Regular City Commission Meeting - Regular Meeting

All right. Thank you all so much. Today is Wednesday, June 17th, 2026. We are here for a city commission meeting, of course, here in the city of Hollywood. Welcome to everyone who's here. At the start of each meeting, we begin with a moment of silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. And before we rise for that moment of silence, I'd like to extend a moment of privilege to our Chief of Police, Jeff Devlin, who would like to say a few words in honor of someone that we all lost.

Thank you, Mayor. Yes, unfortunately, over a week ago now, the police department received the horrible news that we lost retired police sergeant Yvette Bononi in a tragic car accident. Yvette was a 15-year veteran with the Hollywood Police Department, rose to the rank of sergeant, retired to spend time with her family. She was always very energetic, charismatic, huge smile on her face, do anything to help you kind of person. She is survived by her daughter, her son, and her husband, who's a sergeant with the Hallandale Police Department. We would like them to know and everyone to know that we are grieving with them. They are not alone. And anything they need to, please reach out and let us know. And when the services are announced, I will certainly share that with all of you.

Thank you, Chief. Please rise for that moment of silence. Please keep Sergeant Nunez in your hearts. And we'll follow by the pledge. Thank you all. Another important moment we take at the start of each meeting is to recognize our US veterans, active service personnel, and their families. So if you are a veteran of the US Armed Forces, a family member thereof, active service member, please rise. We'd like to recognize you. Thank you. Commissioner Gruber will be joining us a little later. He had to attend to a family matter. Let's go ahead with roll call.

Commissioner Gruber. Commissioner Biederman.

Here.

Commissioner Quintana. Here. Commissioner Shuham. Here. Commissioner Hernandez. Here. Vice Mayor Kaleri. Here. Mayor Levy.

Here. All right, today's consent agenda includes items 5 through 15. These are items that don't usually require individual discussion, but if there is a speaker card on any of them or a request from the dais, we're happy to remove one for discussion later in the meeting. This time I'll ask from the dais, are there any requests?

Motion to approve.

Pat, any speaker cards? No. All right, we have a motion from Vice Mayor Colleri, second from Commissioner Biederman to approve the consent items 5 through 15. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, those items carry unanimously. Chief, I see that we have a significant number of folks here from the Hollywood Police Department, so I'd like to extend the courtesy to all of you and invite you to present the Police Department Awards for January, February, March, and April of 2026 right here and now.

Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners. So right from some sorrowful news to some happy news. So we'll go with that. But this is, I want to thank you again for allowing us this time to recognize the amazing work done by our officers and civilian staff on a daily basis. It's important for them to be recognized. And I'll be honest with you, every time I read these, I'm still in awe of the work that they do on a daily basis out there. And when I'm reading through them, I just try to put myself in that position or that scenario, and it's amazing the work that they do. It truly is. The bravery that they show, the training that comes through, and the life-saving efforts, their investigative skills, it's really unbelievable work. So without further ado, we'll get into this.

Good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, city manager, assistant city managers and staff, Deanna Bettineschi, public information manager for the Hollywood Police Department. I'll start by calling up each recipient to receive their awards. We're going to start with our January officer of the month. Will Officer Cameron Grazadeh please come forward? At the end of December, officers responded to a deceased person near Surf Road. During the preliminary investigation, a person of interest was identified, and Officer Grazadeh was assigned to locate the suspect. Through investigative efforts, he was able to successfully locate the suspect within a short period of time, and the suspect was detained. The early identification and location of the suspect was a critical component of the case, and he was able to quickly get a murderer off the streets of Hollywood. Congratulations. Next, we have the January Employee of the Month. Will crime scene technician Osvaldo Siriano please come forward? At the end of December, crime scene technician Siriano was requested to a domestic violence scene. While on scene, he assisted in translating to a victim who only spoke Spanish. He was able to communicate the importance of documenting a crime. Ultimately, the victim allowed her injuries to be reported and photographed. Crime scene technician Siriano should be recognized for his dedication to his work and victims in the city of Hollywood. Congratulations. We have our January Lifesaving Awards. Will Officer Brian Rodriguez-Diaz, Officer Eric Hernandez, and Officer Julian Saltzman please come forward? At the end of October, these officers responded to a business on Griffin Road for an unresponsive man suffering from an overdose. They assessed the victim and realized he had a pulse. Officer Rodriguez-Diaz administered Narcan. However, the victim remained unresponsive. Officer Saltzman and Hernandez maintained scene security, gathered information from witnesses, and updated fire rescue. Officer Saltzman retrieved additional Narcan kits from his vehicle, and the officers administered additional doses. Shortly afterward, the victim regained consciousness but became combative inside of the rescue unit. For the safety of all present, Officer Rodriguez-Diaz accompanied rescue personnel to the hospital. They should be commended for their teamwork and life-saving skills. Congratulations. For our February Officers of the Month, will Detective Nancy Toller, Detective Justin Leo, and Detective Sean Keough please come forward. In March of 2023, an argument near a park in Hollywood turned tragic. A man was purposefully hit by a car and killed. Traffic homicide detective Justin Leo was called out to the scene and was able to find video that showed the crime. Detective Nancy Toler and the homicide unit worked tirelessly for months to piece together the events of that day. Detective Keough interviewed the suspect and got them to admit things that unknowingly tied them to the case. They continued to assist as the case went to a grand jury. And with their help, the defendant was sentenced to 60 years in a Florida state prison. Congratulations. Our February Lifesaving Award goes to officers Jonathan Palacios and Jacob Pierce, if you'll please come forward. During a vehicle versus pedestrian crash, these two officers came upon a victim who had extremely serious injuries. Fire Chief Jeff Levy wrote a letter to HPD thanking these officers for their quick actions that ultimately saved the victim's life. Officers Palacios and Officer Pierce were able to apply tourniquets to the victim's legs to prevent blood loss. Despite the severity of the injury and receiving more than 100 units of blood, the victim is expected to survive. Congratulations. We have a February Chief Special Recognition Award. Will Detective Danny D'Andrade please come forward? If you remember a few weeks ago, Detective D'Andrati was here at commission presenting an award to the Brady Hunter Foundation, who donated K-9 Hunter to HPD. But it was her hard work, communication, and representation of our department that helped facilitate the relationship with the Brady Hunter Foundation. The coordination to obtain K-9 Hunter went beyond her routine duties. Getting K-9 Hunter significantly strengthened the K-9 unit capabilities and their operational readiness. For those who know Dani, she prides herself on relationships she builds within our community. She's an asset to our PIO unit and the department as a whole. Congratulations. Next, we have our March Employee of the Month. Will crime scene technician Amy Zeidel please come forward? Throughout the year, crime scene technicians work hard to gather delicate evidence at scenes throughout Hollywood. They aid in many of the cases that our officers respond to. In reviewing results for 2025, crime scene technician Amy Zidell stood out for having the most DNA identifications for the year. She totaled 18 identifications. She should be recognized for her dedication to her unit, the victims, and the department. Congratulations. We have another Chief Special Recognition Award this afternoon. If Officer Dwayne Chung will please come forward. Officer Chung is consistently providing help and compassion in his role as the homeless program coordinator. He has created strong partnerships with the Broward Addiction Recovery Center, Broward Outreach Center, and mental behavioral and wellness health centers. His efforts resulted in successful placements of individuals into treatment facilities, detox programs, housing, and reunification programs. He was also instrumental in the March Voices in the Street Hollywood Survey Initiative, which focused on engaging with individuals experiencing homelessness. This survey resulted in 95 in-depth interviews and 136 short-form interviews. He demonstrates outstanding teamwork and leadership, helping with community problem-solving efforts, and continues to strengthen HPD's relationships with community stakeholders. Congratulations. We have our March Officer of the Month. Will Officer Christian Reccano please come forward? On February 17, Officer Recano received a license plate reader alert for a stolen vehicle. Officer Recano learned the suspect was on federal probation for drug trafficking. Officer Recano deployed the grappler, resulting in the suspect being taken into custody. He should be recognized for his coordinated efforts in getting a violent offender off the streets. Congratulations. And if we can have everybody come up for a group photo.

