Spotlight 102-250513

Good morning. What we’re covering in today’s Spotlight:

  • Miami Eyes Relaxed Rules for Zoning Changes
  • A Robbery near Douglas Road Metrorail

The proposed legislation, with immediate impact in the Grove, would allow city officials to selectively waive rules preventing noncompliant properties from entering the pipeline for zoning changes and other land-use entitlements.

By David Villano


The Miami City Commission is considering legislation that would allow city officials to sidestep its own rules requiring developers and property owners to resolve code compliance violations before moving forward with applications for a range of land-use changes and special permits.

Under existing rules, properties with outstanding violations, unpaid liens, or ongoing enforcement proceedings are barred from entering the city’s development review process. The proposed change would allow such properties to be part of planning efforts or entitlement applications – including those that benefit private developers – as long as the city files the paperwork.

Common code violations include structural damage to buildings, faulty wiring or fire suppression systems, illegal signage and fencing, unkempt properties, and repairs or additions without required permitting.

In addition to zoning changes, the new law would allow development applications to move forward on Major Use Special Permits, Special Area Plans, Future Land Use Map changes and more routine land-use requests such as waivers and warrants. 


A man was robbed earlier this month in the 3800 block of Shipping Avenue – the first robbery of the year in the Coconut Grove area, police said. 

By Don Finefrock

Be careful what you wish for – or report on – when it comes to crime. That was the message Coconut Grove Police Commander Daniel Kerr delivered earlier this month at the Coconut Grove Ministerial Alliance meeting in the West Grove.

Kerr routinely provides a monthly update on crime at community meetings in the West Grove. Two weeks ago, Kerr delivered back-to-back reports. The first report, on a Monday, was pretty upbeat. “I talked about how crime was down,” Kerr said. 

By the end of the week, Kerr was walking that back. “I’m never going to say that again,” he joked. “Talk about how good we’re doing. I’m always going to say we’re doing bad.”

The difference?

“I had a robbery last night,” Kerr told the Ministerial Alliance on May 3. The robbery occurred in the 3800 block of Shipping Avenue, behind the Douglas Road Metrorail Station on U.S. 1, near the Avalon Merrick Park apartment building.


Recent News

Community Voices, News, Politics

The City of Miami’s government is broken, but it can be fixed, former City Commissioner Ken Russell says.

News, Village Life

Declaring the “soul of the neighborhood” at risk, a skeptical city oversight board deferred a vote on a request to remove 75 trees from a South Grove property, offering a…

News, Village Life, Work

The partial demolition of the adjacent Coconut Grove Playhouse paves the way for the $35 million garage and retail complex but legal and design delays leave construction schedule in question.

News, Village Life, Work

Two private microschools in Coconut Grove offer parents an alternative to more traditional schools, by emphasizing personalized learning and by partnering with local businesses, including restaurants.

News, Village Life

Grove playwright William Hector and a troupe of local theater talent present eight original plays May 8-11 at the inaugural Coconut Grove Theater Festival.

News, Village Life

Coconut Grove residents have embraced the sport of pickleball despite a lack of public places to play America’s fastest-growing sport.

News, Politics

If successful, the Stronger Miami campaign would add four new seats to the City Commission, prohibit political gerrymandering, and reset the city’s election calendar.

News, Village Life, Work

The Michelin Guide has been rating Miami restaurants since 2022, thanks to a paid arrangement with the state of Florida and local tourism boards.

News, Village Life

In Springtime, Coconut Grove is a key stopover for birds migrating north, catching the gaze of birding enthusiasts near and far.

News

The annual festival celebrating Bahamian culture in Coconut Grove returns for three days in early June.


Copyright 2024 Miami News Trust, Inc. All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because you signed up through our website or participated in a promotion.

The Spotlight welcomes your letters and commentary. Share them here.

Comments are closed.

Advertisement

Recent News