City Council Votes on Hedge Changes

The Miami Springs City Council voted on Monday to approve new changes to hedge restrictions.  The new ordinance passed the Second Reading Monday night, but not without amendments.  First, let’s talk about the new restrictions.

FRONT YARD HEDGES
Hedges located in front yards will also have a restriction of 8 feet except within any visibility triangle.  Hedges within a visibility triangle must be maintained at a height that does not exceed 3.5 feet.

What is a visibility triangle?

A visibility triangle as defined by the City of Miami Springs is an area formed within a property by the intersection of two street lines or of a street line and any driveway line, or the projections thereof and a straight line connecting them at a certain distance from their point of intersection.

Visibility triangle measurement
For the purposes of this subsection, visibility triangles shall be measured as follows:

• (a) Driveway intersecting street.
  A length of five (5) feet along the street right-of-way, measured from the outer edges of the driveway (in any configuration), and a length of ten (10) feet along the driveway, measured from the front property line toward the main building or structure.
• (b) Street intersecting street.
  A length of twenty (20) feet along the abutting public right-of-way lines, measured from their point of intersection.

What about back yards and side yard hedges?

Well, the plan was to restrict side yard and backyard hedges to 8 feet.  We thought 8 feet was reasonable.  I remember when hedges were restricted to just 6 feet.  In fact, the City Planner brought up that there was still an unenforced provision in the code that still restricted hedges to 6 feet.

However, several residents did speak up against the 8 foot hedge restrictions.  Some residents wanted the hedges to be higher.

Furthermore, some of the Council members mentioned that they had received several calls and messages from residents concerned about restricting hedges to just 8 feet.  The council members referred to residents hearing about the hedge restrictions from “an online blog.”  (Gee.  I wonder what online blog they’re talking about?)

Bottom line:  The City Council amended the restrictions on the backyard and side yard hedge heights.  That left many residents happy.

However, it leaves the question about unkept hedges.  Are they now allowed?  What about hedges that are left to grow and encroach into the alleyways?

Clearly, some residents wanted higher hedge heights.  But what should those hedge heights be?  8 feet?  9 feet?  10 feet?

And what about hedges growing outward towards the alleyway or a sidewalk?  How will the city manage overgrown foliage?

What do you think?  Let us know in the comments section or via social media.