Ordinance 2019-4270 MECHANICAL PARKING AMENDMENTS
ORDINANCE NO. 2019-4270
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF tHE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI
BEACH, SUBPART B, ENTITLED "LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS,"
BY AMENDING CHAPTER 130, ENTITLED "OFF-STREET PARKING,"
ARTICLE II, ENTITLED "DISTRICTS; REQUIREMENTS," SECTION 130-38,
ENTITLED "MECHANICAL AND ROBOTIC PARKING SYSTEMS," TO
AUTHORIZE THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD AND HISTORIC
PRESERVATION BOARD TO REVIEW AND APPROVE MECHANICAL
PARKING ASSOCIATED WITH APARTMENT BUILDINGS WITH 20
APARTMENT UNITS OR LESS, EVEN WHEN AN ALLEY IS NOT PRESENT,
AND TO AUTHORIZE THE PLANNING DIRECTOR TO REVIEW AND
APPROVE MECHANICAL PARKING LIFTS ASSOCIATED WITH SINGLE-
FAMILY HOMES; AND TO MODIFY THE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR
ALL MECHANICAL PARKING SYSTEMS; AND PROVIDING FOR
CODIFICATION, REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, on July 26, 2017, the City Commission approved Ordinance No. 2017-4122
which, in pertinent part, amended the review process for the use of mechanical lifts in small
multi-family apartment buildings with 20 units or less, to allow such review and approval by the
Design Review Board (DRB) or Historic Preservation Board (HPB), as applicable; and
WHEREAS, on October 23, 2018, following the review and approval of a Conditional
Use Permit application for mechanical parking in a new four-unit multifamily apartment
building in North Beach, the Planning Board voted to recommend that the City Commission
consider amendments to the City's mechanical parking regulations, in order to allow the
DRB or HPB to review and approve mechanical parking associated with apartment buildings
with 20 units or less, even when an alley is not present; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments streamline the review process for small
residential projects with mechanical parking, while still protecting the quality and character of
surrounding neighborhoods through Design Review Board or Historic Preservation Board review
and approval; and
WHEREAS, the amendments set forth below are necessary to accomplish all of the
above objectives.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA:
SECTION 1. Chapter 130, "Off-Street Parking," Article II, entitled "Districts; Requirements," of
the Land Development Regulations of the Code of the City of Miami Beach, Florida is hereby
amended as follows:
CHAPTER 130
OFF-STREET PARKING
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ARTICLE II
DISTRICTS; REQUIREMENTS
Sec. 130-38. - Mechanical and'robotic parking systems.
(1) Definitions.
(a) Mechanical parking means mechanical parking lifts, robotic parking systems, and/or
vehicle elevators.
(b) Mechanical parking lift means an automated mechanism that lifts vehicles to make
space available to park other vehicles below it in a vertical tandem fashion.
(c) Robotic parking system means a mechanical garage using elevator systems to hoist
individual vehicles from receiving areas to separate auto storage areas.
(d) Vehicle elevator means an elevator used for motor vehicles in lieu of ramps within a
parking structure.
(2) Parking spaces to be used to satisfy accessory off-street parking requirements must
conform to the provisions of article III of this chapter, entitled "design standards," of this
chapter, with respect to all-weather surface area, minimum parking space dimensions, drive
width, interior aisle width, and required markings. Therefore, the use of mechanical parking
devices, robotic parking systems and vehicle elevators to satisfy accessory off-street
parking requirements shall not be permitted, except as hereinafter provided.
(3) Exceptions to the mechanical parking prohibition may be considered by the planning board,
pursuant to the conditional use process in chapter 118, article IV of the City this Code, if the
proposed project meets the following conditions:
(a) Commercial main use parking garages on a separate lot.
(i) Commercial main use parking garages, open to the public, may utilize mechanical
parking devices, robotic parking systems, and/or vehicle elevators, subject to all
other provisions of section 130-68.
