Mayor Diaz is pushing for Miami 21
Miami 21 is the beast that won't go away. Mayor Manny Diaz has decided to bring it back on Friday, September 4 at 10 am before the City Commission -- Labor Day weekend when people will be out of town.
Guess he wants to push it through no matter what. People need to come out to the meeting and give their opinions, it's at City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive). The Commission has already voted it down and Mayor Diaz is only being selfish in the fact that he wants it passed before he leaves office. He doesn't care about the public, doesn't care about the Commission's last vote and doesn't care if people want more time to go over it.
This needs a lot more work before it deserves to be passed. Mayor Diaz wants to leave office with this effort in the win column and he's being a bit obnoxious about it.
Hopefully the two mayoral candidates, Tomás Regalado and Joe Sanchez will keep their votes the same, we don't need to see any wishy washy candidates at this point. The one who caves to the Mayor's wishes, will be revealing a lot about themselves.
Guess he wants to push it through no matter what. People need to come out to the meeting and give their opinions, it's at City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive). The Commission has already voted it down and Mayor Diaz is only being selfish in the fact that he wants it passed before he leaves office. He doesn't care about the public, doesn't care about the Commission's last vote and doesn't care if people want more time to go over it.
This needs a lot more work before it deserves to be passed. Mayor Diaz wants to leave office with this effort in the win column and he's being a bit obnoxious about it.
Hopefully the two mayoral candidates, Tomás Regalado and Joe Sanchez will keep their votes the same, we don't need to see any wishy washy candidates at this point. The one who caves to the Mayor's wishes, will be revealing a lot about themselves.
posted by Tom Falco at 3:00 PM
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55 Comments:
The hearing is Friday, September 4th, not 3rd. There was a 35' height restriction added by Commissioner Sarnoff by amendment on about a mile stretch of Biscayne Boulevard that could have resulted in massive lawsuits the taxpayers would have had to defend and possibly pay serious damages on. In a bigger picture sense, Miami 21 is a good plan. A lot of the mess in Miami is due to a zoning scheme that doesn't work. I hope he agrees to a vote without his amendment this time around.
It is very important that we put a 35' height restriction on Biscayne Boulevard. Sarnoff must vote NO NO NO on Miami 21 if that restriction is not adhered to. It is a promise he made the voters in the Grove. Vote No. Keep Biscayne low.
Michelle Niemeyer, and many other people, do not understand Miami 21's proposed Transfer of Development Rights (TDR's). It is all in the documents.
Miami 21 and Marc Sarnoff propose to create a system that provides cash to property owners who do not want to build out their sites. In addition, property owners who feel they have lost development rights can sell their so-called unused development rights to developers from sections of Miami where height and density are encouraged.
The devil is in the details.
According to what Joe Sanchez said on the radio, he was opposed to the amendment made by Commissioner Sarnoff regarding Biscayne Boulevard and also the PAB's recommendation of a T5 along 3rd Avenue, Coral Way, 27th Avenue. He agrees with T6-8. In other words, he thinks it's OK to build a 123 ft. building abutting a single family home. Remember that Miami 21 talks in stories, not actual feet. Under the current zoning, an eight story building would only be 83 ft. while under Miami 21 it would be 123 ft. The purpose of Miami 21 was to protect single family neighborhoods from out of scale buildings. They have been ignoring the 20 ft. setback since 2001, and now under Miami 21 it is 10% of lot depth min.
Interesting since this is what I found in the City of Miami website for this date:
September 4, 2009 is the effective date of the resignation of the sitting Commissioner of District 4 and on that day the City Commission has passed a resolution scheduled a special meeting to address this vacancy and a Special Election to fill this vacancy. These questions and answers are for candidates who have already filed to run for the 2011 election but may choose to run in the 2009 election.
A lot of the mess in Miami has to do with Commissioners approving things that were not supposed to be there in the first place, (Mercy Towers, Cubix, Home Depot, etc) Meanwhile things like the espiritu santo building and new courthouse would not be possible with Miami 21.
Sanchez will vote yes because he thought he gained voters with the no vote (he didnt) and now will vote yes to regain the ones he lost.
And to all of you supporters saying that it was due to Sarnoff and litigation etc. Its wrong. The Marlins stadium was a project that had "compromises" and NEEDED to be passed.
