Important Vote

This Tuesday, July 1st, the Miami-Dade County Commission will be voting on whether to correct a zoning ordinance that is discriminatory against churches. Attend if you can. Here is the information from the Christian Coalition of South Florida.

Miami-Dade County Commission Church Zoning Ordinance Vote.
File Name: AMENDING SEC 33-124 RELATING TO ZONING

Agenda Date: 7/1/2008

Agenda Item Number: 7A

Notes:		Title:		ORDINANCE RELATING TO ZONING; AMENDING SECTION 33-124 OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA TO CHANGE THE OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR CHURCHES; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE
Sponsors:				Sen. Javier D. Souto Tel.. 305-222-2116

Text of Ordinance:

Miami Dade County’s existing Code as it relates to parking space requirements for churches is discriminatory against churches and probably would be repealed by a Court of Law. The reason why the current law is discriminatory is because it treats churches differently and more restrictive than it treats similar types of uses or even more intense uses like general auditoriums, movie theaters, convention halls, private clubs, bingo halls, high schools, colleges, trade schools and even amusement parks. This Ordinance corrects this unfairness or prejudice in the current law by placing the same requirement of at least one (1) parking space for each 100 square feet of the seating area in the main auditorium (sanctuary), including adjacent areas which may be use as part of the auditorium, as opposed to one (1) parking space for each 50 square feet of the seating area as the law now reads. The law will make it easier to build churches on smaller parcels, because the size of the church parking lot will not have to be twice the size as required for auditoriums, performing arts centers and movie theaters, and four times the size requirement for high schools and colleges, and five times the size requirement for amusement centers.

Location:

Miami Dade County Commission

111 NW Stephen P. Clark Center
111 N.W. 1st Street
Miami, Florida 33128