Planning board recommends rezoning 18-acre Hialeah Heights parcel for low‑density for‑sale rowhouse community; residents voice traffic concerns

The City of Hialeah Planning and Zoning Board voted Jan. 15 to recommend rezoning an approximately 18‑acre parcel in Hialeah Heights from GU (county interim) to RH‑3M (multiple‑family district) and to grant variances to allow 100% of the site to be developed as the RH‑3M typology and to permit private interior streets.

The applicant — ITA Regio LLC (contract purchaser Lennar Homes) — proposed a for‑sale residential community of 178 three‑bedroom units (two‑story “rowhouse”/townhome style) organized around an existing 2.19‑acre lake and internal amenity spaces. The plan calls for rear‑loaded garages, parallel guest parking along private interior drives and a signalized crosswalk and sidewalk along West 36th Avenue to improve pedestrian access to nearby commercial centers.

Planning staff recommended approval with conditions including continued traffic‑impact review at site‑plan/concurrency, commitments to varied building elevations (to avoid repetitive facades) and relocation of a pump station away from the proposed pool and clubhouse. Staff said the proposal is consistent with the site’s existing low‑to‑medium density land‑use designation and that remediation of contaminated soils (the parcel was a former demolition/debris recycling site) would be required by Miami‑Dade County DER before permitting or occupancy.

Representatives from Lennar and the contract purchaser presented renderings and said the product is a for‑sale community designed for market demand; Carolina Herrera of Lennar said average prices would be in the high $500,000s. The applicant said the development would provide pedestrian connections to the nearby Shops at Highland and that Lennar is discussing off‑site amenities — including a proposal to remediate and convert a nearby vacant strip of land into a community dog park — in coordination with the city.

The hearing drew extensive public comment from nearby residents who said existing traffic congestion on the local and county roads — especially at 97th Avenue and surrounding connectors — is a serious problem and urged the board and the city to secure infrastructure improvements (police/fire substations, roadway projects) before approving additional residential units. Many speakers said they support remediation and neighborhood amenities but pressed for assurances that traffic and public‑safety services would keep pace with new homes.

Board members said they were mindful of residents’ concerns but noted that the rezoning request aligns with the existing land‑use designation; several members emphasized conditions requiring design variety, pedestrian crossings and ongoing traffic review during site‑plan review. On roll call, the board recommended approval with the staff conditions and asked the applicant to continue outreach to neighbors and to coordinate with city and county officials on traffic‑mitigation measures and remediation plans.

Planning staff will incorporate the conditions into the recommendation to City Council. The council will consider the rezoning and associated variance requests on the posted agenda; the applicant must still secure environmental remediation approvals from Miami‑Dade DER, site‑plan/concurrency approvals and building permits before construction.