At Monday’s Miami Springs City Council Meeting, a compromise was reached that would allow Miami Springs Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (aka Fair Havens) to expand while still protecting empty lots currently zoned as residential.
Here’s the compromise:
- Change zoning from Multi-Family to Medical Residential Care (MRC)
- Limit the change only to the existing developed lot and the property immediately adjacent on the northern side of Morningside
- Leave all the property west of Reinette Drive as Single Family Residential
- Ingress and egress to the property would exclude Morningside
ZONING CONFUSION
If the City of Miami Springs wants to avoid pissing off (I mean upsetting) its residents, it should start by having the City Planner publish accurate zoning maps.
The City of Miami Springs City Planner published the following map dated May 12, 2025 indicating the undeveloped property on the north side of Morningside zoned as SINGLE Family Residential. Don’t take my word for it. Look at the map for yourself.  You can see the empty lot, adjacent to Fair Havens, on the north side of Morningside is highlighted in YELLOW meaning it’s Single Family Residential.
But wait. Then, the City of Miami Springs City Planner published the following map dated November 12, 2025 indicating the undeveloped property (marked in orange) on the north side of Morningside Drive zoned as MULTI Family Residential.
One map says SINGLE FAMILY. The next map says MULTI-FAMILY. Which is it?
Well, apparently the correct version is the map above dated November 12th where the area is supposedly zoned as R-3C Multi-Family Residential.
Inconsistent information published by the Miami Springs City Planner on a hot topic such as the future land use of Fair Havens only leads to mistrust by the public.
Based on the November 12th map, where the area is supposedly zoned as MULTI-FAMILY Residential which would mean that Fair Havens has had the right to add apartments to the north side of Morningside this entire time.
I say supposedly, because the City’s own published Zoning maps are not consistent. Compare the following Zoning Maps published by the City of Miami Springs. In the following map titled “City of Miami Springs 2021 Future Land Use Map” the lot adjacent to Fair Havens on the north side of Morningside is clearly marked as Single Family Residential. (You might have to click and Zoom in to see it.)
However, in this next zoning map, the entire Fair Havens property is marked as Multi-Family Residential. Why are their inconsistencies on this property in the city’s official maps?
Accurate and consistent maps from the City of Miami Springs and the City Planner’s office would have avoided much of this confusion.
So what does this mean?
This means that the empty lot north of Morningside Drive, adjacent to the Fair Havens Building can, today, be developed as multi-family residential (aka apartments). Heck, Fair Havens can knock down the entire existing property and replace the whole property with apartments.
Compromise Proposal
The updated proposal would rezone the existing property where Fair Havens is located from Multi-Family Residential to MRC Medical and Residential Care. This would prevent future land use from developing the area as apartments. I think most residents in Miami Springs would appreciate this protection. However, all the lots on the west side of Reinette Drive would remain zoned as Single Family Residential.
For the folks living on Morningside Drive, directly across from Fair Havens, surprise, that lot in front of you isn’t Single Family Residential as depicted on the Future Land Use Map published by the City of Miami Springs, but instead it’s multi-family residential.
The good news is, it doesn’t appear as if apartments are going up across from you. Instead, Fair Havens / Miami Springs Rehab will be expanding closer to you.
I am glad that all ingress and egress will be through Reinette Drive and Navarre Drive as it exists today. There will be no ingress or egress to the property along Morningside Drive.
The Vote
Moving forward with the zoning change was not unanimous. Â
- Councilman Santin voted in favor of the zoning change
- Councilman Dion voted against the zoning change
- Councilman Lamas was absent
- Councilman Perez-Crespo voted in favor of the zoning change
- Mayor Fajet voted in favor of the zoning change
Next Step
The City of Miami Springs City Council will have a second reading on Monday, February the 9th. Residents are encouraged to reach out their council members and/or participate in the next meeting.
Your Thoughts?
What do you think of the Zoning Changes? Are you in favor of the compromise? Let us know in the comments section below or via social media.
