Village of Palmetto Bay
June 7, 2022
Last night, during the Regular Council Meeting for June, the Village Council considered whether to support or oppose the latest version of Miami-Dade County's Rapid Transit Zone (RTZ) Ordinance, passed on first reading by the County Commission on June 1, 2022. Jeve Clayton, Chief of Staff to County Commissioner Danielle Cohen-Higgins, addressed the Council during public comments, pointing out that Commissioner Cohen-Higgins is not in support of the ordinance and voted against the item. Other public comments heard during the meeting and received online were consistently in opposition of the county ordinance.
The county's RTZ creates certain zoning requirements, standards and procedures for RTZ Urban Centers and areas 1/4 mile and 1/2 from smart corridors. Community and Economic Development Director Heidi Siegel met with county staff to discuss the Village's authority and compliance requirements under the proposed county ordinance. In her presentation to Council, Director Siegel explained that according to county staff, the following applies:
- The Village will be allowed to protect single-family homes within the Rapid Transit Zone boundaries.
- The Village will still maintain jurisdiction over all development within the Village, including review procedures.
- Many aspects of the ordinance only apply to lands within unincorporated Miami-Dade County.
- Impact Fees that are duplicated by County may not be collected by the Village.
- The Village will be able to regulate height and density (residential units). The ordinance states the maximum height and density allowed. The Village is already under these maximum thresholds and will not have to adjust their height and density.
- The Village will be required to study the area impacted by the ordinance and present a plan to County staff for discussion by July 31, 2024.
- Village has the option to demonstrate that our existing standards or procedures comply with the minimum standards of the proposed ordinance.
- The plan must include how the Village will meet the required Floor Area Ratio (FAR).
The two main concerns for Palmetto Bay related to the current ordinance, as written, are as follows:
- Impact fees may not be duplicated with the county.
- The significant development that could potentially come to the west side of US-1.
The disallowing of duplicate impact fees for the county and the municipality has a negative fiscal impact on Palmetto Bay as the Village would no longer be allowed to collect Parks Impact Fees on projects within our jurisdiction because the fee is already collected by the County. The second bullet, points to the high density that is proposed to the area west of US 1 and could take place in neighboring communities, which will negatively affect the Village with additional traffic and impact on resources, all of which will infringe upon Palmetto Bay's quality of life. You can download the Director's presentation here.
In the end, the Village Council voted unanimously NOT to support the county's RTZ zoning code. The Village will continue to work collaboratively with the county and other affected communities to reach a resolution that is consistent with the character of each individual community, including carving out the Village from the RTZ zoning. "We've made the request to have the city, the Village of Palmetto Bay, be a carve out.", said Mayor Cunningham. "I think the item has come a really long way from where it was, but it's just not far enough," added the Mayor.
The Village's opposition vote will be forwarded to the County Commission. The ordinance will go before the County Commission once again for second reading.
We will continue to keep you posted on any new developments concerning the RTZ district proposed by Miami-Dade County. Please continue to follow us on our website and social media outlets linked below.