(ii) Parking spaces within commercial main use parking garages utilizing mechanical
parking may be used to satisfy off street parking requirements for residential or
commercial uses required within the building by section 130-68 for the cladding of
such garages, as may be required by the design review procedures in chapter
118, article VI of this Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any accessory
commercial use within commercial main use parking garages utilizing mechanical
parking shall not generate an off-street parking requirement in excess of 25
percent of the total number of spaces in the garage.
(iii) Parking spaces within commercial main use parking garages utilizing mechanical
parking, constructed on land that:
a. is Located located within a local historic district (except not within the Ocean
Beach local historic district); and
b. On land which was vacant as of October 17, 2008; and
c. On land is located within 300 feet of a proposed new hotel development;
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May be used to satisfy off street parking requirements for the proposed new
hotel units and the following hotel accessory uses: retail (at a maximum of 75
square feet per hotel unit), auditorium, ballroom, convention hall, gymnasium,
spa, meeting rooms or other similar places of assembly (not including
restaurants or alcoholic beverage establishments). However, in order to utilize
mechanical parking to satisfy off street parking requirements for the foregoing
uses, the following conditions must be satisfied:
1. At least one-half of all parking spaces within the commercial main use
parking garage shall be reserved for use by the general public (not to be
used for valet storage for offsite valet services);
2. Mechanical parking permitted under this subsection (3)(a)(iii) shall be for
the sole purpose of new hotel development. For purposes of this
subsection, new hotel development means newly constructed hotel units
and the following hotel accessory uses, provided that such hotel
accessory uses are part of the same development project as the newly
constructed hotel units: retail (at a maximum of 75 square feet per hotel
unit), auditorium, ballroom, convention hall, gymnasium, spa, meeting
rooms or other similar places of assembly (not including restaurants or
alcoholic beverage establishments);
3. A restrictive covenant in a form acceptable to the city attorney committing
the parking garage to providing parking for the related hotel property, and
maintaining such hotel property as a hotel, for at least 30 years, subject to
release by the planning board if such board determines that the restriction
is no longer necessary, shall be recorded prior to the issuance of a full
building permit; and
4. Suite hotel units, as defined by section 142-1105, cannot satisfy their off-
street parking requirements by using mechanical parking.
(iv) Except as described above in subsections 3(a)(ii) and (iii), mechanical parking
systems within main use parking garages, operating either as commercial garages
open to the public, or; as private noncommercial garages, may not be used to
satisfy off street parking requirements for uses on a separate lot. This provision
may be waived through the procedures detailed in subsection (c), below.
(b) Existing multifamily buildings.
(i) Existing multifamily buildings with a deficiency of parking may utilize mechanical
parking devices within the space of the existing parking structure area. All parking
lifts shall be located within a fully enclosed parking garage and shall not be visible
from exterior view. No outside parking lifts shall be permitted.
(ii) The increased number of parking spaces as a result of mechanical parking under
this provision shall not be used to satisfy any accessory off-street parking
requirements.
(c) Projects proposing to use mechanical parking devices, robotic parking systems and/or
vehicle elevators to satisfy accessory and main use off-street parking requirements.
(i) Projects proposing to use mechanical parking devices, robotic parking systems
and/or vehicle elevators to satisfy accessory and main use off-street parking
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requirements shall prepare schematic floor plans prior to site plan review by the
applicable land use board. Two sets of schematic floor plans shall be required:
1. One set of schematic plans sufficient to show the proposed development
project with accessory and main use off-street parking requirements satisfied
by traditional, nonmechanical means, meeting all aspects of the design
standards for parking spaces required in article Ill of chapter 130, and other
provisions of these land development regulations, and requiring no variances
from these provisions; and
2. A second set of schematic plans, sufficient to show the same proposed
development project, utilizing mechanical parking devices, robotic parking
systems and/or vehicle elevators to satisfy accessory and main use off-street
parking requirements.
