HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-14436City of Miami
Ordinance 14436
Legislation
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 18258 Final Action Date: 1/8/2026
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("MIAMI 21 CODE"), BY AMENDING ARTICLE 1,
TITLED "DEFINITIONS," TO CLARIFY DEFINITIONS RELATING TO
PERSONAL WIRELESS SERVICE FACILITIES ("PWSF") AND ARTICLE 6,
TITLED "SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS," TO STREAMLINE PWSF
ENTITLEMENT PROCESSES AND UPDATE ASSOCIATED DESIGN
CRITERIA; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE;
AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
SPONSOR(S): Commissioner Ralph "Rafael" Rosado
WHEREAS, on October 22, 2009, the City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 13114,
the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Miami, Florida, which has been amended from time to time
("Miami 21 Code"); and
WHEREAS, the Office of the City Manager appointed a Steering Committee to evaluate
existing Miami 21 Code entitlements with the intent of identifying opportunities for process
improvements and recommending legislative amendments ("Entitlement Reform Program"); and
WHEREAS, the regulations confirm procedures and timelines for review, replacement,
modification, and approval of Personal Wireless Service Facilities ("PWSF") applications, in
accordance with state and federal requirements, to facilitate deployment while maintaining
neighborhood character and mitigating impacts on neighboring properties; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") aims to establish standards for the siting,
placement, and design of PWSF to ensure they are compatible with state and federal
regulations, support investment and implementation of new technologies and services, and
provide protections for surrounding land uses; and
WHEREAS, PWSF standards promote collocation on existing structures such as
rooftops, utility poles, and other non-traditional mounts, while discouraging unnecessary new
towers and requiring visual screening, camouflage, and mitigation measures to reduce visual
impacts; and
WHEREAS, on October 8, 2025, at a duly notice public meeting, the Planning, Zoning
and Appeals Board ("PZAB") considered this text amendment to the Miami 21 Code, Item
PZAB.15, and passed PZAB-R-25-065, recommending approval, by a vote of seven to one (7-
1); and
WHEREAS, consideration has been given to the relationship of this proposed
amendment to the goals, objectives and policies of the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood
Plan ("MCNP"), with appropriate consideration as to whether the proposed change will further
City of Miami Page 1 of 10 File ID: 18258 (Revision: A) Printed On: 1/27/2026
File ID: 18258 Enactment Number: 14436
the goals, objectives and policies of the MCNP; the Miami 21 Code; and other City regulations;
and
WHEREAS, consideration has been given to the need and justification for the proposed
change, including changed or changing conditions that make the passage of the proposed
change necessary; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission after careful consideration of this matter, deems it in
the best interest of the general welfare of the City and its inhabitants to approve this Miami 21
Code text amendment as hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Ordinance are
adopted and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. Article 1 of the Miami 21 Code is hereby amended in the following particulars:1
"ARTICLE 1. DEFINITIONS
1.2 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
Carrier: A company licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that provides
wireless services. A tower builder or owner is not a carrier unless licensed to provide personal
wireless services.
Lattice Tower: A type of mount that consists of multiple legs and cross -bracing of structural
steel.
Monopole: One type of self-supporting mount consisting of a single shaft of wood, steel or
concrete and antennas at the top or along the shaft.
Mount: The Structure or surface to which antennas are attached.
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.
The added and updated definitions shall be alphabetized.
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File ID: 18258 Enactment Number: 14436
Personal Wireless Service Facility (PWSF): A facility for the provision of personal wireless
services, as defined by Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. A PWSF is a facility
for the transmission or reception of personal wireless services, which may consist of an antenna
array, transmission cables, equipment shelter or Building, access road, mount, and/or a guy
system. Such facilities may include Monopole or Lattice Tower structures.
Radio Frequency (RF) Engineer: A specialized type of electrical engineer who studies,
designs, develops, tests, and/or maintains systems that transmit radio waves.
Short Mounts: Alternatives to monopoles or lattice towers, such as masts or poles. For
example, two (2) poles or three (3) masts might be an alternative to one lattice tower.
