Insights from the April 17th Homestead Council Meeting: Key Decisions and Community Impact

Homestead is closer to getting a large mixed-use development. The council approved a rezoning request from D.R. Horton to rezone 97 acres on South 328th Street near the Florida Turnpike for Technology Mixed Use during the April 17th meeting. This is an important early step that will allow a large and important development to be known as Sandero Landing. When complete, the project will include about 1,100 new homes. A presentation made to the council showed an attractive and trendy mixed-use development including apartment buildings and townhomes with stores and restaurants on the ground floors. The aim is to create a mixed-use, multifamily, commercial and office area where people can live, work and play.

The plan calls for 191,000 square feet of commercial use space, apartment buildings with units that can be rented or sold, two- and three-story townhouse buildings, and living areas, where people can have both offices and homes. Ideally, there will be a large, specialty grocery store, a fitness center and a medical center. There will be a variety of smaller, locally owned stores as well. An important goal is to create a dining and shopping destination.

There will be plenty of green spaces and pedestrian-only street plans. There will be parking spaces and garages. The project will generate about $12 million for roads and over $22.8 million in impact fees. Council member Larry Roth said he is impressed by the many amenities that will be available. He has said it is an important development for Homestead. He believes it is important to work on managing the increased traffic in Homestead.

Roth is also concerned about the effect that a large development will have on the local public schools, which are already overcrowded. Mayor Steven Losner said efforts will have to be made on road improvements. He voted in favor of the project. He wants the development to include high-quality restaurants and stores.

Council member Jenifer Bailey said she believes traffic is a major concern for the city. She is impressed with the amenities offered by Sandero Landing and believes it will be good for Homestead. She is concerned about overcrowded schools in Homestead.

Council member Erica Avila is pleased with the project and believes the developer will create a good project for the city. Members of the commission and city leaders want more high-quality restaurants and a vibrant downtown area. They have expressed concern about the increased traffic in the city.

The City of Homestead also wants to host the NASCAR championship. During the April 17th meeting, the Council agreed to a resolution to prepare a bid to bring the NASCAR Cup Series Championship to Homestead in 2026. Council member and vice mayor Sean Fletcher believes in the power of community and the collective effort that could bring the championship event to the Homestead Miami-Speedway. Fletcher said an event of this size and importance would bring large amounts of money that would be spent in local hotels, restaurants and stores. “This championship would help in the economic development of Homestead and the local economy,” he said.

Fletcher said bringing the NASCAR championship to Homestead would raise the profile of the city because people from all over the country who are involved in NASCAR would visit. It would be similar to bringing the Super Bowl to Miami-Dade. Fletcher explained that Homestead, Miami-Dade County, the Miami-Dade Convention and Visitors Bureau and the State of Florida should work together to bring the championship to Homestead. 

This year, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship will take place at the Phoenix Raceway on November 10th. This championship is hosted by different cities each year. Mayor Steven Losner also wants to see the championship race in Homestead. He believes the Speedway would be a good place to host a major race and it would in turn help local businesses and raise the profile of the city.

Fletcher is leading the effort to bring what is known as NASCAR Championship Weekend to the Homestead-Miami Speedway. From 2002 to 2019, Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted the NASCAR Championship Weekend. This not only brought a top sports and motorsport event to the area, but it became an important regular event for 18 seasons. According to Homestead information, these big races created as much as $150 million in annual revenue and helped support about 1,500 jobs. Homestead leaders would like to see a return of this financial windfall.

Fletcher was quoted as saying, “I think we are way overdue for the Championship weekend to return to Homestead. This strategic initiative would boost our city’s prestige and the local economy while bringing the community together.”

Among other issues discussed, concerns were raised about explosions taking place at a Quarry in the Florida City area. Residents have complained about the blasting and the effect that it has on their homes and their general quality of life. People who live close to the blasts have said it affects them more severely.

The Homestead Council agreed to appoint a staff member to look into the matter and determine some possible solutions. The council does not want to put an end to the blasting, but it does want to develop some solutions so the quarry operators and residents living nearby can work together.

During the meeting, Mayor Steven Losner announced that on May 1st at around 5:30 p.m. there will be a workshop to discuss how the old city hall site will be redeveloped. This is a major parcel of land near downtown Homestead. There are developers who want to place a mixed use development on the site.

In a flurry of decisions, the April 17th Homestead Council meeting marked significant strides towards the city's future. With the green light on the Sandero Landing mixed-use development, Homestead inches closer to a vibrant living and entertainment hub. Amidst discussions on traffic management and school capacities, the council's resolve to balance growth with community needs is evident. Moreover, the bid to host the NASCAR Cup Series Championship underscores Homestead's aspirations for economic prosperity and national recognition. As the city navigates challenges like quarry operations and redevelopment plans, it forges ahead with a vision for a dynamic and inclusive future. Keep an eye on forthcoming workshops, like the one on May 1st, as Homestead continues to shape its destiny.