Form-Based Code Voted Down in Miami

The two decisive "no" votes came from two commissioners currently battling each other to replace outgoing Mayor Manny Diaz this November.

"It was a stunning defeat for Diaz, even more so because it came on the vote of a previous ally. Though he had won battles to build a new Florida Marlins ballpark and a tunnel to the Port of Miami, the mayor considered Miami 21 the most important blueprint he wanted to bring to fruition.

''We owe a lasting legacy to those who will call Miami home long after we're gone,'' Diaz said earlier in the day, saying the plan could help Miami draw comparison to New York and Chicago in coming decades.

The lengthy meeting at scenic City Hall began with an 11-minute sales pitch by Diaz, followed by a lengthy presentation by the administration, then six hours of testimony from public speakers."