| | | | | | | |  | Committee Assignments - C4 G
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM |
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| | | | | | | | | TO: | Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission | | | FROM: | Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager | | | DATE: | October 14, 2020 | | | |
| | SUBJECT: | REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING BOARD - ORDINANCE AMENDMENT PERTAINING TO A BUILDING HEIGHT INCREASE IN STRATEGIC COMMERCIAL AREAS TO INCENTIVIZE OFFICE USES. |
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| | | | | | | | RECOMMENDATION
| | The administration recommends that the City Commission refer the attached draft ordinance to the Planning Board. |
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| | | | | | | | BACKGROUND/HISTORY
| On June 24, 2020, at the request of Mayor Dan Gelber, the subject item was referred to the Land Use and Sustainability Committee (C4C). At the time of referral, Commissioner David Richardson became a co-sponsor.
The Land Use and Sustainability Committee (LUSC) discussed the proposal on July 21, 2020 and continued the item to September 22, 2020, with the following general direction:
1. Provide additional information regarding existing office space inventory in the City, and where the best locations for office space would be.
2. Further study the areas proposed for office height incentives and look at other commercial areas.
3. Further study the minimum floor area benchmark for offices.
On September 22, 2020 the LUSC discussed the item and moved it to the full City Commission, in accordance with the following:
1. A recommendation in favor of the proposal for a height increase applying to Terminal Island.
2. No recommendation on the areas fronting Alton Road from 5th Street to Collins Canal.
3. No recommendation on Sunset Harbor
The LUSC also recommended that the City Commission consider the following in its discussion on the matter:
1. Requiring visual images and massing studies for the larger areas affected by the proposal, and not just the specific properties seeking the change.
2. Potential quality of life and community/public benefits.
3. Consider a sunset provision for the proposal.
4. Requirements for neighborhood uses and activation at the first level of the building.
5. The inclusion of North Beach in the scope of the ordinance. |
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| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS
| PLANNING ANALYSIS
The attached draft ordinance text was prepared by the representative of property owners on Terminal Island and in the Sunset Harbor area, who are seeking to develop mixed-use projects with an office component. The proposal includes height increases in strategic commercial areas to incentivize office uses.
The draft text sets a minimum threshold of .45 FAR in order to qualify for increased height. A minimum lot size of 7,500 square feet is also proposed, to ensure that the higher height is for medium to large size office project, and so that the site is large enough to absorb the increase in height. Planning staff agrees with these thresholds and believes that they will ensure the increased height will be for a project that is primarily office.
A maximum height of between 60 and 75 feet has been proposed in all the applicable commercial districts. The following is a summary of the specific commercial areas of the City proposed for the increase in height:
1. Sunset Harbor Area CD-2 District: Increase from 50 feet to 75 feet.
2. Alton Road CD-2 District: Increase from 50 feet and 60 feet to 75 feet.
3. Sunset Harbor I-1 District: Increase from 40 feet to 75 feet.
4. Terminal Island I-1 District: Increase from 40 feet to 75 feet.
It is important to note that regarding the CD-2 areas on Alton Road, the west side of Alton Road would be eligible for the proposed height increase. However, pursuant to the regulations in the Alton Road - Historic District Buffer Overlay in Chapter 142, Article 3, Division 9 of the LDR’s, only those properties located between 15th Street and 17th Street on the east side of Alton Road would be eligible for the proposed increase in height. This area on the east side of Alton Road abuts a CD-1 district and a large multifamily building to the immediate east.
The proposed increase in height would allow for the expanded interior floor to ceiling space being sought by office users and office developers. From a practical standpoint, when parking and mixed-use pedestals are included, the current height limitations in the aforementioned areas limit the interior ceiling heights for all uses. Additionally, the areas of the City where this proposal is applicable are along and within transit corridors and have access to public parking facilities.
The proposal would apply to limited, strategic areas and would help diversify the City’s economy. The proposal is also consistent with the concept of transit-oriented development (TOD), which is ideal for the identified areas. This is an important point because the City’s long-term mobility plan places considerably more emphasis on transit. In turn, this will likely result in less of a need for onsite vehicular storage in the future, which would equate to a reduction in overall building height.
SUMMARY:
The first draft of the proposal included the C-PS2 corridor along Fifth Street. Based upon concerns regarding the potential impacts of increased height along 4th Street and 6th Street, this corridor has been removed. It was also suggested that other commercial areas of the City, including North Beach, the 41st Street corridor and the MXE area be considered.
Currently, the administration does not recommend including these areas within the proposed ordinance, as the primary area of study and focus is the transit corridors in South Beach and Sunset Harbor. If there is consensus to explore other areas of the City for incentive-based height increases for office use, it is suggested that those areas be looked at via a separate referral. Specifically, the following is noted:
• 41st Street: This corridor is zoned CD-3 and already has a maximum height limit of 75 feet. Given the close proximity of single-family districts to the immediate north and south, an increase in height above 75’ would need to be looked at carefully.
• Washington Avenue and MXE: Under a separate track, this area is being evaluated comprehensively. If incentives for office uses are determined to be beneficial, they should be looked at as part of the Ocean Drive/Collins Avenue/Washington Avenue initiative.
• North Beach: Currently the TCC district has a maximum height limit of 220’, and the area was up zoned to create the opportunity for a downtown development model, including office uses. The other commercial areas in North Beach are surrounded by lower scale, less intense districts. Increases in height to incentivize offices in these areas would need to be studied carefully as well.
Finally, the developers of proposed projects on Terminal Island and in Sunset Harbor have provided the attached sections and renderings for their respective projects. These attachments illustrate the interior space rationale and visual impact of the proposed height increase to 75 feet.
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION
| | The administration recommends that the City Commission refer the attached draft ordinance to the Planning Board. |
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| | | | | | | | Applicable Area
| | South Beach |
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| | | | | | | | | Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? | | Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds? | | | Yes | | No | |
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| | | | | | | | Legislative Tracking
Planning |
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| | | | | | | | Sponsor
Mayor Dan Gelber and Commissioner David Richardson |
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