With little notice, Miami officials reassigned unused density credits from Mr. C Residences to The WELL Coconut Grove, allowing the proposed luxury condo project to increase its unit count by 50% — a first-of-its-kind maneuver with no clear basis in city code.
David Villano
Amid Record Spending, City Asks for $46 Million More
Just months after Mayor Eileen Higgins pledged to rein in runaway spending, city officials are pushing to increase the current-year budget by about 2.5% while leaving unclear why much of the money is needed and where it will ultimately go.
Miami Eyes New Firefighter Pension Expansion Without Public Cost Estimate
As Miami’s pension obligations continue to swell, a city proposal would expand firefighter retirement benefits and extend participation in the lucrative DROP program, ending pension reforms imposed during the city’s fiscal crisis — but without publicly disclosing how much the changes may ultimately cost taxpayers.
Inside City Hall: The Soaring Price Tag for Miami’s Police
As Miami debates a proposed $450 million public-safety bond, the ever-escalating cost of policing — driven by rising salaries, pensions and overtime — has climbed to levels few major U.S. cities can match, even as crime reaches record lows.
Inside City Hall: Higgins Spends Big on Revamped Office Staff
After moving out nearly all of former Mayor Francis Suarez’s office staff, Miami’s new mayor has assembled a more top-heavy team of higher-paid senior advisers with total salaries (excluding her own) exceeding $2 million.
West Grove Rezoning Plan Would Expand Density, Commercial Uses
A city proposal set for review Wednesday would double allowable housing density and introduce mixed-use development across 61 properties south of Grand Avenue, with a final vote possible later this month.
Tree Removals Challenged for “Temporary” Grand Avenue Project
A hearing before a citizens’ advisory board next Tuesday will reconsider a city-approved plan to remove dozens of trees in West Grove — including some already cut without approval — for a short-term racquet sports facility.
Tree Policy Delayed as Removal Permits Rise, Advocates Warn
Environmental groups say the City of Miami has yet to launch a promised public process to overhaul its tree ordinance — even as permits accelerate and oversight questions mount.
Residents Question City Oversight of Construction Closures in the Grove
A new complaint tied to a high-profile Coconut Grove project is raising safety concerns — and renewing questions about how Miami enforces its rules on public right-of-way use.
The WELL Traffic Study Clears Key Threshold — But Only Barely
A Miami-Dade traffic review found that automobile trips generated by Terra Group’s proposed Center Grove project would fall just under the threshold for triggering a more extensive traffic analysis — though questions were raised about several assumptions used to reach that conclusion.
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