Controversial Industrial HQ Back For Vote, Despite Unresolved Wetlands Deal

A proposal to build an industrial headquarters on 246 acres outside Miami-Dade County’s Urban Development Boundary is heading back to commissioners for another vote, even as concerns about environmental impacts remain unresolved.

If commissioners choose to delay again to allow further revisions, it would mark at least the second postponement this year.

Kelly Tractor, a supplier of Caterpillar and other heavy equipment, is seeking approval for a 2.2 million-square-foot complex near Sweetwater. The planned development would include offices, storage areas, and repair facilities on a site at the northwest corner of Northwest Sixth Street and a Dolphin Expressway ramp in unincorporated Miami-Dade.

Opposition from environmental groups centers on building outside the Urban Development Boundary, a designated greenbelt intended to limit urban sprawl into farmland, wetlands, and areas near the Everglades. Critics also object to the loss of wetlands, which play a key role in supporting wildlife, maintaining water quality, and reducing flooding—an ongoing concern in the region.

After commissioners initially approved the project in January, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava vetoed the decision last month. Rather than attempting to override her veto, commissioners opted to give Kelly Tractor time to revise its proposal and address outstanding concerns.

The original plan called for paving over 160 acres of wetlands. A revised site plan submitted last week reduces that impact, preserving 44.5 acres of wetlands along with the 18.6-acre Bayhead Preserve. Environmental advocates argue the revisions fall short. According to the Hold the Line Coalition, Kelly Tractor is required to preserve at least 63 acres of wetlands under an existing covenant tied to past unpermitted work on the site. The group also contends that the Bayhead Preserve should not count toward mitigation because it is already protected as an archaeological and cultural site due to the presence of human remains.

“Negotiations over wetland preservation are ongoing and no final agreement has been reached,” said Chris Kelly, the company’s president.

County staff had recommended denying the proposal in January, citing, among other issues, the company’s failure to justify why it cannot expand at its current Doral headquarters or use other industrial land available within the Urban Development Boundary. A new staff recommendation on the revised plan has not yet been issued, increasing the likelihood of another delay.

Company representatives say Kelly Tractor has outgrown its 225,000-square-foot Doral facility. Founded in Clewiston in the 1930s, the company has owned the proposed site since 1984 and argues the project would create jobs and support infrastructure projects that rely on heavy equipment.

Kelly emphasized that the company is not a real estate developer seeking short-term gains but a long-term operator investing in its future. He also linked the expansion to Miami-Dade’s affordable housing challenges, arguing that new, well-paying jobs would benefit working-class residents.

Critics have also raised concerns about the approval process itself. Instead of pursuing a traditional expansion of the Urban Development Boundary—which requires multiple levels of county and state review—Kelly Tractor is seeking approval through a text amendment. Opponents warn this approach could set a precedent for bypassing established growth management rules.

In a January letter urging the mayor to veto the project, the Hold the Line Coalition described it as incompatible industrial activity and argued the text amendment would weaken the county’s planning framework. The application was first filed in 2023, and Kelly maintains the company has worked to comply with all regulations throughout the process.

Despite Miami-Dade’s generally development-friendly climate, proposals to expand beyond the Urban Development Boundary often face strong resistance. Past efforts have required multiple votes and concessions, and some have ultimately been overturned in court. One notable example is a 379-acre logistics project approved in 2022 after several attempts, only to be blocked by a court ruling in 2024. Another large proposal, City Park by Lennar and its partners, envisioned thousands of homes and millions of square feet of commercial space alongside significant open areas, highlighting the scale and controversy often associated with such developments.

Source: The Real Deal