The first set of schematic plans shall be reviewed by planning department staff
for zoning compliance prior to the site plan review hearing by the applicable
land use board. This first set of schematic plans may include one level of
below-grade parking spaces, provided such below grade spaces are within the
confines of the subject development site and are not located below city
property, adjacent private property that is not part of the development site or
any rights-of-way. If it is determined that these schematic plans meet the
requirements of the design standards of the City Code, then the total number
of parking spaces shown on the plans shall be noted. Henceforth, the project
may proceed to site plan approval based on the second set of plans, using
mechanical parking. However, if the first set of schematic plans includes
below grade parking spaces, at least 50 percent of the number of below grade
parking spaces shown in the first set of plans must be located below grade in
the second set of plans utilizing mechanical parking. Further, the allowable
residential density, and the intensity of the uses permitted for the proposed
project, shall not exceed that which would have been permitted using the
number of parking spaces noted on the first set of plans using traditional
parking. No variances to from these provisions shall be permitted.
(4) The following exceptions to the mechanical parking prohibition may be considered by the
planning director or the director's designee, the design review board,, or the historic
preservation board, as applicable:
(a) Subject to the review and approval of the design review board or historic preservation
board, as applicable, Aapartment buildings with 20 apartment units or less may utilize
mechanical lists lifts within an enclosed parking area, in accordance with the review
criteria of section 138-38(5), provided -- - - - -- ' ---- - -•• - -- - -
and that secure storage for alternative transportation such as scooters, bicycles, and
motorcycles is provided on site.
(b) Single-family homes utilizing up to three mechanical lifts within a fully enclosed
structure may be approved by the design review board-or—historic preservation board,
as applicable, planning director or the director's designee, in accordance with the
applicable review criteria of section 130-38(5).
(5) As part of the conditional use, design review board, or historic preservation board review
process for the use of mechanical parking devices, robotic parking systems and/or vehicle
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elevators under any of the provisions of this section, the following review criteria shall be
evaluated when considering each application for the use of mechanical parking systems:
(a) Whether the scale of the proposed structure is compatible with the existing urban
character of the surrounding neighborhood;
(b) Whether the proposed use of mechanical parking results in an improvement of design
characteristics and compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood and has
demonstrated how the scale, mass, volume, and height of the building are reduced by
the use of mechanical parking;
(c) Whether the proposed use of mechanical parking does not result in an increase in
density or intensity over what could be constructed with conventional parking;
(d) Whether parking lifts or mechanisms are located inside, within a fully enclosed building,
and not visible from exterior view;
(e) In cases where mechanical parking lifts are used for self-parking in multifamily
residential buildings;, whether approval is conditioned upon the proper restrictive
covenant being provided limiting the use of each lift to the same unit owner;
(f) In cases where mechanical parking lifts are used for valet parking;, whether approval
is conditioned upon the proper restrictive covenant being provided stipulating that a
valet service or operator must be provided for such parking for so long as the use
continues;
(g) Whether a traffic study has been provided that details the ingress, egress, and
circulation within the mechanical parking facility, and the technical and staffing
requirements necessary to ensure that the proposed mechanical parking system does
not cause excessive stacking, waiting, or backups onto the public right-of-way;
(h) Whether a proposed operations plan, including hours of operation, number of
employees, maintenance requirements, noise specifications, and emergency
procedures, has been provided;
(i) In cases where the proposed facility includes accessory uses in addition to the parking
garage, whether the accessory uses are in proportion to the facility as a whole, and
delivery of merchandise and removal of refuse,'and any additional impacts upon the
surrounding neighborhood created by the scale and intensity of the proposed
accessory uses, are adequately addressed;
(j) Whether the proximity of the proposed facility to similar size structures and to
residential uses creates adverse impacts and how such impacts are mitigated; and
(k) Whether a cumulative effect from the proposed facility with adjacent and nearby
structures arises, and how such cumulative effect will be addressed;
