Sidewalk café operators who receive four or more sidewalk café violations over the preceding 12-month period will now be banned from “applying for and obtaining” a sidewalk café permit for two consecutive permit years following the permit year in which the most recent violation occurred.
“I think this is an important ordinance. We’re strengthening. We’re getting tougher on bad operators,” declared Miami Beach Commissioner Mark Samuelian, who co-sponsored the enhanced penalties. “As we’ve said many times, operating and making money on public property is a privilege, not a right. I think this is good government.”
The ordinance, which takes effect 10 days from the date of adoption, also targets unsightly food displays, visual and physical clutter, overcrowding of the rights of way, along with misleading advertising and bait-and-switch tactics.
