A new amendment to the Miami 21 zoning code that could greatly impact small lot owners is on the minds of many developers and brokers, but the changes have won a temporary reprieve from city leaders.
The changes were headed to a final vote at the city commission meeting that was held Nov. 19, but were pulled from the agenda.
Miami 21 is the award-winning land use and urban planning roadmap for Miami of the 21st century. According to the city’s website, Miami 21 takes into account all of the integral factors that make each area within the city a unique, vibrant place to live, learn, work and play. Six elements served as the lynchpins in the development of the blueprint of Miami: zoning (Miami 21 Zoning Code), economic development, historic preservation, parks and open spaces, arts and culture and transportation.
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Miami 21 went into effect in May, 2010.
The proposed amendments would change the minimum and maximum lot sizes for development throughout the city. The proposal received a first reading in October, so the changes were moving quickly toward approval.
Even though there are variations in lot sizes proposed for various parts of the city depending on how they are zoned, many in the community felt that the proposals would preclude small lot owners from developing their own lots. Instead, it is claimed, small lot owners would need to sell their properties to larger concerns, or see them not developed at all.
In neighborhoods such as Little Havana, Overtown and Allapattah, lot sizes required for for new buildings would be 10,000 square feet in areas where 1,200 square feet would do the job now. In more dense areas, lot sizes might go from 5,000 to 20,000 square feet for development.
Assistant director of planning and zoning for the city Luciana L.Gonzales said that there is “a lot of misunderstanding” about the changes. She confirmed that the proposal was withheld from a final vote Nov. 19, and will be back on the city commission agenda for the second meeting of the year, expected to be in late January.
“We working on clarifications to appease the community,” she said.