Many of the smartest land use planners and real estate attorneys claim Miami 21 is too complicated. Architects hate it. How can a private citizen figure it out?
Height? It appears Miami 21 and the City advocate for high rises on top of single family neighborhoods. 123' tall? On top of homes? 53' tall on top of little one story homes. Manny Diaz should be proud. More concrete.
Well I think our commissioners suck. I think Manny has been a Godfather, and by the time that movie franchise ended, it was pretty much fizzled out. If something like Miami 21 needs to pass, let it do so under a new mayor. And I would fully support a wholesale change in the commission. Can we do a 5 for 5 sweep?
Watch the meeting on the City website. Sanchez asked the City attorney about the risk of lawsuits. She said, in essence, don't worry about it. Sanchez has fallen back on this lawsuits excuse before. He uses it to vote against the citizens interests in favor of developers. Sanchez is IN FAVOR of Miami 21, he is opposed to Sarnoff's amendments which follow the will of the citizens. Like the stadium vote, Sarnoff tried to make the deal better for the people of the City, Sanchez refused to consider it. He is not intelligent enough to stand up to the administration or the attorney. He may be a nice guy, but he is over his head.
I am not impressed with Regaldo, but we cannot let Sanchez become Mayor.
A meeting on Friday of Labor Day weekend? This shows how much respect the Mayor has for the people.
City of Miami wants to implement a totally new zoning code now in the 11th hour of our Mayor's term limit. A new zoning code is much needed but it can certainly wait a few more months till after the November elections. That will give us a little more time to research and help solve some of the many issues that have been raised. The irony is that our Mayor and several Commissioners are so eager to establish new zoning in the first place. Perhaps if they had respected our present zoning codes better, then there would not be so many overlays, variances and illegal spot zoning scattered throughout our city like a patchwork quilt. The fault has never been with our zoning. The fault has always been with those politicians that have not respected it. Lets not forget who tried to change the zoning of Mercy Hospital and what was their justification for this illegal spot zoning effort? Good thing that case was taken to court and a reasonable judge that cares about our city and our zoning codes overruled that effort. The excess inventory of housing that has been permitted by our Mayor and several Commissioners and its effect to devalue all of our properties through short sales, bulk sales and foreclosures is truly Manny Diaz’s Legacy.
Harry Emilio Gottlieb
Miami 21 is not ready for prime time. Watch "Concrete" Manny twist commissioners arms to get three votes. Ick.
Come out Fri Sept. 4 and speak AGAINST Miami 21 - it should not pass. It is not clear - no one understands T4 T6 T8 - keep it simple so the average citizen can understand it and not get taken in by those shaky developers and fast talking lawyers. Email the Mayor and the Commissioners and tell them that the plan should not pass and needs a lot more work. Plater-Zybert came up with the concept years ago and it is badly in need of work.
Come out Fri Sept. 4 and speak IN FAVOR OF Miami 21 - it should pass with Commissioner Sarnoff's amendments. It is clearer and more understandable than the current code. It addresses transition from single family upward in a respectful way. Email the Mayor and the Commissioners and tell them that the plan should pass with Commissioner Sarnoff's amendments.
Everyone should boycott paying property taxes. Why ahould we continue to pay for a government that is always doing things to screw the taxpayers. If the government were a private business they would have been fired long ago. We need to fire our government.
It's weird to see grapevine siding so strongly with the big money developers against Miami21.
Why not come out and stand up with the regular people of Miami and the grove and support Miami21?
Thank God for Commissioner Sarnoff and the team of Harry Gottlieb and Fireman Elvis Cruz! There must be NO new building on Biscayne Blvd. We must keep the height below the current 35ft. The code must be changed to even lower the 35 ft to 20 ft. Biscayne Blvd even has homes on this road. These people must be listened to, we need to stop the building on Biscayne Blvd. Sarnoff MUST vote no to Miami 21! When Regalado becomes Mayor then Sarnoff will become Chairman of the Commission and he will select Harry Gottlieb as the Chairman of the Planning Board and Fireman Elvis Cruz will become the Chairman of the Zoning board then we will be on our way to a 'good' Miami. Keep Biscayne Blvd. at a maximum height of 20 feet. 35 feet is gross! Thank you Harry! Harry for Commissioner from Coconut Grove!