While you all are coming up here, just on behalf of the City Commission and the residents of Hollywood, thank you for saving lives, thank you for defending lives, and for all you do. All right, thank you all so much. We'll give our HPD friends a minute to exit if they like. All right, Commissioner Biederman, you ready? He'll be next. All right. We have three special proclamations. The first is a proclamation recognizing National Boys and Girls Club Week. So I'd like to invite Commissioner Biederman to present the proclamation. Accepting it will be Cameron Warrick. He's the Director of Development and Corporate Relations and the Club Director with the Tywom Jones of the Boys and Girls Club of Broward. So welcome, Mr. Warrick. Commissioner Biederman, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mayor. This proclamation is in recognition of National Boys and Girls Club Week in Broward County, June 22nd through June 26th, 2026. Whereas the young people of the City of Hollywood are tomorrow's leaders, and many benefit from professional youth development services that help them reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. And whereas, since 1992, the Marty Huizenga Club has served the Hollywood community, helping Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County continue to provide life-changing programs and services to an average of 12,000 young people, ages six to 18 annually. And whereas, Boys and Girls Clubs are places where great futures start. They build a formula for impact through core efforts in academic success, character, and leadership, healthy lifestyles, and life and workforce readiness. 97% of members graduate from high school, 92% are expected to graduate on time, and 88% are enrolled in college. And whereas Boys and Girls Club organizations throughout our state help ensure that youth have a safe and supportive place to learn, grow, and belong by offering life-enhancing programs that build skills, strengthen character, and foster meaningful relationships with caring adult professionals. And whereas Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County joins approximately 5,400 clubs across the nation in celebrating National Boys and Girls Club Week 2026, recognizing the positive impact these organizations have on more than 3 million young people each year. And whereas the City of Hollywood encourages all residents to recognize and commend the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County for their enduring commitment to provide comprehensive, effective services to the young people in our community, now therefore Josh Levy Mayor of the City of Hollywood and the Hollywood City Commission hereby proclaim June 22nd through June 26th as National Boys and Girls Club Week in Broward County and in the City of Hollywood, Florida.

Mr. Warwick, please.

Thank you for that, Commissioner. Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, fellow commissioners. I appreciate you having us here today to represent Boys and Girls Club. As I mentioned, my name is Cameron Warwick, Director of Development and Corporate Relations for Boys and Girls Club of Broward County. And just like in the proclamation there, nationally and locally, Boys and Girls Clubs are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to shape great futures. We're home to 18 locations right here in Broward, with one of our most historic spaces right here in the city of Hollywood, where we provide a place of safety and access for the youth ages 6 through 18. But we can't continue to do this without the support of our community, and more importantly, the municipalities that govern them. Nationally across the US, one in 19 people have been through the blue doors of a Boys and Girls Club as a club kid, meaning that you very well pass up an alumni personally or just in passing every day and don't even realize it. So when you support a Boys and Girls Club, you're supporting future doctors, lawyers, city officials, teachers, athletes, businessmen, leaders, and peers. So clearly we can see America needs club kids. Broward needs club kids. Hollywood needs club kids. And as we continue taking the steps to graduate our club kids from adolescents to young adults, providing the resources necessary for them to become productive citizens, we're grateful for the recognition from the city of Hollywood that supports our mission and our growth. We thank you, and we encourage all to visit our clubs to learn more about the impact we're creating each and every day. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Warrick. We love all that the Boys and Girls Club does. It reaches so far and is super important. Please come on up for the photo. Yes.

Thank you for giving me this honor to read this. Just to recognize, Vice Mayor and I are both on the advisory board for the Boys and Girls Club of Hollywood. And they really service a lot of children, including some of our police officers or club kid graduates.

Awesome. I should give a shout-out as well to Parks and DCM for the recent investment in the Boys and Girls Club space. Keep getting better. All right, ladies and gentlemen, let's invite Ms. Georgette Lasley. She's the founding member of the Juneteenth South Broward and Juneteenth South Broward board members who are here. Let's please present the proclamation recognizing the Juneteenth Freedom Day holiday and the events that will be forthcoming. Of course, that's June 19th, 2026. Let's go ahead and celebrate it on June 20th. But let's go ahead and invite Commissioner Quintana, whose district this event will be the home of. Let's go ahead.

Thank you, Mayor. This is a proclamation in the city of Hollywood, Florida, in recognition of Juneteenth South Broward and the 10th annual Juneteenth parade, June 19, 2026. Whereas, Juneteenth commemorates the day of June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers led by Major Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and that all enslaved individuals were now free. This announcement, made more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued by President Abraham Lincoln, represented a belated yet monumental realization of freedom for African Americans in the furthest reaches of the Confederacy. And whereas the City of Hollywood, through the leadership of our African American Advisory Council, community, city staff, and residents, has had a now decades-long tradition of recognizing the importance of Juneteenth, a day of profound significance in American history, which marks the end of slavery in the United States. And whereas the City of Hollywood's recognition of this day is traced back 20 years, when the first proclamation recognizing Juneteenth was issued by Mayor Mara Galante in 2004, In the following years, and especially over the past 10 years, residents, community organizations, and the city, and the African American Advisory Council have hosted a greater and greater variety of community events in celebration of Juneteenth.

Yes.

And whereas in a vibrant display of culture, heritage, and unity, Juneteenth South Broward is hosting their 10th annual Juneteenth Parade. Georgette Lasley Knox, founding committee member of Juneteenth South Broward, first hosted events celebrating Juneteenth in June 2017. And in June 2018, they held their first annual Juneteenth parade and festival. And whereas Juneteenth South Broward's mission is to actively preserve and promote the broad spectrum of African-American heritage through educational and cultural activities that benefits the city of Hollywood and surrounding South Broward communities, And whereas, the Juneteenth South Broward Parade will wind its way through the Washington Park community and will a diverse crowd of participants and spectators alike all coming together to honor the significance of this historic day. The Juneteenth parade not only celebrated the achievements of the past, but also served as a call to action for a future where freedom and equality are truly universal. Now, therefore, Josh Levy, Mayor of the City of Hollywood, Florida, and the Hollywood City Commission hereby proclaim June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth South Broward and the 10th annual Juneteenth Parade in the City of Hollywood, Florida.

JOSH LEVY JR.: Thank you.

Thank you guys so much. I am so excited. This year we went overboard.

You always outdo yourself.

Oh, yeah. We outdid ourselves this year. And I'm going to need the commission's blessing. Because we advertised on our loose leaves that we was having a petting zoo, bounce house, performances, gifts. We know we're doing a sweet potato pie contest and a three-point shootout. And I'm just dying to see our mayor get in.

But anyway. I'll let my son do that for me.

Yeah. So the petting zoo. I'm needing your blessing to allow, please, Mayor Levy.

Petting Zoo. George Ed had mentioned that the commission needs to bless that. I certainly support that. I love the idea of having the Petting Zoo. I'll open it up, the mics. Go ahead. For other folks who wish to support, let's give the support necessary.

I do not object to it if that's in the way of supporting.

All right.

Petting Zoo. All right. Let's go ahead, Commissioner Kaleri.

So I have no objection to it. I know that there's always – we have a former commissioner who was an animal rights activist and was opposed to many of it. We had an issue many years ago with bringing the Clydesdales down to the St. Patrick's Day parade. As long as there's educational information – then I think then that would be acceptable. So I don't know how that can be incorporated. But if you had some type of educational literature or puzzles or something of that nature that goes along with it, like farm animals or whatever is going to be there, what their purpose is, because then that helps educate instead of create an issue. So that's all I would ask.

Great idea. Beautiful.

Mayor.

Yes.

Georgia, I would just say in the future before you book something like that, just check with staff so we don't find ourselves in this situation again. My concern is the heat and whether or not the company that's doing the petting zoo will make sure that the animals aren't exposed to extreme heat. It's going to be brutal out there this weekend.

Yes.

Give them a shady spot under a tent, okay? All right.

And then the only thing, if I could just add, I was finished, but we do have Broward County Animal Shelter here. So just also reach out to our partners. Maybe there could be an adopt a dog or a cat day type of event. That's cool.

I like that.

It really would be awesome. Everyone needs a friend. And so maybe there's something that could be coordinated for future. Yes.

No, of course. And I was going to say that because when they do Renaissance Festival, the animal adoption portion is always there with some dogs so that people see them. And maybe they could do something similar here. But I have no problem with that. I'm just curious, Damaris, maybe we need to retweak this ordinance so that we don't face this issue in the future. Do you have the wording in front of you by any chance? Yes, I do.

Maybe we can get into that at Commission Comments.

Sure.

Yeah. All right. Georgette, congratulations. Looking forward to an amazing parade. I know we're all going to be there bright and early with our hats on at, I think, 10 AM, right? When does it start?

10 AM.

10 AM. And then where is it?

And it's going to be, that's what I wanted to say, this year is leaving out of Butler's Temple at 5701 Flagler Street. And I am excited to, with the help of Peter Hernandez, I should say, we have circuit. who's going to be giving folks transportation back to the park. And they're going to be with the parking, bringing folks to the park. Because we're expecting an overload of people this year.

