Miami Beach threatens to shut down unpermitted mansion parties during Art Week
Miami Beach officials are enacting new rules to try to crack down on house parties on some of the city’s most exclusive islands during Art Week.
The Miami Beach City Commission on Wednesday approved a requirement to obtain special event permits for any large-scale events at single-family homes on Palm, Hibiscus and Star islands from Dec. 2-8 — with the threat of shutting down parties or even making arrests if people don’t comply.
Vice Mayor Alex Fernandez, who proposed the measure, said Hibiscus Island residents have complained of their neighbors effectively turning homes into clubs during Art Week in the past.
“Essentially, single-family homes are becoming nightclubs next to where children are living,” Fernandez told the Miami Herald. “We need to stop with the commercialization of these single-family neighborhoods.”
On Thursday, Miami Beach Code Compliance Director Hernan Cardeno sent a letter to three properties that have advised police of plans to host house parties during Art Week, instructing them to apply for the required permit but warning that their applications may be rejected.
“Please be advised that if the owners of the homes hosting these large, historically disruptive, events cannot demonstrate that their parties will not violate the basic tenets of residential neighborhood living, the City Manager may deny the application and prevent the party from taking place at all,” Cardeno wrote.
Last December, the CEO of skincare company Farmasi threw an Art Week party at his $15 million Hibiscus Island property that was attended by celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Travis Scott, capping off the night with fireworks and a drone light show.
The Palm, Hibiscus and Star island homeowners association recently expressed frustration that the city had approved a firework display around midnight at the same home in two weeks, on Dec. 5. The city has since canceled the fireworks permit.
Chris Torto, the president of the homeowners association, said it becomes a nuisance and a safety hazard when hundreds of people come onto the islands for parties.
“I think people should absolutely be able to have a reasonable party at their home but not a commercial-grade event,” Torto told the Herald. “We live in a residential community. This isn’t Ocean Drive, this isn’t a party area.”
Commercial events aren’t allowed in residential areas, but city officials said owners have been able to get around the rules by not charging a cover for entry and not selling anything inside.
The change that was approved Wednesday aims to make it harder to turn mansions into full-blown clubs as part of the Art Basel party scene. It mandates a special permit for any gatherings that feature event equipment like “industrial grade speakers,” dance floor lighting, generators and firework displays, said Chief Deputy City Attorney Rob Rosenwald.
To get a permit, owners will need to go through a review process with city officials and agree to let code officers inspect their property before and during the event. The homeowners association for Palm, Hibiscus and Star islands will also get an opportunity to review and comment on the plans.
People who fail to get a permit could be barred from getting future special event permits for 13 months, according to the resolution passed Wednesday. If someone refuses to shut down a party at the demand of code officers, “the Miami Beach Police Department may arrest each owner, manager, director, or resident for resisting arrest without violence or any other applicable charge,” the resolution reads.
.jpg "2_ (1).jpg")
The city has received several requests for off-duty police presence at big house parties during Art Week. One such event at a Star Island mansion has an anticipated attendance of 3,000 people.
Miami Beach City Manager Eric Carpenter said code and parking enforcement officers will be stationed in neighborhoods where parties are expected, to address “a continuing source of frustration” during Art Basel. “We want to try to find a solution,” he said.
This story was originally published November 21, 2024 at 5:43 PM.
