Could this mean the end of house parties in Miami Beach? MAYBE NOT IF YOU SHOW UP TO CITY HALL TOMORROW (JAN 24TH) AT 6PM!!!

Miami Beach Ordinance To Strip Homeowners of Property Rights

On Wednesday January 16, 2008, the City of Miami Beach passed on first reading a sweeping and draconian zoning regulation which will ban many social gatherings and simple business transactions in private homes. If you’re caught throwing a baby shower or a birthday party, or if during your spring cleaning you sell four modest items in your house on E-Bay, you will be fined over $42,000.00 – and it can’t be waived by the special master for any reason.
Entitled “Commercial Use of Single Family Homes Prohibited”, the ordinance contains several alarming restrictions on the use of homes. For example, section 1(c)(1)(b) of the Ordinance prohibits the sale of “goods, property or services” exceeding $100 “offered for sale on or at the property”. This provision makes it illegal for:
• Miami Beach residents to sell their old bicycles, cars, furniture, computers or other unused property through classified ads or on Ebay.
• Professionals such as attorneys to work from their homes.
• To sell Tupperware, Avon cosmetics or other perform other direct marketing.

Likewise, the ordinance prohibits a homeowner from receiving “payment or other consideration… in excess of $100.00 per party or event for the use of the property.” As a result it will now be an illegal “commercial use” for:

• Five friends to plan a SuperBowl party where each chips in $25.00 to cover the cost of refreshments.
• Any resident to have a social gathering, such as a birthday party or wedding shower where the host receives more than $100 in gifts.
• Houseguests to reimburse their host for food or cleaning costs greater than $100.00.
• A resident to allow their home to be used for a relative’s wedding, graduation party or other gathering, if the owner receives any compensation in excess of $100.00 to cover costs associated with the gathering.
• A charity to provide any compensation to a homeowner for the use of a home for fundraising or education purposes.

“Every person in this city should ask their commissioner ‘how will the city know which gatherings are commercial’? This ordinance is going to be enforced by Code Inspectors peering through windows. No one likes noise or parking impacts- but those should be addressed by the noise Ordinance.”

Further, the ordinance indicates that any Code Compliance Officer may shut down a gathering without due process of law. This is going to be a field day for First Amendment attorneys. The City has mistakenly shut down non-commercial parties in the past, and they know they will again. When the City shuts down your wedding without cause, that’s a costly tragedy for which you should be compensated. When they mistakenly shut down your political gathering, that’s a constitutional quagmire.”

Another aspect of the ordinance would make it illegal to host an open house for the purposes of selling homes after 8:00 PM. This is going to have a huge impact on home sales, transaction times and prices at a time where homes are already selling slowly.

DO SOMETHING: Cut a past a copy of this letter or one of your own and email the Miami Beach City Comission!!!!!

Dear Commissioner,

I am a Miami Beach resident and am concerned about the ordinance that you are considering enacting into law in February.

I agree with you that noise, garbage, and parking issues that may be associated with parties are bad. However, there are existing laws on the books that address these concerns.

I am in favor of allowing homeowners to have private, invite only parties within their homes. Please DO NOT interfere will my rights as a resident to entertain within my home! I trust that you will make the right decision and not turn Miami Beach into a boarded up retirement community.


Please, maintain the spirit of Miami Beach.

Thanks for your consideration.

THE NEXT READING OF THE ORDINANCE IS THURSDAY JANUARY 24th AT 6PM MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL - IF YOU WANT TO PREVENT

New Years Eve 07/08

Well another marathon night awaits us this New Years........

For professional clubbers like us, NYE usually becomes a night to get away from the usual venue anarchy or 300 door fees and over priced bottle service (more overpriced than usual).

Whereas VIPs from the New York will come down and party at the various high-end, poolside hotel events, and Floridians will get their tickets to the clubs, its a different story for the A3 crew. In the world of nightlife, there are two nights that are considered "amateur hour" by most professional partiers. These are the nights when the people who never go out deem themselves ready to throw down. These are the people who get ready at their friends apartments, downing shots before even getting to their destinations......all the while announcing to the world (or anyone in earshot) "look out world here we come!" These are also the same people we regularly get footage of outside of the club, doubled over a storm drain retching up what was dinner while their friends hold their hair back asking "why did we have those Slippery Nipple shots before coming here?!"

Amateurs.....plain and simple.

There is an art to clubbing, staying out late enough to experience it all, but balancing the mix of alcohol, smoke and your own sense of self satisfaction. And when it comes to New Years Eve....satisfaction must always be 100% guaranteed!

Thats why at A3 we always want to take our viewers into the parties they werent invited.....showing you exclusive events at multi million dollar estates or unique venues. This New Years will be no diferrent of course.....

A3 will be at 2 private mansion parties and Shy's annual "After Hours" party, a schedule that will bring us well into the first sunrise of 2008.

Keep a look out about a week or so after the big night for our annual NYE roundup including all the outrageous parties and beautiful people we encountered in the first few hours of 2008.

Happy new year!