Great. Looking forward to it. Where can people find out information about the event?

You can go to Juneteenth.site. You can go to Juneteenth South Broward on Facebook, all social media sites. I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't seen anything that you're doing. We're on the radio this year. I mean, we're everywhere this year. Cable TV.

Well, come on up for a photo. We're going to spread the word from here as well.

Beautiful. Thank you.

Mayor, I just want to confirm that a motion was made and voted on.

Would you like it as a form of a motion and a vote? Yes, per the ordinance, we will need to take it. All right, recognizing Vice Mayor Kaleri, go ahead.

I'd like to make a motion for the petting zoo to encompass shade for the animals, but also educational component to help educate the community about the animals that are there.

All right, a second, please. Second from Commissioner Hernandez. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none. Item carries unanimously.

Thank you. All right.

Thank you all. Looking forward to a great day. And we went from a great day to a great month. Let's invite folks that are here to accept the proclamation for Pride Month, which is, of course, June of this year. And we have Jeff Oliverio, president of Hollywood's LGBTQ Plus Council. He's here. I see Jeff Delmay, Todd Delmay here, other folks from the board. This proclamation will be presented by Commissioner Shuham. So Commissioner Shuham, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, everyone, for being here. And we raised the flag earlier on June 1, I think, this month. We were timely. Pride Month, June 2026. Whereas Pride Month is celebrated each June to commemorate the historic Stonewall uprising of June 28, 1969, a pivotal moment that sparked the modern LGBTQ plus rights movement in the United States. And whereas the city of Hollywood reaffirms its commitment to equality, dignity, and respect for all people, and stands against discrimination, harassment, and violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. and whereas members of Hollywood's LGBTQ plus community enrich our city through their contributions to business, the arts, culture, civic engagement, advocacy, and the overall social and economic vitality of our community. Whereas Hollywood has long embraced diversity and inclusion, honoring the vision of its founder, Joseph Young, as a community where people of all backgrounds are welcomed, valued, and protected. And whereas in 2020, Hollywood became the first city in Florida and the second in the nation to fly the progress pride flag at City Hall. And in partnership with the Hollywood LGBTQ Plus Council, continues its annual flag raising ceremony to promote awareness, acceptance, and unity. And whereas pride begins each year in Hollywood with the annual My Hollywood Pride Festival, the first pride celebration held anywhere in the world each year featuring community events, entertainment, youth activities, and the celebration of Hollywood's fifth consecutive perfect municipal equality index score of 100. Now, therefore, Josh Levy, mayor of the city of Hollywood, Florida, and the Hollywood City Commission urge all residents to join in ending prejudice everywhere, everywhere it may exist, respect the rights of all people, and hereby proclaim the month of June 2026 as Pride Month in the city of Hollywood, Florida.

All right.

Thank you, Mayor Levy, and thank you to our city commissioners and all of the city staff that support our community. On behalf of the Hollywood LGBTQ Plus Council and My Hollywood Pride, we want to thank you for recognizing Pride Month and for your continued commitment to making Hollywood a welcoming, inclusive community for all. Pride Month is a time to celebrate the progress we have made, honor those who have paved the way, and recognize the visibility and acceptance continue to matter. For many LGBTQ plus residents, seeing their city stand proudly in support sends a powerful message that they belong, that they are valued, and that they are a part of the fabric of this community. Hollywood has become a model for inclusion, earning and maintaining a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index, and demonstrating that diversity strengthens our city. Together, we continue to show that Hollywood is a place where everyone can live, work, and thrive as their authentic selves. Thank you for your attention. partnership since we've started this council, your leadership. I wanted to also congratulate the other organizations that received their proclamation today. And thank you for having us here and always being welcoming to our community.

Well, thank you, Jeff. And thank you to the good work of the board. You guys have really done an outstanding job in leading the community and being that bridge between other communities and the LGBTQ plus community. So I applaud you for that. And thank you. Vice Mayor Kaleri, I'd like to recognize you.

First, I want to apologize for not being able to attend the raising of the flag. I usually am there every year. But I had a conflict. Also, I just want to mention many years ago when I first became commissioner, I had a very dear friend, may he rest in peace, James Thicke. And he was a participant of the Gay Man Choir for many years. And he always used to find me in Publix and say, Tracy, you've got to bring in and bring awareness to all types of people, including my people. And I've known him for over 30 years. And he'd be really happy right now to see that all this is happening. And so congratulations. We're glad that you all are here. And we are all one. So it's amazing to see. Thank you.

All right. Thank you so much. Please come out for a photo.

There we go.

OK, one more, please.

Well, that concludes our proclamations. Thank you everybody for joining us in presenting and celebrating those. Let's go ahead now to our presentations. We've got four of them. Let's begin with inviting Doug Brightwell up. He's the director of Broward County's Animal Care regarding the agency and shelter overview. Always good to get a refresher, Mr. Director. Thanks for being here. I was told you had 30 minutes, so, you know, we'll sit back.

I won't take near that long. Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners. It's a privilege to be here. I'm Doug Brightwell, the Director for Broward County Animal Care. I've been here, and my team has been here for about two years. We've worked very hard to kind of rehabilitate the operations and the procedures of the shelter. Last year, for 2025, we served over 10,000 animals, the most we've served in almost a decade. We offer adoption, return to owner services. We do spay-neuter vouchers. We revamped our licensing program, which is one of the reasons I wanted to come and speak to you guys today. We've kind of changed the whole concept of how licensing is done for Broward County now. It is required that every owned cat and dog in Broward County be registered with the county. We changed it earlier this year where the licensing is now based on microchip status instead of sterilization status. Because a lot of people who don't want to sterilize their pets or because of cost or other beliefs would choose not to license their pet because they don't want to pay the higher licensing fees. We still believe that all pets should be sterilized, but we don't want to make that as a barrier to licensing so that we can get animals back home as quickly as possible. So we changed it to qualify for paying the lowest licensing fee in the county now. It's $25 a year. If your pet is microchipped, we have that microchip on file in our system. If your pet is not microchipped and we do not have the microchip number on file in our system, it's $55 a year. We changed county ordinance in February where we now will be able to offer three-year licenses as well along with people who get a three-year rabies vaccination, which is required. So a one-year microchipped pet fee is $25. A three-year microchipped pet fee is $65. So there's a little bit of a discount built in if you go ahead and do the three-year licensing. If it's a non-microchip pet, it's $55 for one year or $145 for three years. We also, about 10 months of the year, we offer free vaccination in microchip clinics throughout the county in underserved neighborhoods. And we offer those vaccinations and microchips for free so that we're removing any barriers to people not being able to get their vaccination for ABs, which is required, or get the microchip so you can qualify for the lower license fee. Since we changed this and started concentrating on microchipping along with licensing, we've increased our return to owner rate to 15%, which is for dogs, which is significantly higher than it was in previous years. We still have a long way to go, but that is a significant increase. Unfortunately, cats only average about 4% a year for return to owner. Cat owners do not come and look for their lost cats the way that dog owners do. We're trying to improve that with education as well. But a lot of stray cats that come in, we return them back to where they came from after we sterilized them, rabies and microchip them, or not microchip them for return to field, but for stray cats. They're sterilized and their rabies vaccinated and returned to the origin so that they can continue living in their neighborhoods. That way they don't end up coming into shelters and languishing. So we hope that that will continue to grow and expand. The revenue from our licensing program also funds our sterilization program for own pets and TNR cats. So we encourage that also as a motivation for folks to do it. We have a really good partnership with your city ACO, Officer Ritchie. And we also have an opportunity, and I haven't looked to see if the fire stations in Hollywood have all gotten them, but we have a program where every fire station can get a free microchip scanner so that if a lot of people will take lost pets to the fire station, and then some of them end up with us through the fire department. So we have scanners available for all of the fire stations now so that they can scan and attempt to get those pets back home through giving the citizen the ability to find out where that pet goes if it's possible. So just wanted to recap all of that with you guys and also mention that it is hurricane season. The county does have four planned pet-friendly shelters if we do have an event, which hopefully we do not have another event this year as well. But our staff are the folks who staff those four pet-friendly shelters to assist the citizens with taking care of their pets during a storm. So we have professional folks in all those four storm shelters to assist pet owners during those events. So that concludes all I want to talk to you about, if you've got any questions.

Thank you so much. I would just say that I love the name. What used to be, I guess, animal control is now animal care? Yes, sir. That's a much better word, and it's just great. Let's get to Commissioner Shuham.

