HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-14128City of Miami
Ordinance 14128
Legislation
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 12693 Final Action Date: 1/12/2023
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
2/ARTICLE IX/SECTION 2-779 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "ADMINISTRATION/CITY-OWNED
PROPERTY/OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS ON CITY -OWNED
PROPERTY," TO ALLOW FOR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS ON
GOVERNMENT -OWNED PROPERTIES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
SPONSOR(S): Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
WHEREAS, many south Florida government -owned properties have begun to attract
large numbers of residents and visitors; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") seeks to bring in necessary revenue to maintain
and improve government -owned properties within the City; and
WHEREAS, off -site advertising can assist those agencies in generating more revenue to
ensure funds necessary to improve and maintain their properties; and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the City Commission that the display of art or graphics with
minimal commercial message on certain government -owned properties that are located within
the City's urban core may be afforded the benefits that are traditionally afforded to billboards
and murals, but shall not be deemed the same, under Chapter 62 of the Code of the City of
Miami, Florida, as amended ("City Code") or to historic signs under Chapter 23 of the City Code;
and
WHEREAS, it is also the intent of the City Commission that signs permitted under
Chapter 2 or Chapter 62 of the City Code shall not be considered an alteration for purposes of
Chapter 23 of the City Code;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Ordinance are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. Chapter 2/Article IX of the City Code is amended in the following particulars:1
"CHAPTER 2
1 Words/and or figures stricken through shall be deleted. Underscored words and/or figures shall be
added. The remaining provisions are now in effect and remain unchanged. Asterisks indicate omitted
and unchanged material.
City of Miami Page 1 of 6 File ID: 12693 (Revision: B) Printed On: 6/24/2025
File ID: 12693 Enactment Number: 14128
ARTICLE IX. CITYGOVERNMENT-OWNED PROPERTY
* * *
Sec. 2-779. Outdoor advertising signs and on -site signage on city government -owned property.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in the Code or the zoning
ordinance of the city, as amended, a permit may be obtained for the erection of outdoor
advertising signs on a principal building located on certain city government -owned
properties located within the City of Miami urban core and identified in this section.
Currently, these properties identified herein are venues for large assemblies,
performances, exhibitions, or events, having a capacity in excess of 1,000 patrons, and are
operated by the city government -owner or a 501(c)(3) corporation in which the revenues
generated by the activities held at the venue support its operation. Subject to compliance
with any applicable federal, state or county, regulations, or restriction and as may be
permitted under any existing lease or management agreement, outdoor advertising signs
as described in this section, shall be allowed only at the following three venues:
(1) The James L. Knight Center (400 Southeast 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida);
(2) The Olympia Theater and Building/Gusman Center for the Performing Arts (174 East
Flagler Street, Miami, Florida); a€
(3) Miami Children's Museum (980 MacArthur Causeway, Miami, Florida);
(4) Bayfront Park (401 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida);
(5) Perez Art Museum Miami ("PAMM") (1103 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida);
(6) Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami Dade County ("Adrienne Arsht
Center") (1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida);
(7) Maurice A. Ferre Park (1075 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida); and
(8) Any government -owned location within the Omni or SEOPW CRAs.
Of those locations set forth above, the following locations are deemed Digital Free Standing
Sign Sites:
(i) Bayfront Park;
(ii) PAMM;
(iii) Adrienne Arsht Center; and
(iv) Maurice A. Ferre Park.
For the purpose of this section, Digital Free Standing Sign Sites (i), (ii) and (iv), as well as the
Miami marina at Bayside and Bayside Marketplace, all of which are under common ownership
by the city, are deemed one site or premise for the purpose of determining if such sign copy is
on -premises signage. Digital Free Standing Sign Site (iii) listed above, as well as all parcels
adjacent thereto on which Adrienne Arsht Center business is conducted, all under common
ownership by Miami -Dade County, are deemed one site or premise for the purpose of
determining if such sign copy is on -premises signage.
(b) Definitions.
Digital Free Standing Sign Sites: These sites are entitled to erect, notwithstanding any
contrary provisions in the Miami 21 Zoning Code, freestanding digital signs in which the size of
the sign cannot exceed 1,800 square feet per sign face, with no more than 2 sign faces, and
height measured from the top of the sign face cannot exceed 100 feet above grade.
City of Miami Page 2 of 6 File ID: 12693 (Revision: B) Printed on: 6/24/2025
File ID: 12693 Enactment Number: 14128
Freestanding digital signs meeting the definition of an outdoor advertising sign shall be limited to
those size and locational restrictions as required by Chapter 479, Florida Statutes, if applicable.
Outdoor advertising signs: Sign where the sign copy does not pertain solely to the use of
the property, a product sold, or the sale or lease of the property on which sign is displayed and
which does not solely identify the place of business as purveyor of the merchandise or services
advertised on the sign.
Outdoor advertising sign operator: Entity that constructs and/or operates the outdoor
advertising sign.
Permit holder: Permit holder is the outdoor advertising sign operator and the lessee in the
case of city qovernment-owned property that is subject to a leasehold interest or a licensee in
the case of a city qovernment-owned property that is subject to a license agreement, or the
property manager in the case of city qovernment-owned property that is subject to a
management agreement.
