P&Z Minutes - Workshop 04-28-15
MIAMI SHORES VILLAGE
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING
10050 NE 2nd Avenue
Miami Shores, FL 33037-2304
www.miamishoresvillage.com
Main Number: 305-795-2207 Fax Number: 305-756-8972
David A. Dacquisto AICP, CFM, Director
MIAMI SHORES VILLAGE PLANNING BOARD WORKSHOP
Village Hall Conference Room
10050 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami Shores
APRIL 28, 2015
TUESDAY, 7:00 P.M.
I) ROLL CALL
Mr. Robert Abramitis, Mr. John Busta, Mr. Richard Fernandez (Present)
Mr. Sid Reese (Absent)
Mr. David Dacquisto, Planning and Zoning Director
Mariana Gracia, Secretary
Mr. Abramitis made a Motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Busta seconded it. The Motion
passed unanimously.
II) DISCUSSION ITEM
1) Village Council request for Planning Board to review the current zoning for the annexed
area and to consider comprehensive plan, zoning code and map amendments for the
area.
Mr. Dacquisto said we need to oblige some type of Miami Shores zoning to the annexed
area. He spoke about the university zoning are and the Miami-Dade duplex zones. The
question really is do we want to maintain the duplex as a legal use of the area. That can
go two ways. One is to create a duplex zone or the existing single family zone. You can
say either they can be replaced or they can’t. He expressed the concern about if
someone has a duplex you run the risk of paying the difference at valuation. The Board
asked some questions. Mr. Dacquisto said that you run the potential of reducing the
value. The other part is how we apply our zoning. Right now Miami-Dade zoning has the
setbacks that are different than ours. You also notice the difference in the height of
fences. He said that is where we were at our last workshop. In our last workshop we
were discussing the lot sizes and setbacks. He continued to add that in a nutshell that’s
kind of what we were at. Mr. Dacquisto said that we don’t want to create non
conformities. He doesn’t want to rely on amortization. Over time they are replaced but
we see these 200 year old houses sitting were they were before. Overtime potentially but
that’s not the best way to handle it. Mr. Busta expressed that he likes the idea that if we
have an existing duplex, someone can come in and tear it down and they can improve
the value of the property. The Board asked Mr. Dacquisto if he feels that the current RU2
that the places are under, does he think that would suffice and it wouldn’t need to be
changed. Mr. Dacquisto responds that with the zoning code from Miami-Dade is so
interconnected that he can’t just go in and take the RU1 and change it. He said that
happens is that he has to take from different places and put together a single zone that
would have Miami-Dade setbacks. So you would allow Miami-Dade zone housing. He
spoke about the parking setbacks. The only reason to leave 6’ fences in the front yard is
if you truly believe that it’s a security issue. The board discusses the security issue. Mr.
Abramitis says that we want the duplexes to look just as good as Miami Shores. He
Miami Shores Village, Planning Board Meeting
Agenda: April 25, 2013
2
asked if Mr. Dacquisto sees a difference in the zoning for duplexes. The Board continues
to inquire about the duplex and separate ownership situation. Mr. Dacquisto answers that
normally speaking a side by side townhouse its one ownership. Mr. Abramitis asked if a
person comes down and tore it down no bigger than the duplex could they do it. Mr.
Dacquisto answers no. The Board asked why not and gives examples of where it is done
now on Biscayne Park. Mr. Dacquisto says right but are they subdividing property and
gives a brief explanation. He adds it depends on how you set the zone. The Board is
looking at what the overall general direction of the area will look like. Mr. Dacquisto adds
that he does not think we have one particular single they are all side by side. Mr.
Dacquisto says side by side or one behind the other. Mr. Abramitis asked about
increasing the zoning somehow making the zoning so you can convert, without
increasing density, you can convert townhouses with the hope homeowners will come in.
Mr. Dacquisto says it could be done the only thing is that you have to change the
minimum lot size, for a duplex, convert it to individual ownership. The problem is going to
be, after the fact you actually would have to have almost no minimum. The dilemma
when you are building a duplex, split down the center the dilemma is contractors are
generally bad in figuring out where that line is. That’s why a lot of times they actually do
the survey after it is built. They do a subdivision after the fact. So, someone gets 49’ and
the other 51’ because it’s not perfect. Mr. Fernandez, everybody agreed that we don’t
want to keep the tri-homes. The Board agrees. The Board discusses the fact that the
annexed area will eventually be an extension of Barry University. The Board points out
that you have to maintain the minimum cubage. The mentioned the mistake that North
Miami had made. Mr. Dacquisto gave an example of the smaller square footage of
12,500 for a single family unit. You would have two minimum size units. It would be
12,500 and 12,500. The other way we have is the Liaison that goes by square footage.
They go by number of rooms. He said he doesn’t think that that would work. If we go
back to square footage, you double that. The Board asked the size of a smaller duplex.