Thank you. Thank you so much for that information. And yes, much better name. I have a very specific question for you. So particularly in North Beach, but I think really throughout the city, there was an organization called Cat Pals. And they used to come and collect stray cats, neuter them, and release them back onto the barrier island. And it took many years to willow down that huge population of stray cats. And then at the end, maybe 10 years ago, they scooped up a whole bunch and relocated them. And the situation was under control until recently. The past couple of years, there's been a ton of cat dumping again. Cat Pals had kind of somewhat dissolved. We're trying to find a way to get them back to do what they were doing, unless the county has a program.

We do not have a specific program for that.

But what they're telling me, because it's terrible. I mean, people just dump cat food everywhere and dump cats everywhere, and it's... Not a good situation. But what those folks are saying is that there was a change in the law that you are no longer allowed to release a cat where it was found after it's been neutered. So that you have to place it either in your custody and control or I don't know what.

That is not a county ordinance or a regulation.

Is it a state ordinance?

Not to my knowledge. FWC, Florida Fish and Wildlife, tends to be who is kind of stuck with navigating the community cat issue. They tend to not have an opinion on it at all because they don't want to weigh in on it. So they leave it to county ordinances and city ordinances to make those decisions. Broward County has policies in place to allow return to field, which is what we do for random cats, and then for T and R, which are the more organized colonies with specific feeders. As long as the animal is vaccinated, sterilized, and eartipped so that it's visibly known that it's sterilized. And we just changed it because of the people just dumping food at all times. We asked the caregivers now to limit their feeding to a three-hour period within a 24-hour window so that you don't have the nuisance wildlife and all of that and the trash issues. But there is not any county ordinance barring the activity.

And if you guys are doing it, then a nonprofit should be able to do it too. Absolutely. And I would just ask, and maybe it is in your rules, that to the extent people are feeding these cats, that they not do it on sidewalks or roadways.

There's language in there about public nuisance created by that type of stuff. Fantastic. So they can refer back to the county ordinance.

Because the raccoons are having a great time over there.

Which is why we narrowed the window for feeding as well, because of the raccoons mostly. Right.

Awesome. Thanks for that.

Thank you. Commissioner Biederman?

A couple of things. And just for the listening audience, adopt, don't shop. Yes, sir. And I also wanted to touch base on a TNR, which is great that you guys are doing it in-house now, because it used to be you had vouchers where you'd go to a- We do both. OK. And I love your scanner opportunity. Because I had mentioned it several years ago that we should buy some for our parks, because there's like mobile stations. But our police officers have some of them. But I'd love the opportunity if fire can reach out and put some at some of our fire stations. They may have.

I just don't have the spreadsheet in front of me to know exactly who has. We did? OK.

All of them? OK. See, so our public needs to know this. They don't have to wait for a vet to open the next day or bother 911 or non-emergency police. And then finally, also several years ago, you had a mobile spay and neuter pop-up trailer that we had here in Hollywood a couple of times. Is that still moving around the county, or is that sunsetted?

That piece of equipment ceased to function a number of years ago, and it was not replaced. And so we are now just doing the mobile rabies microchip clinics, which is what we have the manpower and the budget for to do those. But we don't have a mobile sterilization opportunity right now.

OK. And you mentioned that the license is contingent on The microchip, not spay and neuter. That is correct. But it still has to be rabies shot.

You still have to have a valid rabies vaccination. And then the expiration of the rabies tag is in conjunction with the expiration of the rabies vaccination.

So I don't think that's the case. So I just want to clarify because we had the three-year rabies shot done on our adopted dogs from the forward animal?

We just changed the ordinance in February. Now we are offering three-year licenses. Okay. So when you renew your three-year license the next time, you can then get a three-year license to go with that three-year vaccine. Okay. Because we were renewing it every year. It became effective May 4th. I appreciate you clarifying that.

Okay. Very nice.

Thank you.

Thank you. All right. Well, Mr. Director, thank you so much for being here. Thanks, sir. And for the update. It helps us spread the word about all that you guys are doing.

Thank you for having me. Hop, don't shop. Thank you.

All right. Terry Cantrell, please come on up. Terry is the chair of the General Obligation Bond Oversight Advisory Committee, and he'd love to provide us with this final annual report of, thankfully, this effort being somewhat almost just there, pretty much final. Terry, welcome.

Thank you, Mayor and City Commission. Yeah, Terry Cantrell, chair of your now sunsetted Hollywood General Obligation Bond Advisory Committee. First off, I'd like to start by thanking the former city manager, Keller, as well as our new city manager, Story, for allowing us to have a couple more meetings. We had three since last year.

And the commission that allowed it.

Oh, and the commission, of course, too. Correct, yes. Well, I think you left it up to George Keller, but he was very good about this. But I do want to give you credit for that. Thank you. I must start by complimenting our DCM staff. I mean, it's hard to believe that these projects could have gone off any smoother than they have so far. Of course, Jose Cortez, we had Nicole Herron for a while. They're a great staff. And most importantly, somebody that really helped make this a successful effort was Kendra Parker, who's sitting back here, who happened to be Jose's secretary. I want to give a shout out to Kendra. We joke because that's the sixth hairstyle I've seen her in the last three months, so I don't know what that is. Well, who knows what that is. But anyways, again, thank you to DCM staff. I'm sure you all have read page for page the report from 2025, so I don't have to review that, obviously. Of course, we were created in 2019, so you're talking about seven years of this ad hoc effort. Quite an effort it was, too. We had very good attendance for most of the time. Matter of fact, a handful of us practically didn't miss any meetings. Myself, Clive Taylor, Lynn Smith, two members, Molly Taylor and Annette Smith from District 5, I think were at every single meeting that we had, which was really great representation from all over the city. So our goal was to make recommendations, but there really wasn't a lot of recommendations needed. We made recommendations and suggestions to staff, of course, and they acted on a lot of those, too. But the projects were going so smoothly that other than just reviewing the monies and seeing where the money is going to go and making some suggestions there, we didn't have to come to you with any major you know, to tell you what we think that you should do. One thing we did want to do and it was really our goal the last couple of meetings was to make some suggestions on what you may want to decide to do with whatever surplus money. Now, I don't want to speak for Jose and his team because there may be no surplus money, but we understand there could be some excess money, some surplus money left over from some of the projects that were managed so well. So we did receive, and we started talking about this years ago, we did receive a copy of a letter from the Parks and Rec Advisory Committee, and you're going to hear from their chair momentarily, in 2023 about suggestions of what to do, for instance, with some of the Orange Brook money that might be left over. Their number one suggestion was the Hollywood Beach Golf Course. That project is pretty much done now. I know there's a couple items on a wish list. But number two was the Sunset property. And our committee looked at that over the last couple of meetings. And we agree, whatever parks and rec advisory, and that money would have to come from the parks and rec kitty. It couldn't be commingled with the other groups. So if there's any parks and rec money left, Sunset would be a great thing to do with it, in our opinion. But we still have a ways to go. There's still probably another year or so. I know the seawall projects is going to be probably dragged on for a while. Rotary has some issues. We're still waiting for the FEC and the Brightline problems there, too. So I think there's still some other issues. The gateway signs, I understand, are very close to reality, which is a great thing, too. So I'd just like to say, though, that that one of the things that, when you look at some of the other GOBs recently, let's take Fort Lauderdale, they still haven't even gone around to their parks. They have parks projects they haven't even touched yet. Their police station project was a total debacle. And when you compare that GOB and that effort to what we did here and what Jose and his team did, it's just like night and day. I would also like to thank Kendra, who gave me a certificate signed by all of you. Thank you very much for that. And in closing, though, I think what really hit home is a few of us went on a tour of the police station a few weeks ago. and led by project manager Heather. You couldn't have had a better project manager for that particular project. For those of you that have gone on that tour with Heather, you know what I mean. It was a two-hour tour, detailed, every single question answered. We saw parts of the police station that very few people will probably ever see, unless maybe you have come through this alley port for some reason, and hopefully you're not there. And we walked, I know Tom Landers was my vice chair, and we walked out and we were just, we were really overcome with emotion about how great this whole thing has turned out, how the projects, and especially the police stations. So I think that pretty much typifies just how great this whole GLB effort is. And I don't think you'll have any problem doing another one in another five or ten years too. So again, thank you very much. That's all I have. It was a pleasure.

Thank you for the report and for all the work of the GOB volunteers and the oversight committee. I think your input certainly helped the staff at times and otherwise served its intended purpose of involving folks and making sure that things stay on track. And as you mentioned, they certainly did. And thanks to the great work of Jose Cortez, city leadership, and all the team members involved at DCM and beyond, police, the architects, engineers, everyone, we really ought to be proud of where we are. And as you mentioned, comparatively especially. Yes. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Thank you.

