On Tuesday, May 25th, the City of Miami Beach Planning Board will be reviewing the long awaited North Beach Town Center Zoning Code Amendments. The planning board has the item scheduled on their agenda for a time certain of 5:00 PM. Residents in the North Beach area are encouraged to attend this important public meeting. You can review the staff report for additional information on the item.

For many years now the city has been working on the Town Center plan that will bring revitalization to the North Beach Town Center District. Below is a overview on the history and efforts for the development of the North Beach Town Center area along with a map that outlines the proposed zoning districts for the North Beach Town Center. Subsequently the city has issued and RFLI for a North Beach Parking Garage in the Town Center area.

Recap of community meetings held:

04/25/07 – Community Workshop
05/22/07 – Planning Board
06/11/07 – Commission Land Use Development Committee
07/11/07 – City Commission adopted the Town Center Plan
09/16/08 – Community Workshop
10/28/08 – Planning Board workshop
11/25/08 – Planning Board workshop
02/09/09 – Commission Land Use Development Committee
03/22/10 – Commission Land Use Development Committee
05/05/10 – Community Meetings (4 PM & 6:30 PM)

Development of Town Center Plan Provided by City of Miami Beach Planning Deparment:

In 1999, the North Beach Development Corporation approached the Mayor and City Commission asking for a Master Plan to help stimulate and guide economic revitalization of the community. In response, the Administration authorized the Planning Department to undertake a number of activities. First, they engaged the services of a consultant, The Chesapeake Group, to prepare an economic market assessment. The City conducted numerous community meetings to gather input from residents and businesses. In February 2001, the Planning Department presented the North Beach Strategic Plan, which outlined goals, actions and further studies needed to improve the housing market, commercial districts and visitor attractions. The concept for encouraging development of a “Town Center” for North Beach originated in a three-day charrette in July 2001, which included visioning sessions for the 71 Street commercial corridor and the 72^nd Street parking lot.   The charrette was attended by over 200 people from the North Beach community.  The residents’ priorities for a successful Town Center included a variety of cultural activities, outdoor gathering places and expanded retail offerings.

Subsequently, the Gibbs Planning Group was commissioned by NBDC to conduct a retail market study, and Walker Parking Consultants completed a study that confirmed the feasibility of constructing new parking structures in the North Beach area. Planning Department staff used these studies to create a series of development strategies and presented the proposed Town Center Plan at a community workshop in December 2003.  This workshop was attended by over 100 persons.  Respondents to a survey overwhelmingly supported the strengthening of the North Beach Town Center with new retail, restaurant, commercial development with parking, as well as the idea of providing incentives to attract development there.

A new parking garage for the Town Center was incorporated into the Parking Department’s Capital Improvement Plan and staff began to look for joint development opportunities with private property owners.  The Planning Department staff continued to refine strategies for a Town Center.  A consultant, Jaime Correa and Associates, was commissioned to create graphic representations of the Town Center Plan’s strategies.

The Planning Department presented the 2007 update of the North Beach Town Center Plan to the community on April 25, 2007 at the North Shore Youth Center.An announcement was mailed to property owners within the boundaries, and hand-delivered by the Teen Job Corps to businesses, representatives of condominium associations, and homeowners associations elsewhere in North Beach.  In addition, ads were placed in The Miami Herald Neighbors and Hola Amigos newspapers. The meeting was attended by nearly 100 persons.  Reaction to the plan was generally positive. Minutes from that meeting are attached to this report.

On May 22, 2007, the Planning Board held and public hearing and unanimously adopted a resolution recommending to the Mayor and City Commission that they adopt the North Beach Town Center Plan as the official Neighborhood Plan for the area bounded by 73^rd Street, the Atlantic Ocean, 69^th Street and Indian Creek; and that they authorize the Administration to prepare draft legislation and capital improvement projects as appropriate to promote implementation of the Plan.

The Planning Board will hear the item on Tuesday and provide a recommendation to the city commission on the proposed code amendments.