The Board expresses their concern with the proposed lot size. The Board discusses the
option of ownership in Miami Shores versus the renters. The homeowners have a stake
in the community. Mr. Dacquisto says that the State wants us to provide a variety of
housing. He said is not a bad idea to allow homeownership to split the duplex. The
Board would like to see that option available. Mr. Dacquisto says that it would be a
subdivision to us in the County. We could create two zones one could be a family zone
and one a duplex zone. The duplex obviously a duplex zone and the family zone the
duplex with the option to create different lots. The Board asked questions about the
setbacks between Miami-Dade versus ours. The Board discusses the issue with
setbacks. Mr. Dacquisto discusses the setbacks and is in agreement with the Board
about them being 5’ on the side and 15’ on the back. The Board continues the
discussion about setbacks. The Board expresses concern about changing the setbacks
and then people would be adding more floor space to a duplex. The Board continues to
add that you can only do that if you convert it to homeownership. The Board mentioned
other towns where this was done and it was very good for middle class people. There is
a lot of positive to this if we give it the single family look. The Board gives examples of
this happening in other areas in Miami-Dade. The Board agrees that this is a good
proposition. Mr. Dacquisto says that you can create that by what we are doing right now
which is improving the area. The Board discusses the issue. Mr. Dacquisto mentioned
that if you look at the trend right now people are buying them and fixing them up and it
improves the area even more. Mr. Dacquisto said that the downside is that it you make it
more attractive they do probably not want to get rid of them now. Mr. Dacquisto said that
we pretty much reduced crime in the annexed area. He said that right now it looks like he
is creating two new zones called the RU1 and RU2. RU1 is single family and RU2 is
duplex. Looking at kind of a mix of regulations, one of the things he will do is Miami-
Dade doesn’t have a minimum cubage, he said he will put one in. He will make to 12,500
X 7. The Board asked Mr. Dacquisto to give them an example. Mr. Dacquisto proceeded
to explain that if there is an 8’ ceiling. He says it is in the neighborhood of 40X40. The
Board discusses the Barry University expansion and the way the Universities are now
Miami Shores Village, Planning Board Meeting
Agenda: April 25, 2013
3
offering online courses. The Board discusses the plus of going to the University on
campus. The Board asked about the business district. Mr. Dacquisto explains that he
will be changing the zoning to include everything that Barry owns will get the zoning we
had talked about. Barry had said to Mr. Dacquisto that they would submit when they are
ready. Mr. Dacquisto mentioned that Barry can provide a master plan and Mr. Dacquisto
could make changes to it administratively.
Mr. Dacquisto says he just wanted to give the Board a heads up. We have to update our
comprehensive plan and he had been trying to find out exactly how to do it. The
valuation and the analysis report. He mentioned that there is a lot that goes into it.
There is two ways of doing the other changes, sometimes they go into details. We are
going to look into climate change. He said he saw one that he really likes. Mr.
Dacquisto spoke about what he would be writing to the State. The Board talks about the
way to go about this. Mr. Dacquisto explains the way he does this proposal to the State.
The question Mr. Dacquisto poses to the Board is how much we will change things.
Basically this is what happens, we send a letter to the State, and then they give you a
year to respond. Mr. Dacquisto discussed the manner in which we would make changes.
One of them being having to have a Workshop if need be. He mentioned that last time
he had come in at the last time and re-wrote everything that the consultants had done.
The Board discussed the way this was done last time. They discussed the different
scenarios we might have regarding this proposal. Mr. Abramitis mentioned that he would
have to understand all these changes before he could vote on them. Mr. Dacquisto
offered to give the Board the basic information about it. He mentioned that this is
generically written to deal with expanding communities. The Board continues to discuss
the proposal to be written. Mr. Dacquisto says that one of the things that might come up
is the water supply. The Board agrees that if all they are voting on is that the community
will have water supply then that’s an easy thing to do. Mr. Dacquisto said he just got a
letter from the State that says that if you don’t supply water, if it comes from outside the
community, then we don’t need to supply a water plan. To be consistent all we need to
provide is that we get our water plan from North Miami which means is that will have a
clause there that says we get our water from Miami-Dade and North Miami. So we don’t
have to deal with that because that’s in Miami-Dade water plan. So that makes us
compliant. The issue for all of us would be the other. Mr. Dacquisto emphasizes that he
rather not go in the other part of the proposal. The Board asked questions and made
comments. Mr. Dacquisto says he is not going to tell them up front what we are going to
do. Climate changes is going to be one of the big ones. The Board expresses concern
about not mentioning. Mr. Dacquisto talks about the clause that he is talking about which
is that we can put that we may make other changes based on workshops. The Board
asked questions. Mr. Dacquisto responds says that the clause he was talking about is
that we may make other changes based on workshops. Mr. Dacquisto says that he will
say that we are only bringing into compliance minimal work. We will be having
workshops to work out the details. The Board asked questions. Village council is going
to want changes. The Board says we could leave it out and that makes more sense. Mr.
Dacquisto says that there is two ways to do it is he could write it up like that and then let
the Village Council make a determination. The Board says they want the Village Council
to have the final say. Mr. Dacquisto says we are sending the letter first.
III) NEXT WORKSHOP – TBA.
IV) NEXT REGULAR HEARING – MAY 28, 2015.
1) Regular agenda.
2) Possible Discussion and Action Items: Recommendation to Village Council:
Miami Shores Village, Planning Board Meeting
Agenda: April 25, 2013
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a) Village Council Request: Planning Board to review the current zoning for the
annexed area and to consider comprehensive plan, zoning code and zoning map
amendments for the area.
V) ADJOURNMENT – The workshop adjourned at 7:55 PM.