South Miami Commission defers Manor Lane, backs parks plan outreach and pushes forward Sunset Drive design review

The South Miami City Commission on July 29 moved a contested Manor Lane rezoning to a September 2 date certain, advanced budget and capital items, and heard two major planning reports while debating increased costs for a downtown streetscape project.

Mayor Fernandez opened the meeting at 7:08 p.m. and convened the commission; the minutes and several consent items — including an agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation and pension‑board reappointments — were approved on roll call. The commission unanimously approved a series of consent agenda items that included the FDOT turf‑and‑landscape maintenance agreement and appointments to the Marshall Wilson scholarship committee.

Why it matters: The meeting combined routine municipal business with planning items that will affect capital spending, right‑of‑way design and future developer proposals. Commissioners flagged a series of follow‑ups: staff was asked to confirm vendor assumptions on the Sunset Drive scope, return with a detailed design‑fee breakdown, and draft enforceable rules for any reduced‑parking student housing near the Metro station.

Manor Lane rezoning deferred The commission deferred the Manor Lane rezoning petition by mutual request of the applicant and staff. City Attorney (staff) told commissioners the item would be moved to Sept. 2 by date‑certain motion, which carried unanimously. The commission invited neighbors to meet with staff and the applicant before the new hearing.

Employee and public‑safety recognitions Deputy staff presented Employee of the Quarter awards to two Public Works employees who assisted an elderly resident, and Police Chief Hatfield presented Officer Armando Posse with a life‑saving award for breaking a car window and helping administer CPR. ‘‘You gotta train, train, train because you never know when you’re gonna use it,’’ Officer Posse said after receiving the honor.

Parks master plan outreach and next steps Consultants from Kimberly Horn briefed the commission on the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The team said it mailed postcards to 15,000 households, launched a bilingual statistically valid survey open through August and plans an in‑person community workshop at City Hall on Aug. 26 at 6:30 p.m. The consultant reported that, based on current inventories, South Miami exceeds a commonly used target of 3 acres per 1,000 residents and currently averages roughly 4 acres per 1,000; staff and consultants emphasized public engagement and a forthcoming geospatial level‑of‑service analysis.

Landscape master plan and canopy goals Miller Lang presented a landscape master plan that mapped canopy losses countywide and flagged priority corridors (US‑1, Sunset Drive). The consultant recommended native, Florida‑friendly species and design guidelines that balance safety (clear sightlines) and canopy restoration. Commissioners asked that the master plan produce a concise playbook with typical right‑of‑way sections and maintenance standards so the city can begin coordinated plantings and maintenance standards quickly.

Sunset Drive downtown redesign: costs and a bigger scope Consultants updated commissioners on the Sunset Drive streetscape/concept design. Accordino Group engineer Eric Chinesky said the 30%‑level construction opinion of probable cost for the section between 57th and 62nd avenues plus side streets is about $10,872,940.92. He said the evolution from a resurfacing project to one that adds widened sidewalks, raised intersections, drainage and additional utility coordination increased both probable construction cost and the design‑services scope — pushing the expected task‑5 design fee from roughly $310,000 (original assumption) to roughly $837,000–$939,000 depending on lab/environmental work and whether side streets and one‑way changes are included.

Commissioners asked for a written scope and a labor‑hour breakdown and directed staff to return with options on procurement and whether competitive pricing for the civil‑design task is feasible. Eric Chinesky told the commission he expects a complete topographic survey in mid‑September, after which cost ranges will be narrowed.

Finance and capital items The commission amended a proposed bond‑authorization resolution to increase the nominal amount from $10 million to $35 million to preserve flexibility for reimbursements of design costs; the measure passed (recorded vote included one dissent). Commissioners also approved a $3.34 million transfer of capital funds from the Dante facility project to underfunded projects, including Murray Park pool repairs and drainage work.

Zoning: Brightmont Academy and individualized learning centers Planning staff recommended and the commission approved language permitting "individualized learning centers" (one‑on‑one K–12 instruction) as a permitted use in the residential‑office (RO) district, with conditions to limit class size and activities so the use resembles a professional office from the street. Counsel for Brightmont Academy said the operator would execute a covenant to ensure compliance; the commission approved the designation.

Student‑housing parking conversation Developers and commissioners discussed a proposal to allow reduced parking for purpose‑built student housing near the Metro station. Developers said leases would be per bed and the product would cater to students, which reduces vehicle ownership. Commissioners instructed staff and counsel to draft an ordinance that ties required parking to bed counts, limits the policy geographically (closer to the transit station, not citywide), and creates enforceable occupancy limits.

Special event waiver: weekly motorcycle show An applicant sought fee waivers for a weekly Sunday motorcycle show. Staff recommended waiving only the street‑closure/MOT fee while requiring payment for police staffing and parking fees. The commission approved staff’s recommended waiver on a 3–2 vote, with direction that staff confirm neighboring businesses understand the early‑morning closure and that the manager withhold the event permit if businesses do not consent.

Code update: RV/boat storage rules The commission adopted zoning changes regulating boats and recreational vehicles on single‑family lots. After debate commissioners removed a guest‑parking provision and required that any registered RV be owned by someone on the property title (consistent with the city’s boat ordinance). The adopted approach includes registration and setback/screening requirements and standard code‑enforcement remedies for noncompliance.

Other business The commission adopted the proposed millage for advertising and set tentative budget public‑hearing dates; approved an art‑and‑public‑places appropriation of $100,000 to advance review of AvalonBay art options; and approved pension ordinance updates related to collective bargaining on second reading.

What’s next Staff will return with: (1) a detailed design scope and labor‑hour breakdown for the Sunset Drive civil design task; (2) the August 26 parks master‑plan workshop materials and survey results; (3) draft ordinance language tying student‑housing parking to beds and defining geographic limits; and (4) confirmation of neighboring business consent or objection before the motorcycle event permit is finalized.

— Reporting by the City Commission meeting minutes and staff presentations. "You gotta train, train, train," Officer Armando Posse said of CPR training after receiving the life‑saving award.