Sign: A sign, for purposes of this section, is any identification, description, illustration, or
device, illuminated or non -illuminated, that is visible from a public right-of-way or is located on
city qovernment-owned property and visible to the public and which directs attention to a
product, place, activity, person, institution, business, message or solicitation, including any
permanently installed or situated merchandise, with the exception of window displays, and any
letter, numeral, character, figure, emblem, painting, banner, pennant, placard, or temporary sign
designed to advertise, identify or convey information.
For purposes of this section, a sign can be an outdoor advertising sign where the sign copy
does not pertain to the use of the property, a product sold, or the sale or lease of the property
on which the sign is displayed and which does not identify the place of business as purveyor of
the merchandise or services advertised. Any sign authorized pursuant to this section is
permitted as an accessory use to a principal commercial use.
Sign, animated: Any sign or part of a sign which changes physical position by any
movement, or rotation, or which gives the visual impression of such movement or rotation.
Sign face: The entire face(s) of the sign including all text, artwork, and commercial
sponsorship messages incorporated into a sign.
Sign, flashing: A sign which gives the effect of constant intermittent movement, or which
changes to give more than one visual effect in less than eight seconds.
Sign, ground or freestanding: Any non -movable sign not affixed to a building, a self-
supporting sign. Ground signs shall be construed as including signs mounted on poles, er posts
or structures in the ground, signs on fences, signs on walls other than the walls of buildings,
signs on sign vehicles, portable signs for placement on the ground (A -frame, inverted T-frame
and the like), signs on or suspended from tethered balloons or other tethered airborne devices,
and signs created by landscaping.
Sign, revolving or whirling: A revolving or whirling sign is an animated sign, which revolves
and turns, or has external sign elements that revolve or turn. These signs may be power -driven
or propelled by the force of wind or air.
(c) Criteria for approving the erection of outdoor advertising signs on city government- owned
property. Signs authorized under this section may be internally illuminated, but shall not be
City of Miami Page 3 of 6 File ID: 12693 (Revision: B) Printed on: 6/24/2025
File ID: 12693 Enactment Number: 14128
animated, revolving, whirling, or flashing signs. Moreover, any change of copy must not
take place at intervals more frequent than eight seconds. The sign shall be integrated into
the architecture or wall of the building, and shall not or may be a ground or freestanding
sign or cantilever from the building. The design of the sign shall be consistent with the
operation of the underlying venue, as determined by the director of planning and zoning.
(d) Process for obtaining an outdoor advertising sign permit for city government -owned
property. Locations listed in subsection (a) are appropriate for an outdoor advertising sign.
If under the existing lease, management agreement or license, the lessee, property
manager and/or licensee is authorized permissible under the existing agreement to erect a
sign, such permit shall be reviewed and approved and a permit issued by the director of
planning and zoning, pursuant to the criteria stated herein:
(1) The size sign face of any outdoor advertising sign will comply with the size limitation
d shall not exceed 672
square feet plus embellishment for a total of 750 square feet per sign. However, a
freestanding digital sign at a Free Standing Digital Sign Site shall not exceed 1,800
square feet per side with no more than 2 sides. For digital freestanding signs at Digital
Free Standing Sign Sites, the top of the sign face shall not be higher than 100 feet
above grade.
(2) Outdoor advertising signs may be internally illuminated, but flashing, intermittent,
rotating, or moving lights are prohibited. Lighting which causes glare or impairs the
vision of the driver of any motor vehicle, or which otherwise interferes with any driver's
operation of a motor vehicle is prohibited. Furthermore, a sign may not be illuminated
so that it interferes with the effectiveness of, or obscures, an official traffic sign, signal
or device.
(3) Mechanically changeable and digital display panels are allowed provided the static
display time is at least eight seconds, and the time to change from one message to
another is no greater than two seconds.
(4) The specific size, configuration and location of the sign and its supporting structure
must comply with all criteria set forth above and the director of planning and zoning
shall also evaluate the proposed sign for compliance with the criteria set forth herein
and in Article 4, Table 12, design review criteria of the zoning ordinance of the city, as
applicable.
(5) The outdoor advertising sign operator must be a co -applicant with the lessee,
manager, or licensee.
(6) In addition to a permit issued pursuant to this section, the permit holder must obtain all
other necessary permits to construct and operate the sign in compliance with City
Code and state and federal law.
(e) Permit fee for the erection of an outdoor advertising sign on city government -owned
property.
(1) Permit fee. Any entity that collects rent, fees, or income from a sign on city property,
including, but not limited to the permit holder and the outdoor advertising sign
operator, shall pay to the city the permit fee described herein.
