HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-14155City of Miami
Ordinance 14155
Legislation
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 12833 Final Action Date: 2/23/2023
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S),
AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS AMENDED, THE MIAMI
COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, PURSUANT TO THE EXPEDITED STATE REVIEW PROCESS
SUBJECT TO SECTION 163.3184, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY REMOVING THE
BUENA VISTA YARDS REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTER AND ANY
REFERENCES TO SUCH MATTER, CREATING THE BUENA VISTA YARDS
INTENSITY PRESERVATION AREA, AND AMENDING APPENDIX LU-1 TO
UPDATE THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SERIES; MAKING FINDINGS;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, Section 163.3167, Florida Statutes, requires all local governments to
maintain a comprehensive plan to guide its future development and growth; and
WHEREAS, in 1972, Florida Statutes created special regulatory procedures for the
review and approval of large-scale developments throughout the State of Florida, known as
"Developments of Regional Impact" ("DRI"); and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 11864, adopted on November 16, 1999, amended the Miami
Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan ("MCNP") to add the "urban infill" area designation; and
WHEREAS, Florida Statutes allowed cities to designate "regional activity centers"
("RAC"), which increased the thresholds that triggered DRI requirements for specific areas
where dense and intense development was intended; and
WHEREAS, prior to Chapter 2009-96, Laws of Florida, signed into law on June 1, 2009,
developments meeting certain density and intensity thresholds were subject to DRI
requirements, pursuant to Section 380.06, Florida Statutes; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 2009-96 Laws of Florida created "dense urban land areas" and
established exemptions to DRI requirements for future projects within those areas; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, the City of Miami ("City") was designated as a "dense urban land
area" ("DULA") by the Florida Legislature, pursuant to Section 380.0651(3)(a), Fla. Stat.; and
WHEREAS, on November 25, 2003, the City adopted Ordinances No. 12445 and No.
12446 which established the Regional Activity Center ("RAC") designation generally and the
Buena Vista Yards Regional Activity Center in the Future Land Use element of the MCNP; and
WHEREAS, the Buena Vista Yards RAC allows approximately 70 million square feet of
development capacity, and the underlying Future Land Use designations allow approximately 21
City of Miami Page 1 of 6 File ID: 12833 (Revision: A) Printed On: 6/27/2025
File ID: 12833 Enactment Number: 14155
million square feet of development capacity, as shown in the staff analysis attached as Exhibit
"A," attached and incorporated; and
WHEREAS, the Buena Vista Yards RAC allows just over three times as much
development intensity, but only 68 percent of the residential density of the underlying Future
Land Use designations, as shown in the staff analysis attached as Exhibit "A," attached and
incorporated; and
WHEREAS, the Buena Vista Yards RAC limits the amount of residential density to 4,500
dwelling units, below the 6,654 units allowed by the underlying Future Land Use designations;
and
WHEREAS, exemptions to the DRI requirements are established in Section 380.0651,
Florida Statutes, which exempts any project in a dense urban land area, so long as that project
complies with the underlying Future Land Use designation regulations adopted in the
comprehensive plan; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance will amend the MCNP by repealing the Buena Vista Yards
Regional Activity Center from the Future Land Use Element and from the Future Land Use Map
("FLUM"); and
WHEREAS, this ordinance will amend the MCNP by replacing the Buena Vista Yards
RAC with the "Buena Vista Yards Intensity Preservation Area"; and
WHEREAS, the effect of this ordinance on residential density will be to remove the cap
created by the Buena Vista Yards RAC; and
WHEREAS, the effect of this ordinance on development intensity will be to preserve the
capacity allowed by the Buena Vista Yards RAC; and
WHEREAS, Planning staff conducted a concurrency review of the proposed
amendment, which is attached as part of the staff analysis attached as Exhibit "A," attached and
incorporated; and
WHEREAS, Exhibit "B," attached and incorporated, has been added to specifically
replace and redesignate the area of the City now known as the Buena Vista Yards Intensity
Preservation Area; and
WHEREAS, the new Intensity Preservation Area maintains the established development
capacity for the Buena Vista Yards area; and
WHEREAS, the Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board ("PZAB"), at its meeting on
November 16, 2022, following an advertised public hearing, adopted Resolution No. PZAB-R-
22-061 by a vote of eleven to zero to (11-0), Item No. PZAB.7, recommending approval of the
Text Change; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Ordinance are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
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File ID: 12833 Enactment Number: 14155
Section 2. Ordinance No. 10544, as amended, the MCNP, is hereby amended to
remove the Buena Vista Regional Activity Center and provide for a Buena Vista Intensity
Preservation Area, in the following particulars:1
"FUTURE LAND USE
Buena Vista Yards -Intensity Preservation Area_Regi^ ctivit, y Center
The Buena Vista Yards Regional Activity Center is designated to be a Chapter 380 Regional
the purpose of increasing DRI thresholds.
