Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ev Charging topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
North Miami staff unveils EV master plan; consultant warns state law limits local regulation
Summary
Consultant Kimley Horn presented an EV master plan that identifies uneven charging access, projects public-port needs through 2030, estimates a $4 million implementation cost and notes a new state rule preempts many local regulations.
North Miami officials received an electric-vehicle (EV) master plan presentation from consultant Brad Davis of Kimley Horn that maps charging gaps, projects demand and outlines options for the city to expand public charging.
Brad Davis told the council that EV ownership is increasing locally and that access is uneven in the city: "Access to EV charging is uneven, throughout North Miami," he said. He said his team forecasts a significant increase in registered EVs and estimated a need for 57 public charging ports and 288 multifamily/home charging ports by 2030. The plan recommends a city strategy that would provide about 20% of forecasted public ports by 2030: eight DC fast-charging ports and 48 Level 2 ports. The consultant estimated capital costs for that program at about $4,000,000.
Davis described three basic delivery options: the city could own and operate chargers, partner with a private operator that owns and maintains equipment, or mix grant funding with private investment. He emphasized that most public charging demand will be for Level 2 (longer-duration, lower-power) charging used by people without home access.
The presentation also flagged a recent state law and rulemaking that preempt local regulation of charging-station locations and require state registration and permitting timelines. "The state now preempts local government's ability to regulate EV charging stations," Davis said and noted the rule took effect May 1; existing stations have 90 days to register. He told the council that local governments still issue building permits and can own/operate stations, but they cannot require a developer to include minimum EV-ready parking counts.
Council members pressed for equity across the city. Councilwoman Mary Estimer Irvin said the map appeared to concentrate chargers east of Interstate 95 and asked why there were so few locations on the west side. Davis responded that site selection used existing chargers, population and employment density, park locations and parking availability, and that a prioritization and inventory would be included in the full report.
Several council members questioned whether the city should invest capital in public chargers now, given private-market activity and concerns about maintenance and uptime. Councilman Kevin A. Burns said the market is already providing chargers at many retail sites and suggested the city consider a vendor partnership rather than direct ownership. Davis and staff said grant funding and operator partnerships are common approaches.
No formal action was taken; the plan was presented for review and staff said they would include more detailed prioritization, site-level infrastructure needs and grant opportunities in the forthcoming report.
