The redevelopment and enhancement of the Town Center North area took center stage, with the City staff and project consultants outlining the conflicting development regulations currently in place. The original vision for Town Center North as an Urban Village was revisited, with an emphasis on a mixed-use environment, structured parking, and improved pedestrian circulation. However, the consultants pointed out notable discrepancies between the comprehensive plan and the zoning regulations, especially in terms of allowable density and floor area ratios for waterfront properties.

Public opinion played a critical role in shaping the discussions. Feedback from a variety of outreach methods including focus groups, open houses, and online surveys revealed a division in residents’ perspectives. While the majority supported limiting additional residential units. The Citywide consensus leaned toward limiting the height and number of residential units on commercial parcels, with a strong preference for maintaining a neighborhood-serving retail environment.

The Commission grappled with the inconsistencies in the northern business districts, considering several options to align the comprehensive plan with zoning regulations. These included revising either the zoning regulations or the comprehensive plan, implementing a hybrid approach, reducing densities to the maximum extent legally possible, or increasing allowances beyond current standards.

The debate extended to the broader vision of the city as an international destination and an 18-hour city, with commissioners questioning the applicability of the original vision in light of the current development and residents’ concerns. The future of the commercial shopping centers was also a topic of discussion, with public preference for interior-facing commercial center designs that would create new internal streets and reduce the focus on Collins Avenue.

Commissioners raised concerns about the potential impacts of allowing residential development on commercial properties, discussing the lessons learned from developments in cities like Aventura. The preference for a lower-scale retail environment with residential units pushed back from main thoroughfares was apparent, as was the desire to maintain high standards for commercial areas and avoid high-rise developments.

The potential for new commercial development within the city was debated, with opinions divided between maintaining flexibility in zoning regulations to assist redevelopment and concerns about traffic impacts and the disruption to the character of the neighborhood. The requirement for ground-floor commercial space in residential areas was also discussed, weighing the need to preserve the area’s residential character against the consequences of vacant commercial spaces.

Further, the commission discussed the design and orientation of new buildings in commercial properties, debating the necessity and feasibility of non-residential ground floor uses, the treatment of streetscape along Collins Avenue, and the creation of internal pedestrian streets. Opinions varied on whether to focus on urbanization or to preserve the current character of the area, and on the need for wider sidewalks and barriers for pedestrian safety along Collins Avenue.

Building heights within Town Center North sparked a debate about protecting the neighborhood from the “canyon effect” while considering legal limitations and the potential for public-private partnerships to guide redevelopment. There was a call for clarity and readability of presentation materials for public accessibility, with plans to synthesize the feedback and return with a visual preference survey for further workshops.