The City of Miami Springs Code Compliance Board found that the UTD building was in violation of Miami Springs code during this week’s November 2, 2021 meeting.  The Board gave the UTD 90 days to come into compliance.

Mural at UTD Headquarters on 36th Street violates Miami Springs Code
Mural at UTD Headquarters on 36th Street violates Miami Springs Code

The meeting was full of lawyers, staff, and representatives from the United Teachers of Dade.  Arguments went back and forth on whether the UTD was or was not in violation of the City Code.

Mural at UTD Headquarters on 36th Street violates Miami Springs Code
Mural at UTD Headquarters on 36th Street violates Miami Springs Code

At the end, the City’s Code Compliance Board found that the UTD was in violation of the City Code, but gave the UTD 90 days to come to compliance.  This gives the UTD the option of either painting over the mural to come to compliance or seek a variance, after the fact, to allow the mural to stay.

Mural at UTD Headquarters on 36th Street violates Miami Springs Code
Mural at UTD Headquarters on 36th Street violates Miami Springs Code

The UTD lawyer continued to argue that the UTD would appeal the City’s ruling, a costly undertaking for both the UTD and for the City of Miami Springs.  We’ll see if the UTD follows up with that appeal.

Meanwhile, the board was pretty clear that the UTD was in violation of the City’s Color Palette ordinance.   No fines were assessed on Tuesday, but fines could be assessed if the UTD does not come into compliance within 90 days.

Watch the entire meeting:

Background:

The UTD created a beautiful, wall to wall, Wynwood style, mural on the side of their building back in March of 2021.  According to testimony from the Code Compliance Board meeting, the UTD never asked for a permit because former Council Woman Mara Zapata told them it was okay.  Bottom line:  The UTD painted the mural without a permit.

Then the UTD applied for a permit for the mural after the fact.  That was in May, 2021.  That permit application was rejected.  Fast forward to November 2, 2021, and that’s when the Code Compliance Board found the UTD to be in violation of the City ordinance.  The UTD attorney claims that they will appeal in court.  They have 30 days to do so.  In the meantime, the Code Compliance Board gave the UTD 90 days to come into compliance or seek a variance through the Variance Review Board.

It’s Beautiful, But It’s Illegal

We reported about this violation back on August 27th.  (See the story above).  Within a week of that report, someone decided to something that’s criminally illegal in the form of defacing the mural.  (See the story below.)

Illegal Mural Vandalized at UTD Headquarters

We actually have video of the individual who defaced the mural in the story below.  If you have information about this individual, you are urged to contact the Miami Springs Police Department at 305.888.9711.

UTD Vandal Caught on Camera

1 COMMENT

  1. Let’s see if the city is going to talk the talk and walk the walk or let the UTD intimidate them into backing off.
    The city should not back down and enforce the ordinance no matter the cost.

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