Welcome
On April 26, 2012, the City of Miami Commission will hear on first reading an ordinance to allow advertisements in the public right of way on any sidewalk, crosswalk, curb, trash receptacle, lamp post, electric light, telegraph/telephone/utility post, hydrant, parking meter, bus bench or shelter, news rack, shade tree or tree box, any wall, fence or barricade, our upon the piers, columns, trusses, girders, railings, gates or other parts of a public bridge, overpass or viaduct, on any public structure or building - every public building and structure and everything in the public right of way that doesn’t move will be covered with ads.
Of course, that’s why tourists come to Miami to be bombarded with ads.
City “leaders” – think lean regarding municipal expenses – think reduce salaries and perks of the mayor, directors, city managers, - think reduce staffs of commissioners, city manager and mayor. Because if all you can come up with to reduce our financial straits is to sell our soul to the outdoor advertising industry to the detriment of our quality of life and tourist industry, you are way overpaid!
The County should enforce the County Sign Code
Miami-Dade County Attorney R. A. Cuevas, Jr., issued an opinion on April 17, 2012 (Click here to read the opinion), finding that the LED billboards permitted and proposed by the City of Miami are not allowed by the County Sign Code. Further, the Mayor or County Commission can authorize action to remove the illegal signs.
The rogue City of Miami has ignored the County Code for far too long.
We should demand that the County enforce its Sign Code to save our community from the City of Miami’s destruction of our signature tourist and resident attraction: its scenic beauty. Click here to read Miami Today’s editorial on Miami’s plan to put billboards on our cultural institutions.
Click here to read our April 23, 2012 letter "The Sign Code of Miami-Dade County Governs in the City of Miami" with details on the County Attorney opinion on this matter.
The City of Miami proposes LED digital billboards on the Gusman, Children’s Museum and the Knight Center
On Thursday, May 10, 2012, the City of Miami is expected to hear on second and final reading an ordinance to put LED digital billboards on city-owned property serving as venues for 1000 guests. The three (3) sites named in the ordinance are The Children’s Museum, the Gusman Theatre, and the Knight Center. The ordinance proposes these signs will advertise goods and services not sold or provided on the premises, changing their messages every 8 seconds, and lit 24/7. Further, at the first reading, Comm. Spence-Jones added to the ordinance allowance for LED billboards in regional parks (unbelievably despoiling but unfortunately as we predicted).
Remember they are illegal under the County Sign Code.
Additionally, the placement of LED billboards on the Gusman, one of the 100 finest structures in the state, jeopardizes its place on the National Historical Register. LED digital billboards, degrading The Children’s Museum, are to be seen from both directions on the MacArthur – a clear traffic safety issue and despoiling the views of the Intracoastal Waterway. Residents on Hibiscus, Palm and Star Islands will be greeted with these brightly-lit signs, changing every 8 seconds, day and night. Views of the Miami River will be cluttered with the offending LED digital billboards on the Knight Center.
The City wants us to leave to the Planning Director decisions as to the number and location of these LED billboards on these structures and in these parks. No notice, no input, no appeal from the affected residential properties and homeowner associations. We do pay their salaries – right – but no concern for us.
No telling what other Miami property will be up next. Think parks (already there). Think every city building and all city property (ordinance proposed and withdrawn). Think Dinner Key marina and the soon-to-be renovated Miami Marine Stadium.
Once again, the City of Miami, looking for revenues, goes to its chums, the outdoor advertising industry titans, for LED digital billboards. You, me, all of us, tourists and residents alike, will be continually blasted with these brightly-lit LED digital billboards if our political leaders have their way. They apparently know no limits, and no shame.
Hopefully the City of Miami Commissioners and Mayor will take note of the illegality of their actions and the damage they are doing to our quality of life and our tourist industry to back off of this ill-conceived plan.
For the latest news and information on this project please go to our News Page or become a member.