Proposed 3-Story Development (Case Z2023000505) | SE Corner SW 147th Ave & SW 28th St, Adjacent to Millennium Town Homes (SW 145th Ct) | Miami, FL 33175
Study conducted by Millennium Townhomes Association | Updated April 2026 (based on plans submitted April 8, 2026)
Outcome — Appeal Granted
On September 24, 2026, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners granted the community's appeal and denied Application Z2023000505.
The proposed 33-unit rental apartment building analyzed below will not be built. The requested rezoning, the deletion of the recorded protective covenant, and the companion variances were all denied; the parcel remains under its original zoning and covenant. This study is preserved as the community's technical baseline. The parcel's owner is expected to pursue a commercial/office project on the same lot — the shadow, stormwater, drainage, and compatibility analyses on this page are driven by building height and footprint, not by use, and apply equally to any future structure of similar scale proposed here. Because the parcel will likely be developed in some form, each simulation below closes with the binding conditions the Association will ask the County to attach to any approval — recorded, measurable, and independently verified, offered constructively for the coming project’s site-plan review.
Simulation 1
Shadow projection across the community
This interactive 3-D model (switchable to a 2-D plan view) shows how the proposed 3-story building (28′-0″ to roof per LOI, but elevation drawings show stair parapets reaching 37′-8″ and elevator parapets at 33′-8″) would cast shadows across the Millennium Town Homes community throughout the day and across seasons. Drag to orbit the scene, use the time slider, or press "Animate day" to watch the shadow sweep across the neighborhood.
Solar shadow projection
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WE
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drag to orbit · scroll to zoom
4:00 PM
Alt: 25°
Full sun
Shadow
Residential
Commercial
Proposed
Trees
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Lot in sun
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Lot in shade
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Sun elevation
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Sun azimuth
Drag the time slider to see how shadows move throughout the day.
Conditions the association will request — recorded, measurable, verified
A hard two-story / 25-foot height cap, recorded as a condition of approval and in a covenant running with the land — no rooftop structures, mechanical enclosures, or parapets above the cap within 100 feet of the shared east property line, and no height variances.
Upper-story step-backs of at least 25 feet from the shared east property line; taller elements, if any, confined to the western half of the site.
A parapet-inclusive winter-solstice shadow study, signed and sealed by a licensed design professional, filed with any site-plan submittal — and no certificate of occupancy until as-built height is verified by survey.
Simulation 2
Stormwater flooding simulation
This simulation visualizes how water accumulates during a storm event. The current vacant lot absorbs most rainfall. After development, the impervious building and parking shed water onto the surrounding community. Press "Run storm" to watch a rainfall event unfold.
Storm event — water accumulation model
Current Condition (Vacant Lot)
After Development (33-Unit Building)
Storm progress:
0 min
Conditions the association will request — recorded, measurable, verified
Zero stormwater discharge toward the shared east property line, with full on-site retention designed to no less than the 25-year / 72-hour storm, documented by signed and sealed drainage calculations.
A perimeter berm or swale along the entire shared line, with grading certified by as-built survey before certificate of occupancy.
Construction-phase erosion and dewatering controls (NPDES) with inspection logs made available to the Association on request.
What this means for homeowners: During a moderate 4-inch storm (common during Miami's May–October wet season), the developed site would shed approximately twice as much water as the current vacant lot — and in lighter 2-inch storms the ratio rises to roughly 3.5× (see runoff model below). That excess water — thousands of additional gallons — flows directly onto the streets, yards, and foundations of the Millennium Town Homes community through a single 24-foot driveway on SW 147th Avenue, increasing standing water duration and flood risk for every adjacent property. The property sits within the West Wellfield Interim Protection Area over the Biscayne Aquifer — Miami-Dade's primary drinking water source.
Simulation 3
Stormwater runoff quantification
This chart quantifies the total runoff volume in gallons for various storm intensities, comparing the current vacant lot against the proposed development.
Rainfall-runoff model (NRCS CN method)
Current condition (vacant lot)
After development (3-story + parking)
Conditions the association will request — recorded, measurable, verified
Permeable paving for all parking and drive aisles, with effective impervious coverage capped and documented in the drainage calculations.
On-site retention sized to the modeled 2–3.5× runoff volumes — not code minimums — verified by independent engineering review at the applicant’s cost.
The entire east buffer kept pervious and landscaped, protected by a recorded condition.
Simulation 4
Climate projections for SW Miami-Dade (2026–2100)
Official SE Florida Climate Compact projections show conditions will worsen dramatically over this building's lifespan — making every impact worse over time.
SE Florida Climate Compact — unified sea level rise projections
NOAA high curve (critical infrastructure)
USACE high curve
IPCC median
Compound risk timeline
2026 (now)
Current: FEMA Zone AH/AE. Miami averages about 62" annual rainfall (1991–2020 NOAA normal), 72% humidity. Vacant lot (1.10 net acres) absorbs most rainfall on-site. Property lies within West Wellfield Interim Protection Area over the Biscayne Aquifer. Single 24-foot driveway access on SW 147th Ave.
Sea level: +14–26 inches (up to 34" for critical infrastructure). Flood risk increased 26%+ nationally. A building degrading drainage today will do so in a far more flood-prone future.
2080–2100
Sea level: +31–61 inches (up to 81" NOAA high). Nearly 2/3 of SW Miami-Dade post-Andrew lots at flood risk by 2080. Decisions about impervious surface today determine whether these homes survive.
