Florida lawmakers approved on Mar. 16 a land use measure that allows Fontainebleau Development to move forward with planned upgrades to the pool deck at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach resort without needing approval from the city’s Historic Preservation Board, according to reporting by the Miami Herald.
The legislation is significant because it enables large destination resorts, such as the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, to bypass certain local review processes for variances and special exceptions. The provision applies specifically to hotels with more than 500 rooms and an average occupancy rate of at least 70 percent over the past three years.
The measure was drafted by State Representative David Borrero of Doral, with input from a lobbyist representing Fontainebleau Development. It requires cities to administratively approve requests affecting up to 20 percent of land occupied by qualifying resorts. While the application phase of this provision will expire in five years, construction can continue beyond that period.
Efforts to remove the Fontainebleau-specific language from the bill were unsuccessful after an amendment proposed by State Senator Shevrin Jones failed in a close vote. The legislative action follows repeated delays by the Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board, which postponed a third vote on Soffer’s plan at his firm’s request.
Fontainebleau Development plans to add cabanas and a steel-and-aluminum waterslide tower at its 1,593-room property located at 4441 Collins Avenue. Previous board meetings saw strong opposition from residents concerned about overdevelopment and infrastructure strain. Fabian Basabe, a Republican state representative whose district includes the resort, said: “What our community is asking for is responsible redevelopment that fixes what we already have before placing even more pressure on traffic, water and stormwater systems.”
At a recent news conference, Mayor Steven Meiner joined other officials and residents in voicing opposition. Meiner said: “Local governments are closest to the people they serve and are best positioned to balance economic development with the needs of residents, traffic realities, infrastructure capacity and the protection of our historic landmarks. Miami Beach respects the role of the state, however decisions that directly impact our community should continue to include meaningful local review and public input.”
