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City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
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| | | | | | | | | | Item 2.
COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM | | | |
| | | | | | | | TO: Land Use and Development Committee
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| FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
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| DATE: February 7, 2018
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| | | | | | | | | TITLE: | NORTH BEACH NATIONAL REGISTER CONSERVATION DISTRICT OVERLAY
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| | | | | | | | HISTORY:
On December 13, 2017, the City Commission approved the North Beach National Register Conservation District Overlay Ordinance at First Reading. Additionally, at the request of the item sponsor, Vice-Mayor John Elizabeth Aleman, the item was referred to the Land Use and Development Committee for further discussion, prior to Second Reading (Item R5R).
On January 17, 2018, the Normandy Isles and North Shore Local Historic Districts were adopted by the City Commission. The final piece of local historic district designation, the Tatum Waterway area, is expected to go before the City Commission in the spring. |
| | | | | | | | Analysis
BACKGROUND
The “Normandy Isles National Register District” was listed on the National Register of Historic Place on November 12, 2008. This district is generally bounded by Biscayne Bay to the south, Ray Street, Rue Notre Dame and Rue Versailles to the west, Normandy Shores Golf Course to the north, and the western bulkhead of Indian Creek to the east.
The “North Shore National Register District” was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 18, 2009. This district is generally bounded by 73rd Street to the south, Dickens Avenue, Hawthorne Avenue and Crespi Boulevard to the west, 87th Street to the north, and Collins Court to the east.
Each of these National Register Districts has a designation report, which contains detailed information and data on the history, architecture and building types in the district. Additionally, a comprehensive local historic district designation report, for the local district boundaries authorized by the City Commission, has been prepared by Planning Department staff.
PLANNING ANALYSIS
The subject legislation has gone through numerous public meetings. Attached is a detailed chronology of all public meetings since the initial referral of the item in December of 2016.
The initial draft of the overlay ordinance presented to the Land Use and Development Committee (LUDC) on January 18, 2017 was the first step in a comprehensive process for creating tangible development regulations for the larger North Beach National Register areas. As reiterated on multiple occasions, staff believes that through stakeholder input, including the North Beach Master Plan Steering Committee, residents, property owners and businesses, these regulations have been continually refined.
After the initial discussions at the LUDC, on February 8, 2017, the City Commission authorized the Administration to engage the North Beach Master Planner (Dover-Kohl) in a review and assistance capacity for the conservation overlay district ordinance. Staff engaged Dover-Kohl in this regard, and as part of the evaluation by the North Beach Master Plan Steering Committee. Dover-Kohl participated in staff discussions regarding the ordinance, attended meetings of the North Beach Master Plan Steering Committee, and put together a series of drawings and renderings illustrating existing conditions and the impact of the proposed conservation district regulations.
The proposed Conservation District Overlay includes the collective input of the Land Use Committee, the North Beach Steering Committee and the Planning Board. The Administration believes that, on balance, the proposal is fair and meets the intentions outlined in the North Beach Master plan.
Attached, for informational and clarity purposes, is a column by column summary of the current legislation, compared to the existing RM-1 regulations.
SUMMARY
On December 13, 2017, the City Commission approved the subject Ordinance at First Reading, with the following changes, some of which were recommended by the Planning Board:
1. Applicability. All areas designated as a local historic district have been removed from the conservation district overlay. Minor modifications have been made throughout the ordinance, to remove ‘historic preservation board’, as their review authority would no longer be applicable.
2. Maximum Developable Lot Area and Maximum Developable Lot Width Requirements. As recommended by the Planning Board and the Administration, the ‘Maximum Developable Lot Area’ and ‘Maximum Developable Lot Width’ requirements in Sec. 142-882(a) have been deleted.
3. Maximum Height Exceptions. As recommended by the Planning Board and the Administration, the Design Review Board (DRB) and Historic Preservation Board (HPB) would have the ability to waive the minimum retention requirements for contributing buildings in Sec. 142-882(c). Additionally, any DRB or HPB waiver would require that at least 25 percent of all existing ‘contributing’ buildings on site, as measured from the front elevation, be substantially retained and restored.
4. Lot Aggregation Standards. As recommended by the Planning Board, the lot aggregation standards in Sec. 142-883(b) are no longer required for projects consisting solely of workforce or affordable housing. Additionally, the DRB or HPB would be permitted to waive these standards related to minimum building retention, view corridor and building width requirements, for all other residential projects.
Subsequent to First Reading approval of the ordinance, staff met with the item sponsor to further discuss the removal of the local historic districts from the overlay boundaries. Because of inconsistencies created, particularly as it would affect abutting parcels, the Local Historic Districts have been placed back into the overlay. A revised map showing the overall boundaries, including a demarcation of the local historic district boundaries, is attached.
Additionally, a simplification of the height regulations, including the height incentive for the retention of ‘contributing’ buildings, is being recommended as follows:
• A maximum of 30 feet in height for first 30 feet of building depth;
• A maximum of 40 feet in height for the remainder of the building depth.
• A maximum of 50 feet may be permitted by the DRB or HPB for the remainder of the building depth, for properties that contain at least one (1) ‘contributing’ building that is 50% or more substantially retained and restored. The DRB or HPB may waive the aforementioned requirement for the 50% retention of existing ‘contributing’ buildings, provided at least 25% of all existing ‘contributing’ buildings on site, as measured from the front elevation, are substantially retained and restored.
Finally, minor, non-substantive changes have been made to the ordinance, to address spelling errors, formatting and clarity. The aforementioned revisions have been incorporated into the revised ordinance for Second Reading and for review and input by the Land Use Committee.
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION:
The Administration recommends that the Land Use Committee transmit the revised draft Conservation District Overlay Ordinance, with any additional recommended changes, to the City Commission for Second Reading, with a favorable recommendation.
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