MBU Resolutions For Wednesdays Commission Meeting 06-26-2024

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ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO ELIMINATE THE FLOOR AREA RATIO BONUS FOR HOTEL USES IN THE CD-2 DISTRICT ALONG ALTON ROAD, NORMANDY DRIVE, 71 STREET AND COLLINS AVENUE NORTH OF 63 STREET (EXCEPT FOR COLLINS AND WASHINGTON SOUTH OF 20TH) AND REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING BOARD OF ORDINANCE TO ELIMINATE 0.5 FAR BONUS FOR HOTELS LOCATED WITHIN THE CD-2 DISTRICT IN SOUTH BEACH.

R5D, C4N Sponsored by Fernandez, Bhatt, Magazine, Suarez — 10:25 a.m. First Reading Public Hearing

MBU RESOLUTION:

MBU SUPPORTS eliminating the .5 FAR Bonus for hotels. MBU also SUPPORTS referral to Planning Board the question if Collins and Washington Ave should be exempt from this ordinance as we feel this ordinance should also apply to these streets.

The original intent of the hotel FAR bonus was to incentivize hotel development. Since then, goals for hotel development have been fulfilled. Now the city is overflowing with hotel rooms and Airbnb apartments. Worse, even more hotel incentives have been adopted such as reduced parking requirements and eliminating limit on number of units per acre. The result is a city losing full-time resident population even as Florida’s population explodes. Since Florida state

law preempts municipalities from prohibiting short term rental and the city goal is to increase housing, removing the bonus .5 FAR for hotel development is a viable tool to accomplish new housing.

Read the Commission document by clicking HERE

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT (AS DEFINED IN THIS RESOLUTION) HAVING AN ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST OF $1,000,000 OR MORE THAT IS AT 60% DESIGN, AND A 6/7TH VOTE TO PAUSE, DELAY, STOP, OR MATERIALLY MODIFY A CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT HAVING AN ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST OF $1,000,000 OR MORE THAT HAS OBTAINED ALL PERMITS AND IS SHOVEL-READY

C7BM Sponsored by Fernandez, Public Works

MBU SUPPORTS this resolution. Funding and completing our infrastructure projects is crucial to the City. As it stands now, four (4) votes can “pause” or “kill”; an infrastructure project which is about to break ground and upon which millions of tax dollars have been spent. Requiring more votes sets a higher threshold for protecting the taxpayers investment. In almost all cases, unnecessary delays or postponing critical needs increases the costs to complete them.

Read the Commission document by clicking HERE

R5K Sponsored by Dominguez — First Reading

MBU recognizes the need to improve the Special Master process and supported the recent ordinance amendment to limit continuances to allow this judicial process to proceed more expeditiously. However, we have a concern that this additional proposed ordinance amendment on “time extensions”; as currently drafted, will negatively affect well intentioned property owners (especially residences and small businesses) who are in the process of resolving a violation but are facing unforeseen obstacles in getting the required work done.

Examples of such obstacles may include delays in receiving engineering reports, difficulties in finding contractors and getting them to complete work on a timely basis, the need for a special assessment, etc. At a minimum we would like to see the Special Master maintain the flexibility to grant extensions for violations that do not affect the quality of life of neighboring properties, or which may be relatively minor in their impact.

Read the Commission document by clicking HERE

R5V Sponsored by Meiner — First Reading

MBU SUPPORTS this resolution having the City of Miami Beach adopt the state misdemeanor offense of “Habitual Municipal Ordinance Violation Offenders” to be consistent with existing state law and allow local enforcement. We applaud efforts by the Commission to make Miami Beach a safer place to live.

Read the Commission document by clicking HERE

R5X Sponsored by Dominguez — First Reading

MBU SUPPORTS this resolution to reduce noise levels adjacent to outdoor dining establishments. Musical performance with amplification adjacent to restaurants interferes with the normal conversation of outdoor dining patrons and diminishes the experience of outdoor dining.

Read the Commission document by clicking HERE