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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal memo Miami 21CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: Commissioner Marc Sarnoff Distric Pedro G. City Manager ndez, P.E. DATE: SUBJECT: REFERENCES: ENCLOSURES: January 24, 2007 FILE: Miami 21 3USMITTED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD FOR aia -aa_e7 In response to your memorandum dated December 20, 2006, please find below answers to your questions regarding Miami 21. For ease of reference your questions were copied below, with the responses provided by the Planning Department and Duany Plater-Zyberk (DPZ) in blue. 1. Miami 21 makes the assumption that manufacturing plants and factories want to relocate to Wynwood, Little Haiti, Lemon City and Little River, this apparently contradicts what most area residents appear to want. Please have DPZ provide background information that reflects their findings. If that is the case, what are we doing to get that process moving now? The areas are currently zoned industrial, which allow manufacturing plants and factories to locate there as opposed to other areas of the City where they would not be allowed to exist. About 75% of the calls received by the Department of Economic Development relate to companies wanting to relocate of expand into some of these industrial areas. Additionally, the ERA study also suggests that specific industries be considered due to their eeonornic potential in the City of Miami. This wouldrequire the City to retain some of its industrial zoning to accommodate for future growth of these industry sectors_ ERA based their research and findings on general industry data and research, specific economic conditions iri the City of Miami and in the MiamiDade Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 2. DPZ referred to the Economic Feasibility Study and Analysis performed.by Economics Research Associates. A draft of the study dated June 2006 was made available to the public. Since then, there have been many comments and suggestions made to improve that report. Has any action been taken to review those suggestions and comments? If not, can we organize a wotking meeting of staff and affected citizens and owners to address them? Will a final report be prepared, and, if so, when it will be available? DPZ, ERA as well as the Department of Economic Development and the Planning Department have taken the suggestions and comments under consideration. The two departments continue to work closely with DPZ, ERA, and the District 5 Commissioner - whose area is mostly affected - so that a revision to the. June 2006 draft canbe made. There are still severalmeetings pending, but we expect to finalize this component by February 2007. Once policy decisions are made, the report will be reviewed and placed online for further public review and. comment. 0 '7 _ '7 s v).)-z;1. 3. The plan reduces the permitted heights allowed on large sections of property but proposes a system under which developers will be able to buy additional height to reach similar heights that are now permitted, after application, and allowed at no cost other than application fees and costs. What will be the overall impact on the City of this approach? Has an analysis been done of the site acquisition costs and construction costs currently facing builders and developers? How does this information bear on the decision to charge developers to allow extra height? Are we not really taking something away, for stated reasons that ate beneficial to the City and its citizens, but then essentially saying you can buy your way out of those reasons? Miami 21 will at times (not always) reduce heights allowed, but not a property's development capacity. DP7_, bias made every effort to study the development capacity allowed. versus the proposals made under Miami 21 and they are confident that development capacity will remain the same if not increased in some areas_ Additional height beyond what is allowed will be done through the public benefits program, which will benefit the City tremendously in achieving some of its goals that include workforce housing and parks. The methodology used for the additional height is not yet f nalied, but has been thoroughly analyzed by Mr. Andy Dolkart, who specializes on the impact of housing and its correlation with the local economy and the real estate market. The development capacity is not being taken away, but on the contrary, should additional height be wanted, it will be possible (within certain limits), but the possibility of it will have a benefit to the City as a whole. 4. As we are all aware of the very dramatic shortfall in affordable housing in Miatni and Miami - Dade County, it is of great concern to me what impacts Miami 21 will have on the efforts to generate such housing. Should we add a component to the development fee area for some of those proceeds go to that effort? Where does Miarni 21 encourage "height and density" to allow the economies of scale to allow affordable housing? Part of the public benefits component will address the shortage of workforce housing in the City, which is needed in our City. The intent of the public benefits program is to allow bonus height for buildings in each T6 zone which increases the maximum. height to a maximum bonus height, in exchange for the developer's contribution to specific programs that provide benefits to the public, such as housing and parks and open spaces. The proceeds from this effort, if not provided by the developer, will go into a fund that will enable the City to fill the gap where housing is needed. This bonus will not be available to properties in a T6 robe if the property abuts T3. 5. Can staff please explain the reasoning behind producing the height limits for the CBD area? The plan is proposing T-6 36 0, what are the current height restrictions? The CBD area is proposed for T6-48 (UL), which continues to provide unlimited heights as in today's .regulations.. Height will. eventually be restricted by the Federal Aviation Administration if necessary. 6. Can staff please explain the reasoning behind zoning the area north of 395 and west of Biscayne T 6-36 instead of T 6 — 24? The area is currently zoned R-4, with an SD-6 overlay which provides for one of the highest FAR's in the City. The translation of such FAR into the Miami 21. code in. terms of development capacity is T-6 36. SUBMITTED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD OR ITEM4. ONo 7. Miami 21 is currently proposing a reduction in the height limits for areas currently zoned Industrial. If sotneone, currently in an Industrial area, gets their height limits reduced from 120' are they entitled to be compensated for the loss in property value with TDR's? The height .limit for the D 1 is still under discussion. At this time, this matter has not yet been finalized. TD.R's are only available for historic properties at this time to provide incentives for historic preservation. 8. T5 does not seem to allow art and low -tech industrial uses at this tirne, is this the intention or will this be addressed is the future? T5 (as well as the other transects) has three categories: Restricted, Limited and Open. Within T5 Limited and Open, small art galleries will certainly be allowed as they fall into the General Commercial use category. Larger exhibition space would also be allowed, in those two categories as they fall under Place of Assembly. Low -tech industrial uses would need to be clarified so we can be certain of its categorization under the n.ew definitions of the Miami 21 code. 9. Is it possible for the plan to expand the "uses" so neighborhoodscan adjust possibly conforming "uses" to their unique situations? The plan reduced 360 uses to 45 uses. Neighborhoods have varying degrees of morals and characteristics; can the "uses" be further expanded so that neighborhoods can control their "conforming" uses? The 381 existing uses are extremely redundant and at many times list every type of retail use imaginable. Often times the same use is listed in different ways depending on the interpretation by staff or the interpretation of the use by staff. Part of the Miami. 21 effort included the reduction of uses as the code places emphasis on the form of the structure rather than its use. We understand the issue in many neighborhoods regarding unwanted uses such as "rag shops" but unfortunately this is a code enforcement issue which needs to be dealt withon a daily basis to avoid any deviation. from the laws and regulations set in place. 10. What sites have been presently identified as possible new park sites?' The Parks Master Plan draft addresses this issue in depth. Your office has been provided with a copy of the draft. I hope this will dear up many of the questions you have regarding Miami 21. In any case, should you have any questions on the information above, please feel free to call me directly at 305-250-5400 of Ana Gelabett-Sanchez, Planning Department Director at 305-416-1470. PGH/AGS/llg SUBMITTED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD FOR ITEM 1=04 -a ON .