Miami commissioners will vote on a proposal that would allow developers to double the density in certain neighborhoods, beginning with Edgewater. The plan was approved by the city’s Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board in October and is scheduled for a first reading by the commission on Thursday. A second reading will be required before final approval.
The proposed measure would use funds from the city’s Resilience Trust Fund to support flood control and climate-related projects. These could include raising streets, replacing seawalls, and installing pump stations. Money collected for these initiatives would generally remain within the area where it was raised, and any development costing more than $100,000 would need commission approval.
Currently, only two high-demand areas have been identified for increased density, both located in Edgewater between the Julia Tuttle Causeway and Northeast Eighth Street. Watson Island is also included in the proposal as a site for future projects.
Commissioner Damian Pardo is sponsoring the legislation. Critics of the plan argue that increasing density may put additional pressure on infrastructure and speed up gentrification in affected neighborhoods.
Edgewater has seen frequent flooding during rainstorms, resulting in damage to vehicles and homes. The neighborhood is also experiencing significant new development activity. In October, Miami’s Urban Development Review Board approved plans for a 47-story mixed-use high-rise with nearly 500 apartments at 3350 Biscayne Boulevard. Additionally, Black Salmon, Boschetti Group, and Constellation Group announced a partnership with Sam Nazarian to launch a branded condo tower at 422 Northeast 29th Street.
Aaron DeMayo, chair of Miami’s Climate Resilience Committee, supports the proposal but noted concerns about its implications: “somewhat ironic that we’re incentivizing additional development capacity in an area that obviously is already flooding significantly.”