General Location:
South of Northeast 36th Street, North of Northeast 29th Street, East of North Miami Avenue and
West of the Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC) right-of-way; excluding certain properties located
along Northeast 29th Street. (See Future Land Use Map within Appendix LU-1 for exact
boundaries).
Intensity:
The intensity adopted with the Buena Vista Yards Regional Activity Center (RAC), adopted by
Ordinance 12446, supported by data and analysis, is retained by the Buena Vista Yards
Intensity Preservation Area upon the sunset of the RAC. The Future Land Use Interpretation
provides guidance with respect to the intensity for this area.
Permitted Uses:
Permitted uses shall be as for the underlying land use cla-sification; however, the following
minimum and maximum development thresholds shall apply:
Residential: 2,000 units minimum / 4,500 units maximum
Commercial: 500,000 s.f. minimum / 1,200,000 s.f. maximum
Office: 80,000 s.f. minimum / 100,000 s.f. maximum
Compatibility:
The City shall develop and implement design standards to addre-s compatibility of development
within the Buena Vista Regional Activity Center with the surrounding area, which design
standards should further the following concepts:
• New streets and avenues should connect to the existing street grid.
1 Words and/or figures stricken through shall be deleted. Underscored words and/or figures shall be
added. The remaining provisions are now in effect and remain unchanged. Asterisks indicate omitted and
unchanged material.
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File ID: 12833 Enactment Number: 14155
pedestrian activities.
• Buildings should have ground floor uses that activate the street and relate new
development to surrounding areas.
• The context and scale of new development should be reflected in new building
design, including the setting back of upper floors in order to accommodate height
while maintaining human scale at the pedestrian level.
Restricted Commercial
Areas designated as "Restricted Commercial" allow residential uses (except rescue missions) to
a maximum density equivalent to "High Density Multifamily Residential" subject to the same
limiting conditions and a finding by the Planning Director that the proposed site's proximity to
other residentially zoned property makes it a logical extension or continuation of existing
residential development and that adequate services and amenities exist in the adjacent area to
accommodate the needs of potential residents; transitory residential facilities such as hotels and
motels. This category also allows general office use; clinics and laboratories, auditoriums,
libraries, convention facilities, places of worship, and primary and secondary schools. Also
allowed are commercial activities that generally serve the daily retailing and service needs of
the public, typically requiring easy access by personal auto, and often located along arterial or
collector roadways, which include: general retailing, personal and professional services, real
estate, banking and other financial services, restaurants, saloons and cafes, general
entertainment facilities, private clubs and recreation facilities, major sports and exhibition or
entertainment facilities and other commercial activities whose scale and land use impacts are
similar in nature to those uses described above. This category also includes commercial
marinas and living quarters on vessels as permissible.
The nonresidential portions of developments within areas designated as "Restricted
Commercial" allow a maximum floor lot ratio (FLR) of 7.0 times the net lot area of the subject
property; such FLR may be increased upon compliance with the detailed provisions of the
applicable land development regulations; however, may not exceed a total FLR of 11.0 times
the net lot area of the subject property. Properties designated as "Restricted Commercial" in the
Edgewater Area allow a maximum floor lot ratio (FLR) of 17.0 times the net lot area of the
subject property. Properties designated as "Restricted Commercial" in the Urban Central
Business District and Buena Vista Yards Regional Activity Center Intensity Preservation Area
allow a maximum floor lot ratio (FLR) of 37.0 times the net lot area of the subject property.
