the FYIs in this week’s edition. The entire content of this week’s FYIs and Insider sections is available by subscription only. To subscribe click here.

TOURIST TAXES INTACT: Florida Senators last week removed from a House tax package a proposal to allow local tourist-development tax dollars to be used for water quality improvements and restrict the use of tourist-development and convention-development money in Miami-Dade County. Sen. Anitere Flores, a Republican from Miami, noted that Miami-Dade needs tourist-development tax dollars as it had recently canceled two major music festivals and seen a drop in hotel stays due to the threat of coronavirus.

CIRCLING OLD CUTLER: A resolution to add four traffic circles at key intersections along Old Cutler Road in Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay cleared a Miami-Dade legislative committee last week, clearing the way for a final vote by county lawmakers. The intent of the project, according to a release from the office of Daniella Levine Cava, the sponsoring county commissioner, is to ease traffic flows and enhance safety along the two-lane street while not diminishing its historical features. “These long-awaited road improvements will bring much-needed solutions to the traffic congestion on Old Cutler Road,” she said a prepared statement. “Most importantly, we made progress to enhance the safety for our local residents – drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, thanks to the collaboration we’ve developed between the county and our South Dade cities.”

DIAZ DUMPING DISCIPLINE: Lawbreakers who improperly dispose of waste will face stricter fines, as Miami-Dade lawmakers have OK’d an ordinance change sponsored by Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz cracking down on illegal dumping. County law previously imposed fines of $250 for illegally dumping up to 100 pounds or 50 cubic feet of waste, $400 for illegal dumping more than 100 pounds and up to 50 cubic feet of waste, and $1,000 for unlawfully disposing of 500 or more pounds or more than 100 cubic feet of waste. The new restrictions, which received sweeping support Feb. 19, raise the fines to $250 for any illegal littering, regardless of weight or volume, $1,000 for illegally dumping more than 15 pounds and 27 cubic feet and $2,500 for illegally dumping 500 pounds and 100 cubic feet of waste or more.

ART MEASURE DEFERRED AGAIN: At last week’s Miami City Commission meeting, Art in Public Places legislation for private developments was deferred once again. The city has already approved a program that requires public developments to incorporate art or pay a fee to a grant fund. However, legislation for private developments has been at an impasse with some private developers in opposition, and at last week’s meeting was deferred with no discussion.