Palmetto Bay Fire Station in Doubt After Zoning Change OKed

By Patricia Mazzei, The Miami Herald

Jun. 10–The Palmetto Bay Village Center can build townhomes, residences for seniors and more retail space — but not a fire station as had been hoped.

The Palmetto Bay Village Council unanimously approved zoning changes for the privately owned center at a zoning hearing Monday after capping building heights at 85 feet and voting not to allow construction on about four acres of unkempt wetlands that had been part of the original rezoning area.

Those wetlands, near the southern edge of the property at 18001 Old Cutler Rd., were the proposed site of a new Miami-Dade Fire Rescue station that would primarily serve eastern portions of South Miami-Dade, from Palmetto Bay roughly to Southwest 211th Street where a Cutler Bay station is located.

It is unclear whether the station could be built elsewhere on the property.

Village staff had recommended building on two acres of wetlands, which are largely invaded by exotic plants, but council members did not agree.

“It’s either important to you or not,” Mayor Eugene Flinn said of wetland preservation.

The move changed the zoning from office park to mixed-used for a little more than 40 of the former Burger King headquarters’ 80 acres. That would allow construction of up to 300 residential units for seniors and up to 100 townhomes, as envisioned in the village’s long-term comprehensive plan.

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