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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLTC 272-2026 FPNA Resolution Regarding 1600 Washington AveMIAMI BEACH OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK LETTER TO COMMISSION LTC #272-2026 TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor Steven Meiner and Members of the City Commission Rafael E.Granado,City Cler~ June 22,2026 Transmittal of FPNA Resolution Regarding 1600 Washington Ave. Attached please find the Resolution submitted by the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association (FPNA),approved by FPNA on February 9,2026,regarding 1600 Washington Avenue. https://miamibeach-my.sharepoint.com/personal/regisbarbou_miamibeachfl_gov/Documents/Desktop/LTC 272-2026 FPNA Resolution Regarding 1600 Washington Avenue.docxTrans FPNA resolution for 1600 Washington Ave (Approved by FPNA on Feb. 9) The proposed development at 1600 Washington Avenue aggregates building rights, or FAR, for the building site and the adjacent garage and alley (see image). Current zoning. This block is already designated for higher intensity FAR and height than adjacent blocks to the south (because of CD-3 high-intensity zoning) and is uniquely entitled to City Center zoning heights. City Center 100' height zoning is conditioned on setbacks that make massing compatible with low-scale historic buildings (limiting height to 50’ for the first 50' of lot depth). Proposed changes. By aggregating lots to over 45,000 sf, the developer increases as-of-right FAR from 2.25 to 2.75 under CD-3 zoning, provided that the proposal conforms with City Center height and setback requirements. The developer seeks (a) further increase in height from 100' to 160', (b) waivers to City Center’s unique setback requirements, and (c) a .5 FAR increase to 3.25 in exchange for limiting the use to residential 1-bedroom units with no short-term rentals. Resident concerns. Without amending the zoning code, the proposal concentrates 2.75 FAR on under 30% of the aggregated lot for an effective FAR of 9.3 on the 19,700 sf building site. With .5 more FAR that FAR is nearly 11. To limit incompatibilities with the historic ne ighborhoods, FPNA conditionally supports limited exceptions. 1. Use benefits: overstated. FPNA supports residential uses but the project’s benefits are limited. For one, without concrete developer proffers we are not convinced that a project in this location will actually be useful and affordable as market-rate housing for year-round local workers (rather than seasonal residents). By contrast, excessive scale development at the edge of Flamingo Park would adversely impact the human -scale historic neighborhood and their low-scale buildings which do, in practice, provide affordable units for residents who work locally and often do so without owning cars. 2. Height, setback, and design: massing must be compatible. To support residential use, even if workforce use is dubious in this location, FPNA would conditionally support a total residential building envelope that matches but does not exceed the final height (including elevation) of the building directly across Washington Avenue, so long as it is compatible: i.e., (a) the two historic street-front art deco facades must be maintained, and distinguished by articulation of the tower as much as feasible; and (b) the facade must be sufficiently articulated to emulate historic building separations. Also, because the design allows for no green space, water runoff from any part of the building must remain on-site and not impact the street and sidewalks. 3. FAR: additional square footage from an FAR increase, if any, should be 100% for truly affordable housing . Although the City Center block allows for CD-3 high intensity zoning, we have concerns about aggregating FAR to just the edge portion of a unified site, and we believe additional FAR will compound potential incompatibilities with surrounding properties. Within the massing envelope stated above, we support increased FAR only if a public benefit is proffered by the developer beyond the market -rate rental rationale offered to justify a height increase. As an example, we could support a mixed-income project where additional FAR is made available (again, limiting height to the building directly across Washington Ave.) to those who work in Miami Beach and earn below median income, with equal square footage in upper floors used for larger residential units with higher rental market values. However any FAR increase is not "as of right" but permitted only to the extent the HP Board finds the development compatible with surrounding historic buildings. 4. Parking: 100% on site. The massing of this unified site is largely based on transfer of FAR within the unified site, mostly shifted from the garage to the new residential building. Accordingly, we strongly agree with the Planning Board recommendation that all parking needs (100%) must be addressed permanently and formally by the existing site, by a covenant running with the land. External impacts must be avoided by excluding building residents from the already insufficient resident parking in Flamingo Park Zone 2.