Getting Results for Miami Beach

Below are highlights from Mark Samuelian’s first four years of service:

Advocated and passed legislation that addresses resident quality of life and climate change by phasing out gasoline-powered leaf blowers as part of the city’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Sponsored and passed an ordinance that ensures that our disabled residents get a fair parking advantage.
Donated almost fifty thousand dollars from my re-election campaign to the City to use towards chess initiatives.
Advocated for and passed an ordinance establishing first-ever resiliency standards for tidal flood protection and construction standards for seawalls and other tidal flood barriers in Miami Beach
Advocated for and passed an ordinance establishing a process to authorize temporary uses of post-disaster zoning relief
Advocated for and passed the utilization of previously unused City property to be used as a “Kitty Campus” for the City’s trap, neuter, vaccinate and release program as well as cat adaption
Advocated and passed a resolution establishing the slow streets pilot program in the Flamingo Park neighborhood
Co-sponsored ordinance enhancing penalties for sidewalk cafes and sponsored a resolution accepting the recommendation from the City to extend sidewalk cafes on a month-to-month basis
Sponsored resolution creating a new Miami Beach Resiliency Fund which includes an innovative grant program for private property adaptation
Sponsored resolution directing the City administration to use all available means to ensure that credit/debit cards are accepted for towing services
Advocated strongly for new Inspector Charter Office and sponsored legislation ensuring the Inspector General had an independent funding source
Advocated forcefully for the passage of the GO Bond with a heavy emphasis on enhancing public safety. This includes increasing the usage of License Plate Readers (LPRs) at 26 strategic locations and installing 95 new security cameras
Advocated for and obtained more Marchman beds funding – a program aimed at rehabilitating individuals who are abusing alcohol or drugs
Ensured proper oversight for the West Avenue Neighborhood and directed City to evaluate a new “pump” location instead of at the end of Lincoln Road
Sponsored, with the unanimous support of my colleagues, an insightful review of the City’s resiliency efforts by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) at no cost to our city’s taxpayers
Helped lead the charge to successfully reject (5 – 2 Commission vote) an ill-conceived, almost $90 million La Gorce neighborhood street-raising project, and demanded better from the City Administration
Strengthened oversight of the City’s flooding/stormwater management program and have identified and worked to address major issues with the West Ave., Indian Creek and Palm and Hibiscus projects
Successfully advocated expanding mobile, in-home COVID-19 testing for seniors
Sponsored resolution that was passed unanimously by the City to enhance bicycle safety measures on the Venetian Causeway; advocated for the same on Indian Creek
Advocated strongly for the Fifth Street Pedestrian bridge and bay-walk enhancements connecting the Beach to the Bay
Advocated forcefully to clean up malfeasance on public property and am proud to have sponsored an ordinance regulating unsanctioned vendors on City property
Sponsored ordinances that addressed hawking as well as deceptive menu practices especially prevalent on Ocean Drive
Worked with Miami Beach United and the City to create the Engagement Toolbox, a one-stop-shop on the City website to access information most important to residents https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/residents/
Co-sponsored a City Commission resolution supporting the efforts of the Miami-Dade transportation planning organization (TPO) to develop a bus express rapid transit (BERT) network and put the funding in place
Successfully advocated repurposing certain streets in Miami Beach for more pedestrian cyclist access
Sponsored legislation to refer to the Planning Board the Role of the Design Review Board to enhance aesthetics and transparency for Neighborhood Projects
Sponsored legislation ensuring that Miami Beach schools still offered the flu vaccine
Sponsored legislation ensuring that businesses properly place and secure outside furniture to address homelessness
Urged County Mayor to reopen pools for private use via a resolution that passed unanimously
Sponsored creation of Animal Committee to advocate animal welfare within the City and secured funding for some of their efforts
My current/past appointments by the Mayor include Chair of the Land Use and Sustainability Committee (LUSC), Vice-Chair of the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee (FERC), Chair of the Ocean Drive Panel Subcommittee on Security, Safety, and Infrastructure
Along with my aide, Julio Rodriguez, we have addressed over 800 resident inquiries and concerns