All right. Ettore. Ettore de Torres. Please come on up. Ettore is the chair of the Parks, Rec, and Cultural Arts Advisory Board here to present the annual report for the advisory board. Thank you, Eddie.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Commission. Appreciate the time. And we'll go through these 20 slides really quick here. So I'll take up those last 20 minutes that Terry didn't get. There you go. So Parks, Rec, and Cultural Arts Advisory Board promotes parks, recreation, and cultural arts programs throughout our city. The board supports parks, athletics, special events, and golf operations, and advises the city commission on community needs. We also review capital improvement projects related to our park facilities. Last year, the Young Circle Arts Park Advisory Board was sunsetted and consolidated into our PRCA board. As a result the board expanded to 16 members in May of 2025 For accomplishments for 2025, we continue to host guest speakers from the city and county leadership. We invited the mayor, commissioners, and department representatives to come and share what's happening in our city and to bounce our ideas off of where we can go and what we can do to make our facilities and programs better for our city. We conduct meetings at the various parks and cultural arts facilities. We tour these community centers and cultural venues. And then one thing we've started for the last four years, which has been really good, is we continue our monthly park observation program. So all the members, even though you volunteer and you come, it's amazing that even when I first started, I didn't know every park here. And I grew up here. Grew up in Driftwood Acres, went to Driftwood Elementary. I grew up in our park system.

Took me two years to get to every park.

And it was like, sometimes I hear the name, and I'd have to look on the map. It was almost embarrassing. But it's great. And it's awesome. We get out there. And that's probably the best thing we do is because then we engage the public that's at the park. And you just hear things about a shade canopy, about a tree that's an issue. Or we've had simple things where an electrical conduit was broken and a wire was exposed. And one of our members picked that up right away, sent it in, Rick's team addressed it immediately. So we had safety issues that we try to find. And those are, it's great feedback to go out there because, you know, we're volunteering and we go to some of these parks, a lot of these parks, but we don't really know all the ins and outs. And when you start meeting parents and families that are at the parks, they give you such great feedback. And it's been probably one of the most value we get. And that feedback goes right into the team and I'm going to tell you, nine out of ten times, Rick and his team and Sandra are on it right away. So they're doing a great job supporting that. Next, 2025, you know, we continue to support the Ignite Festival. That's something that we've been on for probably three years, and we've been really excited to see that. Fantastic festival, and I'm proud to see that for our city. In March, actually, the mayor met with us at David Park. And we had a presentation on what was a jazz festival that was done here many years ago. So maybe it was just good timing, or maybe we were just lucky. But I'm excited to see that the jazz festival is coming back to Hollywood. So we feel excited to be part of that. We continue to review and support recreation marketing strategies. As Terry said, it's great that you're a hero when you're spending all that general obligation money, that GOB bond money. It looks good. It's all fancy. But it's useless if our public doesn't enjoy and really benefit from the facilities that we've built out there. And so now it comes down to the programming. What type of programming can we do? What can we do there to really engage the community? Because that's where the value of these facilities is at. We continue to work with our communications coordinator. I'm so excited to see that we have a dedicated coordinator that hasn't been poached by another department within this city. So thank you for supporting that. And it's great to see now we've worked and the city's got their, Parks and Rec's got their own Instagram page, which is just, we get a lot of feedback now from people that When I get into the parks, that's one thing they talk about is the information they get to the Instagram page. For some reason, they don't want to go to the website. And the biggest feedback I do hear is about an app. And I know we have something in the works, but the Instagram page has really been a big win. So great job. About four years ago, we started on a program with the Boy Scouts. It started with just some little free libraries putting in all our facilities. And at the time, we only had them in the community centers. And we said, we should have one at every parks and rec facility. And so that's kind of been our goal. And the last year and a half's just been, it started as we got three, we got five. And all of a sudden, it's just like something that's taken off. And now we even have members who are We're, I would say, on our board, probably four or five board members are even donating to a local park by their homes. So it's been a fantastic. And we've now distributed up to 1,800 books to youth citywide. And we're partnering with community groups because we want to continue that. And our goal is to have one in every park cultural arts facility. We support and promoted the addition of senior programming at Washington Park. We worked to introduce cornhole at the community centers. That was something that was feedback from the general public that we met with, which was awesome. And, you know, we heard a lot about pickleball. Yes, we did. And so, you know, with some of the money, Rick's team and we've expanded pickleball at our parks, and that's been great. That's probably the number one thing to hear about is pickleball, so that's been a big win. And even one of our board members even launched a sewing program at the Armory, and it started out as just a volunteer operation, but now she's grown that program, and it's amazing. I thought it would just be a few kids, but now we have adults coming into her program, and it's just been a great grassroots, and it's been a fantastic win. So hopefully we can grow that beyond just the Armory. That's my five minutes, and that's my five slides, and I appreciate your time. I do want to thank the crew here. Commissioner Quintana, please.

Thank you so much. Ettore, thank you so much for your work volunteering as the chair. And I'm just so happy to hear the report of all the good work that you all have been doing. And as many of you know, for me, really exactly what you said about having these buildings is a wonderful thing. But if the buildings are empty, it's not the value that our community needs. And I also think that some folks think that parks are kind of an extra, kind of something that can be sacrificed because it's not a first priority. But in a time where we're living with an epidemic of loneliness and isolation, parks are the places where people can come together and really find community and find common interests find connection. So I honestly think parks play such an important part, not just with mental health, but in engaging our youth and making sure that they're actually not idle on the streets and causing problems. I mean, I think our parks are essential and really should be considered a very important part of what makes our city great. So I really appreciate the work that you and the board is doing, Sharon Knitsberg's sewing program. I wish I could clone Sharon, that she's doing this as a volunteer. She lives in my district. She's doing it at the Armory. I'm like, Sharon, come out west, come out west. So thank you again for all your work.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

All right. Last but not least is a presentation by the chair of our sister cities advisory board, Christine Corbo. I see other board members here and staff liaisons from the mayor and commissioner's office here as well. Great to see you, Christine, Jesse. And I know there's a lot of excitement about sister cities and about these people-to-people relationships that we can all cultivate, right?

Good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, city manager, and managers. Yeah, we're just in love with the sister city program. We re-energized it this year. And I'm just going to give you some highlights prepared by our staff liaisons who I couldn't give more credit to. I mean, they've really, Nancy, Jackie, Cheryl, they've pushed us further and further and guided us in a way we couldn't be more thankful for. So thank you. Especially Nancy. I drive her nuts. OK, so we reached out to our current sister cities to reignite the connection and inviting the mayors of these cities, as well as council generals, to reconnect with and invite to Hollywood's centennial celebration. We got responses from the council generals of Uruguay and Romania and connected to them in their teams with virtual meetings. We received a letter from Mayor Fischer from Israel and an email from the council general's office in Miami. The city attorney gave us a tutorial, and I thank her so much, on the Sunshine rules and regulations and ethics. and we really needed the sunshine rules explained. We re-enrolled to Sister Cities International. We invited a member of the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to attend our board meetings. In 2025, the committee met to discuss opportunities to strengthen the relationships with the existing Sister Cities and to increase community awareness of the Sister City program. Members shared recommendations focused on improving communications, identifying opportunities for cultural and educational exchange, and encourage greater collaboration with local organizations. The committee also discussed the importance of renewed partnerships and additional support to help advance our future initiatives. On November 11th, a delegation from Nur-e-Fishan, Uzbekistan, met with the sister cities advisory committee members, myself, Jesse, Commissioner Hernandez, Mayor Kevin Biederman, And they brought their products, and discussion ensued regarding meaningful partnership focused on trade, education, innovation, and cultural exchange. The mission of Sister City program and the advisory committee is to involve people and organize groups at all levels of society, fostering cultural understanding, educational exchange, and international goodwill by establishing productive people-to-people relationships. And on that note, and aside from this wonderful presentation, we've had roundtable meetings, our board, with Argentina, Russia, Kosovo, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Italy, Zambia, United Kingdom, Peru, Japan, Germany, and Mozambique. So we've really spread out our Hollywood brand and made some really good contacts with these countries to further us in a more worldwide situation. So we're happy about that. Our goals and objectives for 2026, establish a better partnership with the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, investigate alternate sources of funding, grants, because right now we don't really have any money, representation to attend Sister Cities International Conference. And we are very well connected with the Sister Cities International through all of these roundtables that we have. So that's been very successful. And this goes on. Plan a flag ceremony for our newest sister city, Leoun, Morocco, which I know Mayor and Tracy and the Biedermanns, everyone attended. And we're in touch with them. So they're just looking for more contact with us. We want to build on our foundation, setting achievable goals and supporting initiatives aligned with our mission. Our objectives include coordination, encouraging participation, and advancing initiative at a steady, realistic pace, which doesn't work with me. We've got to go faster. That's why we have you there. Our expected accomplishments or special achievements, we've planned a highlight, an in-person visit to a sister city leadership meeting and strengthen relationships and encourage future cultural exchanges. And what we also learned from our sister city international, that there's a very... small amount of countries, cities from South America. And they all look to us as a major hub of the Miami area to reach out to the South American, Central American countries to grab more into the association. So I think if you guys have more suggestions who you would like us to reach out to, we'd be happy to do it. But this is coming from sister cities, internationals. There was a lot of time spent recreating and orienting the board. That's true. The time it takes to get things accomplished, the red tape of government, all was a lesson that we had to learn. We faced limitations in coordination and capacity and slowed progress. But we're hoping that going forward, we can solve all of these minor issues. Because the dedication is there, and we all kind of are excited about it. And I have to thank my board members, which we have my sidekick here, Jesse. Fernandez, Hernandez, Fernandez. We make fun of that. Ojeda Smalls from the Chamber of Commerce, she's been an asset to us. Our commissioner, Peter Hernandez, who added $500 to our pot, to our kitty as a little gift. get ahead. Ben Key, he is one of our board members. And he has taken on the leadership of working on new members. And he's currently working on a couple of cities in Argentina. We have Jesse Hernandez here, who is working on our event coordinator. Susan Triano, she's taken on the Young Artists and Authors Showcase, which is a feature of the Sister City International. So she's working to get students from member cities to submit their projects for literature, art, photography, poetry, and literature. And there's $1,000 award each year. So she's going to work with our local schools to see how she can get their art departments and all of these participating entities take part in it. I am the sports tourism person. We also learned from the Sister Cities International that they feel, this is the international group, that sports tourism is the future and an economic engine to drive community relationships, city, state, country, worldwide. And they've asked us, because of our proximity to where the World Cup is being hosted, to give the State Department our feedback on what kind of impact did having the World Cup here create in our community. And I was happy to let them know that this January, sports tourism just for the national championship increased our Hollywood tourism in January by 21%. So we have five major teams. We have one of the number one college brands in the world all playing here. So drawing on that to fill our hotels, our restaurants, and create a tourism. So that's what we're up to. We look for your support, ideas, and it's a pleasure. I love this committee.

