C7AF - Pilot Food Truck Program at Liberty Plaza
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A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE, AND APPROVING A TEMPORARY PILOT FOOD TRUCK PROGRAM LOCATED AT “LIBERTY PLAZA” IN THE COLLINS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, BEGINNING ON JUNE 26, 2025, AND ENDING ON DECEMBER 31, 2025, AS PART OF THE COLLINS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION (CPNA) MASTER SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT, AND ALLOWING THE CPNA TO SELECT THE FOOD TRUCK TO BE LOCATED AT "LIBERTY PLAZA" AND ROTATE THE FOOD TRUCK SELECTION EVERY MONTH, AS NEEDED.
Sponsors
Commission Vote Result
7-0
PASSED
Detailed Information
Cached: 3 weeks agoResolutions - C7 AF
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
RECOMMENDATION
The Administration recommends adopting the Resolution.
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
On February 28, 2025, the Collins Park Neighborhood Association (CPNA) shared a letter via the City Clerk (refer to Exhibit A) regarding a proposal to introduce a monthly rotating food truck program in “Liberty Plaza” in the Collins Park neighborhood. The CPNA voted unanimously in support of this initiative at its February 18, 2025, meeting and requested the City consider implementing a food truck rotation on a trial basis.
On March 13, 2025, at the request of Commissioners Alex Fernandez and Laura Dominguez, a referral (item C4 S attached as Exhibit B) was made to the Public Safety Neighborhood and Quality of Life Committee (PSNQLC) to discuss the potential to bring food trucks to the Collins Park neighborhood.
The referral requested the Administration provide its recommendation regarding the CPNA’s proposal to introduce a rotating food truck program on trial basis to test the feasibility and impact of the food truck prior to implementing any permanent policy.
ANALYSIS
Section 142-874 of the City Code requires that business be conducted within substantially enclosed, permanent buildings. This code section is cited frequently, and is important for discouraging unwanted outdoor business activities, display of inventory in front of stores, and other unaesthetic outdoor sales activities.
Sec. 142-874. - Required enclosures. (a) Store enclosures. In all use districts designated in these land development regulations, the
sale, or exposure for sale or rent, of any personal property, including merchandise, groceries or perishable foods, such as vegetables and fruits, is prohibited, unless such sale, or exposure for sale, is made from a substantially enclosed, permanent building; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be deemed applicable to rooftop areas not visible from the right-of-way, filling stations, automobile service stations or repair shops; uses having revocable permits or beach concessions operated or granted by the city, news racks or newspaper stands, or displays at sidewalk cafés as permitted in subsection 82-384, wherever such uses are otherwise permissible.
Special Event Permits and Food Trucks: Currently, the City permits food trucks as part of a special event permit. Food trucks are not permitted as standalone activations.
Collins Park Neighborhood Association Master Permit: The Collins Park Neighborhood Association (CPNA) produces community programming in the Collins Park Neighborhood, specifically Collins Park and “Liberty Plaza,” via their ArtScape program. The ArtScape program provides ten (10) annual diverse live music activations. The concert series takes place on the lawn in Collins Park between the Bass Museum and Collins Avenue or in “Liberty Plaza” between the Miami City Ballet and the Miami Beach Library. These activations are permitted via their master Special Event Permit, which allows CPNA to activate in the locations.
Currently, Miami Beach neighborhood associations and business improvement districts, including Ocean Drive Association and Normandy Fountain Plaza Business Association hold master Special Event Permits which allow them to program events in their respective neighborhoods throughout the fiscal year.
The City currently funds CPNA annually in an amount of $75,000, which includes funding in-part, five (5) of the ten (10) ArtScape program annual events in the amount of $25,000 and the annual New Year’s Eve Ode to Joy Celebration in the Collins Park beachfront in an amount of $50,000.
As part of the CPNA special event master permit, the Association would be able to program a temporary food truck program in their neighborhood. Similarly, as they program ArtScape, and oversee live music programming, CPNA would be able to select the type of cuisine and food trucks as part of a potential temporary pilot program.
At the May 14, 2025 Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee, Staff presented the recommendation to add a temporary pilot food truck program for six (6) months to the CPNA’s special event master permit which would allow the CPNA to oversee the selection of a monthly single food truck and rotate the selection of said food truck on an as needed basis during the run of the pilot program.
Pilot Program Details: Location: “Liberty Plaza,” 2200 Liberty Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139 Dates: June 25, 2025, through December 31, 2025 Time: Monday through Friday 11am to 3pm, Saturday and Sunday 5pm to 7pm
On May 23, 2025, staff met with the President of the CPNA to discuss the recommendation of the PSNQLC and the proposed terms were accepted.
Should the Mayor and City Commission accept the PSNQLC’s favorable recommendation to approve a temporary pilot food truck program at “Liberty Plaza” in the Collins Park Neighborhood,
6 7 4 0
staff would proceed to add the proposed temporary pilot program to the CPNA special event master permit.
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate? (FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)
If applicable, the Business Impact Estimate (BIE) was published on: See BIE at: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/city-clerk/meeting-notices/
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
N/A
CONCLUSION
Based on the foregoing, the Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission accept the recommendation of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee to approve a temporary pilot food truck program for six (6) months at “Liberty Plaza” in the Collins Park Neighborhood via the Collins Park Neighborhood Association special event master permit and allow the CPNA to oversee the selection of a monthly single food truck and rotate the selection of said food truck on an as needed basis during the run of the pilot program.
Applicable Area
South Beach
Is this a “Residents Right to Know” item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-17?
Is this item related to a G.O. Bond Project?
No
No
Was this Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481, includes a principal engaged in lobbying? No
If so, specify the name of lobbyist(s) and principal(s):
Department
Tourism and Culture
Sponsor(s)
Commissioner Alex Fernandez
Co-sponsor(s)
6 7 4 0
Commissioner Laura Dominguez
Condensed Title
Accept Rec/Approve Temp Pilot Food Truck Program for Collins Park Neigh Assoc. (AF/LD) TC
Previous Action (For City Clerk Use Only)