All such uses and mixes of uses shall be subject to the detailed provisions of the applicable land
development regulations and the maintenance of required levels of service for facilities and
services included in the City's adopted concurrency management requirements.
Nonresidential floor area is the floor area that supports nonresidential uses within the inside
perimeter of the outside walls of the building including hallways, stairs, closets, thickness of
walls, columns and other features, and parking and loading areas, and excluding only open air
corridors, porches, balconies and roof areas.
General Commercial
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File ID: 12833 Enactment Number: 14155
Areas designated as "General Commercial" allow all activities included in the "Restricted
Commercial" designations, as well as wholesaling and distribution activities that generally serve
the needs of other businesses; generally require on and off loading facilities; and benefit from
close proximity to industrial areas. These commercial activities include retailing of second hand
items, automotive repair services, new and used vehicle sales, parking lots and garages, heavy
equipment sales and service, building material sales and storage, wholesaling, warehousing,
distribution and transport related services, light manufacturing and assembly and other activities
whose scale of operation and land use impacts are similar to those uses described above.
Multifamily residential structures of a density equal to High Density Multifamily Residential, are
allowed subject to the detailed provisions of the applicable land development regulations.
The nonresidential portions of developments within areas designated as "General Commercial"
allow a maximum floor lot ratio (FLR) of 7.0 times the net lot area of the subject property; such
FLR may be increased upon compliance with the detailed provisions of the applicable land
development regulations; however, may not exceed a total FLR of 11.0 times the net lot area of
the subject property. Properties designated as "General Commercial" in the Urban Central
Business District and Buena Vista Yards Regional Activity Center Intensity Preservation Area
allow a maximum floor lot ratio (FLR) of 37.0 times the net lot area of the subject property.
All such uses and mixes of uses shall be subject to the detailed provisions of the applicable land
development regulations and the maintenance of required levels of service for facilities and
services included in the City's adopted concurrency management requirements.
*„
Section 3. The City Commission approves the proposed amendment to Ordinance No.
10544, as amended, the MCNP, to amend Appendix LU-1, to replace pages 2 and 5 of the
Future Land Use Map series, as shown in Exhibit "A," attached and incorporated.
Section 4. The City Commission finds that the Comprehensive Plan amendment:
(a) Is necessary due to changed or changing conditions;
(b) Follows an Expedited State Review Process pursuant to Section 163.3184(3),
Florida Statutes;
(c) Involves a text change to the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan;
(d) Is one which is not located within an area of critical state concern as designated
by Section 380.0552, Florida Statutes or by the Administration Commission
pursuant to Section 380.05(1), Florida Statutes;
(e) Complies with the applicable density limitations set forth in the Local Government
Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act, if applicable.
Section 5. The City Manager is directed to promptly transmit within ten (10) working
days after Second Reading a copy of the adopted amendment along with supporting data and
analysis to the State Land Planning Agency and all appropriate reviewing agencies or local
governments that provided timely comments after First Reading pursuant to Section 163.3184,
Florida Statutes.
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File ID: 12833 Enactment Number: 14155
Section 6. If any section, part of a section, paragraph, clause, phrase, or word of this
Ordinance is declared invalid, the remaining provisions of this Ordinance shall not be affected.
Section 7. Pursuant to Section 163.3184, Florida Statutes, this Ordinance, if not timely
challenged, shall become effective thirty-one (31) days after the State Land Planning Agency
notifies the City that the plan amendment package is complete. If the amendment is timely
challenged, this amendment shall become effective on the date the State's Land Planning
Agency or the Administration Commission enters a final order determining this adopted
amendment to be in compliance.2
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
ndez, ity Attor ey 5/15/2023
2 This Ordinance shall become effective as specified herein unless vetoed by the Mayor within ten (10)
days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Ordinance, it shall become
effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission or upon the effective date stated
herein, whichever is later.
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