Well, thank you so much, Christine, and to all the board members for your volunteerism and your passion for the ideals and pursuits of sister cities. It means a lot. And it can go a long way. And it's important in its history and its reason to be founded after World War II was important. And we can have a lot of fun with it too, as you said, and enrich our lives. And so I'd like to recognize Commissioner Hernandez for his effort to help the committee and also to participate. Please.

Thank you, Mayor. And thank you for bringing it up, not because I donated $500, but because any individual that would like to support the program, the city has actually set an account aside So they can make the check out to the City of Hollywood for Sister Cities International. And it goes earmarked for their budget in order whenever they host something here. But at the same time, I like to encourage the hotels like the Margaritavilles, the Marriott, the Hilton that are here, the Diplomat, in order for them to become sponsors. So that whenever they go to some of these conferences and they have a background, they could have those sponsors there. And whenever we host any delegations that are coming, they would have a place to go. This is what Sister Cities is about. It's about a force multiplier when it comes to marketing the city of Hollywood as a destination. We have a beautiful beach. We have a beautiful downtown. It's a great city. It's very encompassing of all different cultures, which we celebrate. So that's what Sister Cities has the ability to do. And so I encourage anyone that has any extra money or that would like to donate, to please donate to the Sister City program. And I would encourage the hotels and the different businesses that can benefit from such to actually be able to do so. I think they've done a great job. And it's been my pleasure to help you guys out. Thank you.

All right, thank you so much.

And go USA, Friday, World Cup. Downtown is booming. Go to the beach. Colombia is on its way. We've got Argentina. We've got people all over the place. So just get out there and welcome them. They're looking to enjoy our city.

We love being hosts. Thank you so much. Thank you all. All right, I'm going to take things a little bit out of order now that we're on our regular agenda items and time certain items. I feel like the ordinance for, I see folks here from Hollywood Fire Rescue and Local 1375, so let's go ahead with their ordinance real quick. Ordinance of the City of Hollywood, Florida. Item 26. Ordinance of the City of Hollywood, Florida, amending Chapter 33 of the Code of Ordinances titled Firefighters' Pension and Retirement, incorporating various changes to the chapter contained in the tentatively agreed to collective bargaining agreement with the Hollywood Professional Firefighters Local 1375. I'm going to forego reading the rest of it because I think when she... When she reads the ordinance, the city attorney will go through it all. We have a motion from Vice Mayor Kaleri and a second from Commissioner Gruber to approve the ordinance on first reading. I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing. For the record, Commissioner Gruber is registering his attendance. Ann Ralston, come on up.

I guess I was expecting to hear if the firefighters are in agreement with this or not. You know I always fight for the little guy, and I just want to make sure that this contract makes improvements to the lives of the firefighters that risk their lives every day. and save lives every day, whether it be on the beach or at a fire or on an ambulance. Sometimes we have too many chiefs and the Indians get neglected. So I'm just hoping this contract rewards the ones that actually are out there doing it.

Thank you. Yes, there was a vote of the bargaining unit, and they all approved with the necessary majority this agreement, which I think they should be very, very happy with. We have a motion and a second. City attorney, please read the ordinance and call the roll call vote.

An ordinance of the city of Hollywood, Florida amending chapter 33 of the code of ordinances titled Firefighters Pension and Retirement, incorporating various changes to the chapter contained in the tentatively agreed to collective bargaining agreement with the Hollywood Professional Firefighters, local number 1375, including changes to the benefit accrual rate for firefighters who separate from service enter the deferred retirement option plan or enter the reformed planned retirement benefit to 3.4% of average final compensation for each year of credited service earned. And on and after July 7, 2026, for both Tier 1 and Tier 2 members, changes to the normal retirement date to the earlier of the first day of the month following the attainment of the age 50 and the completion of 10 years of credited service or upon the completion of 21 years of credited service, regardless of age, and changes to the member contribution rate to 9.85% for Tier 1 members and 11.35% for Tier 2 members, providing for conflict, codification, and an effective date.

Commissioner Gruber?

Yes.

Commissioner Biederman?

Yes.

Commissioner Quintana? Yes. Commissioner Shuham?

Yes.

Commissioner Hernandez?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Kaleri?

100%, yes.

Mayor Levy?

101%, yes. All right, motion carries unanimously on first reading. Thank you all, and thank you to the staff team. I worked on ironing out all these details. I know it was a little bit of a long slog, but here we are, and let's move forward in great fashion and be proud of the work we do. Thank you all.

Yes.

All right. You're free to go if you like, or you're free to stay until 6 o'clock, whatever. All right. On to our time, certain items, item 24 and 25. Item 24 is an ordinance of the City of Hollywood amending the city's existing comprehensive plan by amending the potable water sub-element of the utilities element to adopt by reference the water supply facilities work plan 2025 update in accordance with Florida statutes as more specifically set forth in exhibit A. This is an ordinance on second reading, advertised as a public hearing in conformance with state statutes and city codes. There have been no changes since the first reading. This, of course, is from the Department of Development Services and goes to the city's economic vitality. I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing. Are there any speaker cards on item 24? No cards. Public hearing is closed. We have a motion from Commissioner Shuham and a second from Commissioner Quintana to approve the ordinance on second reading. City attorney, please read the ordinance and we'll call a roll call vote.

I wanted to make a comment.

Commissioner Quintana is recognized.

Thank you, Mayor. Just maybe I should wait till you read the ordinance because I wanted to refer some of what this is.

Now would be an appropriate time. Go ahead.

So what this item does, as I understand it, it's going to amend our city's comprehensive plan to modify the way that we use potable water. And I just wanted to, once again, I think I've said it before, whenever I'm using my hose at home to wash the car or water the grass or whatever, now that I know what I know about drinking water and how it's not a limitless resource, I feel so guilty. whenever I'm using water that I could use to drink for something other than drinking. And that's what this item is about, is where we get our water, how much water we use, and how we conserve the kind that we drink that we can't then use sometimes, something that would not be suitable for drinking, we could use for things like irrigation. And so I'll just want to once again ask for support from the commission to really focus on developing programming to help residents take their water consumption into their own hands and to be able to have resources where they can control what happens with water on their property, whether that be rainwater catchment for things like irrigation at a later date, or things like if you've got places on your property where there's flooding, where you might be able to apply things like a rain garden design on your property or on the swale in front of your house. I would love it if our city would be able to support residents in being able to do things like that for their individual properties and put some resources in place for them to be able to do that. So I'm looking for support.

