On Wednesday, July 26th, Miami Beach City Commissioners told Ocean Drive to turn down the volume. For the next four months Ocean Drive nightclubs will be more susceptible to noise complaints after commissioners unanimously voted to temporarily repeal an exemption of the city’s noise ordinance. The ordinance could have a severe impact on Ocean Drive businesses like the Clevelander, Mango’s Tropical Café and Ocean’s Ten.
However, Alexander Tachmes, a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group, successfully lobbied the Commission to mitigate the impact of this repeal. Currently, noise violations can be issued proactively by Code Compliance even if no one is complaining. Alex was able to persuade Commissioners to change that approach and require that all violations be complaint-driven. “If no one is being bothered, then why should businesses be cited?” said Alex, who represents the Ocean Drive Association.
Meanwhile, Mayor Philip Levine said, “If you reduce the amount of noise that’s out there, you reduce the amount of chaos and craziness that we see and experience on Ocean Drive late at night.”
Alex was a key figure in the development of the 10-Point Plan, which is already in place with increased lighting, an opened linear path on the sidewalk, and additional police officers.
According to Alex, the Commission action yesterday “takes a sledgehammer to a problem that needs a scalpel. The point of the plan was to limit unwanted noise, such as music blasting from loudspeakers outside T-shirt shops. However, we don’t want to eliminate music produced by businesses who have valid licenses to provide entertainment.”
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About Alexander I. Tachmes
Alexander I. Tachmes is a partner in the Miami office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is Chair of the Land Use and Government Relations Practice Group and a member of the Real Estate Practice Group. A Martindale-Hubbell AV® rated attorney, Alex concentrates his practice on governmental matters, including land use and zoning, public-private transactions, competitive bidding and lobbying, and commercial real estate transactions, including hospitality matters.