Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay homeowners who have struggled to make sense of the county’s zoning process now have a free lifeline.

Miami-Dade County’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources announced the Zoning Homeowners Assistance Program on Monday, Aug. 24, offering residents one-on-one guidance from zoning specialists at no cost. The program is available in person, by phone or by email.

The county described the program as providing personalized support for anyone applying for a zoning change, exploring development options for their property or simply trying to understand how the process works. Staff will walk homeowners through the steps of filing an application, explain procedures and, when a case requires expertise outside their office, connect residents with the appropriate department.

Every case gets individual attention, the county said, because no two properties or zoning situations are alike.

A community with zoning on its mind

The program arrives at a moment when zoning is anything but abstract for South Dade neighborhoods.

In 2022, Palmetto Bay’s Village Council passed a resolution opposing the county’s amended Rapid Transit Zone ordinance, which allowed high-density development within a half-mile of designated transit corridors. The village’s mayor and manager traveled to the Sept. 1, 2022, County Commission public hearing to reiterate that opposition on the record.

That fight echoes in 2026. A Miami Herald report this month documented Kendall-area homeowners receiving unexpected notices that developers had filed plans to build apartment buildings in their single-family neighborhood, using transit-corridor zoning measures. Residents described the notices as “disconcerting surprises,” according to the Herald.

Zoning activity continues in Palmetto Bay itself. The village’s Planning and Zoning Department had an active administrative variance application under review as of mid-2026, filed June 23 for a property at 9201 SW 170 Lane.

For homeowners in either community who receive a zoning notice or want to explore what they can do with their property, the county program offers a starting point that does not require hiring a land-use attorney.

How to use the program

Residents can find full program details on the county’s Zoning Homeowners Assistance page, call 305-375-2877 or email [email protected].

No application deadline has been announced. The program appears to be an ongoing county service.