C4F - Discuss Amending Residents' Transparency Law

Committee Referrals - C4 F

COMMISSION MEMORANDUM

RECOMMENDATION

BACKGROUND/HISTORY

ANALYSIS

Please refer a discussion to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (“PSNQLC”) to consider potential amendments to the City’s “Residents’ Right to Know” Ordinance (Section 2-17 of the City Code) to enhance its effectiveness as a tool for public awareness, transparency, and meaningful resident engagement.

While the ordinance currently provides residents with certain rights to notice, input, and procedural fairness regarding matters that may impact quality of life, community stakeholders have identified several opportunities to strengthen the ordinance’s implementation and accessibility.

Suggested areas for committee discussion include:

Clarification of Eligible Categories – Whether the ordinance should be revised to more specifically define the types of policy, land use, and quality-of-life matters that trigger RR2K protections, and how determinations are made administratively.

Notification Process and Format – How residents and neighborhood associations are notified once an item qualifies for RR2K status, including whether more user-friendly formats, tracking tools, or communication channels could be implemented.

Website Usability – Whether a dedicated section or tool on the City’s website could better organize and present RR2K notices, allowing residents to quickly identify and track relevant upcoming items. Best practices from other cities may also help inform improvements.

The goal of this referral is to ensure that the “Residents’ Right to Know” is not just a legal entitlement, but a robust and usable mechanism that empowers residents to advocate for themselves and stay informed about decisions that impact their neighborhoods.

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

CONCLUSION

Applicable Area

Citywide

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

Office of Commissioner Laura Dominguez

Sponsor(s)

Commissioner Laura Dominguez

Co-sponsor(s)

Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt Commissioner Joseph Magazine

Condensed Title

Ref: PSNQLC - Amendments to Residents’ Right to Know Ordinance. (Dominguez/Bhatt/Magazine)

Previous Action (For City Clerk Use Only)