Hialeah Planning & Zoning Board approves three variance requests, names vice chair

The City of Hialeah Planning and Zoning Board unanimously approved three separate requests to legalize existing unpermitted work at single-family properties and confirmed a new vice chair at its Feb. 11, 2026 meeting.

Staff presented each application as an effort to bring preexisting, unpermitted alterations into compliance through the building permit and zoning processes. At 641 East 44th Street, Renova Consulting Group, representing YLH Capital LLC, sought a final decision to allow an interior west-side setback of 2.2 feet where the code requires 5 feet 1 inch to legalize an addition. Staff said the lot is about 6,950 square feet and the house was built in 1949, and recommended approval because the prior work cannot be reasonably modified without major structural changes. The board approved the request with conditions requiring the owner to continue the building-permit process to legalize the bathroom and laundry additions, to obtain permits for the rear roof porch, to keep the porch open on all sides, and to maintain a single-family residence with only one kitchen. The applicant must return March 10 at 5:30 p.m. for follow-up.

At 423 West 16th Street, the board approved reductions to rear, interior west-side and front setbacks to legalize an aluminum roof terrace and front porch. Staff reported the house (about 2,178 square feet, built 1976) had prior unpermitted work and that the submitted site plan showed artificial grass, which is not an approved permeable surface. Conditions of approval require the applicant to obtain all required building permits, keep the aluminum roof terrace open on all sides, refrain from additional expansion without review, remove the artificial grass and replace it with an approved permeable material, and demonstrate compliance with the city’s minimum 30% pervious-area requirement (approximately 1,350.27 square feet as stated by staff). The applicant said they were “more than open to follow all the recommendations.”

At 501 East 14th Street, the board approved a variance to expand a legal nonconforming single-family home, reducing required rear, interior east-side and street-side setbacks for a modest addition that includes a sitting area, bedroom and bathroom. Staff said the property complies with the 30% pervious-area requirement based on the submitted survey and recommended approval provided the site plan be revised to include a pervious-area calculation demonstrating compliance.

All three land-use items were approved by unanimous roll-call votes. Staff reminded applicants that the planning and zoning board’s recommendations will go to the City Council for final review on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, where councilors may affirm, affirm with conditions, or override the board’s decisions.

During new business the board discussed a vacancy in the vice chair position due to a member’s family bereavement. The city attorney said the seat may remain vacant until the regular election in June or the board may appoint a vice chair immediately. The board held an immediate vote, confirmed a nominee and congratulated the new vice chair.

Procedural notes: the board approved the Jan. 28, 2026 summary agenda at the start of the meeting; applicants and anyone intending to speak were administered the oath to testify; staff reiterated that registered lobbyists must sign in before an item is heard and that public comment is limited to up to four speakers in favor and four speakers in opposition, three minutes each.

The board adjourned after approving the items and taking the vice chair vote.