Planning board backs legalization of rear addition at 681 East 12th Place with covenant

The City of Hialeah Planning and Zoning Board on Feb. 26 recommended approval of a reduced rear-yard setback to legalize an unpermitted addition at 681 East 12th Place, with a condition that the property remain a single-family home.

Board staff and the applicant told the board the site includes a single-family house built in 1950 and an unpermitted 240-square-foot addition and detached carport/utility structure. The applicant purchased the property in March 2023 and is seeking to legalize the improvements and to add a second story. The applicant amended the request to allow a 15.41-foot rear setback (up from an existing 8.7-foot setback), where 20 feet are required, by removing 96 square feet of the existing structure and repurposing the former carport space into accessible living area.

Staff recommended approval subject to a covenant that the property remain single-family and other conditions detailed in staff reports. The board voted to approve the staff recommendation, and the item will be forwarded for City Council review at a scheduled meeting in late March. The board’s action is advisory; the City Council will prepare a written decision and resolution.

The board’s approval notes that the applicant’s revisions reduce the nonconforming footprint, and that exterior doors to the former carport would be removed so the repurposed area is accessed from the interior. Staff emphasized the action is a legalization of existing improvements and that separate building permits and inspections will be required before work proceeds.