Miami-Dade County homeowners in unincorporated areas could get same-day approval for pool installations, roof replacements, and kitchen remodels under an ordinance the Board of County Commissioners passed Tuesday, July 21.
Commissioner Anthony Rodriguez, the ordinance's prime sponsor, first introduced the measure Tuesday, June 9. The commission adopted it on first reading Tuesday, June 16, then Rodriguez shepherded a substitute version through the Policy Council on Monday, July 13, before the full commission approved it July 21. The ordinance creates Section 8-9 of the county code and directs the county mayor to develop and implement the program, according to county legislative records.
As we reported July 26, the same July 21 meeting also produced a boater safety board ordinance and MetroMover subzone expansion. The same-day permitting measure and a separate biofuel pilot resolution round out the session's major actions.
Thirteen project types are eligible: fences six feet or shorter, gates, stairs and railings, driveways and pavers, trusses, pools, windows, doors, shutters, skylights, garage doors, roofing and re-roofing, kitchen or bathroom remodels, interior or partial demolition, prefabricated sheds, minor non-structural repairs, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing repair permits.
Applicants must electronically submit documents and plans before an in-person or virtual meeting with permitting staff, who then provide same-day review and, when appropriate, same-day approval.
A fee refund provision added during the July 13 amendment requires the county to return all permit fees within 30 days if a delay is caused by the reviewing department rather than the applicant.
The program is not yet operational. An implementing order must still go before the commission for a separate vote before residents can use it. The county mayor must also file written reports every six months detailing how many applications were submitted, approved same-day, and delayed, along with reasons for any holdups.
Biofuel pilot also approved
At the same July 21 meeting, commissioners approved a resolution directing the county mayor to develop a pilot program allowing fats, oils, and grease to be sold for reuse as biofuel, according to the Miami-Dade BCC. The county must collaborate with the EPA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and deliver a report within 90 days.
The resolution acknowledges that existing grease-trap regulations, which prevent sewer overflows, have created financial hardships for some businesses.
What's next
The ordinance takes effect 10 days after enactment unless the mayor vetoes it. Even then, the same-day permitting program cannot launch until the commission approves the implementing order at a future meeting. Residents in Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, and Golden Beach who want a similar local program would need to raise the issue with their own city commissions.
