dave8721
November 23rd, 2005, 11:31 PM
Wants to lower height limit from 40 stories to 25.
http://www.miamisunpost.com/sixthstoryfrontpage.htm
Aventura Officials Discuss Reducing Building Densities and Heights
Follow-Up Workshop Scheduled for December 1
By Randy Abraham
If all goes according to plan, future developments in the City of Excellence will be shorter, smaller and allow for more open space than what is currently permitted.
The Aventura City Commission, at a November 17 workshop meeting, took a step toward amending its land development regulations to include stricter limits on density and building heights and a greater emphasis on redevelopment. The mayor and commissioners are expected to enact the new Land Development Regulations (LDRs) on first reading in January, and then in a public hearing at their February meeting.
Maximum density for multifamily residential buildings in the RMF4 category will be reduced from the current 60 units an acre to 45 units an acre, and the maximum height of those buildings will be reduced from 40 stories to 25. Developers who seek to build up to 30 stories and up to 60 units an acre would be required to submit to conditional use approval in a public hearing before the City Commission.
In the Community Business (B2) district building heights will be reduced from a maximum of 20 stories to 12 stories. Buildings adjacent to Biscayne Boulevard would be restricted even further, to seven stories, unless developers requested and received conditional use approval from the City Commission at a public hearing, which would permit them to build up to 12 stories.
Structure parking will no longer count as part of a future project’s density but would still be used to calculate building height and number of stories.
The maximum lot coverage, or the maximum size of a building as a percentage of the property’s area, is being revised to 40 percent.
The maximum height of buildings in the Office Park (OP) district will be reduced from 176 to 100 feet.
Regulations for the Town Center district were revised to allow uses permitted in the B1 Business District but require conditional use approval from the Commission. Development standards were also proposed for the Town Center to ensure uniformity.
Redevelopment of existing structures will follow the same rules as those for new developments, but with the provision that the density and intensity of the existing structure cannot be exceeded: If a developer originally built less than permitted on a site, that existing level of density and intensity would then become the maximum allowed on that site. Exempted from this limit are properties in the Town Center, Hospital District, and along Biscayne Boulevard where parcels would not be capped at their existing levels, but could be redeveloped in accordance to the new LDRs. In addition, the proposed new LDRs include a rezoning of the Point East condominium complex, one of the oldest in the city, which would allow it to increase building heights, but not the number of units.
The move comes as some other, less-densely developed cities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties are considering and allowing increased densities as an incentive for redevelopment in selected areas such as in mixed-use centers and in downtown areas. City Manager Eric Soroka said, “What we’re proposing is pretty much in the opposite direction of where other cities are going.”
Soroka added that the new codes are intended to minimize the impact of development and redevelopment to the city’s infrastructure, traffic congestion, hurricane evacuation clearance times, and to the quality of life.
Mayor Susan Gottlieb supported the direction. “We want to stop this uncontrolled growth,” said Gottlieb. “We will not mirror the 70 stories of our neighbors.”
Commissioner Harry Holzberg, however, said the city needs to provide incentives to encourage redevelopment. “Who would this be attractive to?” asked Holzberg, who added that he feared the tax base will experience a slowdown in growth in coming years.
Commissioner Michael Stern said he wants an appeal process in place for redevelopment.
Soroka responded that the city’s tax base increased about 18 percent last year, mostly from appreciation of existing properties. “What drove that growth? Re-sales, not new development,” Soroka said, asking rhetorically, “Do you want to redevelop at the same building heights and densities? What about the quality of life?”
Soroka added that the proposed new LDRs are not that drastic a departure from the current codes, and focus mainly on the RMF4 multifamily residential and the B2 business districts. He noted that developers can appeal to the City Commission for a Conditional Use approval to exceed the new maximums.
Gottlieb said the issue of development and overdevelopment was predominant in the municipal elections held early this year, and she described it as the single biggest issue facing the city. She added that she would like to see a master plan developed or a charrette brainstorming session conducted for the Town Center.
A few years ago, city officials granted The Related Group of Florida permission to exceed building heights in the area behind the Loehmann’s Shopping Island they designated as the Town Center. However, nothing else has been constructed in the way of public amenities to bring the concept to fruition. Gottlieb said the city should begin studying what they want to see in the Town Center District. “Our Town Center was built backwards,” she said.
Attorney Jeffrey Bercow, representing Turnberry Associates, requested the city hold additional workshops to allow for more discussion, and he urged city leaders to consider providing incentives. “You want to give developers a reason to come in and redevelop,” said Bercow. He said city leaders also need to be flexible to accommodate new ideas. “You can’t cap the imagination and creativity of developers and architects,” said Bercow. “You’re putting handcuffs on developers today from being creative in the future.”
Bercow added that Turnberry Associates has obtained financing on some properties in the city based on the expectation of being allowed to build 20-story office towers. “You’ve capped our expansion plans forever,” he said
Gottlieb responded, “Nobody here is anti-development. We’re for good development.”