Tower: a vertical mount constructed for the purpose of supporting antennas and other PWSF
components.
*„
Section 3. Article 6 of the Miami 21 Code is hereby amended in the following
particulars:1
"ARTICLE 6. SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS
6.4 INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES
6.4.1 Personal Wireless Service Facilities (PWSF)
The purpose and intent of these performance standards for the location, siting and design of
PWSF are to:
• Allow for alternative types of PWSF in locations pursuant to these standards.
• Encourage the use of existing structures not originally built as antenna mounts such as
rooftops, utility poles, and church steeples for deploying PWSF. Discourage new PWSF
rnounts where co location and mounts on existing structures are po-sible;
• Expedite the review prose-s for applications choosing the least intrusive alternative of
deploying PWSF permitted by tTh-ese stand s
• Encourage users of mounts to locate, site and design them in a way that minimizes the
adverse visual impact of thc mounts and a-sociated equipment;
. To promote compatibility of DWSF with surrounding land uses and protect the
1. Collocation
a. Collocation of antennae, equipment enclosures, and ancillary facilities ("facilities") on existing
towers as specified on FS 365.172 (12)(a)1.a., or on other structures as specified in FS
365.172(12)(a)1.b, shall be allowed by right, subject to the land development regulations in
effect at thc time of the initial PWSF placement approval, when the collocation:
facilities Tiro try be attached• and ' '
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File ID: 18258 Enactment Number: 14436
• Does -not create ti r`'-+und space area ved in the site pIda
land development regulations applied to the initial facilities placed on tower, and the
tower supporting the facilities. However, the land development regulations at the time of
the collocation application (other than regulation of the number of collocations) may be
applied to the facilitics if they do not conflict with land development regulations applied to
the initial PWSF; and
• Is not located within a historic building, structure, site, object, or district, except for the
collocation on existing towers.
b. If only a portion of the collocation does not meet the requirements specified above, where all
other portions of the collocation meet the requirements, that portion of the collocation may be
required if applicable, except for collocation on existing towers.
camouflaged tower, if the overall height of the modified or replaced tower is not increased.
2. Replacement or Modification
reasonably determined by the City:
when viewed from ground level from surrounding properties, or
3. New PlacementSubstantial Modification
MONOPOLE OR TOWER DEVICES
ROOFTOP OR
ANCHORED
DEVICES
By Exception subject to conditions and limitations.
By Exception subject
to conditions and
limitations.
T4
By Exception subject to conditions and limitations.
By Warrant subject
to conditions and
limitations.
ALL
OTHER
By Exception subject to conditions and limitations; including min. By Warrant subject
500 feet distance requirement from any T3 or T4 designated to conditions and
Zone measured from nearest property line of PWSF site to the limitations.
property line of the nearest parcel zoned as T3 or T4.
T3
T4
REQUIRED
STRUCTURAL
MAXIMUM
HEIGHT ABOVE
ROOF
35 feet
20 feet
35 feet
13 feet
60 feet
20 feet
35 feet
13 feet
100 fcct cinglc 20 feet
carrier
35 feet
13 feet
City of Miami
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File ID: 18258 Enactment Number: 14436
ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS
STANDARDS
125 feet multiple
• All freestanding monopole or
tower facilities shall be
designed to include sufficient
landscape as to screen tho
prepesed facility from any
adjacent right of ways.
Sufficient landscape shall
include trees, shrubs and
ground cover in a tiered
configuration.
• All freestanding monopole or
tower facilities shall be
designed to accommodate up
to three co locations of other
antennas by future carriers.
Any applicant of new device
shall show proof that co
location to existing devices
serving the area is not
available.
• The mount shall not bo
visible from the ground from
a distance of 600 feet;
Screening from ground view
may be provided by a
parapet or some other typo
wall or Screening.
No part of the mount shall bo
•
located closer than eight (8)
feet to any power line.
