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Commission approves development agreement and site plan for Sunset Place redevelopment
Summary
The City Commission approved a revised development agreement and initial site plan for the 10.09‑acre Sunset Place project, imposing minimum development thresholds, public‑plaza activation rules and penalties for noncompliance. The vote on both items was unanimous after a lengthy staff and developer presentation and public hearing.
The City Commission of the City of South Miami voted unanimously to approve a development agreement and the initial site plan for Sunset Place, a 10.09‑acre redevelopment of the former mall property.
City Attorney (speaker 11) summarized the agreement’s major revisions, which now require minimum performance thresholds (an initial trigger of 200 units, 30,000 square feet of retail and a monetary investment threshold), a six‑year parks‑impact fee obligation if thresholds are not met, and a 10‑year “drop‑dead” termination date the city may exercise if the developer has not satisfied minimum commitments. The revised agreement also tightens sidewalk and active‑frontage commitments and requires a temporary activation plan for the public plaza; repeat noncompliance beyond 60 days can trigger increased fines up to the state statutory maximum.
Developer Richard Perez (Midtown Development, speaker 20) told the commission the team has worked four years to reimagine Sunset Place and presented the project as a move away from an inward‑facing mall toward a walkable neighborhood. Principal designer Thomas Heatherwick (speaker 21) described design goals emphasizing human‑scale streets, covered walkways, smaller retail units and a 15,000‑square‑foot initial public plaza (the plan commits to building 15,000 of a planned 17,000 square feet in the first phase).
“Real streets create a different kind of emotional engagement that a mall can’t do,” Heatherwick said, summarizing the design philosophy he presented to the commission.
Commissioners asked about enforceable milestones and local benefits. The attorney confirmed a monetary minimum investment threshold was increased during revision from $200 million to $250 million, with the city estimating that reaching that investment would support roughly $2.5 million a year in recurring tax revenue. The agreement also includes language encouraging job fairs and local hiring during construction and retail phases.
Public comment was overwhelmingly supportive: merchants, residents and business owners told the commission the plan would reactivate Sunset Drive and attract foot traffic and investment. After closing the hearing, Commissioner Leibman moved the development agreement as amended; the commission approved item 15 and then approved the initial site plan (item 16) on the same evening.
The decisions set conditions the developer must meet as the project proceeds; staff and the city attorney indicated compliance will be enforced through the agreement’s thresholds, permitting review and the city’s code enforcement mechanisms. The commission recorded the votes as passing the measures by roll call with five affirmative votes.