Anon 7:47, re the City Attorney saying, "don't worry about it." The City Attorney also said that about the fire fee, the commissioners relied on the advice, and are condemned for that. It's common sense, if someone bought a property on a major commercial corridor with an expectation they will be able to make a profit building there, they are likely to sue when they are limited to 35 feet. Even if those people lose their suits, we still have to pay to defend them. For those of you who think Miami 21 will allow 123 foot buildings next to single family homes, try this novel idea: read Miami 21, not what people are saying on this blog. That will not happen with Miami 21. It can and does with the current zoning.
from the meeting minutes. decide for yourself, does this support Sanchez?
Ms. Bru: Okay. Mr. Chairman, when we speak about Bert Harris claims, obviously, we're
talking about a state law that guarantees to property owners the right to be able to enjoy their
reasonable investment back expectation on their properties. And so long as your regulations
don't inordinately burden their property rights or you don't ask them to share disproportionately
the burden of joining in a community that has regulations for the public good, what you do is
defendable. Now I understand from the Administration that great efforts have been made to
calculate the development capacity that individual properties had throughout the City. It has
been an intensive effort. So what has been recommended to you was based on that analysis. To
the extent that changes are being suggested now, I would suspect that between first and second
you will hear from your Administration and there would be something put on the record as to
whether or not they recommend it. Obviously, the more thought, the more analysis, the more
inquiry that was done to estimate what the applicable height of buildings should be throughout
the City, the more defensible it is.
Adam, some people dont trust Manny. Sorry plain and simple. Let alone that there were a lot of groups asking for revisions and they simply denied them that. All of the community meetings where about "this is how it will be" and thats it.
Personally I like Miami 21. However the fact they keep scheduling it during vacations and last minute is unsettling. Developers dont take vacations. However single families do.
why doesn the grove care about Biscayne Blvd., which doesn't come within miles of coconut grove?
Biscayne Blvd and Bayshore are not the same road.
Also a 20ft restriction is ridiculous. I've never lived in a house in my 42 years that would fit under that restriction.
Michelle, you need to read Miami21 more carefully. A T-6 8 next to single family residential will be eight stories but in feet it can be 123 feet. The first floor can be up to 25 feet and the remaining floors can be up to 14 feet which equals 123 feet, about the height of a 12 story building. DPZ says a developer would never use this additional height on each floor because of cost but all it would take is one and two and we would have another 12 story condo on
27th Avenue. This is the reason Coral Way and 27th Avenue should be T-5, which will be 5 stories but can be 81 feet,
again about the size of an eight story building. What should be done is to lower the 14 feet limit to 12 and the 25 foot limit on the ground floor should be lower than 25 feet.
20' is ridiculous for Biscayne Blvd. 35' for the MIMO area is fine. Support Sarnoff's amendments!
Anon 2:59, I understand how many feet a "floor" can be under Miami 21, and you are right about that, but doesn't Miami 21 also have rules about transitions between zones so that if there were a T6-8 next to a single family residential zone, there would have to be sufficient space for the T6-8 to step down to a scale that's compatible with the single family residential? I believe you'll find that in the code. That's why Miami 21 wouldn't allow the kind of disastrous development we see on 27th Avenue that's gone up in the last 5 or 6 years.
There are very good reasons not to have a 35 foot limit on a major corridor. One is that the spatial enclosure ratio that is found on walkable streets needs to produce a street section that is taller than it is wide. This is recognized by many experts as a common and necessary feature of most walkable environments. The wider the street, the taller the "streetwall" should be in order to create the correct proportion. This is a cross-cultural and cross-climate pattern in urban design. Additionally, sustainability depends upon creating an environment where mixed uses are encouraged. Most great streets and boulevards that are vibrant settings for economic and social interaction have complex layering of uses - vertically. This would be made difficult by a rule to restrict buildings to two or three stories, and is inappropriate in a major metropolitan context. Surpressing buildable densities and heights in the "Eastward Ho!" receiving area and other receiving areas for urban infill will eventually put development pressure on the urban fringe, especially sensitive and strategic agricultural and wilderness areas, both inside and outside the UDB.