The annual permit fee shall be an amount equal to $7.00 per square foot of sign face
except if it is a digital freestanding sign at a Digital Free Standing Sign Site, in which
case the annual permit fee is $10.00 per square foot of sign face. The per square foot
dollar amount of $7.00 or $10.00 shall be multiplied by 12 months per year for each
sign, provided that such annual permit fee shall be no less than the minimum
$48,000.00 or greater than $63,000.00 per annum $432,000.00 (the "permit fee"). The
City of Miami Page 4 of 6 File ID: 12693 (Revision: B) Printed on: 6/24/2025
File ID: 12693 Enactment Number: 14128
(f)
initial permit fee shall be due in its entirety upon the issuance of a temporary
certificate of occupancy or certificate of occupancy for the structure upon which the
sign is to be erected, whichever is issued first. In any event, the annual permit fee
must be paid prior to placing any advertising on the sign. In the event any permit fee is
not paid in its entirety, the city may exercise any of the remedies set forth in
subsection (f). Fees shall be prorated based on the date of issuance of the TCO or
CO, or in any event, no later than the date of the first advertisement on the sign,
calculated by calendar year.
(2) Renewal of permit fees. The permit holder shall pay or cause the annual permit fee to
be paid in quarterly installments until such time it is paid in full. Sign permits shall be
void if quarterly payments are not received within ten business days after each
quarterly payment is due. The payment year shall run on a calendar year.
Along with the first quarter permit fee each permit holder shall submit demonstration of
up to date documentation of public liability insurance as approved by the department
of risk management, and continued effectiveness of a bond or letter of credit in the
amount of $50,000.00. Any payments made more than ten days after the date due
shall be considered late and shall accrue interest at the rate of 18 percent for 45 days.
If payment is not received by the 45th day, the city shall immediately rescind the sign
permit.
(3) Revenue sharing agreements allowing for a percentage of gross revenues between
the city as one party and any lessee, manager or licensee of a city government -owned
property and/or the outdoor advertising sign operator as the counterparts must be
approved by the city commission.
Termination, revocation, or rescission of outdoor advertising sign permit.
(1) Any sign permit issued under this section constitutes the exercise by the city of its
proprietary authority, and is subject to termination and revocation for any cause in the
best interest of the city. Prior to any sign permit being terminated and revoked, the city
shall provide the outdoor advertising sign operator with written notice of the proposed
termination and revocation, including the basis for said termination and revocation and
shall provide sign operator with thirty (30) days to remedy or cure the basis for the
termination and revocation. If after the 30-day cure period, the City still seeks to
terminate and revoke the sign permit, the City shall provide the sign operator with a
quasi-judicial hearing before the City commission to determine whether the City is
justified in terminating and revoking the sign permit. Any sign that is permitted on city
government -owned property under this section which is found to be in violation of the
conditions of the sign permit or any federal, state, er county or city regulation or
restriction is subject to removal by the city at the permit holder's expense after the City
provides written notice of the violation and thirty (30) days to cure or remedy said
violation and if sign operator fails to cure or remedy the violation, then the City shall
provide the sign operator with a quasi-judicial hearing before the city commission.
(2) The issuance of a sign permit under this section shall be conditioned upon the permit
holder, or in the case of city government -owned property that is subject to a
management agreement, the sign company, executing a hold -harmless and
indemnification, approved by the office of the city attorney, that will acknowledge that
the sign permit does not confer any vested rights and hold the city and its officials,
employees, contractors, agents or assigns harmless from any loss or damage to the
sign if it is removed by the city pursuant to subsection (1) above. The permit holder
will expressly agree as a condition of the permit that the sole recourse against the city
and its officials, employees, contractors, agents or assigns will be the return of the
sign, if available, in whatever condition it is found.
(3) If in any event the outdoor advertising sign operator fails to utilize the permitted
structure for outdoor advertising for a period of more than six months, the city
City of Miami Page 5 of 6 File ID: 12693 (Revision: B) Printed on: 6/24/2025
File ID: 12693 Enactment Number: 14128
(g)
manager shall rescind the outdoor advertising sign permit as provided for in
subsection (1) above.
('I) The city may immediately rescind a sign permit for noncompliance with any provisions
of City Code, including, but not limited to subsection (e).
(4g) Upon rescission of a sign permit and expiration of appeals, if the permit holder fails to
remove the sign, the city may:
a. Remove the structure, equipment or improvements related to the sign and may
draw upon the bond or letter of credit to ensure the same; or
b. Retain ownership of any sign or structure on the property.
Opt -out provision. The city opts out of Chapter 33, Article 6, Division 5 of the Miami -Dade
County Code of Ordinances, as amended, per Section 33 121.1133-82(c) as applicable to
these signs. The city has adopted the rules contained in this article, to regulate these signs
on government -owned property within the city of Miami Urban Core in proximity to
..,sway.
*„
Section 3. If any section, part of a section, paragraph, clause, phrase, or word of this
Ordinance is declared invalid, the remaining provisions of this Ordinance shall not be affected.
Section 4. This Ordinance shall become immediately after its adoption and signature of
the Mayor.2
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
ndez, City Attor ey 1/24/2023
2 This Ordinance shall become effective as specified herein unless vetoed by the Mayor within ten (10)
days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Ordinance, it shall become
effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission or upon the effective date stated
herein, whichever is later.
City of Miami Page 6 of 6 File ID: 12693 (Revision: B) Printed on: 6/24/2025