2007 0920 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes: Regular City Commission Meeting September 20,2007 City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 9. ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING (Public Hearings) 9A. An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Amending Section 201-5 of the Code of the City of Sunny Isles Beach Relating to Recreational Activities to Provide the City Manager with the Authority to Establish Guidelines for Organized Commercial Weddings and Special Events on the Public Beach; Providing for Severability; Providing for Repealer; Providing for Inclusion in the Code; Providing for an Effective Date. (First Reading 8/16/07) Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and City Attorney Ottinot and City Manager Szerlag reported noting that there are three types of weddings: 1) simple ceremony with a runner, table and chairs, and conducted by a Rabbi or a Priest, and they are in and out in 30-45 minutes; 2) a reception which would involve a tent, wooded flooring, tables and chairs, food, alcoholic beverages and soft music, similar to a cocktail party, and noted that soft music is operationally defined as not exceeding 60 decibels at the property line; and 3) a noisy version of option 2, with a live band, and we do not recommend this one to the City. He asked the representatives of the hotels that gave staff a hand in writing the guidelines to stand up in the audience which included the Trump Sonesta Hotel, Newport, Acqualina, and Le Meridian, and he also thanked Ibis Romero of the Sunny Isles Beach Resort Association. City Manager Szerlag said he had met once with the hoteliers but he met with them again because there was an indication that perhaps the 24-hour permit was too long, and since this is essentially a new privilege we would like to start out with 6-hours, essentially from 4:00 p.m. until 1 0:00 p.m., that way the peak travel hours of pedestrians along the public beach would not be adversely impacted by the use of the public beach for a wedding and/or reception. He said that they are also asking that the privilege be implemented for nine (9) months and after that time, staff will come back to the Commission and find out what the pros and cons are and if there is any way we want to tweak the ordinance. Public Speakers: None Commissioner Brezin asked if the six hours would include setting up and breaking down, and City Manager Szerlag said it would include everything. Commissioner Goodman said he doesn't want to give up any part of the public beach, it belongs to the public and the hotels have plenty area of their own up to the high water mark, and they could have their party on their part of the beach. He said the beach is getting narrower and so he doesn't want to interfere with the public part of the beach. Vice Mayor Thaler said during the time schedule we have from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., there are a minimal number of people on the beach as there is very little sun on the beach at that time. He feels that this will help hotels and that it would bring some recognition to Sunny Isles Beach. However, he feels there are some things lacking: 1) limit the amount of weddings per week by anyone hotel so that the beach is not used in one area for more than once a week; 2) notify the condo and/or hotel to the north and south of the building that there will be a function occurring at 4:00 p.m.; and 3) there should be signs put on the beach before the event so that people don't camp out on these areas if they are going to be there after 4:00 p.m. City Manager Szerlag said those are valid points and that he had met with the hoteliers 7