Community Background Report

City of Hialeah Gardens

County

Miami-Dade

Boundaries

See interactive map

Community Type

Municipality

History

Hialeah Gardens lies in the northwestern portion of Miami-Dade County, just west of Hialeah. The municipality sprouted from humble beginnings as the Walter C. Ohlerts Tourist Camp. By way of 26 unanimous votes, the City of Hialeah Gardens achieved incorporation in December of 1948. In February of 1949, Hialeah Gardens adopted its first building code, its first traffic ordinance, and the first laws regarding hunting. Hialeah Gardens was mainly a rural community in which one of the main occupations was raising horses. This remained so until 1968. In that year, the City adopted an aggressive land use and zoning master plan to direct its growth. Only a few small businesses existed along the Okeechobee Road corridor. The City’s close proximity to major roadways such as Okeechobee Road and the Palmetto Expressway (State Road 826) provided the opportunity for Hialeah Gardens to become one of the fastest growing municipalities in the county. It boasts a population of over 20,000 residents.

Community Dynamics

The population of Hialeah Gardens is 94.9% Hispanic, with a large concentration of Cuban Americans. This, combined with a high voter turnout rate, has made the City one of the few municipalities in the county that is led by a Cuban mayor. Its seasonal newsletter contains information in both English and Spanish, to address the needs of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic community members. The City places an emphasis on providing and maintaining open spaces for parks and recreational activities, developing single and multi-family residential areas, and creating a balance of commercial activity with non-commercial growth. The median household income for Hialeah Gardens is $41,592, which is below the Miami-Dade County median income. However, it is listed in the top 10 of “The Safest Cities in Florida 2016” list.

Business Landscape

For a city with a population of over 22,600, Hialeah Gardens has little green space despite the City’s efforts. A large proportion of the structures in Hialeah Gardens are warehouses. These buildings house industrial and light manufacturing businesses. Automobile sales and repair, carpentry, electrical and engineering, plumbing, and cooling and heating businesses are well represented in Hialeah Gardens. Religious institutions, dentists, dental labs and beauty salons have also made use of warehouse bays and strip mall retail space.

Transportation Characteristics

The City has one major street, which is Okeechobee Road. The average daily traffic counts for all the major roads in Hialeah Gardens are relatively low, between 15,000 and 30,000.