(6) Mechanical parking devices, robotic parking systems, and/or vehicle elevators must also
satisfy the following conditions:
(a) The noise or vibration from the operation of mechanical parking lifts, car elevators, or
robotic parking systems shall not be plainly audible to or felt by any individual standing
outside an apartment or hotel unit at any adjacent or nearby property. In addition,
noise and vibration barriers shall be utilized to ensure that surrounding walls decrease
sound and vibration emissions outside of the parking garage;
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(b) For mechanical lifts, the parking lift platform must be fully load-bearing, and must be
sealed and of a sufficient width and length to prevent dripping liquids or debris onto the
vehicle below;
(c) All free-standing mechanical parking lifts must be designed so that power is required to
lift the car, but that no power is required to lower the car, in order to ensure that the lift
can be lowered and the top vehicle can be accessed in the event of a power outage;
robotic garages and vehicle elevators must have backup generators sufficient to power
the system;
(d) All mechanical lifts must be designed to prevent lowering of the lift when a vehicle is
parked below the lift;
(e) The ceiling heights of any parking level with parking lifts within the parking garage shall
be a minimum of 11 feet by six inches;
(f) All mechanical parking systems, including lifts, elevators and robotic systems, must be
inspected and certified as safe and in good working order by a licensed mechanical
engineer or the elevator authority having jurisdiction at least once per year and the
findings of the inspection shall be summarized in a report signed by the same licensed
mechanical engineer or firm, or the elevator authority having jurisdiction. Such report
shall be furnished to the planning director and the building official; and
(g) All parking lifts shall be maintained and kept in good working order.
(7) The proposed use of mechanical parking systems, including mechanical parking lifts,
robotic parking systems or vehicular elevators, for any type of development or
improvement, including, but not limited to, vehicle storage, whether proposed under the
provisions of section 130-38, or any other section of the City Code, shall require compliance
with the provisions of subsections 130-38(4) and 130-38(5), and, with the exception of
SECTION 2. REPEALER.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances and all section and parts of sections in conflict
herewith are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. CODIFICATION.
It is the intention of the City Commission, and it is hereby ordained that the provisions of
this ordinance shall become and be made part of the Code of the City of Miami Beach as
amended; that the sections of this ordinance may be renumbered or relettered to accomplish
such intention; and that the word "ordinance" may be changed to "section" or other appropriate
word.
SECTION 4. SEVERABILITY.
If any section, subsection, clause or provision of this Ordinance is held invalid, the
remainder shall not be affected by such invalidity.
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SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE,
This Ordinance shall take effect ten days following adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this S day of 47"e , 2019.
an Gelber
ATTEST: Mayor
191 ?oi9
Rafael E./2jurs,c
ado
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM
AND LANGUAGE
AND FOR EXECUTION
GaiL0 .1—
City Attorney �� Date
First Reading: May 8, 2019 •
Second Reading: i ne 5, 20 9
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Verified by:
Thomas R. Mooney, ACP
Planning Director
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Ordinances - R5 B
MIAMI BEAC
H
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: June 5, 2019
10:10 a.m. Second Reading Public Hearing
SUBJECT: MECHANICAL PARKING AMENDMENTS
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE-CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, SUBPART B, ENTITLED "LAND DEVELOPMENT
REGULATIONS," BYAMENDING CHAPTER 130, ENTITLED "OFF-STREET
PARKING," ARTICLE II, ENTITLED "DISTRICTS; REQUIREMENTS,"
SECTION 130-38, ENTITLED "MECHANICAL AND ROBOTIC PARKING
SYSTEMS," TO AUTHORIZE THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD AND
HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD TO REVIEW AND APPROVE
MECHANICAL PARKING ASSOCIATED WITH APARTMENT BUILDINGS
WITH 20 APARTMENT UNITS OR LESS, EVEN WHEN AN ALLEY IS NOT
PRESENT, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE PLANNING DIRECTOR TO REVIEW
AND APPROVE MECHANICAL PARKING LIFTS ASSOCIATED WITH
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES; AND TO MODIFY THE INSPECTION
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL MECHANICAL PARKING SYSTEMS; AND
PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION, REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, AND AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
RECOMMENDATION
The administration recommends that the City Commission adopt the subject ordinance.
