Looks like Lennar Homes, the country’s second biggest homebuilder and longtime Miami-Dade campaign donor, is back at the county commission asking for a little favor — the kind that turns farmland into profit.
On the agenda for Thursday’s meeting: Application No. CDMP20250003 — doesn’t that sound friendly? — which is really about turning 20.1 acres of land near SW 220th Street and 134th Avenue near The Redland from rural, estate-sized lots into a tighter, denser subdivision that could fit up to 13 homes per acre.
That’s right, the same piece of land now zoned for one or two houses per acre could soon hold up to 138 homes — if Lennar gets what it wants.
The legalese calls it a “small-scale amendment to the Comprehensive Development Master Plan.” In plain English: it’s a mini change to the county’s master blueprint for growth, one that doesn’t trigger the big, scary state-level review that larger projects have to go through. The county calls it “small.” But for neighbors who will suddenly be surrounded by hundreds of townhouses instead of mango trees and horses, it’s anything but.
Read related: Miami-Dade Commission approves 700 homes on 90 acres of mostly farmland
Rodan Estates, as the development is called, consists of 3- and 4-bedroom detached “cluster homes” — which means they are 
grouped together and share open spaces. The application states that 25% of the property will be open green space.
This isn’t Lennar trying to push the Urban Development Boundary line — not yet, anyway. That ask comes later when they present their plans for “City Park” (more on that later). This one’s about squeezing more houses onto land they already own inside the line. But these little inside-the-line density jumps are what make it easier to justify moving the UDB later. One brick at a time, mi gente.
Lennar, represented by lobbyists Hugo Arza and Amanda Naldjieff of Holland & Knight, wants to redesignate the property from “Estate Density Residential, which allows from 1 to 2.5 homes per acre, to “Low-Density Residential with One Density Increase,” which brings that up to between 6 and 13 homes per acre — if the design looks “urban”. That’s bureaucrat-speak for cramming in as many units as possible, as long as they look nice on paper.
The developer has even offered a Declaration of Restrictions, which usually means some promises about landscaping, sidewalks, or traffic mitigation — the kind of sweeteners that make commissioners feel better about saying yes. But those “restrictions” rarely restrict much once the bulldozers roll in.
County staff already reviewed the plan, as required, and found no major reason to block it. The Planning Advisory Board and the local community council have also held their obligatory hearings — though not many residents even knew what was happening, since the notice came buried in government websites with links longer than the Everglades.
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The proposal is being billed as a “small-scale amendment,” which means it can be adopted by the County Commission with one final vote — no lengthy state oversight, no extra review, no second reading. If the commission approves it Thursday, the change becomes official unless someone files a legal challenge.
And you can bet Lennar’s lawyers made sure everything lines up neatly for that quick approval.
Critics say this is part of a bigger pattern: Lennar and other developers slowly carving up South Dade, where property is cheaper, one small-scale amendment at a time, until the Urban Development Boundary — the line that’s supposed to protect farmland and open space — becomes meaningless. Today it’s 21 acres here. Tomorrow it’s 200 acres there.
Before you know it, the mango groves are gone and the traffic is even worse than it already is on SW 137th Avenue.
Ladra’s not against new homes — everybody needs a roof. But every time Lennar comes to the county commission, it feels like déjà vu: another “small” change, another zoning bump, another profit-driven project labeled as “smart growth.” And the public hearings? They’re held during the day, when regular people are working.
So call it “small-scale” if you want, but Ladra’s seen this blueprint before. A few acres here, a few zoning tweaks there, and pretty soon the nurseries turn into cul-de-sacs and the Turnpike turns into a parking lot.
They call it smart growth, but it smells more like sprawl in a suit — and Lennar’s been walking this county commission around the block long enough to know exactly which way to tug the leash.
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Sound more Like BRIBES Than Donations for Changes in County Land use for The benefit of “County Commissioners “? It work in the HiALEAH Addition of 138 st . & I-75 ?
John B ,
It is funny when government officials in Miami say things like iguanas who have been here over 200 years (since slave ships as used as food ) are a determent but from what I see iguanas are not driving bulldozers and cement mixers .
It is like Cuban treefrogs which thrive in human development but the native Green treefrog which you hear at night all over Everglades does not and development here is the real killer of natives .
I have lived in the southern portion of Dade County for 65 years. Uncontrolled population has been a constant problem and Lennar been a major player in the destruction of the natural areas which made the County beautiful. Within the last decade it has gotten much worse. Always money, money, money.
Yes, more people will create more tax money for the County to support more growth and destruction of “paradise” WHY? Money, money, money, more wealth for the wealthy, more power for the politicians that WE have chosen to REPRESENT us.
Not me. I seen the problem and as a wise possum once said- “I have seen the enemy and it is US” (to paraphrase.)
Stop,look around, is this what you want (or wanted when you came here.)?
Are you satisfied? If so, you are well served.
My daughter,who was born and grew up here, gets very, very depressed over what has happened to her “home place” when she visits.
How many more people do we need to satisfy the greed for money and power. Will there ever be enough. Probably not until there is a major upheaval of some sort.
Is this the inheritance that you want to leave for Your Children?
Look and Listen
“aang waan”
Alberto Santos,
Btw , I agree a private land owner has every right to sell his / her land but plenty of times it is city land sold and regardless the politicians here pretty much work for these developers NOT US .
”Farmland Loss in Florida”
‘ Between 2001 and 2016, 298,400 acres of Florida agricultural land were developed or compromised, the report states. AFT says nearly 2 million acres of Florida’s agricultural land is considered best suited for growing food and crops. The hot spots for development were around Jacksonville, Orlando, Pensacola, Tallahassee and Tampa, according to AFT.
In addition to urban sprawl, Florida’s agricultural land is threatened by low-density residential (LDR) land use, the report adds. It says roughly 46 percent of the land developed or compromised in Florida fell into this category. “In Florida, LDR is 11 times more likely to be converted to urban and highly developed land use than other agricultural land,” the report states.;
https://citrusindustry.net/2020/07/13/farmland-loss-in-florida/
” If u have the money nothing is off limits and the prostitutes in the county commision will sell their souls for a buck.”
Agree but they have no soul and sell us out hourly .
I was by Homestead couple weeks ago and an area 7 years back full of garden places and farmers market is now buildings going up , bit sad .
PS: regarding the profits issue, I believe that the Political Cortadito newsletter is a for-profit operation. If Political Cortadito can make a profit, why Lennar shouldn’t ?”
Problem is these up for sale politico ” hoes ” who work , bow to developers and fight the fight on their behalf .
They use their office for special interest and get their big ” consultation ” pay check .
Redland, Homestead & Florida City are ALL turning into the GHETTO OF MIAMI
Alberto Santos can be first in line at the Soylent Green Store.
Soon we won’t have anywhere to grow food in the winter. Guess we’ll all be eating Soylent Green soon! Thank you Lennar. Thank you Commissioners.
It is really great that the private sector is doing something to reduce the housing problem in Miami-Dade. Kudos to Lennar !
PS: regarding the profits issue, I believe that the Political Cortadito newsletter is a for-profit operation. If Political Cortadito can make a profit, why Lennar shouldn’t ?
Being a compaign donor says it all!! And paying politicians off really helps. Why! Because Miami is a for sale locattion. Nothing is sacred anymore. If u have the money nothing is off limits and the prostitutes in the county commision will sell their souls for a buck. Why dont they go to animal control and volunteer their time to help the animals. Oh no its to hot to walk those poor dogs and cats. Why? Because they used our tax dollars millions to built and impressive building but not putting ac where the animals stay. WONDER WHY? ALL CORRUPTION!!