Conditions the association will request — recorded, measurable, verified
Stormwater systems designed to 2060 Southeast Florida Climate Compact projections for rainfall and groundwater, not historical averages — stated on the face of the sealed drainage plans.
Finished-floor and parking elevations certified so that overflow in events beyond the design storm follows the public right-of-way — never the neighboring lots — with the overflow route shown on the plans.
Simulation 5
Shadow-humidity compound mold risk
Combines the shadow analysis with Miami's humidity baseline to estimate mold risk increase for each unit in the community.
Mold risk index by season and unit
Winter peak risk increase
+68%
Western-row homes, Nov–Feb
Annual avg risk increase
+36%
Average across seasons, shadow-zone homes
Surface drying delay
+2.1 hrs
Avg additional wet time/day in winter
Mold threshold
55% RH
Miami baseline already 72%
Conditions the association will request — recorded, measurable, verified
No unbroken facade longer than 100 feet along the shared east line; massing breaks sized to preserve airflow and winter sun on adjacent yards.
Buffer planting selected and maintained so it screens without trapping moisture against the shared fence, with positive drainage within the buffer certified at as-built.
Simulation 6
Cumulative property value impact
Combines shadow value loss, flood risk discounting, insurance increases, and mold remediation costs over 30 years.
Community-wide financial impact projection
Conditions the association will request — recorded, measurable, verified
A full-length Chapter 18A buffer along the shared east line, exceeding minimums: continuous hedge at 6 feet at planting plus canopy trees at 25 feet on center, maintained in perpetuity by recorded condition.
Full-cutoff, shielded site lighting with 0.0 foot-candles at the shared property line; pole heights limited near the line; monument signage only, with no illuminated signage facing the townhomes.
Dumpsters, loading, and mechanical equipment at least 100 feet from the shared line, fully enclosed, with service and deliveries limited to weekday business hours — all recorded as conditions of approval.
Simulation 7
Insurance cost projection
Projects the annual and cumulative insurance cost increases for Millennium Town Homes residents resulting from the proposed development. Increased impervious surface raises flood risk; shadow-driven moisture accelerates mold claims; and Florida's hardening insurance market compounds these factors year over year. Costs include master policy increases, individual HO-6 premium surcharges, and supplemental flood insurance. For scale: documented 2026 unit-owner (HO-6) premiums in this community run approximately $1,900 per year (current policies; June 2026 carrier quotes for comparable units ranged $1,635–$1,878 with reduced coverage) — so the modeled HO-6 increase of ~$400/yr is a ~21% surcharge on real, documented baselines, consistent with observed South Florida repricing. The association's master property renewal for 2026–27 was quoted at approximately $20,900 all-in ($4.59M insured value across four buildings ≈ $1,045 per unit per year), carrying a 5% per-building named-storm deductible — roughly $229,500 of hurricane-deductible exposure across the four buildings (≈$11,500 per unit) that Florida condominium associations may pass to owners as a special assessment after a storm. The modeled master-policy increase of ~$375/yr is a ~36% surcharge on that documented premium.
Per-unit & community insurance cost forecast
Conditions the association will request — recorded, measurable, verified
An independent pre-construction condition survey of all 20 townhomes, funded by the applicant, plus vibration monitoring during site work with published thresholds and monitoring results shared with the Association monthly.
Proof of contractor general liability coverage of no less than $2 million before groundbreaking, with the Association provided certificates of insurance, plus a damage escrow or bond for the adjacent homes.
Construction fencing and dust control at the shared line, work hours per county code, and all staging and worker parking kept on site — never on SW 145th Ct — with a named claims contact before work begins.
Critical Finding from Submitted Plans
The applicant claims a building height of 28’-0” — their own elevation drawings show 37’-8”
Sheet A-2.1 (submitted April 8, 2026) shows stair tower parapets at ELEV. +37’-8” and elevator parapets at +33’-8”. The Fourth Amended LOI (April 15, 2026) reports only the roof deck height of 28’-0”, omitting nearly 10 feet of permanent structure. Additionally, the fire department notes on Sheet A-0.1 state: “Aerial apparatus set up site on the long (east) side of the building is not feasible.” The east side faces Millennium Town Homes.
What happens next
The parcel stays watched. The Association maintains an active county zoning subscription on this property. Any new application — site-plan review, variance, or replat for the anticipated commercial project — triggers immediate review against this baseline.
These conditions go on the record. When a site plan is filed, the Association will submit the conditions above as formal comments and ask that they be attached to any approval as recorded, enforceable conditions — each one already supported by the simulation it sits under.
Anything over two stories means a public hearing. The lot’s zoning allows two stories by right; a third story requires a variance, with notice to neighbors and a hearing where every analysis on this page applies directly. The community that filled the chambers on September 24, 2026 will be notified and ready.
The record is preserved. The recorded covenant, the Board of County Commissioners’ September 24, 2026 resolution, the opposition briefs below, and this study remain the community’s permanent technical baseline.
Stay involved. Residents and neighbors can reach the Association at board@mtownhomes.com to receive updates or help review the coming plans.
Disclaimer: These simulations are approximations based on published methodologies, peer-reviewed research, and official government projections. They are supplementary evidence for a zoning appeal and do not constitute licensed engineering analyses.
Prepared by: Millennium Town Homes Association | Case Z2023000505 (Valemar Holdings LLC) | Updated April 2026 | Appeal granted — application denied September 24, 2026; preserved as the community's technical baseline