• Mounts may not exceed
three (3) separate areas per
rooftop
In the event that a specific facility cannot comply with the standards set
forth above an application for modifications ac to s ch standards shall only
be permissible by Exception. Such applications shall be accepted upon
compliance with the following:
• he applicant for each such facility shall submit a justification report
prepared by an engineer qualified in the technological aspects (such
as a "radio frequency [RF] engineer") as to why the facility must be
modified in terms of height or location; such report shall be
accompanied with a review fee as set forth in Chapter 62 of the City
Code.
• T4iThe applicant or each su acilcmry= alalll-in as -part -elf -the -
application,
line of sight studies that depict the three dimensional
view of such facility from all adjacent right of ways; photo montage!)
shall be considered an acceptable form of line of sight studies.
• The appli n r de part of the
,arc-ap,�rrEarr ea as�arc-vrR,..
application, a mitigation plan that depicts proposed R, Iffe rin Y ]n I
SQcreenin uc acility from all adiacen -i t-of ways, 4
mitigation plan shall be in compliance with the criteria and standards
set forth for PWSF applications i finless the relief being so ght is
from one or more of such standards.
• For any such facility that is proposed to be located within a property
zoned T3, T4 R, T5 R or T6 R, the mitigation plan shall be required
to either conceal, camouflage or disguise the proposed facility, or if
po-sible, replace a monopole or tower structure with a series of
short mounts that are camouflaged within the area so as to reduce
the negative visual impact of a possible larger structure.
6.4.1.1 Personal Wirele-s Service Facilities (PWSF) Procedure!)
PROCEDURES
An application is deemed submitted or re submitted on the date it is received
by the City.
• The City shill notify the applicant in writing that the application is not
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File ID: 18258
Enactment Number: 14436
complete and in compliance with regulations for administrative
pi 1rposes within 2fl days after the application is submitted or after
additional information resubmitted.
Collocation Applications:
• A building permit shall be granted or denied no later than /15 busincs&
days after the date the application is determined to be properly
completed.
Other wireless facility applications:
� Other applications shall be grantedd or r-denier-d no later than 90 b iciness
days after the date the application is determined to be properly
completed.
If a properly completed application is not granted or denied within the
timeframe set forth above, the application shall be deemed automatically
approved anrd the applicant magi proceed with the placement of the facility as
sot forth in FS 365.172( 12) (d), unless:
• the timeframe is voluntarily extended by the applicant; or
• the City's procedures generally applicable to all other similar types of
applications require City Commission action, in which case the City
Commission must act on the application at its next regularly scheduled
meeting; or
• an extension is required because of a declared local, state of federal
emergency that directly effects administration of ell permitting activities
6/1.1.2 Personal Wireless Service Facilities (PWSF) Definition
DEFINITIONS
Camoi iflage shall mean a n rani of designing or installing and moi inting a PWSF
9�
that creates the effect that the PWSF is part of its surroundings.
Carrier shall mean a company licensed by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) that provides wireless services. A tower builder or owner is
not a carrier unless licensed to provide personal wireless services.
Co location shall mean the use of a common mount by two (2) or more wireless
carriers.
Conceal shall mean to enclose a PWSF within a nati iral or manmade feats ire
resulting in the facility being either invisible or made part of the feature enclosing
Design shall mean the appearance of PWSF such as their materials, color and
shape.
Disguise shall mean to design a PWSF to appear to be something other than a
PWSF.
land uscs or a land use and a public right of way, which acts to soften or mitigate
the effects of one use on another. It can be considered a form of camouflage.
Lattice Tower shall mean a type of mount that consists of multiple legs and
cro-s bracing of structural steel.
Mitigation shall mean the reduction or elimination of visual impacts by the use of
one or more methods, including concealment, camouflage and disguise.
Monopole shall mean one type of self supporting mount consisting of a single
shaft of wood, steel or concrete and antennas at the top or along the shaft.
Mount shall mean the Structure or surface to which antennas are attached.
