City of Miami Beach Issues Declaration of a State of Emergency

(Miami Beach, FL) Mar 20, 2021 -

Miami Beach Interim City Manager Raul J. Aguila has declared a State of Emergency throughout the City in light of the Miami Beach Police Department’s significant concerns relating to larger than expected spring break crowds. Click here to view the Declaration of a State of Emergency relating to Spring Break 2021.

In response to the emergency, and in order to safeguard the public health, safety, and welfare of residents and visitors, the Interim City Manager has implemented the following emergency measures, effective immediately, for a period of three consecutive days unless otherwise determined by the Miami Beach City Commission.

  • Effective each night, from 8 p.m. through 6 a.m., a curfew shall be imposed in the area bounded by 5 Street on the south, 16 Street on the north, Pennsylvania Avenue on the west, and Ocean Drive on the east (the “High Impact Zone”). Restaurants within the High Impact Zone shall be permitted to continue to operate until 12 a.m. for delivery services only.  Pursuant to Section 26-33(a)(1) of the City Code, 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.
  • Eastbound lanes on the MacArthur Causeway and Julia Tuttle Causeway shall be completely CLOSED to traffic from 9 p.m. through 6 a.m., except to City residents, guests of hotels in the City, and employees of business establishments in the City.
  • Eastbound lanes on the Venetian Causeway shall be completely CLOSED to traffic from 9 p.m. through 6 a.m., except to City residents.
  • Effective each night, from 8 p.m. through 6 a.m., Ocean Drive shall be CLOSED to pedestrian and vehicular traffic, except to City residents requiring access to or from their homes, guests of hotels requiring access to or from their hotels, and employees of business establishments. Other public roads within the High Impact Zone may be closed as deemed necessary by the Interim City Manager or Chief of Police.
  • Effective each night, from 7 p.m. through 6 a.m., all sidewalk café operations, including expanded outdoor restaurant seating, shall be SUSPENDED in the High Impact Zone, pursuant to the City’s High Impact Ordinance and City Commission Resolution No. 2021-31599. All sidewalk café operators are directed to stack or remove tables and chairs no later than 8 p.m. each night.

Any violation of these emergency measures shall subject the individual, operator, business entity, or organization to arrest and criminal prosecution pursuant to Section 26-36 and Section 1-14 of the City Code.

The City strongly urges all businesses in the High Impact Zone to close voluntarily during the State of Emergency.

The Mayor has called an emergency meeting of the City Commission on Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 3 p.m. to discuss and take action with regard to the Declaration of a State of Emergency. Please click the following link to join the webinar: https://miamibeachfl-gov.zoom.us/j/81392857671. The Webinar ID is 813 9285 7671.

This Declaration of a State of Emergency and the measures set forth are separate from and in addition to the emergency measures currently in effect related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The foregoing measures shall be in place for a period of up to 72 hours, unless determined otherwise by the Mayor and City Commission.