New Zoning Rules: A Hammer Poised to Crush Miami

To the Editor:

Last week, the City of Miami’s Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board (PZAB) reviewed a sweeping ordinance that would drastically amend Miami 21 by providing a framework for the development of high-density high rises up to one mile from any fixed rail station by creating a “Transit Station Neighborhood Development (TSND)” overlay. As an engaged resident who believes in the promise of transit-oriented development, I write to urge caution and opposition to this zoning change.

As presented, this proposal is not a small adjustment. It is laying the foundation for a complete re-working of our city from having a single dense urban core, with lower density expanding around it, to a city with a poly-centric urban core with high-rise development spanning the whole Metrorail corridor. 

It would permit, with administrative review only, the construction of towers as tall as 12 stories (more with bonuses, and beyond 24 stories with PZAB review for the “enhanced master plan” option) on land within one mile of major rail stations. 

That means that about 48% of the City of Miami could be subject to this new zoning designation. For context, Miami 21 — our current zoning code — was developed over years of public meetings and debate. TSND, by contrast, has been introduced with minimal public input and limited clarity. 

My concern is not about opposing growth or rejecting higher density near transit. It’s about doing it the right way. As presented to the PZAB, the TSND overlay would:

1. Allow towers next to single-family homes, without guaranteed height transitions and minimal setbacks.
2. Circumvent public hearings for most projects, replacing public scrutiny with administrative review, which historically swings in favor of developers.
3. Deliver minimal affordable housing benefits — 10% at most.
4. Allow developers to assemble a group of single-family zoned parcels and have them re-zoned and opt into this program, meaning developers could rapidly buyout and demolish stable neighborhoods, converting them into high-density high rises.
5. Compete with, but unnecessarily be far more expansive than Miami-Dade County’s Rapid Transit Zoning authority.
6. Ignore natural and infrastructural barriers that limit practical access to transit — a residential property located a mile away, on the other side of the river from the transit station, could receive the same treatment as a six-unit condo abutting a Metrorail stop.
7. Provide no assurance that those displaced by redevelopment will be able to return, or afford, what replaces their homes.
8. Completely remake communities within Miami without community input or outreach.

Unfortunately, it gets more complicated. The language of the proposal has changed repeatedly. The version reviewed by PZAB at their June 18^th meeting is not the version on this week’s City Commission agenda. PZAB members responded to the presentation with strong reactions, including: “This is such a massive — I want to say drastic — huge deal, essentially rezoning the entire city.”  “This is a drastic program.”

“I am overwhelmed.”  

If the professionals on the advisory board were overwhelmed by its scope, how can residents be expected to weigh in meaningfully?

These policy changes have enormous implications.  But here are a few examples of the practical implications if the rail stations next to these neighborhoods received a TSND designation: Lemon City Park in Little Haiti, historic Coral Way and Coral Gate,  center Coconut Grove (including Bird Avenue, 27^th Avenue, Day Avenue between Virginia and Mary Streets, Florida Avenue by the elementary school and Coconut  Avenue) and eastern Little Havana  could all be targeted for 180-foot-tall buildings. 

The peaceful mansions of the North Grove’s Secoffee Terrace might find 280-foot-tall condo neighbors looking down upon them (after PZAB review).  

The planning staff assured PZAB that they did some community outreach prior to proposing the first TSND designation in Little River – however their community outreach only included speaking at the Little Haiti Revitalization Trust, a City of Miami committee – so the planning department did outreach to themselves. 

The next area up for this designation is Allapattah. TSND could be an opportunity. Right now, it’s a hammer poised to crush Miami as we know it. We deserve better process, better guarantees, and better outcomes — and predictability from our zoning code.

Caring citizens have worked hard since last week’s PZAB meeting to assess and propose alternatives and constructive recommendations. They should be heard and the process of adapting to transit-friendly neighborhoods reset and restarted with Miami’s neighbors our foremost concern.

Miami’s City Commission should shelve this TSND proposal, send it back for full rework with community engagement and proper vetting to avoid a complete remaking of our Magic City.

Dani Villoch
Coconut Grove

Diagram follows.

T-4 and T-5 areas in Center Grove that could be superseded by TSND Transit Station Neighborhood Development as presented to PZAB 6/18/25.