By Bari Auerbach

‘New Year’s Resolutions’

From losing weight and quitting smoking – to saving more money and spending less time “sweating the small stuff,” everyone’s making New Year’s resolutions...But here in Sunny Isles Beach, the resolutions are just a bit unique:

*No more sick days! This resolution is most prevalent among sunbathers basking in the glory of “Florida’s Riviera.” It’s hard to resist calling into work sick so you can lounge along the shores of glorious white, sandy beaches while just about everyone else around the country is freezing to death! So the next time you’re tempted to tell the boss you’re not coming in, try to hold out for the weekend for the greater good...After all, it wouldn’t help the U.S. economy if everyone were fortunate enough to be able to spend every day at the beach!

*Curtail indoor activities! Now that the city has so many parks, a popular Sunny Isles Beach resolution will be to stop staying inside for any great length of time. Who wants to watch soaps like “All My Children” on TV, when you could be watching all the children who now live in the city playing while residents of all ages enjoy congregating amidst green, open space. So why “park” yourself in front of the TV? The city’s parks are much more invigorating and if you simply can’t miss a show, just get a Tivo and be good to go!

*Step up civic involvement! The start of a new year is always a great time to fulfill resolutions to get more involved in the community. Good thing the city anticipated there might one day be a spike in civic involvement and built a grand Government Center with plenty of seats in Commission chambers - just waiting to be filled.  

*Learn the lingo! If you keep your resolution to step up civic involvement, you’ll definitely have to make another resolution to learn the lingo spoken at many Commission meetings...From TDR’s, FAR’s and MUR’s – to density, setbacks and overlay districts, a lot of the terminologies may sound foreign. But don’t worry - you can always hire a city interpreter to facilitate comprehension. In fact, even though there are so many different languages already being spoken in South Florida, language schools are thinking about adding a course entitled “conversational zoning.”

*Drive safer on Collins! Everyone should definitely make a resolution to be more diligent about observing the rules of the road – especially on Collins Avenue. For example, putting on makeup, eating, reading and talking on cell phones should ideally be put off until after you’ve finished changing lanes. “Impatience” isn’t a virtue either, so resolve to breathe deeply and refrain from leaning on your horn – even if you get stuck behind someone going 20 mph in the 35 mph zone; a frequently stopping bus; or a lost tourist. “Murphy’s Law” always dictates you’ll get the ticket for speeding up to pass!

*Appreciate the little things! A landscaped median here – a stormwater drainage project there...Unsightly signs taken down; new lighting going up; more parking; less rundown properties. In Sunny Isles Beach, all the “little things” add up to major improvements with many more to come. That’s why the one resolution that’s super easy to make is enjoying a “Happy New Year!”