A follow-up workshop on the proposed new building codes will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, December 1, at the Government Center’s Fifth Floor Conference Room.
http://www.miamisunpost.com/sixthstoryfrontpage.htm
Aventura Officials Discuss Reducing Building Densities and Heights
Follow-Up Workshop Scheduled for December 1
By Randy Abraham
If all goes according to plan, future developments in the City of Excellence will be shorter, smaller and allow for more open space than what is currently permitted.
The Aventura City Commission, at a November 17 workshop meeting, took a step toward amending its land development regulations to include stricter limits on density and building heights and a greater emphasis on redevelopment. The mayor and commissioners are expected to enact the new Land Development Regulations (LDRs) on first reading in January, and then in a public hearing at their February meeting.
Maximum density for multifamily residential buildings in the RMF4 category will be reduced from the current 60 units an acre to 45 units an acre, and the maximum height of those buildings will be reduced from 40 stories to 25. Developers who seek to build up to 30 stories and up to 60 units an acre would be required to submit to conditional use approval in a public hearing before the City Commission.
In the Community Business (B2) district building heights will be reduced from a maximum of 20 stories to 12 stories. Buildings adjacent to Biscayne Boulevard would be restricted even further, to seven stories, unless developers requested and received conditional use approval from the City Commission at a public hearing, which would permit them to build up to 12 stories.
Structure parking will no longer count as part of a future project’s density but would still be used to calculate building height and number of stories.
The maximum lot coverage, or the maximum size of a building as a percentage of the property’s area, is being revised to 40 percent.
The maximum height of buildings in the Office Park (OP) district will be reduced from 176 to 100 feet.
Regulations for the Town Center district were revised to allow uses permitted in the B1 Business District but require conditional use approval from the Commission. Development standards were also proposed for the Town Center to ensure uniformity.
Redevelopment of existing structures will follow the same rules as those for new developments, but with the provision that the density and intensity of the existing structure cannot be exceeded: If a developer originally built less than permitted on a site, that existing level of density and intensity would then become the maximum allowed on that site. Exempted from this limit are properties in the Town Center, Hospital District, and along Biscayne Boulevard where parcels would not be capped at their existing levels, but could be redeveloped in accordance to the new LDRs. In addition, the proposed new LDRs include a rezoning of the Point East condominium complex, one of the oldest in the city, which would allow it to increase building heights, but not the number of units.
The move comes as some other, less-densely developed cities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties are considering and allowing increased densities as an incentive for redevelopment in selected areas such as in mixed-use centers and in downtown areas. City Manager Eric Soroka said, “What we’re proposing is pretty much in the opposite direction of where other cities are going.”
Soroka added that the new codes are intended to minimize the impact of development and redevelopment to the city’s infrastructure, traffic congestion, hurricane evacuation clearance times, and to the quality of life.
Mayor Susan Gottlieb supported the direction. “We want to stop this uncontrolled growth,” said Gottlieb. “We will not mirror the 70 stories of our neighbors.”
Commissioner Harry Holzberg, however, said the city needs to provide incentives to encourage redevelopment. “Who would this be attractive to?” asked Holzberg, who added that he feared the tax base will experience a slowdown in growth in coming years.
Commissioner Michael Stern said he wants an appeal process in place for redevelopment.
Soroka responded that the city’s tax base increased about 18 percent last year, mostly from appreciation of existing properties. “What drove that growth? Re-sales, not new development,” Soroka said, asking rhetorically, “Do you want to redevelop at the same building heights and densities? What about the quality of life?”
Soroka added that the proposed new LDRs are not that drastic a departure from the current codes, and focus mainly on the RMF4 multifamily residential and the B2 business districts. He noted that developers can appeal to the City Commission for a Conditional Use approval to exceed the new maximums.
Gottlieb said the issue of development and overdevelopment was predominant in the municipal elections held early this year, and she described it as the single biggest issue facing the city. She added that she would like to see a master plan developed or a charrette brainstorming session conducted for the Town Center.
A few years ago, city officials granted The Related Group of Florida permission to exceed building heights in the area behind the Loehmann’s Shopping Island they designated as the Town Center. However, nothing else has been constructed in the way of public amenities to bring the concept to fruition. Gottlieb said the city should begin studying what they want to see in the Town Center District. “Our Town Center was built backwards,” she said.
Attorney Jeffrey Bercow, representing Turnberry Associates, requested the city hold additional workshops to allow for more discussion, and he urged city leaders to consider providing incentives. “You want to give developers a reason to come in and redevelop,” said Bercow. He said city leaders also need to be flexible to accommodate new ideas. “You can’t cap the imagination and creativity of developers and architects,” said Bercow. “You’re putting handcuffs on developers today from being creative in the future.”
Bercow added that Turnberry Associates has obtained financing on some properties in the city based on the expectation of being allowed to build 20-story office towers. “You’ve capped our expansion plans forever,” he said
Gottlieb responded, “Nobody here is anti-development. We’re for good development.”
A follow-up workshop on the proposed new building codes will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, December 1, at the Government Center’s Fifth Floor Conference Room.