The City of Miami Beach has launched a new online database that will allow residents to access conditional use permits (CUP) approved by the Miami Beach Planning Board. The new database includes a map component and allows for direct downloading of any CUP in PDF format. All CUPs contain conditions specific to an individual property and/or business.

“The goal is to bring greater transparency to Miami Beach with our new digital database that allows easy access to conditional use permits,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Steven Meiner, the driving force behind this initiative. “Gone are the days of struggling to obtain permits from offsite archives — residents can now effortlessly monitor CUP compliance by businesses.”

Conditional use permits are required for certain types of uses in specific zoning districts. CUP review includes careful vetting as to the location of the proposed use, as well as the site plan, due to the nature of the use and to mitigate any potential adverse impacts on neighboring properties.

Examples of uses that require a CUP include alcoholic beverage establishments that have more than 300 persons, outdoor entertainment establishments, buildings greater than 50,000 square feet, and structures with mechanical parking.

The new online database gives users the option of searching through more than 600 conditional use permits, including permits issued prior to May 2016 that had been previously unavailable online. The database is updated regularly and is searchable by address and zoning district.

The database will also be useful for Miami Beach Code Compliance personnel who are investigating complaints against businesses.

To view the database, visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/conditional-use-approvals/.