The Miami Lakes Town Council approved four resolutions to allow Lennar Homes Corporation to build 482 residential units along N.W. 154 Street and west of 87 Avenue, that included the developing company dedicating 5.19 acres of Madden’s Hammock to be used as a passive park to upgrade the neighborhood parks concurrency.
At the November 3 regular Town Council meeting, lawmakers approved some adjustments made to the original Dunnwoody Lake development plan Miami Lakes approved in 2002, when the Lowell L. Dunn family submitted a rezoning proposal for 509 single-family homes and town houses and a shopping center.
The group is selling the 144-acre tract to Lennar Homes, which requested the changes to the Declaration of Restrictions for setback requirements for the homes, right-of-way and open space for the passive park.
Once the company pulls its first permit, it must reimburse Miami Lakes $1.8 million the town spent on roadway upgrades on N.W. 154 Street between 84th and 87th avenues to increase mobility and donate $300,000 to be used strictly for education, as part of the original development committee.
Lennar Homes also agreed to donate $200,000 to Miami Lakes to create more space for neighborhood parks to meet the concurrency once the development project is built.
The variances approved by lawmakers for changes to the Declaration of Restrictions included reducing the right-of-way to 45 feet where 50 is required; reducing open space from 30 percent to 25; reducing the property’s rear setbacks from 15 to 10; reducing private patio space from 400 to 200; and reducing front and rear setbacks for residential units.
The proposed site plan calls for a 20-feet buffer between the homes and the commercial site, which is now zoned for a 140,000 square foot shopping center. The plan also includes ample landscaping to mirror the town’s beautification master plan.
Another measure lawmakers approved supports the development company’s creation of the Centre Lake Community Development to provide and manage infrastructure such as drainage, private roads and parks on the land.
In other town news:
• Tim Daubert was elected the new vice mayor.
• Lawmakers, on a 5-2 vote, approved a preliminary plat to subdivide a property at 7242 Loch Ness Drive to build five single-family homes, a proposal many residents living in the neighborhood had opposed.
Vice Mayor Tim Daubert and Councilmembers Caesar Mestre, Nelson Rodriguez, Tony Lama and Frank Mingo voted for the preliminary plate, while Mayor Michael Pizzi and Councilmember Manny Cid voted no.
Town staff said the preliminary development plans meets the town’s criteria for approval, including meeting traffic concurrency, and the developer is planning to install infrastructure and an eight inch line to improve the quality of the water pressure in the area.
Residents said the new homes, which will face the cul-de-sac, don’t meet the requirements for development.
But lawmakers said they had to approve the preliminary plat since it meets the criteria and Florida law. Rejecting the plan could lead to a lawsuit, lawmakers said.
Councilmembers approved Pizzi’s suggestion that the site plans go before lawmakers for their approval and a public hearing to make sure the proposed development doesn’t encroach on residents’ quality of life.
• Lawmakers gave their final approval for an ordinance to remove the requirement that rooftop air conditioning units on town homes be screened from view at eye level and instead require that such units be a neutral color.