By Coral Gables Gazette staff
For at least the past year, the Coral Gables Commission has lamented the influence of the Live Local Act on the city’s control of development, arguing that its ability to maintain the City Beautiful’s standards has been preempted by state law, leaving the city with little if any recourse.
But last week, neighboring City of Miami decided to take the fight against the Live Local Act toward the courts. The Miami Commission voted unanimously to allow its city attorney to explore ways to challenge the state law. Miami is just the latest municipality to take on Live Local, with others already in litigation.
A growing legal front
Earlier this year, in the City of Hollywood, city officials not only took Live Local to court — they won. In a ruling hailed by local governments across Florida, Broward Circuit Judge David Haimes sided with Hollywood in rejecting a developer’s attempt to use the Live Local Act to construct a 17-story beachfront tower. The judge ruled that the developer improperly relied on the nearby Margaritaville Resort as the height benchmark, because that building had received a special height bonus and therefore could not be used under the statute’s provisions. The developer has appealed the decision.
Hollywood is not alone. Hillsborough County has also filed suit against the State of Florida, arguing the Live Local Act violates constitutional home-rule protections by stripping local governments of their planning authority. Miami Beach officials have likewise sought legislative changes, while Miami is now evaluating whether to join existing litigation or pursue its own legal challenge.
With Live Local increasingly in the legal crosshairs, and with development and overdevelopment continuing to rank among the most significant issues facing Coral Gables residents, an obvious question emerges: will the Coral Gables Commission launch its own legal challenge, or at least join a broader statewide effort?
The answer may well be no.
Skepticism on the dais
Despite repeatedly criticizing the law and warning that it threatens the city’s carefully crafted zoning regulations, several Coral Gables commissioners have expressed skepticism about litigation.
During a public forum hosted by the Gables Good Government Committee last year examining both the Live Local Act and Miami-Dade County’s Rapid Transit Zone regulations, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson suggested a court battle may not be the best path forward. While acknowledging the city’s limited authority, Anderson cautioned that aggressively fighting the state could ultimately produce even less favorable outcomes, saying local governments must carefully navigate the new legal landscape rather than assume they can overturn it.
“It’s like we’re a lower court. Whatever the Supreme Court says goes,” Anderson said, arguing that the city was not likely to win any challenge.
Commissioner Ariel Fernandez also opposes pursuing litigation, arguing the responsibility for correcting the law rests with lawmakers in Tallahassee rather than local taxpayers.
“The Live Local Act has had no positive impact on housing prices in our County,” Fernandez told the Gazette. “The average cost of housing continues to rise daily and the only ones who are seeing more money in their pockets are developers. Although I agree with the City of Miami’s desire to fight the numerous negative impacts of the Live Local Act, I do not believe challenging this law in court is a wise use of taxpayer dollars. Addressing these issues should not require municipalities to fight the State in Court. It should be the priority of the State Representatives and State Senators who represent our cities.”
What the law actually does
Adopted in 2023 and expanded in subsequent legislative sessions, the Live Local Act was designed to encourage workforce and affordable housing by allowing qualifying multifamily developments to bypass many local zoning restrictions. Projects that meet the law’s affordability requirements can exceed local height and density limits on qualifying commercial and mixed-use properties, while receiving administrative approval instead of lengthy public hearings.
Critics argue the law has become a powerful tool for developers while doing little to improve housing affordability. Municipal officials across South Florida have complained that years of carefully developed comprehensive plans and zoning codes can now be overridden by state preemption.
Where Castro stands
Commissioner Melissa Castro, who is seeking reelection and has been recognized by the Florida League of Cities for advocacy in Tallahassee on local zoning control, said she supports efforts to protect home rule but stopped short of endorsing a legal challenge.
Castro cautioned against conflating the Hollywood ruling with what Miami is now considering. “The Hollywood decision was a very narrow ruling about how one provision of the Live Local Act should be interpreted,” Castro said. “Miami is looking at a much broader legal challenge involving local zoning authority and home rule. Before Coral Gables takes a position, I want to review the legal arguments and understand whether joining that effort would meaningfully protect our residents and our ability to govern our own city.”
Castro added that Coral Gables residents have been clear about their concerns over overdevelopment. “Affordable housing is important, but it should not come at the expense of local decision-making,” she said. “I believe communities should have the ability to plan responsibly based on their own infrastructure, neighborhoods and long-term vision.”
With Miami now exploring legal options and other municipalities already in court, pressure may continue to build on Coral Gables to decide whether it will remain on the sidelines or become part of the growing statewide push to restore local control over development.
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Coral Gables is one of America’s truly exceptional cities. For more than 100 years, it has stood as a model of thoughtful planning, architectural excellence, beautiful neighborhoods, and responsible growth. The City Beautiful did not become what it is by accepting the easiest path—it became what it is because generations of leaders had the courage to protect a vision greater than themselves.
That is why the response to the Live Local Act cannot simply be frustration or resignation. Our residents deserve more than repeated statements about the loss of local control. They deserve leadership that is prepared to use every lawful tool available to defend the community they were elected to serve.
