South Dade officials push to map corridor for aerospace firms

Peter England, chief strategy officer of the Economic Development Council of South Miami-Dade, asked the Cutler Bay town manager to gather municipal planners from six South Dade communities. The goal is to identify specific properties that can host aerospace and defense businesses along a new regional corridor.

The initiative began when a company sought to relocate into a vacant 100,000-square-foot warehouse in Cutler Bay. Existing commercial zoning in the town did not permit the proposed aerospace-related activity. In response, the town considered creating a zoning overlay, a move that evolved into a broader regional effort.

England stated that all partner municipalities along US 1 have passed resolutions supporting the corridor. Pinecrest approved its resolution on Oct. 13. Although the concept has received political endorsement, specific parcels of land have not yet been officially designated for the project.

"It's not something you can sell to a prospect in concept," England said. He explained that a subsequent resolution is required to designate the exact parcels that will carry the corridor designation. England also invited Edward "Ned" Murray, associate director of Florida International University's Metropolitan Center, to join these discussions. Murray's center previously worked on the council's economic development strategic plan.

The corridor strategy builds on the South Dade Aerospace Zone, a proposed manufacturing and technology park located on former military property near Homestead Air Reserve Base. Miami-Dade County records indicate the Air Force transferred about 601 acres of former base property to the county for economic development in 2004. State legislation that took effect July 1, 2024, designated certain properties at Homestead Air Reserve Base and the former Homestead Air Force Base as spaceport territory to encourage aerospace development.

The council aims to reduce the region's reliance on outlying employment opportunities. England noted that nearly 80% of South Dade's workforce currently commutes outside the region. While Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay support the corridor, England said limited available land makes large-scale manufacturing unlikely in those specific communities. The plan focuses on light industrial uses to accommodate aerospace businesses without introducing heavy manufacturing into residential areas.

The initiative operates within the county's urban development boundary, which limits the total availability of land for industrial development. England said the council is working to navigate these land-use constraints while attracting additional aerospace companies to the area.