Miami Beach City Commission says no demos in North Beach for six months

The Miami Beach city commission on Wednesday imposed a six-month ban on any demolition of buildings along the Tatum Waterway in North Beach for six months.

It was the second reading of a measure that covers more than 100 buildings, many of them aging Miami Modern structures that line the waterway from 73rd Street to 87 Street.   

The commission on Wednesday also passed on a first reading a measure that will prevent any demolitions of buildings in a proposed “conservation overlay” district for the area for six months. In December, the commission agreed to create two local historic districts in North Beach, one encompassing parts of Normandy Isle and the other in the North Shore just east of the Tatum Waterway. However, commissioners declined to extend the North Shore local historic district to include streets bordering the Tatum Waterway, instead pledging to create the conservation overlay district. Nearly all demolitions in local historic districts are banned.

Conservation districts have specific design guidelines for new buildings that include limits on lot size and scale, but demolitions would not be prohibited. Wednesday’s action by the commission to ban demolitions in the proposed conservation overlay district is designed to prevent demolitions while the new overlay district is being drawn up.    

Commissioners also sent several proposals to the city’s land use committee for consideration that deal with ongoing efforts to revitalize North Beach. The proposals, which deal with parking requirements, building heights and uses for non-conforming buildings will eventually be considered by the city’s planning board.   

Last year commissioners agreed to raise height limits along 71st Street and parts of 72nd Street to allow new buildings for a “town center.” They also approved a short-term rental district along Harding Avenue that commissioners said would allow many smaller older economically unviable buildings to be preserved.

Daniel Veitia, a member of the advisory North Beach Steering Committee told commissioners the measure “is having an amazing positive impact on what was a derelict corridor,” saying that since the ordinance passed, nine buildings with a total of 135 units have begun the process to convert their buildings to code to be able to function as short-term rental buildings.