The Local Planning Agency (LPA) of the City of Sunny Isles Beach voted unanimously to recommend that the City Commission consider a text amendment to the city’s comprehensive plan, after state reviewers identified a single policy that conflicted with Senate Bill 180.

The amendment package, introduced to the LPA as a cleanup and clarification of the Future Land Use element, updates statutory references, adds missing definitions and imposes upper-level development limits for five future land-use categories. Staff and consultant Caitlin Forbes of Complete Cities Planning Group said the package largely mirrors what the Commission approved in August, but a comment from the Florida Department of Commerce required the city to address one provision before continuing the process.

"We received that letter on October 6," Forbes said, noting the Department of Commerce found one proposed change "null and void ab initio" because it conflicted with SB 180. That change would have reduced the maximum dwelling units in the Low Medium Density Residential category in the Golden Shores neighborhood from 13 to 10 units per acre; the amendment presented to the LPA retains the 13-units-per-acre maximum. The LPA discussion focused on the procedural requirement created by SB 180 rather than new substantive changes to other policies.

The City Attorney explained SB 180 imposes limits on how municipalities may amend land-use regulations, saying the statute restricts amendments that the state deems "more burdensome or more restrictive." He noted the city has joined litigation challenging SB 180 and staff said legislators have introduced bills that could address the issue during the upcoming session.

Tracy Slavens of LSN Partners, representing MB Real Estate Investments (owner of the Miami Beach Club), told the LPA she supports the package and that the owner had worked with staff and reached out to the Department of Commerce to try to resolve the comment.

A motion to recommend the amendment package for first reading by the City Commission passed on a roll-call vote of 4–0. Commissioner Joseph, Commissioner Stuyvesant, Commissioner Viscara and Vice Mayor Grama all voted "yes." The LPA’s recommendation preserves the existing maximum density in the Low Medium Density Residential category and transmits the rest of the cleanup amendments as presented.

The City Commission will receive the LPA’s recommendation and the item is expected to return to the Commission for first-reading consideration; the Department of Commerce’s Oct. 6 comment remains the basis for the limited density change being set aside pending further action.