Bal Harbour: Separate entrances for rich, working-class housing development renters could be blocked
BAL HARBOUR - Bal Harbour Village Council could block housing developments that include separate entrances for rich and working-class renters.
The so-called ban on "poor doors" is one of the first ordinances proposed to counter the state of Florida's Live Local Act, a state law passed last year to increase affordable housing availability.
Village council will consider the ordinances during its next meeting on Tuesday evening.
Village Manager Jorge Gonzalez wrote each to "clear ambiguities" in the state law and address growing concerns in his community.
"I'm concerned about: can the ambulance and fire department get to you," Neca Logan, who grew up in the village and is currently President of the Bal Harbour Civic Association. "There isn't enough sewer capacity in (Miami-Dade) county much less here. The FP&L (service) is poor. We have limitations. We can't take any more traffic."
Developers plan to build a mix of 600 apartments at Bal Harbour Shops. They applied last month and state law requires no public hearing. However, Gonzalez recently sent the developers notice that the application is incomplete.
"The first thing we want to make sure is that any affordable housing is fair, dignified and respectful," Gonzalez said.
One proposed amendment to village zoning aims to ban "poor doors" housing where the rich and working-class renters use separate entrances and exits.
"The affordable housing component of this proposal is basically tucked away at the rear of the parcel near the loading dock, no parking, near the trash dumpsters," Gonzalez said.
"Separate but equal has a history that we don't want to go back to. But we are suggesting through these ordinances is anybody who is going to live in this building will go through the same door, walk through the same lobby, park in the same garage, eat at the same restaurant, swim in the same pool and have the same amenities, both common and interior to the unit that a market-rate would have."
Other proposed village ordinances attack oceanfront zoning, the amount of setback required between towers and Collins Avenue while a third amendment would crackdown on weekend construction noise. All of the proposals guard against vague Live Local Act guidelines, Gonzalez said. The village wants to add clarity to what developers are welcome to build.
"If you don't manage how development occurs in your community, you might find yourself in gridlock," Gonzalez said.
Traffic is hardly Logan's lone concern. She and neighbors worry about added strain on sewer, water and electrical power. They also want any development to fit their village's planning and zoning laws.
"We voted as a village, 90% of us, against changing the height for the business district," Logan said. "This is (the Shops' owner's) cheap ass way to go around it. It's not fair. It's not right. The legislature, I understand they want to do a good thing. But they've taken away the local community's ability to say this doesn't fit in our community."
The Shops' owner filed a lawsuit against the village and claims Bal Harbour leaders do not welcome affordable housing.