Miami Beach committee proposes letting vacant lots use decorative construction fencing

The Miami Beach Land Use & Sustainability Committee on April 1 asked staff to draft an ordinance allowing decorative or graphic construction fencing to be used on vacant lots and demolition sites beyond current limits.

Commissioner Magazine proposed the change as an optional tool ‘‘in preparation for the World Cup’’ to make high‑traffic corridors such as Lincoln Road look better, saying, “Maybe we could at least aesthetically make them look better,” and stressing the measure would be voluntary for property owners. Planning Director Tom told the committee that the code already requires decorative wraps in some commercial and multifamily districts and that the proposal would expand that allowance to certain vacant lots and demolition permits.

Tom said the draft language would permit a construction fence to stay in place for up to a year when tied to a demolition permit and could be modified to allow decorative wraps on vacant lots where appropriate. He cautioned that different standards already apply depending on whether a site has an active building permit, and staff recommended limiting any optional allowance to commercial districts to preserve sight lines and public safety in residential areas.

Committee members asked staff to return with text that: clarifies which zoning districts are eligible, keeps public‑safety sightline requirements intact, and offers incentives or design guidance rather than mandatory upgrades. The committee approved by acclamation a referral to have staff draft the ordinance and bring it to the planning board for review.

The planning board will review the draft ordinance before the item returns to the commission; staff did not publish a final implementation date at the committee meeting.