Those visiting and looking for things to do in Miami Beach for Spring Break may not be too happy about an emergency curfew order issued on the heel of deadly shootings occurring late at night in the area — and the imposition could be extended beyond its initial 48 hour window.
In an announcement made to the City of Miami Beach TV's Youtube channel on March 19, Mayor Dan Gelber delivers the emergency order for South Beach, citing deadly shootings on Ocean Drive and 7th Street as the driving forces for its issuance, among a few other key-issues.
The 7th Street shooting occurred just before 11 pm Friday night, with Ocean Drive's happening on Saturday at around 3 am.
"As is the case with most serious crime in our city, both shootings were between visitors to Miami Beach and did not involve residents." Gelber decreed. "In both cases, police were literally seconds away from the incidents and arrests were made within minutes...it is clear that even an unprecedented police presence could not prevent these incidents from occurring."
The Mayor continued, stating that their daytime patrols have helped to significantly control crowds, as well as daytime incidents and arrests, with them seeing a decrease from last year. Gelber believes that the current volume of people in the city, unruly nature of many, and the presence of guns have created a peril that cannot go unchecked.
"Over the last three weeks alone, we have impounded over 70 firearms," Gelber recounted before moving forward with announcing a midnight curfew for Sunday March 19th through 11:59 pm on Monday, March 20.
A special commission will be meeting Monday, March 20, at 4 pm to discuss extending the curfew — as the manager's emergency powers can only extend for up to 72 hours. However, Mayor Gelber says he does intend to impose a similar curfew and set of rules stretching from Thursday, March 23 through Monday, March 27 as well.
The curfew area will sprawl from 23rd Street and Dade Boulevard on the North to government cut, or First Street, on the South, and from Ocean to The Bay on the East and the West.
Gelber asks that those in the impacted area not be out after midnight while the curfew is in place, requiring businesses in the curfew area to close sufficiently in advance of midnight to permit patrons the ability to avoid violating the emergency order. However, those going to and from work are exempt from the curfew.
The map of the applicable curfew area can be seen below:
According to a press release from the city, in addition to the midnight curfew, the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption will be prohibited in the curfew area after 6 pm. Take out and pick-up services at hotels are also not allowed during the emergency order window.
"Now as I have said many times, we don't ask for spring break in our city," The Mayor stressed, "We don't want Spring Break in our city. It's too rowdy, it brought too much disorder, and it's simply too difficult to police." He continues to thank manager, Alina T. Hudak, city staff, and the many police agencies assisting the city during their most challenging moments.
The full list of applicable emergency curfew rules as listed in the press release are as follows. The full video announcement made my Mayor Gelber can also be seen below:
- Effective Sunday, March 19, 2023 from 11:59 pm through 6 am, a curfew shall be imposed for that area of the City bounded by 23 Street and Dade Boulevard on the north (including properties fronting the north side of 23 Street or Dade Boulevard), Government Cut on the south, Biscayne Bay on the west, and the Atlantic Ocean on the east (“the curfew area”). Businesses within the affected area shall close sufficiently in advance of the curfew in order to permit patrons to avoid violating the curfew.
- Commercial businesses must admit their last guests within a time frame that allows them to leave by 11:59 pm each night. Hotels may continue business operations past the curfew, provided they are servicing hotel guests only.
- Businesses other than hotels shall be permitted to continue to operate from 11:59 pm – 6 am for delivery only. Takeout and pickup service is prohibited.
- The curfew shall not apply to the provision of designated essential services, such as fire, police and hospital services, including the transportation of patients thereto, utility emergency repairs, and emergency calls by physicians, and the curfew shall also not apply to persons traveling to their places of employment to report for work and to return to their residences after their work has concluded.
- All City residents requiring access to or from their homes, guests requiring access to or from their hotels, and employees / service providers of business establishments requiring access, including normally scheduled deliveries and janitorial services, shall be permitted. Residents are advised to return to the City prior to 11:59 pm, in order to avoid any potential traffic delays once the curfew has taken effect. Hotel guests entering the City after the curfew is in place, may We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community. be required to show proof of lodging (such as a hotel reservation).
- All roads or traffic patterns within the curfew area may be closed or rerouted as deemed necessary by the City Manager or Chief of Police. In order to manage access to our residential neighborhoods, the following restrictions will be in place:
- Residents will be able to access the South of Fifth neighborhood via Alton Road, Washington Avenue and Collins Avenue only.
- Residents will be able to access the Flamingo Park neighborhood via Alton Road. No access will be granted from Washington Avenue.
- In addition to the existing License Plate Readers (LPR’s) along the main thoroughfares, mobile LPR’s will be utilized along the 5 Street corridor.
- Ocean Drive will re-open to traffic the evening of Sunday, March 19, 2023.
- All entry access to City-owned parking garages located within the designated curfew zone will be closed from 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. on Sunday, March 19, 2023 through Monday, March 20, 2023. Vehicles will be allowed to exit parking garages at all times. Resident and employee access card holders will be able to access parking garages at all times.
- The sale or distribution of any alcoholic beverage(s) for off-premises consumption, with or without payment or consideration, shall be prohibited in the curfew area after 6 pm on Sunday, March 19, 2023.
- The existing programming as part of Miami Beach Live! scheduled to take place over the next week will be adjusted as follows:
- Sunday, March 19, 2023:
- Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) will continue as scheduled.
- Model Volleyball will end at 6 pm.
- Art on the Drive performances will end at 6 pm.
- Crunch fitness activations will continue as scheduled.
- All other programming in Lummus Park has been cancelled.
- Friday March 24, 2023 through Sunday, March 26, 2023
- Hyrox Miami Beach Fitness Festival will operate from 10:30 am – 6 pm.
Anyone who violates any of the emergency measures will be subject to city laws and Florida statues, potentially facing arrest and criminal prosecution by the city, the release states.
For updates on the curfew following the special commission's meeting, check the City of Miami Beach's website here. You can read the full order in its entirety here.
Article by Rachael Volpe