1675-22 New Hotels THE MIAMI HERALD
Copyright (c) 1994, The Miami Herald
DATE: Sunday, November 6, 1994 EDITION: FINAL
SECTION: NEIGHBORS MB PAGE: 3 LENGTH: 55 lines
SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: FRAN BRENNAN Herald Staff Writer
BEACH COMPROMISES ON BUILDING DENSITY
The likelihood of having another condo canyon in Miami Beach has
diminished, although not as much as the city's planning board -- and many of
the city commissioners -- would have liked.
After months of debate and several voting impasses on the floor-to-area
ratio of structures, the commission passed a zoning amendment that lowers the
maximum building density by 25 percent. For many, the compromises required to
pass the amendment tarnished the victory.
"We can put the best face on this we want," Mayor Seymour Gelber said
after the vote. "But this is a defeat for the down- zoning we have stood for. "
Here's how the ratio works. The LaGorce Palace, going up at 6301 Collins
Ave., has a ratio of 5.25, giving developers 348,989 possible square feet of
building. Had the new ordinance been in effect, with a ratio of 4.25, the
condo would have a maximum 282,514.5 square feet.
The commission gave initial approval to the following density
regulations: Properties up to 60,000 square feet get a floor-to-area ratio of
4.0, or four square feet of floor space for every square foot of land; on a
property between 60, 000 and 100,000 square feet, the ratio is 4.25; and
properties with more than 100,000 square feet get 4.5. The final vote will be
Nov. 16.
It was the intermediate 4.25 category that Gelber and three other
commissioners denounced, but finally approved, to avoid reverting to the
current ratio of six feet of floor space for every foot of land.
Commissioner Martin Shapiro, who had voted on the issue at least twice
before, decided he had a conflict of interest and could not vote Wednesday.
Zoning amendments require five votes to pass. Without Shapiro's vote, the four
commissioners who wanted only two categories were stymied and had to cede to
the third category as a compromise.
"I thought it was the direction of the commission to go forward, " said
Commissioner Nancy Liebman. "Not that we haven't done anything. But it should
have been an across-the-board lowering of everything. It shouldn't have been a
quest to make loopholes and higher densities for special privilege."
Commissioners David Pearlson and Sy Eisenberg were in favor of the added
4.25 category and defended their choice.
"We went from one acre to 2.5 acres without a break," Pearlson said.
"That's the problem. One size doesn't fit all in that situation. We still made
a 25 percent reduction."
The planning board had initially recommended a 4.0 floor- to-area ratio
for the entire city, but the commission suggested a change to 4.5 at 100,000
square feet. Planning board members agreed. The third category was suggested
at an earlier
commission meeting but didn't get enough support to pass.
After Wednesday's vote, board chairwoman Joy Alschuler said she was glad
the commission didn't deadlock again on the issue. But she would have
preferred adoption of the planning board's amendment without the 4.25 ratio.
"I don't think it's warranted, " she said. "But compromises are
necessary."
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