Personal Wireless Service Facility (PWSF) shall mean any a facility for the
provision of personal wireless services as defined by Section 70 of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996. A PWSF is any facility for the transmission or
reception of personal wirelesc services, which may consist of an antenna array,
City of Miami
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File ID: 18258
Enactment Number: 14436
guy system. Such facilities may include "monopole" or "lattice tower (tower)"
structures.
Radio Frequency (RF) engineer shall mean someone with a background in
cicctrical cnginccring or microwavc cngineering who specializes in the study of
radio frequencies.
Screening shall mean visually shielding or obscuring one Abutting nearby
Structure or use from another by fencing, walls, berms, or densely planted
vegetation. Screening can be considered a form of camouflage.
Short Mounts shall mean alternatives to monopoles or lattice towers, such as
rnasts or poles. For example, two (2) poles or three (3) masts might be an
alternative to one lattice tower.
Standards shall mean guidelines or measures provided in this section by which
acccptability is dctcrmined. PWSF shall be measured by standards for visibility
and safcty. This codc gcnerally regulates these facilities on three levels: location
{where the facility can go), siting (how the facility is placed within its setting) and
design (what the facility looks like).
Tower shall mean a mount constructed for the primary purpose of supporting
antennas and other PWSF components.
Visual impact shall mean a modification or change that could be incompatible
with Scale, form, texture, or color of the cxisting natural or man madc
landscape.
6.4.1.1 On the Roof of a Building.
6.4.1.1.1 New placement, replacement, modification, or collocated PWSF on the Roof
of a Building shall be By Right, when all the following criteria are met:
a. The PWSF equipment, mount and/or screening shall not interfere or
inhibit the functions of emergency services telecommunications
equipment; and
b. Located on a building that is thirty-five feet (35') or more in height; and
c. Maximum device height above the roof shall not exceed thirteen feet
(13'); and
d. Mounts and antennas are visually concealed from ground -level and
lateral views by parapets or screens.
6.4.1.1.2 When the above criteria are not met, approval may be by process of Warrant,
except when located in a T3 Transect Zone in which case approval may be by process
of Exception.
6.4.1.2 On a Facade or Elevation of a Building.
6.4.1.2.1 New placement, replacement, modification, or collocated PWSF on the
Facade or Elevation of a Building shall be By Right, when all the following
criteria is met:
a. The PWSF equipment, mount and/or screening shall not interfere or inhibit
the functions of emergency services telecommunications equipment; and
b. Placed on a building that is thirty-five (35 ft) feet or more in height; and
c. The PWSF equipment is placed at a height of thirty-five (35 ft) feet or more
on the facade or elevation; and
d. Cover no more than thirty six (36) sq ft of each facade or elevation; and
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File ID: 18258 Enactment Number: 14436
e. Flush mounted and not extending more than twelve (12) inches from the
facade or elevation; and
f. Painted to match the wall surface that it is mounted on or be designed as an
ornamental feature; and
a Integrated into the architectural composition of the Facade or Elevation; and
h. Ancillary cables shall be hidden.
6.4.1.2.2 When the above criteria are not met, approval may be by process of Warrant,
except when located in a T3 Transect Zone in which case approval may be by process
of Exception.
6.4.1.3 New Monopoles and Tower Devices
6.4.1.3.1 New Monopoles and Tower Devices may be approved by process of Warrant,
when all the following criteria is met:
a. Applicants shall demonstrate that co -location on an existing Monopole or
Tower Device serving the area is not available.
b. Minimum Setback of Twenty (20) Feet from all Property Lines.
c. Maximum Height:
1. T3 Transect Zone; Thirty-five (35) Feet
2. T4 Transect Zone; Sixty (60) Feet
3. All Other Transect Zones; One Hundred and Twenty Five (125) Feet
d. All equipment at the ground level shall be concealed by a streetscreen of a
minimum height necessary to mitigate any ambient impacts.
e. Designed to accommodate three or more co -locations of other antennas by
future carriers.
6.4.1.3.2 When the above criteria are not met, approval may be by process of
Exception.