Andrew Georgiadis
Dover, Kohl & Partners Town Planning
Harry please call Commissioner Sarnoff and get his promise that he will vote no on Miami 21. He will listen to you. We must keep Biscayne Blvd. at current levels and current owners must be forced to lower the heights to a max. of 20ft. Harry, you have Marc's ear..use that power to STOP the Miami 21 nonsense and keep the Biscayne Blvd LOW!
Harry Gottlieb. Didn't you speculate and buy condos and flip them during Manny's reign?
Hi Andrew,
I disagree with you on this one. Miami 21 is building plenty of density in to pockets all around the city, and we have enough space downtown to accommodate a hundred years of high rise and "eastward ho" growth.
As far as building and street proportions, you have a point, but then many of the
wide boulevards of Europe would all be exceptions to what you suggest.
The MIMO area will be better off being built upon in the nearer future as an exception to a denser Biscayne Boulevard to the south rather than remaining a speculated landscape only hoping to be built at greater density.
.
Steve Hagen
Hi Mr. Georgiadis,
I am not an uban planner, but I would like to point out to you that the Upper Eastside of Miami is not a major metropolitan hub of the City, the downtown area is, and there are plenty of highrises there, which is as it should be.
As a native New Yorker, I was raised in the borough of Brooklyn, and we didn't have high- rise buildings in our various neighborhood commercial districts. There were apartments over the stores, but the buildings did not create canyons which blocked the light, the sun, and the air.
Later, having lived at the Jersey Shore, where the main industry is tourism, as it is here in Miami, I can tell you the same was true and remains true to this day.
The classic model you present certainly has its place, but I don't see that it's one that applies to the Upper Eastside of Miami.
Sincerely,
Ginger Vela
Shorecrest
Michelle,
Yes, there would be a set-back for the first two floors of, I believe, 6 feet and then additional set-backs for the other floors.
If the City had followed 907.3.2 the two large condos on 27th Avenue would only be about 8 stories high. This was the issue that got the zoning administrator, F. Garcia, fired from the city. He gave an interpretation that 907.3.2 was not being followed and the developers and their attorneys went nuts and the City fired him.
Hi Steve,
You are right, the wide boulevards of Europe are some of the only streets in their respective cities that are more squat than square, yet, all of the great ones like like Champs Elysee, Gran Via, Paseo de Gracia, La Rambla, Regent Street, Kufurstendamm, Under den Linden, Via Veneto, etc. are lined by tall buildings with presence, generally they are in the 60-120 foot range, multi-story, mixed use and do not apologize for their urbanity. They communicate the importance of their cities with permanent, proud architecture which is articulate and finely detailed, and somehow humanely scaled despite their multistory facades.
Andrew
Dear Ms. Vela,
I don't think Highrises are appropriate either, but neither are suburban low-slung volumes less than 35 feet.
Andrew
Anonymous & Michelle,
Isn't SW 27th Ave Regalado's district? Why would he allow F. Garcia to be fired if he was only doing his job where those two buildings are concerned?
Isn't 27th Ave. in Regalados district? Why would he allow F. Garcia to be fired for doing his job where the two buildins are concerned?
Hi Andrew,
For the sake of the others on this email chain, this will be my last response.
You are the paid professional. I am the thirty year MIMO resident who has traveled to over fifty countries and I know what feels right when I walk various streets.
I moved to Florida and to the MIMO area for year round fresh air, the abundance of green with a village feel. Countless people have fled South Beach because they can not stand the congestion caused by the high rises. Many tourists want to see green instead of more concrete. Have you walked the boulevard lately? It is quite walkable and becoming more so..
I am not familiar will all the avenues you name, but many could be considered at the heart of their respective cities and their surrounding neighborhoods are three and four story apartments, not already built single family mostly single story homes as MIMI is.
MIMO is not an urban core neighborhood as the boulevards you suggest are. We are three miles from our urban core. MIMO is more like what Coconut Grove was and not what developers tried to make it.
I am saddened that speculators drove up prices and taxes all over Miami hoping to maximize profits with Miami 21... I await the day when commercial land prices adjust downward as then mom and pop businesses, which we need desperately, may be able to afford to open a business in Miami and make a living, because under the last several years, they have been forced out of the city.