ANALYSIS
HISTORY
On October 23, 2018, after the review and approval of a Conditional Use Permit application for
mechanical parking in a new four-unit multifamily apartment building in North Beach, the Planning
Board recommended that the City Commission consider amendments to the mechanical parking
ordinance to streamline the review process for similar types of mechanical parking applications. This
particular mechanical lift proposal required Planning Board review for a CUP due to the fact that the
parking area did not have access from an alley. The Planning Board also recommended that the
proposed amendment be referred to the Land Use and Development Committee (LU DC), for
consideration and recommendation.
On November 14, 2018, at the request of Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman, the City
Commission referred the discussion item to the Land Use and Development Committee (Item C4M).
Page 517 of 868
On February 20, 2019 the LUDC discussed a draft ordinance and recommended that the City
Commission refer the item to the Planning Board.
On March 13, 2019, at the request of Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman, the City Commission
referred the attached ordinance to the Planning Board (Item C4R).
PLANNING ANALYSIS
The original mechanical parking ordinance required that all mechanical parking systems be reviewed
and approved by the Planning Board, regardless of their location, or the size of, and number of units
in a residential project. A subsequent amendment to the mechanical parking ordinance placed a limit
of 20 units for DRB and HPB review, as that would cover most of the typical construction on single
and double RM-1 and RM-2 zoned properties with low intensity apartment buildings. Mechanical
parking in larger buildings with more than 20 units typically may involve valet parking and more lifts,
which require a more intensive review of the use and operation, in addition to the design
considerations reviewed by the DRB and HPB. As the Planning Board is well versed in operational
issues arising through the use of mechanical parking, the administration believes it is appropriate to
keep in place the Planning Board review for projects over 20 units that include mechanical parking.
Currently the review and approval of the DRB or HPB is only available to apartment buildings with
mechanical parking that is accessed from a rear alley, in accordance with Section 130-38(4):
(1) The following exceptions to the mechanical parking prohibition may be considered by the
design review board or historic preservation board, as applicable:
(a) Apartment buildings with 20 apartment units or less may utilize mechanical lists, in accordance
with the review criteria of section 138-38(5), provided the parking area is accessed from a rear alley
and secure storage for alternative transportation such as scooters, bicycles, and motorcycles is
provided on site.
(b) Single-family homes utilizing up to three mechanical lifts maybe approved by the design review
board or historic preservation board, as applicable, in accordance with the applicable review criteria
of section 130-38(5).
As part of their original motion in October of 2018, the Planning Board recommended that the
requirement for alley access of the mechanical parking be removed, as there is no substantive
reason why the lack of an alley alone should burden an applicant with a separate land use board
review process. Removing this requirement would allow small scale apartment buildings to be
reviewed in their entirety by the DRB or HPB.
The administration recommended two additional minor changes to the ordinance, which were
endorsed by the LUDC. The following changes are included in the attached ordinance:
1. For single family homes, proposing a maximum of three lifts within an enclosed
garage, the Planning Director or designee could review the application. Currently, DRB or
HPB review is required for lifts on single family home properties.
2. A minor clarification for the annual reports required for mechanical parking systems, as
indicated in Section 130-38(6)(f). Currently, inspections are required to be performed by a
licensed `mechanical' engineer. As all mechanical engineers may not have the required
Page 518 of 868
expertise for these inspections, the proposal herein would broaden the inspection personnel
to include a licensed engineer or the elevator authority having jurisdiction.
PLANNING BOARD REVIEW
On April 30, 2019, the Planning Board held a public hearing and transmitted the ordinance to the City
Commission with a favorable recommendation by a vote of 7-0.
UPDATE
The subject ordinance was approved at first reading on May 8, 2019, with no changes.
CONCLUSION
The administration recommends that the City Commission aadopt the subject ordinance.
Legislative Tracking
Planning
Sponsor
Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
❑ Form Approved - ORD
•
Page 519 of 868