Ordinance 2025-4761 Minimum Landscape Requirements for Sin�le Family Fiome
Renovations Exceeding the 50% Rule
ORDINAIVCE NO: 2025-4761
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 4 OF THE
MIAMI BEACH RESILIENCY CODE, ENTITLED "LANDSCAPE
REQUIREMENTS," BY AMENDING ARTICLE I, ENTITLED "INTENT
AND APPLICABILITY," BY AMENDING SECTION 4.1.2, ENTITLED
"SHORT TITLE AND APPLICABILITY," BY MODIFYING THE MINIMUM
' LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOME
PROJECTS EXCEEDING THE 50% RULE; PROVIDING FOR
REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATIOIV, AND AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
WHEREAS, well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing landscape enhances property
values and contributes to the overall attractiveness and livability of neighborhoods and
communities; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to provide flexibility from minimum landscape requirements
for single family home projects that exceed 50% of the value of the building (i.e. the 50% rule);
� 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 COMNIISSION OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA:
SECTION 1. That Chapter 4 the Miami Beach Resiliency Code, entitled "Landscape
Requirements," is hereby amended as follows:
CHAPTER 4. LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS
* * * ,
�
ARTICLE I. INTENT AND APPLICABILITY
* � *
4.1.2 Short title and applicability
,
* * *
c. Exemptions. The followinq exemptions from the requlations in Chapter 4 shall apply:
1. As applicable to additions to existing buildings that do not expand or enlarge the footprint
of the existing building, and where such additions do not require the review and approval
of a land use board, and are not a substantial rehabilitation, the landscape review
requirements in this chapter may be waived by the planning director or designee.
Page 1 of 2
2. As applicable to the renovation and/or expansion of sinqle-family homes in RS districts
includinq attached or detached additions, which homes are existinq as of January 1, 2025,
if the value of the work exceeds the 50% rule set forth in Chapter 2, Article XI I of this Code,
as determined bv the Buildinq Official, the landscape requirements in this chapter shall not
be applicable, provided the minimum requirements set forth in the Miami-Dade Countv
landscape requlations are satisfied.
SECTIOIV 2. REPEALER.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be and the same are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. SEVERABILITY.
If any section, subsection, clause or provision of this Ordinance is held invalid, the remainder shall
not be affected by such invalidity.
SECTION 4. CODIFICATION.
It is the intention of the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach, and it is hereby
ordained that the provisions of this Ordinance shall become and be made part of the Miami Beach
Resiliency Code. The sections of this Ordinance may be renumbered or relettered to accomplish
such intention, and the word "ordinance" may be changed to "section," "article," or other
appropriate word.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
- This Ordinance shall take effect on the 2 day of A1A , 2025.
PASSED and ADOPTED this �3 day of J�'�'� , 2025.
: .
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ATTEST:
Steven Meiner
��� �.� ���� Mayor
. ,,,,�
t BEq'�
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_\�en... o,y,,
Rafael E. Granado :�.����''.• �-
City Clerk �°� ` �
' �.I�C�R�O�iED:'^%
� �VJ�
First Readin Ma 21, 2025 �'�-�'•• � � .��=
9� Y -•,4��....�..:��.,
Second Reading: ly 23, 20 �'',,R�H,z6.--;
Verified by:
Thom s R. Mooney, A CP
Planning Director
� APPROVED AS TO
� ' FORM AND LANGUAGE
Sponsored by Commissioner Kristen Rosen Ganz�l�z & F EXECUTION
� ���(2oza"
City Attorney �� Date
T:Wgenda\2025\05 May 21,2025\Planning\Minimum Landscape Requirements for SF Homes Exceeding 50%Rule-First Reading
ORD.docx
Page 2 of 2
Ordinances - R5 N
�� I AM ! �►EA� I�
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
��FROM: Eric Carpenter, City Manager
DATE: July 23, 2025 10;35 a.m. Second Reading Public Hearing
TITLE: MINIMUM LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS FOR SlNGLE FAMILY HOME
RENOVATIONS EXCEEDING THE 50% RULE
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 4 OF THE MIAMI BEACH
RESILIENCY CODE, ENTITLED"LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS," BY AMENDING
ARTICLE I, ENTITLED "INTENT AND APPLICABILITY," BY AMENDING SECTION
4.1.2, ENTITLED "SHORT TITLE AND APPLICABILITY," BY MODIFYING THE
MINIMUM LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOME
• PROJECTS EXCEEDING THE 50% RULE; PROVIDING FOR REPEALER,
SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATIOfV, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
RECOMMENDATION
The Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission,(City Commission) adopt
the ordinance.
