Ordinance 2011-377 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Hans Ottinot, City Attorney October 6,2011 Page 2 The existing height limitations on the South Edge has resulted in three beautiful but monolithic and uniform buildings of identical heights. This results from the height limitations in the South Edge district which presently state: ~ 265-37. Town Center Zoning Distinct. F. Site Development standards (9)(a) The Maximum height shall be based on the street type as follows: [1] Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard South Edge: 190 feet. Maximmn height may be increased by 10 feet, provided that the width of the building is decreased by two feet for everyone foot of additional height up to a maximum height of 200 feet. Essentially, a 200 foot height limitation exists for all buildings within this portion of the district. However, a mere observation of the development that has taken place and which is planned to take place on the east side. of Collins Avenue shows a varied and architecturally interesting skyline. While there is a uniform height limitation of 550' in that district, lot size and other LDR requirements have resulted in 550' buildings, such as Acqualina and scaling down to the s~allest 100' buildings, approved under the previous Miami-Dade County Code, such as Florida Club. Similar height variations exist in the skylines of the City of Miami, Miami Beach . and A ventura. In architectural parlance; such variations in design make a skyline interesting and "whimsical". A uniform and unyielding height limitation has the strong tendency to make the skyline,architecturally."boring". We believe and submit that.a small modification in the LDRs for the. South Edge coUld result in a much more aesthetically pleasing skyline and without any adverse impact on the density or intensity of the development planned for the South Edge. As noted, my client has the benefit of owning or controlling much of the land left for development on the South Edge and has been proceeding with a phased development of its properties. . As such, it has the ability to move and transfer height, density and intensity permitted on its South Edge properties withqut any increase in over-all density or intensity impacts to the City. We would suggest that phased development projects that consist of adjacent and contiguous parcels on the South Edge be allowed to lower height for a parcel .or parcels and increase height on other parcel or parcels, as long as: there is no increase in overall permitted density and intensity for the phased project; as long as the height increase is such that the highest point of any new building is not any higher than the Oceania Towers, located to the south; and as long as-there is a reduction in height for other parcells that are part of the phased development. WEISSS'EROTA HEi'FMAN PA.STORIZA. COLE & B9NISKE, P.L.