6.4.1.4 Colocation on Monopoles and Tower Devices
6.4.1.4.1 Collocation of antennae, equipment enclosures, and ancillary facilities
("Facilities") on existing towers as specified on FS 365.172 (13)(a)1.a., or on other
structures as specified in FS 365.172(13)(a)1.b, shall be allowed By Right, when all the
following criteria are met:
a. Does not increase the height of the tower or monopole to the extent that it
would constitute a "substantial change," as defined under Federal Law under
Section 6409 of the Spectrum Act; and
b. Any new equipment at the ground level shall be concealed by a streetscreen
of a minimum height necessary to mitigate any ambient impacts. and
c. Complies with the land development regulations currently in effect or effective
at the time of the initial PWSF placement approval.
6.4.1.4.2 To allow colocation, the replacement or modification of an existing tower or
monopole shall be allowed By Right, when the following criteria are met:
a. The structural modification or replacement does not increase the overall
height to the extent that it would constitute a "substantial change," as
defined under Federal law under Section 6409 of the Spectrum Act; and
b. The replacement is designed to have a similar or improved contextual
outcome.
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File ID: 18258 Enactment Number: 14436
6.4.1.4.3 When the above criteria are not met, process of approval shall follow that of a
new Monopole or Tower Devices.
6.4.1.5 Warrant and Exception Review Criteria
6.4.1.5.1 Warrants and Exceptions may be approved upon review and compliance with
the following requirements:
a. Explanation prepared by an engineer qualified in the technological aspects
(such as a "radio frequency [RF1 engineer") justifying why this facility is
required, at this location, and at the proposed height;
b. Line of sight studies depicting ground -level and lateral views of the facility;
c. Mitigation plan that demonstrates buffering, screening, camouflaging and/or
other measures taken to ensure negligible impact on the surrounding context;
d. Mounts and Antennas on the roof that are visible from the Ground or Lateral
views shall not exceed three (3) separate areas.
6.4.1.6 Personal Wireless Service Facilities (PWSF) Procedures
6.4.1.6.1 Review Timelines
a. An application is deemed submitted or re -submitted on the date it is received
by the City:
1. If the submission, or re -submission, of an application is not completed in
compliance with the City's regulations, the City shall notify the applicant in
writing within 20 business days of any deficiencies in the required
documents or deficiencies in the content of the required documents
which, if cured, make the application properly completed.
b. Colocation Applications:
1. For colocation applications that meet the following criteria, the City shall
grant or deny such no later than 45 business days after the date the
application is determined to be properly completed:
a. The colocation does not increase the height of the tower to which
the antennas are to be attached;
b. The colocation does not increase the ground space area approved
in the site plan for equipment enclosures and ancillary facilities; and
c. The colocation consists of antennas, equipment enclosures, and
ancillary facilities that are of a design and configuration consistent
with all applicable regulations, restrictions, or conditions applied to
the initial facilities.
c. Other wireless facility applications:
1. Other applications shall be granted or denied no later than 90 business
days after the date the application is determined to be properly
completed.
6.4.1.6.2 Failure to Comply with Timelines
a. If a properly completed application is not granted or denied within the
timeframe set forth above, the application shall be deemed automatically
approved and the applicant may proceed with the placement of the facility, as
set forth in FS 365.172(13)(d), unless:
1. The timeframe is voluntarily extended by the applicant; or
2. The City's procedures generally applicable to all other similar types of
applications require City Commission action, in which case the City
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File ID: 18258 Enactment Number: 14436
Commission must act on the application at its next regularly scheduled
meeting; or
3. An extension is required because of a declared local, state of federal
emergency that directly affects administration of all permitting activities.
*„
Section 4. 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 5. It is the intention of the City Commission that the provisions of this Ordinance
shall become and be made a part of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Miami, Florida, which
provisions may be renumbered or relettered and that the word "ordinance" may be changed to
"section", "article", or other appropriate word to accomplish such intention.
Section 6. This Ordinance shall become effective ten (10) days upon adoption.2
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
rge Wy ng III, C ty ttor' -y 1/26/2026
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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