,
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
On December 11, 2024, at the request of Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, the City
Commission referred a discussion pertaining to minimum landscape requirements for single
family homes (C4 G) to the Land Use and Sustainability Committee (LUSC). On February 20,
2025, the LUSC discussed the proposal and recommended that the City Commission refer the
attached ordinance to the Planning Board.
On March 19, 2025, at the request of Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, the City
Commission referred the attached ordinance to the Planning Board (C4 B).
ANALYSIS
The attached amendment to the Land Development Regulations of the City Code(LDRs)provides
relief from the Ciry's minimum landscaping requirements for renovations to single family homes
that exceed 50% of the value of the existing building. In general, the landscape requirements set
forth in Chapter 4 of the LDRs exceed the requirements in the Miami-Dade County (County)
landscape code. The following are some examples of differences between the City and County
landscape regulations:
Lot Trees
� The Miami Beach code requires fhat fot and street trees, at a minimum, be 12 feet in height, with
a minimum 6-foot canopy spread and 2-inch caliper. The County code allows far a minimum height
of 10 feet and that up to 30 percent of the tree requirement may be met by native species with a
minimum height of 8- feet and a minimum caliper of one and one-half (1'/z) inches at time of
planting. ,
Shrub's
1058 of 1791
The Miami Beach code requires a minimum of 12 shrubs per the number of required lot and street
trees, and that no less than 50 percenf of the required shrubs shall be native species.Additionally,
100 percent of shrubs shall be low maintenance, drought tolerant, salt tolerant, and suitable for
Miami Beach, and no one species of shrub shall constitute more than 20 percent of the required
shrubs.
The County code specifies that shrubs shall be provided at a ratio of 10 shrubs per required tree,
and that at least 30 percent of required shrubs consist of native species. Additionally, 50 percent
of all shrubs shall be low maintenance and drought tolerant.
Larae Shrub/Small Trees
' Currently, the County has no minimum requirements for large shrubs/small trees. The City code
requires all large shrubs or small trees to be a minimum of 6-feet in height, with a minimum crown
spread of 4feet at time of planting and 10 feet high at mature growth. The minimum number of
(arge shrubs or small trees must aiso be ten percent af the required number of shrubs for the
specific project. � .
� The proposed Qrdinance am�ndment would allow for single family projects exceeding the 50%
rule to revert to the minim�m requirements of the County code. The proposal complies with the
applicable minimum landscaping requirements in the County code, which apply fio both
unincorporated and incorporated areas of the County. �
PLANNING BOARD REVIEW
On May 6, 2025, the Planning Board held a public hearing and transmitted the proposed
ordinance to the City Commission with a favorable recommendation (7-0).
UPDATE
The subject ordinance was approved at First Reading on May 21, 2025, with no changes.
FlSCAL lMPACT STATEMENT ,
No Fiscal Impact Expected
Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate? Yes
(FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)
if applicable, the Business Impact Estimate (BIE) was published on: 6l2Q/2Q25
See BIE at: https:/lwww.miamibeachfl.aov/citv-hall/citv-clerk/meetinq-notices/
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Not Applicable
CONCLUSION
The Administration recommends that the City Commission adopt the ordinance.
Applicable Area
Citywide � ,
Is this a "Residents Riaht to Know" item, Is this item related to a G.O. Bond
pursuant.to Citv Code Section 2-17? Proiect2
1059 of 1791
Yes No
Was this Aqenda Item initiallv requested by a lobbvist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481,
includes a principal enaaaed in lobbvinq? No
If so, specify the name of Iobbyist(s) and principal(s}:
Department
Planning
Saonsor(s}
Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez
Co-sponsor(sl
Condensed Ti�(e
10:35 a.m. 2nd Rdg, Min Landscape Req, SF Home Renovations Exceeding +50% Rule. (KRG)
PL
Previous Action iFor Citv Clerk Use Onlv)
First Reading Public Hearing on 5/21/2025 - R5 S
1060 of 1791