The Future of our Town Center District

By Christopher J. Russo, Former City Manager

(Friday, September 13, 2019) – Your opinion is important as Sunny Isles Beach moves forward to address growth issues that will define the future of our Town Center District. City staff is available to answer your questions so you may better understand the issue. We welcome your inquiries so we may provide factual public information on this very complicated issue.

More importantly, we invite you to join us for the second reading of an ordinance on September 19 at 6:30 pm that will impose a yearlong moratorium on the review and approval of any zoning applications, development orders, and development permits in the Town Center District. Simply put, we want to take a self-imposed “time out” or “pause” to allow for more thoughtful analysis of where we are at and where we are going as a city. We are taking a deeper look at the intricacies of the existing regulations and developing a plan to correct any conflicts between the zoning code and our comprehensive plan.

The final reading of the ordinance provides an opportunity for public comment. We hope you will join us at the microphone to let your voice be heard. Our commissioners are interested in knowing what you want. They are the policy makers. My staff and I carry out their policy directives.

Due to all of the confusion on what is before the Commission, please allow me to be clear. The ordinance set for second reading is not, repeat NOT, to approve any new projects. It is simply to take a yearlong pause to better examine all of the issues and allow for more input from you, our residents.