Property owners looking to build a house in Miami Shores Village have a new set of regulations to follow, now that council members have taken steps to curb big homes.
On July 16, the village council adopted an ordinance on second reading that restricts certain elements of a site application for a single-family dwelling, including floor area ratio, lot coverage, setback and impervious surface ratio.
According to the ordinance, proposed one-story homes must not exceed a maximum lot coverage of 40%, while proposed two-story homes must not exceed 30%. A home design must also leave at least 45% of its lot surface as pervious, so as to avoid excessive flooding on the property and surrounding properties. Floor area ratios are additionally limited to 0.45.
(Miami Shores Village)
The ordinance also provides restrictions on setbacks, stating that at most, 80% of the front facade is allowed to be built to the minimum yard depth of 25 feet, while the remaining 20% should be set back an additional 5 feet. There is another 6-foot setback required for second stories both on the front and sides of the home, so as to avoid large, looming walls overlooking a neighbor’s backyard. The latter requirement does not, however, apply to property owners that position their entire structure at least an extra six feet from the minimum setback line.
The new regulations went into effect July 26, effectively ending a “zoning in progress” that the village had initiated to halt new applications for single-family homes while it amended the code.
Several residents appeared at the July 16 meeting to voice their opinions on the new guidelines. Those in favor stated that the restrictions would help preserve the village’s character and deter developers from simply maximizing square footage and flipping houses. Those against the guidelines, or looking for a more lenient middleground, worried that the ordinance would have a negative effect on property values or property rights and dissuade potential buyers from purchasing dilapidated homes in the Shores.
(Miami Shores Village)
A diagram displays two potential ways to incorporate required setbacks into the design of a new home in Miami Shores Village.
The council nevertheless defended its decision, pointing out that the new regulations are typical by industry standards.
The move comes as the village plans to completely overhaul its zoning code, a process that interim planning and zoning director Joseph Corradino says is expected to be completed in the fall. The regulations adopted last month are meant to serve as a temporary fix, providing the planning and zoning board with basic regulations to weigh new applications against in the meantime.
“This is to take the pressure off so that we can actually give (the new zoning code) the attention that it deserves, so that we can have the public outreach, so that we can have these workshops without the pressure of people screaming (that big homes continue to pop up) … This will at least give us the bare minimum,” said Vice Mayor Jesse Valinsky at the July 16 meeting.