MIAMI – A developer’s mixed-use proposal for the Sears property site adjacent to Miami’s Coral Gate neighborhood is stirring up concern from some single-family homeowners. It’s one of nearly two dozen projects being considered in the city under Florida’s Live Local Act.
The issue arose at Thursday’s Miami City Commission meeting, where one commissioner proposed seeking an exemption for properties abutting single-family neighborhoods.
“We will lose our neighborhood,” a resident said, highlighting concerns about quality of life, including increased traffic. “Please be prudent.”
The property is at 3655 SW 22nd St., near Douglas Road. It’s one more than 20 Live Local Act projects currently being processed citywide.
Miami Live Local Act report:
One of the sponsors of the bill, Republican Sen. Alexis Calatayud, of Miami-Dade, said its goal was to “provide incentives to encourage the private sector to be the primary delivery vehicle for the development” of affordable housing BY incentivizing developers to add workforce housing units to new projects.
During a January news conference, Calatayud outlined some of the provisions, which include a “missing middle tax exemption” in the policy “for developments that set aside at least 70 units.” She added that “rent for these set-aside apartments has to be a minimum of 10% below market rate.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law in 2023.
For projects that qualify, this preempts local zoning codes and regulations, such as density and height limitations, like those at the Sears site.
“They are asking for 1,020 units,” Miami City Commissioner Manolo Reyes said. “Before then, according to Miami 21, by law, by right, they could only have 500 and something.”
Reyes is the sponsor of a resolution that would urge the governor and state lawmakers to amend Live Local Act to better protect single-family residential neighborhoods. It passed unanimously Thursday.
“What I am asking is that even if they abut one side of a single-family home neighborhood, that it won’t apply,” he said.
Local 10 News reached out to the governor’s office, the sponsor of the state law, and Florida’s senate president, sharing the concerns of Coral Gate homeowners.
We had not heard back as of Thursday afternoon.
Resolution text:
“A resolution of the Miami City Commission urging Governor Ron DeSantis and the members of the Florida Legislature to amend the Live Local Act (“Act”) to protect single-family residential neighborhoods by prohibiting developments under the Act from being located adjacent to properties zoned single-family residential on one or more sides or adjacent to a Neighborhood Conservation District on one or more sides; directing the City Clerk to transmit a copy of this resolution to Governor Ron DeSantis and the members of the Florida Legislature.”