H 1559

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    HB 1559  2026
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to the Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami-
3Dade County; providing legislative intent; requiring
4Miami-Dade County to transfer the existing property
5interest in the Coconut Grove Playhouse to the Town of
6Bay Harbor Islands; providing duties of the town;
7providing an effective date.
8
9WHEREAS, the Coconut Grove Playhouse is a historic and
10cultural landmark of the State of Florida, significant to Miami-
11Dade County and to the people of this state, and
12WHEREAS, the State of Florida, through prior conveyance,
13placed restrictive covenants and preservation obligations upon
14the Coconut Grove Playhouse property, requiring its continued
15use and protection for public, historic, and cultural purposes,
16and
17WHEREAS, the Department of Environmental Protection has
18issued directives to Miami-Dade County regarding the
19preservation and stabilization of the playhouse property, and
20WHEREAS, in a letter dated March 1, 2019, the Division of
21Historical Resources of the Department of State found that the
22county's plan to demolish the playhouse structure and restore
23two exterior facades would be inappropriate and inconsistent
24with state and federal preservation standards, warned that
25demolition could lead to removal of the property from the
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 HB 1559  2026
26    National Register of Historic Places, and, citing s.
27    267.061(2)(b), Florida Statutes, recommended that the county
28    evaluate feasible alternatives, and
29WHEREAS, despite negative evaluations of its plans, Miami-
30    Dade County has argued that its lease with this state excuses
31    compliance with directives from the Department of State and the
32    requirements of s. 267.061, Florida Statutes, an argument made
33    in bad faith since the playhouse is owned by this state, and
34    state law obligations cannot be contracted away, and
35WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County has failed to comply with state
36    directives, has permitted deterioration of the property in
37    breach of its obligations, and has pursued redevelopment actions
38    inconsistent with the public trust and preservation covenants,
39    and
40WHEREAS, millions of dollars in public funds have been
41    allocated toward preservation and stabilization of the
42    playhouse, yet Miami-Dade County has failed to prioritize or
43    execute such preservation and stabilization, and
44WHEREAS, it is the duty of the Legislature to safeguard
45    historic assets of this state, uphold public trust, and ensure
46    that public covenants are honored, NOW, THEREFORE,
47
48    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
49
50Section 1.       The intent of this act is to:
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 HB 1559  2026
51(1)     Protect the historic and cultural value of the Coconut
52    Grove Playhouse, Miami-Dade County.
53(2)     Enforce accountability for the state-owned Coconut
54    Grove Playhouse by reassigning stewardship away from Miami-Dade
55    County through a transfer of the property interest to the Town
56    of Bay Harbor Islands, Miami-Dade County, a municipality that is
57    capable of honoring both the public trust and historic
58    preservation covenants.
59Section 2.       (1)     On July 1, 2026, Miami-Dade County shall
60    transfer the existing property interest in the Coconut Grove
61    Playhouse, Miami-Dade County, to the Town of Bay Harbor Islands,
62    Miami-Dade County, for the purposes of historic preservation,
63    public use, and cultural benefit.
64(2)(a)      Upon receiving the existing property interest in
65    the Coconut Grove Playhouse, the Town of Bay Harbor Islands
66    shall consult with the City of Miami, the Department of
67    Environmental Protection, and the Division of Historical
68    Resources of the Department of State on feasible and prudent
69    alternatives to the demolition or alteration of the playhouse,
70    as required under s. 267.061(2)(b), Florida Statutes, and on
71    every renovation it plans to perform to protect the historic and
72    cultural value of the property.
73(b)     The Town of Bay Harbor Islands shall, to the maximum
74    extent practicable, use public funds and other funds reserved
75    for the playhouse to:
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761.      Comply with the directives of the Department of
77    Environmental Protection, including:
78a.      Taking preservation actions as a condition of state
79    ownership and oversight.
80b.      Preserving the historic facade, roofline, and
81    architectural integrity of the playhouse.
82c.      Fulfilling obligations under the original state deed
83    covenants.
842.      Fulfill its contract and fiduciary duty, including
85    complying with all restrictive covenants requiring preservation
86    and building stabilization for historic, cultural, and public
87    use.
88Section 3.       This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
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