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Board OKs Palmetto Alfa Romeo/Fiat showroom and variance to one‑acre rule on NE 123rd Street site
Summary
The Board unanimously approved variance V‑3‑26 and special exception SE‑2‑26 to allow a six‑story, appointment‑based Alfa Romeo/Fiat showroom on four contiguous parcels at NE 123rd St and NE 15th Ave, subject to standard conditions and City Council review.
The North Miami Board of Adjustment unanimously granted a variance and a special exception on July 17 allowing a proposed Palmetto Alfa Romeo/Fiat showroom to be built on four contiguous vacant parcels at the northeast corner of Northeast 123rd Street and Northeast 15th Avenue.
Staff zoning administrator Daniel Lozandier presented the application (folio numbers read into the record) and described the site plan: a six‑story commercial building with showroom display, administrative offices, internalized inventory storage and 85 parking spaces. Staff said the applicant demonstrated compliance with most of the variance review standards and recommended approval of both petitions, subject to conditions including a minimum 10‑ft sidewalk along NE 123rd Street, submission of a floodproofing certificate, a traffic emergency operations plan and other permit‑stage requirements. Lozandier also advised that because the project exceeds 20,000 square feet it will advance to City Council for final review.
Applicant representative Dr. May Florimond characterized the project as a boutique, appointment‑based, “digital‑first” showroom designed to minimize neighborhood impacts. She told the board the operation will prioritize scheduled appointments, keep heavy logistics off‑site at the owner’s existing facility on NE 151st Street, and contain inventory within the building envelope. Dr. Florimond said the minor service component will represent about 2.18% of gross building area, well under the 15% cap in the LDRs.
Property owner Carlos Rios, who spoke from the dais, described himself as a long‑time North Miami resident and said he would be accountable to the neighborhood. Board members pressed staff and the applicant on landscaping adjacent to a two‑story multifamily property (staff said the arborist and sustainability division signed off), construction timeline (applicant estimated 15–18 months) and floodproofing measures (staff said the floodplain reviewer’s conditions will be carried to the permit stage).
After the board discussed the 1‑acre minimum requirement and whether it should be reconsidered in future LDR updates, members voted first to grant variance V‑3‑26 (to allow the use on parcels smaller than one acre) and then to approve SE‑2‑26. Both motions passed unanimously. Per staff, if City Council approves the application, the project will proceed to building‑permit submittal.