Steve Hagen
check out the new construction on the east side of the Blvd between 67/68 Streets. It is 3 stories, probably not more than 35'. IMO, it is the perfect example of appropriate infill.
My question to all the supporters of Miami 21.
If it is so great. Why has the Mayor both times scheduled it within a time period that is too short as well as during a holiday.
Harry Gottlieb is campaigning to STOP this Miami-21 nonsense. Harry could you organize a demonstration? Please all - HELP HARRY!
I will never support anything that Harry supports. He does not make any sense. all he does is go back to his famous Marlins..Home Depot...Marlins... Marlins...list. Harry needs to retire like Regalado. They can't cope with a city's growth and progress....
Harry, we must demonstrate! There will be a P.A.B. meeting Sept. 2, 2009 to recommend passage of this piece of s@#t! Let's organize a t-shirt and placard campaign and march on City Hall and voice our distaste of Miami-21! Harry, we must all unite now...let's go and get out the protest!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous at 1:08 PM I will ALWAYS support anything that Harry supports. He DOES make sense. Harry is for progress and growth. We can thank Harry and his followers for having the foresight to make Miami what it is today.
Harry will you be holding a get together prior to the PAB meeting?
I heard about the get-together to protest Miami-21 Harry....when is it?
you're wasting your time protesting Miami 21 at the PAB. the September 4 Commission meeting is where the decision will be made.
Protest NOW so they know what is going to HIT them on Sept 4!!!
Harry let's get this going!
why all the pressure on Harry? You want it, do it! It is always the way, people expecting someone else to do the work for them.
Harry has already taken this on. He is in charge of the march on city hall. Harry volunteered to spear head this activity. He wants to do it. It is his passion. He has people! Harry for Mayor of Coconut Grove!
Manny Diaz wanted high-rises on S. Bayshore in the Grove.
Manny forced the taxpayers to bailout the Marlins.
Manny gave away the taxpayers owned Orange Bowl site.
Manny gave away the taxpayer owned Bicentennal Park to connected campaign supporters.
Manny scheduled Miami 21 when the opponents would be out of town.
Manny's friends make money if Miami 21 passes.
How is the "March on City Hall" coming together? Is Harry Gottlieb still putting this together? Do we have the t-shirts and placards for the P.A.B. meeting and then the Commission Meeting? Please Harry let's not let this opportunity pass us by like last time. Harry for Mayor of Coconut Grove!
Harry...Rumors at the different eating establishments in the Grove indicate the you alone were able to get one of the City of Miami Commissioners to promise that they not accept a public pension for their public service during Miami's financial crisis. Rumor further has it that they also said they believed that elected officials should not have a better pension than the taxpayers who pay their salaries.
Thank you Harry. Grovites owe you a great big THANK YOU! It is only a beginning but keep up the good work! You are having a March on City Hall. Could you provide more details?
OMG!!! 49 comments. After reading through them all, I can't help but say that I think everyone's gone mad!! Step back and take a deep breath people! PS: So when did Harry throw in his hat in the mayoral race? Por dios!
I agree with you Anonymous. Harry who? How about talking about this mornings paper....new business's in downtown, new tenets...a reviatlization of a ghost town. Thank you Joe Sanchez for making this happen for giving new life to our downtown. You're going to make a great Mayor!!!!!
Sorry, but I don't know anything about a march on city hall. And I am not running for any office. I just know that Miami 21 will now have 3 to 4 votes and will pass. I still wish that any vote on Miami 21 could wait till after the November election so that more time can be used to fix the problems. I also wish that Manny would go on vacation till Novemeber and not push any more projects like the Virgina Key Master Plan. Please join us tonight at the Miami Beach Wolfsonian at 7 PM to hear Sen. Bob Graham read from his book "America The Owner's Manual" Making Governement Work For You. Everyone that reads this blog and wants to help make positive changes should buy this $16.95 book from The Bookstore In The Grove or Books and Books, if they can't come tonight. Harry Emilio Gottlieb
Harry....From marching on City Hall to hawking books. My hero!
Harry you said that you would run fom office when Coconut Grove became incorporated. On this blog I believe. You no longer interested in public office?
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