Sundown Harbor Resort Prohibition Overlay Permitted by the Miami Seashore Commissioners aside from permission to permit the Finvarb Suite Resort

The Miami Beach commissioners passed on an overlay for Sunset Harbor in the first reading, which provided for elevation increases for office purposes and a ban on hotels. They supported an exception that allowed developer Ronny Finvarb to build a suite hotel on Dade Boulevard and Alton Road, though they asked Finvarb to work with the community to resolve their concerns about the hotel before the second and final reading to clear out. After Finvarb agreed to reduce the maximum occupancy at the hearing of the planning authority on the hotel, he agreed to a further reduction at the meeting of the commission.

The application for an exception came after Finvarbs SOBE 18 LLC signed a contract on February 1st to purchase the vacant property at 1790 Alton Road. At this point, Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes Finvarb’s attorney Mickey Marrero said a substantial deposit was non-refundable. He had negotiated an agreement with Kimpton to operate the suite hotel and was already in the design process. Ten days later, the city began discussing the hotel ban as part of the new Sunset Harbor Overlay. Finvarb has since closed the property that is across from his Kimpton Palomar Hotel across Dade Boulevard.

Earlier this month, the planning authority recommended the Overlay Ordinance and was an exception to the development of Finvarb.

“Our client has done everything that a property owner should do in good faith,” Marrero told the planning authority. “He’s been diligent” when discussing his plans with city officials “long before any of it was mentioned” regarding hotel bans.

The public comments at the commission’s meeting were mixed with neighbors pleading with commissioners to appreciate a neighborhood vision plan’s intent to keep hotels and tourists out of their neighborhood and others, arguing that a suite hotel would house families and include a restaurant The equivalent of Morinis works on the Palomar would be a welcome addition.

Commissioner Ricky Arriola, a Sunset Harbor resident who worked closely with the Sunset Harbor Neighborhood Association on the Vision Plan, which is included in the Overlay Regulation, said, “The problem with this hotel – it’s not my preferred use of real estate in the city Neighborhood. We have a lot of hotels in the neighborhood, ”but noted,“ Through no fault of this owner they made an investment before anyone knew … It’s a matter of fairness. I struggle with it. “

Arriola said he would support the exception at first reading but asked Finvarb to “try to work out a compromise … to address some of the concerns and fears people have [about the hotel] and try to find a compromise. “

The hotel ban is just one aspect of the Overlay Ordinance, which increases the elevation to 65 feet for office uses on lots off Dade Boulevard between Alton Road and Bay Road, lots off Alton Road between 20th Street and Dade Boulevard as well on land is Purdy Avenue between 18th Street and Dade Boulevard.

“It’s a tough question here because we have a number of hotels that are pretty close together,” said Commissioner Mark Samuelian. “The Vision Plan is really supposed to ban hotels and create incentives for offices. Nevertheless, I also hear the fairness argument. This is a developer with a good reputation who has made some commitments and now has capital tied up and wants to invest. I’m staying open here at first reading … but I think we need more contact and compromise with the community. People hear about suites with six people. Sometimes that brings a picture of spring break and the party scene we saw on the east side of the beach. “

At the hearing of the planning authority, Finvarb agreed to a maximum of six people per suite. During the discussion of the commission, Samuelian created an offer from the developer for a maximum occupancy of four adults and a maximum occupancy of six with children.

Although adopted unanimously, several commissioners said they only support the first reading and said they would wait to see what the neighborhood thinks before approving the exception for the second / final reading, which is scheduled for June 23rd.

Details on the regulation can be found here.

Representation of the proposed Kimpton Palomar Suites Hotel on the corner of Dade Boulevard and Alton Road

The Kimpton Palomar developed by Finvarb across Dade Boulevard from the proposed suite hotel