Community Background Report

City of West Miami

County

Miami-Dade

Boundaries

See interactive map

Community Type

Municipality

History

The City of West Miami occupies three quarters of a square mile in western Miami-Dade County. West Miami is nestled between S.W. 8th Street, better known to residents as “Calle Ocho”, and "Coral Way", or S.W. 24th Street. The community is landlocked, surrounded by Hialeah, Miami Lakes, and Coral Gables. The City dates back to 1947, when four businessmen decided to incorporate the area west of Miami. The incorporation came about in response to Miami-Dade County's decision to reduce cocktail hours and ban gambling. These businessmen, along with a group of residents, decided they did not want to lose their cocktail hours and gambling rooms. Each of the four men invested $400 in bonds and then conjured up possible names for the City, including West Haven, West Gate and West Miami. State law prevented the newly incorporated area from becoming a city based on its small population, forcing it to incorporate as a town instead. At the time of incorporation, 700 residents inhabited the area of West Miami. In 1949, the City of West Miami was one of the first in Florida to elect a female commissioner. Near the end of World War II, land and private enterprises were being distributed in the area of West Miami by the federal government as an incentive to attract residents. Soldiers returning from war took advantage of the free lots and built homes in West Miami. The City became known as a community of veterans. In the early 1950s, West Miami also saw an influx of Jewish families who were relocating from northeastern states and from northern Miami-Dade, settling close to Temple Zion on S.W. 17th Street. Eventually, Jewish families comprised up to 50% of West Miami’s population. However, from the 1960s to the 1980s, the City experienced demographic changes, including an influx of newly arrived Cuban refugees. The City also changed its form of government to a city manager format. In 1994, the City found itself with a $300,000 deficit as a result of miscalculating funds, and nearly went bankrupt. The City has since adopted a strict budget policy and has rebounded, reporting a $200,000 surplus in 1997.

Community Dynamics

West Miami has maintained high standards for the City’s residential and business communities. The City has 6,032 residents, showing a 4% increase in population since the 2000 census. Like the Little Havana neighborhood in the City of Miami, the majority of the City’s population, 84% according to the U.S. census, consists of Hispanics.

According to the 2015 American Community Survey (ACS) estimate, the median household income for West Miami was $39,792, lower than the Miami-Dade County median income of $43,129. Due to the below average household income, affordable housing is a prevalent issue for the City. Since West Miami is landlocked, the only opportunity for expansion is through annexation. In 2013, the City explored the idea of annexation of areas westward, between S.W. 67th Avenue and the Palmetto Expressway, and southward, between S.W. 8th Street and Coral Way. This effort, however, did not result in actual annexation.

Since 1990, West Miami has undergone several capital improvements. The City addresses its flooding issues and complies with state and federal requirements. In 2005, the City received $500,000 for funding the General Obligation Bonds (GOB) decision to bring public structures and facilities into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The West Miami community possesses four parks for recreational usage. Between 1996 and 1999, West Miami received $182,000 to improve Lorraine Park, Cooper Park, and the West Miami Recreation Center. In 2004, the City also received $130,000 from the GOB decision for city park projects. In 2015 the West Miami commission approved a resolution for the Garden Club project, which will includes a new park at 1129 SW 66 Ave. Currently Garden Club Park is under construction and will consist of playground equipment, shaded structures and restroom facilities. The funding for its development is coming from impact fees from developers and $125,000 from grants for an estimated project amount of $270,000.

Business Landscape

Other than the small strips of commercial properties on S.W. 8th Street and S.W. 67th Avenue, West Miami is largely residential and has little business activity. There is one public school within the City’s boundaries, Sylvania Heights Elementary School. There is also a private school Somerset Academy Gables, West Campus on 5859 SW 16th Street, West Miami.

Transportation Characteristics

The City currently has sufficient roadway capacity to accommodate planned development, and a jitney service to help decrease congestion on roadways. According to the City’s ordinance, all future developers must submit a traffic study to show impact on existing roadways. The City has also created a Traffic Impact Study, which shows the existing condition of roads. The only roads facing decline in Level of Service (LOS) by 2025 are S.W. 67th Avenue and S.W. 57th Avenue, which belong to the county and the state respectively. As a result, the City has chosen to continue to implement traffic calming devices throughout the City.