BACKGROUND

On May 16, 2017, the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Sea Level Rise discussed the attached Ordinance amendment and recommended that the City Commission refer it to the Land Use and Development Committee and Planning Board.  On June 7, 2017, at the request of Commissioner Joy Malakoff, the City Commission referred the subject ordinance to the Land Use and Development Committee and the Planning Board.

On June 14, 2017, the Land Use and Development Committee recommended that the Planning Board transmit the ordinance to the City Commission with a favorable recommendation.

PLANNING ANALYSIS

Currently chapter 130 of the City code establishes parking requirements for various land uses throughout the City.  The requirements are generally based on a suburban single-occupancy automobile centric development pattern, which is inconsistent with the development patterns of Miami Beach, which are more urban in nature.  According to mode share data provided in the Miami Beach Transportation Master Plan, only 56.5 percent of commuters use private vehicles within the City of Miami Beach, compared to 86.5 percent in Miami-Dade County as a whole.  43.5 percent of commutes in Miami Beach are made through alternative forms of transportation (See “Existing Mode to Work Mode Share” graph attached). 

The City desires to further reduce the use of private vehicles for commuting in order to reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.  The Transportation Master Plan and Comprehensive Plan incorporate a 2035 mode share vision which seeks to reduce commuting through private vehicles to 42 percent and increase the share of other modes respectively (See “Adopted 2035 Mode Share Vision” attached).

Reflecting existing conditions and the 2035 Mode Share Vision, the proposed ordinance would reduce vehicle parking requirements, provided tangible forms of alternative transportation, including bicycle facilities, are provided. The City currently provides similar reductions within Parking District 6, which is located along Alton Road between 5th Street and Dade Boulevard. Reductions to vehicle parking requirements are proposed to generally be provided as follows:

(a) Bicycle parking long-term: reduced by one (1) space for every five (5) long-term bicycle parking spaces, not to exceed 15 percent of required parking spaces.

(b) Bicycle parking short term: reduced by one (1) parking space for every ten (10) short-term bicycle parking spaces, not to exceed 15 percent of required parking spaces.

(c) Carpool/vanpool parking: reduced by three (3) parking spaces for every one (1) parking space reserved for carpool or vanpool vehicles registered with South Florida Commuter Services, not to exceed ten (10) percent of required parking spaces.

(d) Drop-off and loading zones for transportation for compensation vehicles: parking requirements may be reduced at a ratio of three (3) parking spaces for every one (1) curb side drop off stall.

• Developments over 50,000 square feet may increase drop off area to three (3) drop-off stalls for a maximum reduction of nine (9) parking spaces.

• Vehicles stopped in such areas shall not stop in the drop-off and loading zones for no more than the time necessary to drop-off or load passengers and their belongings.

(e) Scooter, moped and motorcycle parking: reduced by one (1) parking space for every three (3) scooter, moped, or motorcycle parking space, not to exceed 15 percent of required parking spaces.

(f) Showers: nonresidential use parking reduced by two (2) parking spaces for each separate shower facility up to a maximum of eight (8) parking spaces.

• Where possible, clothes lockers should be provided for walking and biking commuters.

(g) Each of the reductions identified above shall be calculated independently from the pre-reduction off-street parking requirement.

• The reductions shall then be added together to determine the overall required off-street parking reduction.

• The sum of all reductions shall not exceed 50% of the pre-reduction off-street parking requirement.

(h) All developments are encouraged to provide the aforementioned facilities to the extent possible. Any building or structure incorporating any of the aforementioned facilities may provide required off-street parking on site up to the level specified in its applicable parking district. Such required parking, if provided, shall be exempt from FAR, in accordance with the regulations specified in chapter 114 of these land development regulations.

PLANNING BOARD REVIEW

On July 25, 2017, the Planning Board transmitted the proposed Ordinance Amendment to the City Commission with a favorable recommendation.  

UPDATE

The subject Ordinance was approved at First Reading on September 25, 2017, with no changes.