Something interesting is going to be decided by the City Commissioners at Thursday's meeting. Shutters. Not hurricane shutters, but storefront shutters. The goal is to have businesses in downtown Miami and Coconut Grove, remove the "ugly" shutters that cover the storefronts at night and have impact-resistant glass installed instead.
Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, whose district covers these areas, feels it will make the shopping districts safer and more pedestrian friendly. Business owners aren't so sure. The Downtown Development Authority and the Coconut Grove BID will share the cost of replacing the current businesses with the new glass.
If the City Commission votes in favor of the change, business owners will have two years to replace the shutters.
It's true, the shutters are ugly and they do block light from coming out onto the streets that might come from the businesses. The shutters do protect what's inside from prying eyes at night. But these prying eyes can easily see what's inside during daytime hours anyway. But what next, forcing business owners to leave the lights on at night, so that the light does flood out onto the street?
I know one local business without shutters, but they clean out the merchandise from their windows at night, so as not to tempt fate.
I'm not sure if the government should get involved in private enterprise and why only two areas of the city in District 2 and not the whole city or county? But doesn't Coral Gables make you get approval for painting your house and things like that? So maybe it's just a matter of keeping up appearances, Hyacinth Bucket style.
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