Miami Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board Meeting - May 20, 2026
Miami Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board Meeting - May 20, 2026
The Miami Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board (PZAB) met on May 20, 2026, at 11:30 AM to consider two major items: a text amendment introducing a new cottage housing typology and companion applications for a future land use change and rezoning to expand Fire Station #10. The meeting included public testimony, board deliberation, and votes on both items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Several speakers supported the cottage housing amendment, including a former board member who shared a successful precedent in Coconut Grove, a housing advocate (Julian Yukin) who framed it as missing middle housing to address affordability, a developer (Amanda De Seta) who emphasized faster infill production, and a resident (Carolyn Bankston) who praised the concept but urged stronger tree canopy protections, expressing concern about impervious surfaces and loss of shade.
- No public comments were made on the fire station items.
Discussion Items
- Cottage Housing Text Amendment (File ID 19278): The board reviewed a staff proposal to create a new cottage housing typology for small lots (25-35 feet wide, 2,500-5,000 sq ft) within T3O zones in TODs/transit corridors and on existing T3 non-conforming lots. The amendment would redefine lot coverage to exclude front porches and porticos, reduce side setbacks from 5 to 3 feet, increase tree canopy by 33%, and require replatting for lots exceeding 5,000 sq ft. Key discussion points included: application to T3R non-conforming lots (clarified as eligible by right for existing undersized lots only), parking requirements (staff and several board members advocated reducing from 2 to 1 space per unit, with tandem parking allowed), side setback practicality for fencing and fire safety, and the incentive for porches to improve neighborhood character. The board also noted the companion amendment to Article 5 for porches/porticos counting toward lot coverage applied to all T3 zones.
- Fire Station #10 Expansion (File IDs 19151/19150): Staff presented a request to change the future land use from single-family residential to major public facility and rezone from T3R to CI (Civic Institution) for a 0.25-acre lot at 770 NW 41st Avenue, adjacent to the existing Fire Station #10 (built 1963). The proposal aims to address concurrency deficiencies: response time data showed many areas exceeding the NFPA 1710 standard of 4 minutes for first responders, with some responses over 8 minutes. The existing station cannot accommodate modern fire trucks and currently exits from the rear onto local streets. Board concerns included the lack of a specific redevelopment plan, potential noise and traffic impacts on the T3R neighborhood, ingress/egress safety, and absence of public outreach beyond required noticing. Some members expressed reluctance to approve without a clear operational plan, while others noted that future improvements would be reviewed through the exception process under CI zoning.
Key Outcomes
- Cottage Housing Amendment: Approved 9-0 (Motion by Member Bailey, second by Member Collins) with an amendment reducing the parking requirement from 2 spaces to 1 space per unit for cottage lots, while permitting tandem parking. The board recommended the city commission adopt the ordinance as amended.
- Future Land Use Amendment (File ID 19151): Approved 7-2 (Members Main and Bailey voted no).
- Rezoning to CI (File ID 19150): Approved 7-2 (same dissenting votes). Both approvals carry a recommendation to the city commission, with the understanding that any specific fire station expansion will require a future civic use exception review by the board.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. Um welcome to the planning zoning and appeals board. Please silence all cell phones and other noise-making devices. This meeting can be viewed live on Miami TV at MiamiGov.com slash TV and on Comcast Channel 77 within the city of Miami. The broadcast will have closed captioning. Any person who is a lobbyist pursuant to chapter two, article six of the city code 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 is not lobbying city official, board member, or staff member until registering. A copy of the code section about lobbyists is available at the city clerk's office and online at Municode.com. Any person making a presentation formal request or 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 Municode.com. The city requires that anyone requesting action by the board to disclose before the hearing any consideration provided or committed to anyone for agreement to support or withhold objection to the requested action pursuant to City Code Section 2-8. Any person may be heard by the board through the chair for not more than two minutes on any proposition before the board unless modified by the chair. Any person with a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids, or services for this meeting may notify the hearing board's liaison. When addressing the board, the member of the public must first state their name, address, and what item will be spoken about. If the item is being continued or rescheduled, the opportunity to be heard may be at such later date before the board takes action on such item. A member of the public may also submit comments via the on city's online comment form. The comments submitted through the comment form, if any, have been and will be distributed to the board members and city administration so that the board can consider the comments prior to take 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. Item shall proceed according to section 7.1.1.4 of the Miami 21 zoning ordinance. The members of the board shall disclose any ex parte communications to remove the presumption of prejudice pursuant to Florida section Florida Statute Section 286.1.4.5 of the Miami 21 zoning ordinance. Staff will briefly present each item to be heard for applications requiring board approval. The applicant will present its application of request to the board. If the applicant agrees with the staff recommendation, the board may proceed to its deliberation and decision. The applicant may also waive the right to an evidentiary hearing on the record. The order of presentation shall be just set forth in Miami 21 and the city code. 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. The city published an agenda as well as included in the notice of the public the items and topics that will be discussed at this meeting. The public has been given the opportunity to provide the public comment during the meeting and within regional role proximity and time before the meeting. Board members, are you comfortable with all of these notice provisions set forth in these uniforms rules or procedures we've had for this meeting? Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, let's rise for a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance, please. Uh did anyone submit an absence waiver request? Yes. I'm gonna do the attendance first and then we'll see Webers. Thank you, Chair. Mr. Eduardo J. Fernandez. Here. Mr. Elon Metier. Mr. Paul Main. Here. Mr. Christopher Chris Collins.
openpublica.com