Miami Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board Meeting - March 4, 2026
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Miami Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board Meeting - March 4, 2026
This meeting of the Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board included consideration of several zoning applications, including exceptions, waivers, a variance, and a vacation of a public alley. Key decisions involved approvals with conditions for an alcohol service establishment at 5600 Biscayne Boulevard, a parking reduction and exception for 7101 Biscayne Boulevard, and a variance for a single-family residence. One item (vacation of a public alley) was deferred to allow further negotiation.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes Approval: The board unanimously approved the minutes from October 15, 2025.
- Deferrals:
- Item 1 (1401-1405 SW 17th Avenue, appeal of a CU revocation) was deferred indefinitely with a date certain of September 2, 2026. Motion passed unanimously.
- Items 2 and 3 were deferred together to April 1, 2026. Motion passed unanimously.
- Item PZ5 (related to a prior agenda?) requested deferral to April 15, 2026 and was granted.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 4 – 5600 Biscayne Blvd (Burgers & Shakespeare LLC):
- Bob Powers, President of the MIMO Biscayne Association, expressed full support for the project, noting that parking concerns were addressed by available parking across the street. He also highlighted the historic significance of the former General Tire store building.
- Elisa Cepeda, a neighborhood resident, also voiced support, stating the applicant worked closely with the community and the project fits within the MIMO historic district.
- Item 5 – Vacation of Public Alley (North Miami Ave):
- Lorena Romels, chairperson of the Benevisa Stakeholders, spoke in strong opposition, arguing closure would redirect cut-through traffic into the residential neighborhood, exacerbating existing traffic issues from the Design District.
- Ulysses Kemp, president of the Buenavista Heights Neighborhood Association, also opposed, citing heavy use of the alley for parking, dog walking, and safe egress from homes. He noted traffic congestion on 40th and 41st Streets.
- Several other residents (Cassandra Romels, Howard Anderson, Saint George, and a Spanish-speaking resident) echoed opposition, emphasizing the alley's importance for daily activities and safety.
- Item 7 – 7101 Biscayne Blvd (Parking Exception and Waiver):
- Bob Powers and Elisa Cepeda (MIMO) opposed the 10% parking reduction (from 23 to 21 spaces), arguing the project’s expansion (from a one-story office to a four-story mixed-use with apartments, medical spa, and cafe) would exacerbate already severe parking shortages in the area. They noted that the neighborhood was promised no parking reduction during the HEP board review.
- A written public comment from Jackson Green (611 NE 71st Street) requested acoustic and visual mitigation for the proposed mechanical parking lifts adjacent to his property.
- Item 4 – 155 NW 17th St (Variance): No public comments.
Discussion Items
- Item 4 – 5600 Biscayne Blvd (Exception, Warrant, Waiver): The applicant, Burgers & Shakespeare LLC (represented by Ian Bochekov), requested an exception to allow an alcohol service establishment, a warrant for outdoor dining, and a waiver for a non-conforming site improvement within the MIMO Historic District. The project involves reactivating a former service station building, adding a bar area, and expanding seating. Staff recommended approval with conditions. The applicant accepted all conditions. Board discussion clarified parking (five existing spaces maintained) and outdoor seating layout. Motion to approve with staff conditions passed 8-0.
- Item 5 – Vacation of Public Alley: The applicant (represented by Irisa Scar) sought to vacate a 15-foot wide public alley to allow future redevelopment of eight lots. Staff recommended approval with conditions. In response to strong neighbor opposition, the applicant proposed a compromise: keeping the alley open at grade but allowing construction above 25 feet (like an archway). The board tabled the item to allow the applicant and neighbors to discuss this alternative. A deferral to April 15, 2026 was later requested and granted.
- Item 7 – 7101 Biscayne Blvd (Exception and Parking Waiver): The applicant requested an exception to continue using an existing parking lot in the T3L zone and a waiver to reduce required parking by 10% (from 23 to 21 spaces). The project includes expansion of a historic medical office building, adding apartments and commercial space. Staff recommended approval with conditions. Extensive board debate centered on whether the parking reduction was appropriate given the project’s increased density and the neighborhood’s parking constraints. Some board members supported the reduction to avoid delaying the project, while others felt it set a bad precedent. The motion to approve as recommended by staff passed 6-2 (Chair Adam Gerston and one other opposed).
- Item 4 (second) – 155 NW 17th St (Variance): A variance was requested to reduce the required rear roof enclosure setback from 10 feet to zero feet for a single-family residence on a substandard lot in the T3O zone. The architect noted a recent code change necessitated the variance. Staff found all seven criteria met. No public comments. Approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Item 4 – 5600 Biscayne Blvd: Approved 8-0 with staff conditions. Decision final unless appealed within 15 days.
- Item 5 – Vacation of Public Alley: Deferred to April 15, 2026, to allow applicant and neighborhood to negotiate a compromise (keeping alley open with overhead clearance).
