The Town Council voted in favor of an ordinance on second reading to rezone a 7.7± acre parcel in the town’s east side — roughly the area between NW 140 Third Street and NW 140 Fifth Street adjacent to the Gratigny/Palmetto interchange — from the GU (general use) zoning district to RU-1 (single-family residential).

Planner Susanna Alonso told council the parcel had been identified in the town’s land use plan as low-density residential and that the RU-1 zoning is the most restrictive single-family designation the town has. Council members said rezoning makes the area less likely to be developed at higher densities such as townhomes or so-called “live local” workforce housing that can be administratively approved under certain state rules.

A small number of adjacent property owners and representatives attended the public hearing. Valerie Sanchez, counsel for the Miami Lakes Professional Center Condominium Association, said the association’s condominium declaration includes a use restriction that “schools” are not permitted on association property and that the association had not received earlier notice in some cases; association president Ruben Sanchez said ingress/egress is limited and that traffic and safety concerns weigh against some uses. Town staff said property owners had been notified by mail and by posted notice and that the town had held a Planning Board hearing. Several council members said staff had met with property owners and that the zoning change is intended to formalize the neighborhood’s existing low-density character.

The council voted to adopt the ordinance on second reading; the vote was unanimous. Council and staff also discussed the area’s lack of sewer infrastructure and noted that any future development that increases density would be subject to county utilities and permitting; council members asked staff to provide additional follow-up on sewer availability and on the range of likely development scenarios under RU-1.

Ending: The RU-1 zoning rescinds GU-level entitlements for the 7.7± acres and narrows the range of future development options. Opponents raised private condominium restrictions as a separate legal matter that the town said would not block the rezoning decision but could become a private dispute.