HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Bennet Pumo October 22, 2009The HOW TO in Miami 21 with regard to dwellings vs. simple habitable, space
Many concerns of the loss of business due to the take over by residential property are
surely justified. This Commission has been advised to minimize residential dwelling
units in D-1 and omit all dwelling units in D-2. These concerns are valid. Throughout
many areas of the country redevelopment of older industrial areas did prove the
residential dwelling component did impact the continuance of a full business area
resulting in job loss to that area.
Your advisors are only somewhat correct. Most of those related areas were large heavy
industrial areas of big industry, steel mills, auto plants, large production facilities and the
like. These I refer to as northern industrial. Miami has so few of these types of heavy
industrial areas it has little relevance to the majority of our southern industrial facility's.
The City of Miami's industrial base occupancy majority are small artist facility's, Mom
and Pop shop's, custom craftsmen in furniture and building components and the like. One
of the City's heaviest industries not conducive to neighborhood compatibility would be
the Cement plant but how many of those are there around? Why subject our southern
industrial areas with such restrictive measures that have already been dealt with within
the new Miami 21 code compliances? In this I refer to the use exclusions as defined
stockyards, slaughter houses, wrecking yards, rag shops, cement plants, paper factories,
ammunition plants, fireworks manufacturing, house barges, refining, smelting, forging,
and unattended collection bins. Remember in addition there is the Planning Directors
Miami 21's review process that is required for all certificate of use approvals.
Many of us have been trying to direct and create written code for use or residential
restriction for each designated Miami 21 district or transect zone. The Simple and truly
effective solution is to redefine dwelling unit and habitable space.
For the Dwelling unit: A dwelling unit is a residence of a single housekeeping unit as
defined in Article 6 Within the D -Districts of this code any portion of a building with
fifty percent or more in residential occupancy shall be considered as a dwelling unit
For Habitable space: Habitable space is any portion of a building, structure, or
temporary facility that may be used for overnight human presence by a caretaker,
security personal, owner or legal occupant of the unit or structure. This habitable
space shall not exceed 425 square feet and be less than fifty percent of the commercial
or industrial unit Each habitable space shall have direct access to the exterior of the
structure. All habitable space shall be separate from all business areas and be in
compliance with all Florida Building occupancy codes.
This does give the many commercial and industrial businesses not converting their
property to a dwelling unit within the live work or work live scenario the ability to
maintain a restrictive habitable space. This will expand business and the many jobs
needed throughout the D -Districts. The benefit's are many by creating safer areas with
eyes on the street, enhancing the use of older facility's in all of the City's D —Districts
and have business and southern industrial districts unique to our area and perhaps be the
benchmark for other city's to follow.
Thank you once again for your adaptability, as we need the same code adaptability for
our older structures and continued businesses. Bennet Pumo, October 22, 2009
Submitted into the public
record in connection with
item PZ.S on 10-22-09
OG - O2O9S �,,Ijtyi! TTCc,, -� i Priscilla A. Thompson
1 � vict Pool® City Clerk