I support that. I support that.

Support to look into what we can do to help people manage the water that's on their properties.

I support that.

All right. I have a question. Go ahead. I had everybody lit up because I was going to take the vote, but go ahead.

So in some cities, they have a non-potable tap that residents can go fill up with for water on their lawn or for pest control trucks to fill up with and stuff like that. I mean, we use it for irrigation, our trucks. Do we have a public access tap for the public? Do we know? Because somebody was telling me there are some cities, I know Ormond Beach has it at their facility where you could pull up and fill up with non-potable water.

Mayor, Vice Mayor, Phyllis Shaw, City of Hollywood. No, we do not have a separate system where residents are able to go and fill up. We are making some changes to the tier system for irrigation, so there's more than one tier, but we currently do not have a system in place.

What would be the complexities of having a tap like that?

We can look into it, but I am not sure at this moment.

Because we have it for our in-house trucks and for our irrigation trucks, right?

No, sir.

So Commissioner, I think one of the issues is with our reuse water, the non-potable water. We actually don't have our own non-potable water. The saline content, the salt content of our non-potable water is pretty high. And so we get reuse from our other large users, and we use that. Sometimes that supply has not been incredibly reliable because we are dependent on other cities for it. But we can certainly look into this and whether or not there is an option for doing this based on the amount that we have and what we think that usage might be.

Yes, ma'am. OK.

So if you want to get support for us to look into that, that is something we can do.

OK. Thank you. Sure. You have to ask for it. Support. Support. Anybody?

Okay.

There you go. Thank you.

And so just this is to put us in compliance with the South Florida Water Management District's Lower East Coast Water Supply Plan. And so I just want to point out that we'll do this this year, and we'll see what happens if the ballot item passes, because there'll be probably less resources at the South Florida Water Management District, since that's one of the groups that's funded through property taxes. So there could be some impact to this in the future. But just for the public's knowledge that that's what we're doing is becoming in compliance with that plan.

Okay. City Attorney, please read the ordinance and let's call a roll call vote.

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CITY'S EXISTING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY AMENDING THE POTABLE WATER SUBELEMENT OF THE UTILITIES ELEMENT TO ADOPT BY REFERENCE THE WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES WORK PLAN 2025 UPDATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 163.3177 SUBSECTION 6, SUBSECTION C, SUBSECTION 3 FLORIDA STATUTES AS MORE SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH IN EXHIBIT A AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

Commissioner Gruber?

Yes.

Commissioner Biederman?

Here, yes.

Commissioner Quintana? Yes. Commissioner Shuham? Yes. Commissioner Hernandez? Yes. Vice Mayor Kaleri? Yes. Mayor Levy?

Yes. All right, let's show the ordinance passing unanimously on second reading. All right, on to item 25, is an ordinance of the City of Hollywood changing the zoning designation of 0.94 acres, generally located at 2910 Polk Street, as more specifically described in exhibit A, from transitional core zoning district, TC1, to retail core zoning district, RC1, and amending the city zoning map to reflect the change in the designation. This is an ordinance on first reading, advertising conformance to state statutes and city codes, I'd like to recognize Cameron here from Planning to present the item.

Good afternoon, Mayor.

Mr. Palmer.

Good afternoon, Cameron Palmer from the Division of Planning and Urban Design, Assistant Director of Development Services. Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Commissioners. I'm here to speak to you about 2910 Polk Street and the surrounding property. As soon as the presentation comes up, we'll get this taken in the right direction. Thank you. As read into the record, the property is located at 2910 Polk Street and features just under an acre, being rezoned from the transitional Core 1 district to the retail Core 1 zoning district within the Regional Activity Center. The property is located in the prominent and central location of the city, just north of Hollywood Boulevard and east of the Interstate 95. By way of a little background for the commission, this item went before the Planning and Development Board alongside a concurrent site plan and design and variance request. The item for rezoning was recommended for approval by the Planning and Development Board in June of this year. And the concurrent design, site plan, and variance request for a six-story office building with an associated parking garage was also conditionally approved based on the outcomes of this rezoning request. By way of context, the property is located at 2910 Polk Street. On the screen, you'll see the area on the left of the existing vacant site. And on the right is the accurate image of the site as it exists today with the existence of a singular billboard on the property. This billboard will remain and will be incorporated into the design and site plan request that is moving forward. That was conditionally approved at the board.

It's not going anywhere.

As it pertains to land use and zoning, the property is zoned TC1 in its current condition, and it is within the regional activity center. As a brief reminder to the commission, the comprehensive plan speaks to the regional activity center as a place to encourage mixed use, expanding uses, and increasing heights, as well as more intense office and commercial mixed use where appropriate. which brings us to the rezoning request today. On the screen, you'll see the portion that is being requested to be rezoned from TC1, which is depicted in a light lavender color, to RC1, which is depicted in orange. As it pertains to the reason of the request, it pertains primarily to the FAR provisions of the RC1 category. The TC1 category requires or permits a maximum floor area ratio of 1.5. whereas the RC1 permits up to 2.75. It increases the height modestly from four stories to a maximum of seven stories and reduces the side and rear setbacks modestly to zero and five feet, accordingly. As it pertains to the surrounding context in terms of uses, to the east is interstate I-95. To the south are two parcels owned by the Florida Department of Transportation and are intended to be maintained for drainage purposes. To the east is the gateway in residential uses. And to the north are multifamily residential uses. And to the northwest is a parcel outlined in yellow having nothing to do with today's request, but also owned by the applicant of today's request. As it pertains to the rezoning criteria, they're outlined in section 5.3 of our zoning and land development regulations. And the application has been found to be consistent with all of the criteria. Staff finds that the request is compliant with the city's comprehensive plan and the zoning and land development regulations. And the board recommended approval on June 9, 2026. And staff is recommending approval as well for this request. Now, while we don't typically get into the design during rezoning items, I can't help but share a little bit so you understand the context of what this rezoning is going to help support and enable. On the screen is the site plan that was conditionally approved by the Planning and Development Board for a six-story office building and a 70-foot 9-level parking garage to support that office function. The height of the gross floor area is 92,000 square feet. And as a reminder, the billboard on the site is going to be incorporated into the design. On the screen is just a render of the design as it's looking from Hollywood Boulevard, so facing south. And staff has worked immensely with the applicant to ensure that the design is in keeping with Class A office stock available within the county and ensures that it's an appropriate gateway to the city of Hollywood. And again, just another image showing how staff worked from the first rendering on the left to the last rendering on the right to ensure that design is exactly what it should be for that. Wow.

What an improvement. What a difference. Let's clap. I mean, thank you to the applicant and Cameron, to everyone who I know worked very long on this item. I know it's been a long time coming, and to see this investment that could be made possible by this rezoning to, you know, bring about such a complimentary, beautiful look for the city and great use to expand the office opportunity in the city is really a great thing. I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing. Are there any speaker cards on item 25? Public hearing is now closed. Happy to open it up to the floor and to a motion. Motion to approve. I'm sorry, say again. Motion to approve. Motion from Commissioner Biederman, second from Commissioner Quintana to approve rezoning. Commissioner Shuham.

It's beautiful, and thank you to staff for those improvements, and thank you to the applicant for those improvements. I just have two, I guess, zoning questions, Cameron.

One is

When you showed the uses, for example, in the RC1, you could have a nightclub. What happens if for some reason, because we do see this, this building ends up not getting built? Can anything like a nightclub end up there?

The applicant, the zone would be available for all the permitted uses. However, a nightclub in that particular case is an adult entertainment use, which would also require additional adult entertainment licenses that gets routed through the city for additional review process. So it's not an as of, it's not as right element where you would get it off the bat.

So can you just go back to that slide that had the uses?

There we go. Yeah.

What does that mean? Yeah, I mean, isn't it as of right that you could have anything in the right hand?

It's permitted as of right, but you would have to go to the additional layer of the adult use chapter of the code, which is Article 11, which requires additional checks and balances to take place prior to that use being permitted.

And if a business got that license, is that all? The city could not stop that?

I mean, the zoning is the zoning, and the permitted uses are the permitted uses. So, yeah, any one of those uses could be within the office building. If they were to want to not build an office building and build some different freestanding building, they'd have to come back for site plan approval, which would go through a whole other round of reviews. And I think this owner who's been here, and I've received some phone calls over the years they've been working on this, they want to build this office building. They've gone through a lot to get this to today.

And this is what we want you to build.

Yeah.