- Item 7 – 7101 Biscayne Blvd: Approved 6-2 with staff conditions, including compliance with HEP resolution 23-004. Decision final unless appealed within 15 days.
- Item 4 (155 NW 17th St): Variance approved unanimously. Decision final unless appealed within 15 days.
- Other: Deferrals for items 1, 2, 3, and PZ5 were granted as noted.
Meeting Transcript
Must register with the city clerk and comply with related city requirements for lobbyists before appearing before the planning zoning and appeals board. A person may not lobby a city official, board member, or staff member until registering. A copy of the code section about lobbyists is available in the city clerk's office and online at Municodes.com. Any person making a presentation, formal request, or a petition to the board concerning real property must make the disclosures required by the city code in writing. A copy of the City Code section is available at the office of the city clerk and online at Municodes.com. Please silence all cell phones and other noise making devices.com. Any person may be heard by the board through the chair and pursuant to the published notice for not more than two minutes on any proposition before the board unless modified by the chair. When addressing the board, the member of the public for it must first state their name, address, and what item will be spoken about. Anyone wishing to appeal any decision made by this board for any matter considered at this meeting may need a verbatim record of the item. A video of this meeting may be requested at the Office of Communications or viewed online at MiamiGov.com. PZ items shall proceed according to section seven point one point four of the Miami Twenty-One zoning ordinance. Staff will briefly present each item to be heard for applications requiring board approval or recommendation. The applicant will then present its application or request to the board. If the applicant agrees with the staff recommendation, the board may proceed to its deliberation decision. The applicant may also waive the right to an evidentiary hearing on the record. The city requires anyone requesting action by the board to disclose before the hearing anything provided to anyone for agreement to support or withhold objection to the requested action pursuant to city code section two-eight. The communications department will broadcast the meeting through all the usual channels and avenues. The meeting can be viewed live on Miami TV at MiamiGov.com slash TV and on Comcast Channel 77 within the city. The broadcast will have closed captioning. A member of the public may submit comments via the city's online comment form. The comments submitted through the comment form if any have been distributed to the board members and administration throughout the day so that the board can consider them prior to taking any action. Additionally the online comment form will remain open during the meeting to accept comments and distribute to the board members up until the chair closes public comment. All comments received will be included in the public record and will be considered by the board prior to taking any action the city created a simple set of instructions explaining how the public may submit their comments using the public comment form. Mr Powers Mr Powers thank you. The public comment options established and provided for in this meeting comply with section 286.0114 the Florida statutes as the city provided these options for the public to indicate their support opposition or neutrality the city published an agenda as well as include in the notice of the public the items and topics still be discussed at this meeting and the public has been given the opportunity to provide public comment during the meeting and within reasonable proximity and time before the meeting board members are you comfortable with all the notice provisions set forth in these uniform rules of procedure we've established yes yes thank you let's rise for a moment of silence in the pledge of allegiance please allegiance to the black states which stands one nation regard in the visible justice for all those who will be testifying please set rise and raise your right hand do you solemnly affirm the testimony you will give today is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth thank you please be seated um okay did we do roll no we need to do that yes sir thank you board member Arthur Parasol board member ilan metier present board member Paul Main present board member manuel vidillo board member joseph carrol board member parlay Carolis yes present board member Mario J. Bailey present board member Joshua Patzakin Vice Chair Andreas R. Lopez present chair Adam Gerston here we have Chrome and we have two requests for absent waivers board member Manuel Vizillo and Joseph Carroll do we have a motion second second Ms. Order was first minutes to approve yes chair October 15 2025 move to approve those minutes October 15 25 motion second all in favor um deferrals yes Mr Chair item one which is a appeal of a CU revocation for the property located at 1401 1405 southwest 17th Avenue we'd like to defer this indefinitely okay it would be it would be September 2nd okay so if we can do September 2nd September 2nd okay date certain September 2nd date certain September 2nd do we have a motion move to preserve PZ1 to September second motion and the second all in favor any additional deferrals yes items two and items three date certain to April first can we do them together yes okay move to defer PZ1 PC two and three to April 1st is there a second okay all in favor any opposed are we was there in one more or that was it those are all the deferals that's all the deferrals okay um excuse me that's uh item two as well two and three went together yeah Move to defer PC one. Is there a second? Okay. All in favor? Any opposed? Are we? Was there another one more or that was it? Those are all the deferrals. That's all the deferrals. Okay. Um excuse me, Steve Chair. That was uh item two as well. Two and three went together, yeah. Okay. Um who is here for 155 Northwest 17th Street. You don't have to come up yet. I'm just gonna kind of get a feel for uh and who's here for the um 4,000 North Miami F anybody else for that's all 4,000? Okay. And um 5600 biscaine. Okay, 7101 Biscayne. All right. All right, well, let's uh let's start with the the the Biscayne Boulevard ones first.
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