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