Planning Board meeting of Tuesday Sept 28 -- Alton Road Parking Ordinance

From: Mark Needle [mailto:mark.needle@protransit.org]

Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2010 10:50 PM
To: JoyceMeyers@miamibeachfl.gov
Cc: marcus_a@bellsouth.net

Subject: Alton Road Parking Ordinance (Planning Board meeting of Tuesday Sept 28)

Joyce, Thank you for meeting with myself and Arthur Marcus on Friday to explain some of the ramifications of the proposed Alton Road parking ordinance. Please relay this message to the Planning Board members?

Though Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association was not able to consider the ordinance at its September meeting, the matter is of great interest and this discussion will better enable the group to take a position at its next meeting. (I assume it will likewise help Arthur to develop a position with Miami Design Preservation League).


Speaking only for myself as a resident, I think that the ordinance is well-conceived and should be endorsed by the Planning Board on Tuesday, even if Flamingo Park wishes to modify some details when it goes before the Commission. The issues that we discussed include:

--The ordinance provides meaningful benefits for development that is compatible with a public transit corridor adjacent and with the historic district, such as smaller neighborhood-oriented commercial spaces, biking space, car-sharing, etc.

-- I believe that the ordinance should be amended to include an upper cap to take advantage of the 2,500 square foot parking exemption. Better targeting of this benefit will maximize the development of neighborhood-oriented uses and avoid parking reductions for large-scale, big box development that may not be in the public interest. I strongly urge such a cap for developments over 10,000, which tend to draw primarily auto traffic and could generate parking impacts (if on-site parking is inadequate) that extend into the neighborhood.

--Concerning the adequacy of proposed biking regulations, I think this neighborhood justifies standards that are higher than the national standards, but I am persuaded by the staff logic that LEED standards are a sound basis for establishing minimum standards (especially when there are incentives for going beyond the minimums).


--There has been serious discussion among the Flamingo group about whether the incentives of reduced parking should apply outside of the Alton Road Overlay district. My own belief is that the impact of parking reductions on the west of Alton depends largely on whether the incentives are adequately capped for larger-scale developments.

Thank you and the rest of the Planning Department for your careful research and hard work on this ordinance.

Mark Needle
914 Lenox Avenue #5
Miami Beach FL 33139


I will be out of town Tuesday, but I think it is only logical that the Commission should consider the Alton Road parking ordinance in tandem with the Alton Road Overlay district. The provision of parking relief for compatible development will make it clear that the form-based regulations are not anti-development but are part of a sound planning vision for Alton Road that is compatible with the unique character of this district.