Business and Commercial Property Owners

The City of Coral Gables is proud to be known as The City Beautiful. We all benefit from a well-kept, clean and litter-free business district. It’s inviting, increases property values, and attracts even more businesses and people. Let’s all do our part to keep the business district beautiful. Coral Gables will continue to assist in keeping our streets clean by having a regular presence and servicing city trash cans daily. However, we want to remind commercial property and business owners that they also must maintain the area surrounding their property. We’ve put together an outline of maintenance responsibilities per City Code that apply to all property/business owners in the city. 

Do you know a business that goes above and beyond with their maintenance? Learn how to recognize them with the Commercial Beautification Awards. 

What area is a property/business owner’s responsibility?*

• Their property/business
• The front and entire length of the property up to where the street begins
• The area behind the property to the midpoint of the alley

What maintenance is required?

• Pick up litter and trash daily from the pedestrian area, green spaces and parking lanes in front of the business
• Pressure-clean sidewalks every six months or more as needed
  • Do not pressure clean on Miracle Mile or Giralda Plaza*
  • Do not sweep or rinse food into the drains. Pick up all food from the pavers and dispose of it in the garbage
• Pressure clean façades as needed
• Maintain grass, shrubs and groundcovers in healthy condition by replacing dying or damaged plant materials.
  • Mow grass
  • Dress planting areas with shredded wood mulch to maintain ground coverage below plants.
• Remove gum
• Remove weeds and plant debris
• Keep outdoor dining areas clean and free of food between patrons
  • Please remind guests not to feed pigeons
• Repair damaged sidewalks (For more information, including permitting, call Public Works at 305-460-5000)
• We’re here to help. If there are safety issues that require immediate attention, please call 305-442-1600.
• *Maintenance Covenants: There are greater responsibilities for properties with maintenance covenants.
  • To search for existing covenants, visit www.coralgables.com/maintenancecovenants and enter the property address.
  • Please confirm there are no covenants with the Public Works Department, call 305-460-5000 or email pwpermits@coralgables.com.

Additional greenspace guidance

• Plant replacement: Replace any dead or missing plants with a groundcover of your choice, maintained below 30 inches for visibility. If possible, use the same plant species as adjacent planters for continuity. If the current species is not thriving in your location, you may remove all plants in a bed and replace them with a different species.
• Watering: Property owners must water plants, either with an automatic in-ground irrigation system or by hand.
• Permits:
  • No permit is required for shrub and groundcover replacement or irrigation system repair when an automatic irrigation system already exists.
  • A public works permit is required to install a new irrigation system, plant a new tree larger than 4 ½ inches DBH (10–12 feet tall), or modify pavers, tree grates, lighting, or landscape features.
• Tree pruning: City crews automatically maintain street trees above 8 feet from grade. Property owners must remove hanging branches or foliage growing lower than 8 feet that block or impede sidewalks in the right of way.

Note: The use of Ficus ‘Green Island’ is discouraged due to its aggressive nature and overuse. 

For questions about plant species, email PWGreenspace@coralgables.com

Recommended Plant Species

*Miracle Mile and Giralda Plaza Sidewalk Maintenance Guide

The centerpieces of Downtown Coral Gables. Let’s do our part to keep these beautiful streets points-of-pride. While the same maintenance responsibilities apply to this area, specific cleaning standards apply to the Miracle Mile and Giralda Plaza Streetscape areas. Here are some guidelines to maintain the beauty of our unique pavers and walkways. 

DO

• Pick up litter and trash in the pedestrian area in front of your store on a daily basis
• Remove gum from pavers in front of your business
• Clean high-traffic areas daily to prevent staining of the pavers using mild detergent (e.g. dishwashing soap) and a deck brush or horizontal power scrubber
• Rinse the pavers well after cleaning to prevent dirty water from staining them
• Ensure all street furniture used on the sidewalk is city-approved
• Report any streetscape maintenance issues (broken or damaged pavers, graffiti, damaged streetscape furniture, lighting, etc.) to 786-920-3499

DON'T

• Pressure clean the pavers
• Allow spills to remain on pavers (they will cause stains)
• Use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom, grout or tub cleaners to clean the pavers or benches
• Use general-purpose cleaners such as vinegar, bleach, or ammonia
• Use alkaline cleaners not specifically formulated for stone
• Use scouring powders or abrasives, they will scratch the surface
• Use a leaf blower to clear the sidewalk