Miami Springs tries to curb crime along NW 36th Street: Fences are planned
The Miami Springs City Council voted 5-0 on June 28 to reign in ‘immoral behavior’ along a five-block stretch of Northwest 36th Street with a series of eight-foot fences.
“The residents in these particular blocks, due to the proximity to the hotels along NW 36th Street, have been experiencing less than acceptable behaviors such as problems with drug dealings [sic], loitering, immoral behavior amongst others, as well as homeless and transients who walk freely into the residential areas,” City Manager William Alonso said.
After hearing two complaints, at a recent meeting, Miami Springs leaders proposed building six-foot fences that would block access to Minola, Mokena, LaVilla, DeSoto and DeLeon drives from Northwest 36th Street.
“This is the frontier to our city, and we have to take care of that gate because they will come inside the city and they will destroy it,” said Hilda Bennet, whose LaVilla Drive home borders a NW 36th Street hotel. “You hear loud music at 2:30 and 3:30 in the morning and ladies yelling, having their parties, I don’t know, maybe in their cars.”
Another resident said she fears for her safety.
“I have to smell marijuana. They smoke and I get drunk, so I cannot go outside,” said Odalys Nunez, who lives on Minola Drive. “I’m even afraid I’m going to get shot one day.”
Last month, Miami Springs mulled hiring more police officers due to hotel-related crimes. The city may also create a nuisance abatement board that will require property and business owners to eliminate activities that endanger public health and safety.
In 2013, the city approved an ordinance permitting a red-light district across from Miami International Airport. The area now includes homeless shelters and an hourly motel, near schools.
During this time, the city also embarked on a rapid hotel expansion campaign on or near NW 36th Street, and this area has since become a hotbed for crimes including robberies, prostitutions, and rapes.
Miami Springs will soon bulldoze steel guardrails and landscaping placed along the five streets, over a decade ago, to thwart cut-through traffic off NW 36th Street. The city will also block sidewalks to keep people from roaming into the city.
“Access to sidewalks is an invitation to roam,” said Miami Springs Mayor Maria Mitchell. “For the most part, when that invitation to roam is not there, I think we’ll see substantial decrease.”
Meanwhile, on the city’s northwest end, Mitchell has pushed for a $2 million pedestrian bridge that will connect Miami Springs with the Okeechobee Metrorail station, where a large homeless encampment was recently set ablaze and cleared out.
Officials mulled concrete barrier walls along the five roads but jettisoned cement after getting a $181,000 estimate.
“The total cost for a decorative fence only in all five locations would be $17,600, based on one estimate received,” City Manager William Alonso said at a recent meeting.
City leaders had originally proposed 6-foot fences but added 2 feet last week “in order to address residents’ concerns regarding crime along the NW 36th Street corridor,” an internal memo said.
Project fees for the 8-foot aluminum fences — totaling 334 feet — have also increased, estimates obtained by Miami Springs said. The estimates include:
Guaranteed Fence Corp., Hialeah, $21,042.
Island Fence of Dade, Hialeah, $25,200.
A third quote, from “frankwelding,” did not list a company name, $42,000.
It remains unclear whether installing 8-foot fences “constitute a safety hazard” that violates a city ordinance. Last spring, Mitchell asked city code enforcement agents to crack down on hedges and fences taller than four feet after her neighbor’s car backed up and knocked her off the sidewalk.
Mitchell referred to section 150-013 of Miami Springs’ code, which says: “Residential plantings, fences and walls… shall be maintained so as not to constitute a safety hazard or visual clearance obstruction to pedestrians or vehicular traffic utilizing City sidewalks, swales, alleys, streets or other rights-of-way.”
The proposed fences required permission from residential and hotel property owners, and the city has sent informational mailers with more details to those residing on the east end, officials said.
Miami Springs officials said fence construction could be finished by July 30.
No one opposed the measure at the June 14 or June 28 meetings.
The next City Council meeting takes place at 7 p.m. Aug. 9, at 201 Westward Dr.
Theo Karantsalis can be reached at karantsalis@bellsouth.net.