Other Florida cities have chosen to fight for home rule in the courts while continuing to advocate for legislative reform. Coral Gables should not be content to watch from the sidelines. We have always been a leader, not a follower.
Our commissioners each took an oath to serve the people of Coral Gables and protect the city’s future. That responsibility sometimes requires difficult decisions and the willingness to challenge policies that threaten the values our community has spent generations building. While reasonable people may disagree on strategy, inaction cannot become our strategy.
The residents of Coral Gables expect their city leaders to stand together, build coalitions with other municipalities, and vigorously defend the principles of home rule. The question is not whether success is guaranteed. The question is whether we are willing to fight for what makes Coral Gables unique.
As we look toward our second century, we should be guided by the same vision and determination that built this remarkable city. Now is the time for our city leadership to demonstrate the courage, conviction, and foresight necessary to carry Coral Gables into its next 100 years—protecting its beauty, preserving its character, defending local decision-making, and ensuring that future generations inherit a city every bit as extraordinary as the one we enjoy today.
Coral Gables has never become a great city by standing still. It became great because visionary leaders were willing to act boldly, defend its founding principles, and plan for generations yet to come. That same courage is needed today. The time for simply discussing these challenges has passed. It is time to lead, to stand together, and to ensure that the City Beautiful remains exactly that for the next century.
Coral Gables deserves nothing less.
great speech, but are you willing to contribute $10-20K to s specially designated fund for the legal fees? I would not want my “regular” taxpayer dollars used to have one govmnt entity sue another government entity. thats’ teh ultimate insider trading. only the lawyers make money. so,I don’t disagree with your grandstanding, butI do disagree with funding it. if you and a group o pals want to make a run at it instead of waiting to see what happens with Miami’s case, you should!
There is no political will to oppose overdevelopment as most campaign contributions for some on the commission come from developers. To be specific more than 80%in one instance.
The reluctance to disapprove any of the numerous projects, that come before the commission is visible. Their defense “OUR HANDS ARE TIED”, is getting old.
I think it is time the City decides to sue the county and the state for their unnecessary and unwarranted policies that affect our quality of life.
great. you and the Strong Mayor above should get together and start a special funding drive to cover the legal costs. run it outside the city’s budget. in parallel, not co-joined. I dont want to fund it, don’t force me.
My comment is regarding the recent Zoning Board meeting re: 110 Phoenetia – The Crystal Academy Project – the biggest point by far, is there are four (4) zoning changes being made in order for this building to proceed. Once they are made they are made forever and the next development will come along and say, “You allowed 110 Phoenetia Ave, so why won’t you allow my project?”
The City of Coral Gables will be setting a precedence by allowing this nine (9) story building to be built in a neighborhood where the current restriction is only four (4) story buildings. Once you allow this for one development, you will be forced to allow it for all. So where does it stop?
Thank goodness Robert Behar added the stipulation the green space inside the plans needs to be moved in order to save the Garden and the 150+ old trees, but that doesn’t mean the City Commission will go along with it. All the Zoning Board does is make “recommendations.”
It is now up to the City Commission. The question is are they going to allow this? Will they ultimately set the precedence to change the rules? If so, then why have any rules?
Our City will never fight the Live Local Challenge because it is run by Lago who gets money for his PACS just like Lara is getting. Ask them about the donations from the Chicago developer who is changing the zone from 4 stories to build at the Garden. I would love a forensic accounting of his received donations and from who. No one destroys a City like he has with all the developers building allowances. Codes changed and gifts given. This City has been ruined and as a friend who lived here and visited said, ” I did not recognize much within Coral Gables. It has been destroyed with concrete”.
Don’t we need continued development to adequately fund the city? On May 4, 2026 this paper ran a story on how the city’s budget keeps growing, but revenue is not keeping up to meet our demands, and it specifically cited a drop in construction-related revenue. Everyone complaining about development (or “overdevelopment”) should remember development, along with increased non-homestead property taxes, covers a significant part of our municipal budget, and money is only going to get more scarce when (not “if,” “when”) voters pass Amendment 3. I don’t want Coral Gables’ downtown and borders looking like Brickell, but there has to be a happy medium. Otherwise we will have to choose between higher millage rates (until Amendment 3 kicks in) and user fees or giving up important municipal services.
It seems like there is no nuance in the debate. Extremists on the development spectrum dominate the conversation and call anyone who disagrees with them all sorts of nasty names. This just leads to instability and, eventually, stupid policies like Live Local. And this seems to be the case with virtually every issue facing the city. These extremists think the sky is going to fall if they don’t get it their way, and their dittohead friends and followers just nod along, click “Like” and forward the comment to the other trained seals. Unless and until reasonable voices take control of the debate, we will continue to be guided by the loudest, wrongest people in the room.
We need reasonable development. Otherwise we residents will be paying a heck of a lot more for a heck of a lot less.
t0bmgy
Mình dùng 66b win được vài hôm rồi, cảm giác khá ổn định và không bị lag nhiều như mấy nơi trước. TONY07-08