Miami Beach extends spring-break emergency with liquor-store cutoff but no curfew

Miami Beach declared a continued state of emergency Wednesday to address spring-break crowds this weekend. One aspect of the measures that the city announced Sunday after two fatal shootings on Ocean Drive was conspicuously absent: a curfew.

City Manager Alina Hudak said in an emergency order that all alcohol sales for off-premises consumption will be banned after 6 p.m. in South Beach south of 23rd Street from Thursday to Sunday. City-owned parking garages south of 16th Street will close at 9 p.m.

Both of those measures were included in Hudak’s emergency declaration Sunday. But a divided city commission voted Monday to oppose a continuation of the midnight curfew that was in effect Sunday night into Monday.

Hudak still has the power to declare a curfew for up to 72 hours without the commission’s approval, but a city spokesperson said after Monday’s meeting that she didn’t intend to buck the elected officials’ advice.

The commission vote was 4-3 against implementing a curfew from

Thursday night until Monday morning.

Several officials raised concerns about punishing businesses during peak tourist season and said they expect this coming weekend to be less crowded and rowdy than the last one.

This week is Miami Music Week, which features Ultra Music Festival in Miami’s Bayfront Park and other events throughout South Florida, including in Miami Beach.

Commissioners instead voted 6-1 to support the ban on alcohol sales for off-premises consumption in South Beach after 6 p.m.. That will include package liquor stores and any other stores that sell alcohol.

The city will keep various traffic and policing measures in place this weekend, including the use of license-plate readers along Fifth and 41st streets.

Ocean Drive, which was closed to cars last weekend from Fifth to 13th streets during a Carnaval Miami event, will be open to cars this weekend.

City-sponsored programming will continue during the daytime, highlighted by a three-day fitness festival.