And then the second question is the nine-story garage for a six-story office building. Is that what you said?

Nine levels, correct. Office has a larger or a more demanding parking requirement, and the applicant is not requesting a variance for parking. So for the amount of office floor space they're proposing, that is the required parking. We've worked with them to ensure that screening is appropriate and that where possible they implement public art.

OK, and can you go back to just the rendering? And that's the screening in the build, because the buildings look like the parking garage is smaller here.

And I think it may be just the angle that's being presented. Again, it's on the right on this one. So we worked with the applicant to intentionally advise them to design the parking to be subservient to the main building in the design and the materiality so that the building stands out more than the parking. And again, the parking levels are shorter floor to ceiling and office level. That's what I was. So it does compress. That answers my question. There you go. Sorry.

OK, thank you. That's it.

Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Biederman, and then we'll go ahead and take the vote.

Just to throw in my two cents, I think this is a perfect location to be a park and ride kind of, or a ride by tri-rail for people that work in that building. If they have a surplus of parking, that surplus of parking might be able to be offered to people that are parking and riding on the tri-rail. I think this is a perfect location, and it deserves this catapult of... to catapult that little neighborhood there.

Great. Let's go ahead and read the ordinance and call the roll call vote.

An ordinance of the City of Hollywood, Florida, changing the zoning designation of 0.94 acres, generally located at 2910 Polk Street, as more specifically described in Exhibit A, from the Transitional Core Zoning District, TC1, to Retail Core Zoning District, RC1, and amending the city's zoning map to reflect the change in zoning designation.

Commissioner Gruber.

Yes.

Commissioner Biederman? Yes. Commissioner Cantana? Yes. Commissioner Shuham? Yes. Commissioner Hernandez? Yes. Vice Mayor Kaleri?

Yes.

Mayor Levy?

Yes. All right. Let's show the ordinance passing unanimously on first reading. Thank you all so much for the effort. Thank you, Cameron. Thank you all.

Game changer. Yep.

All right. If you'd like to go ahead and come and speak, please go ahead. Yes. I'm sorry that I didn't call on you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Looking forward to the beautiful building.

Thank you so much. Thank you all.

Take care. All right. Ladies and gentlemen, we are on to our regular agenda. Let's go ahead with the resolution of the city commission designating the voting delegate for the Florida League of Cities 2026 Annual Conference. Vice Mayor Kaleri, I believe that will be you. I'll invite a motion, please.

Motion to approve Vice Mayor Kaleri for the voting delegate.

Second. Motion from Commissioner Hernandez, second from Commissioner Shuham. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed? Hearing none. Thank you, Vice Mayor Kaleri. Let's go ahead to item 28, a resolution of the city commission authorizing the city to execute. A master services agreement with Mansfield Oil Company of Gainesville Inc. for fuel delivery with related services in an amount estimated up to $1 million based on the source well contract in accordance with our procurement code from the Department of Public Works.

Motion to approve. Second.

We have a motion from Vice Mayor Kaleri, second from Commissioner Shuham to approve the resolution. All those in favor say aye. Aye.

Any opposed?

Hearing none, the item carries unanimously. Let's go ahead. Item 29, a resolution of the city commission approving and authorizing the appropriate city officials to apply for funding and, if awarded, accept funding through the Broward MPO's Roads for Economic Vitality program for a sidewalk construction infill project located within the Boulevard Heights neighborhood in an amount not to exceed $5 million. committing the applicable operating and maintenance costs upon project completion, further authorizing the appropriate city officials to execute all applicable grant application documents and agreements, and acknowledging that the project will be delivered as a Florida Department of Transportation local agency project. We have a motion from Vice Mayor Kaleri, second from Commissioner Quintana to approve the resolution. Let's apply and let's hopefully get awarded and funded. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, item carries unanimously. All right. Item 30 is a resolution of the City Commission of the City of Hollywood updating the city's inventory of city-owned real property to identify certain vacant parcels as appropriate for affordable housing development pursuant to Florida statutes reaffirming the city's commitment to increasing affordable housing opportunities and directing that such properties be included in the city's publicly available property inventory and providing for an effective date. This, of course, is from our Office of Housing and Community Development to further our quality of life in strong neighborhoods. Ryan, since Anne is speaking on and just in general, if you could just quickly list the addresses and parcels that will be part of the publicly accessible inventory. And then we'll take the speaker card.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Commissioners Ryan Coote, Housing and Community Development. We are recommending, well, we are We are presenting nine parcels to be in compliance with state statute 166.0451. The nine parcels are all located in LMI areas, and these are parcels that are appropriate for development of single family homes. The addresses are as 5608 Wiley Street, where there's actually a house on it right now. But the intended purpose of that property is for affordable housing. We also have Farragut Street, Lincoln Street, 917 South 29th Avenue, 2034 Dewey Street, and 2030 Dewey Street. Bear in mind, both those Dewey Street properties have a deed restriction, a federal deed restriction, where we can only build housing at 80% and below on those two properties. And the other properties are South 24th Avenue, 2210 Sims Street, and Sims Street, the property right next to it. All these properties are located in low to moderate income areas. They are single family parcels with the exception of Dewey Street, which can have multiple on it, but it does have a deed restriction for 80% or below.

Thank you, Ryan. Ann Ralston?

Thank you. I didn't need the list. I have the list, and I looked up every property. No offense to you, but my favorite is a 25-foot lot. I'm sure there's many developers coming in there for Live Local on that one. The only possible one out of those nine would be number five and six, which is the Dewey 2034-2030. The one with the single family house research said it was foreclosed on by a deceased person. No, that's not the right one. It was foreclosed on and to be used for public use. Now, if that's Live Local didn't exist when that was bought, so whatever. So as my due diligence, I pulled every single property that is owned by the city. There's 364. Many of them are streets, right of ways, whatever. But since Tracy brought in 1301 as a Live Local project, I thought every community center could be that. And out of the first 50, The properties I polled, 15 are suitable for building. You may not like the locations, but they're suitable for building. They're much larger lots. Many of them are vacant. Some are on main thoroughfares. Some are out west that need affordable housing. Boulevard Heights, for example. That community center is a very large lot. Now that we have Live Local in our 1301 community center, let's bring all. What about City Hall? What about the old police station? We have plenty. None of those are on the list. Now, that, to me, is not in compliance with state statute. But I'm not a legal expert, and I'm just pointing out I still have 276 properties to research and go through to find out if those properties are actually, is there a problem, Josh? No, I think it's a great idea. OK. Because that list should incorporate everything. Otherwise, to me, I think you're cheating the state.

Thank you. Ryan? So to answer Ms. Rawlson's question, the city initially had all the properties listed on our website because we wanted the community to have the opportunity to see and enter into strategic partnerships with the city. So all the properties were listed, every single city property. However, we did receive feedback from the community that we want to see a more specific list. We have been approached by several people in the past that were reaching out to us, especially our CHOTA, which is a community housing development organization, about many of these properties. We did the research. We checked with other city departments to make sure there was no future planned use. We checked to make sure the zoning was there. And we identified these nine. Just because something is not on this list does not preclude it from the commission from saying, hey, we want to enter into a partnership with somebody to develop affordable housing. What this list does, it sets a baseline. Or items on this list could come off, too, just because they're on it. Any item, any item, sorry, any property on this list must still come before the commission before it can be built for affordable housing or sold or whatever to do with it. This list is all we're doing here is make sure that we are already in compliance with the state statute because we had the full list on the website of every single property. All we're doing right now is. providing a more detailed list of properties that we have found that are deemed appropriate for the development of affordable housing. Unfortunately, all of them, with the exception of Dewey that has the Dewey street lots that have those major deed restrictions, are only appropriate for the development of single family homes.

Thank you, Ryan. Vice Mayor Kaleri is recognized.

Thank you, Ryan. So I think a couple of points that need to be brought up that really should be stressed and what we talked about in our conversation is first-time homebuyers who you know, I've progressed and, you know, leaving out of apartment living into home living, like home ownership. So I think that that's really something that should be highlighted in this discussion. Second thing is, I think, you know, we talked about it many, many times, and I'm glad you brought it forward. As far as these lots, I think that our public works, and I don't see Vin here today,

But we've talked about... My bad.

That's okay. Go ahead. Oh, he's on vacation. We've talked about the opportunity of seeing what properties are out there because it's all about a balance. And we've talked about stormwater drainage and being able to use some of these city property-owned land or even acquiring that would accommodate stormwater drainage so that... the average person, whether it's bike, car, or walking, can get to and from where they need to go without being flooded. And we're always going to have rain. We're always going to have these issues. And that would help combat our flooding issues. So there's a need for a bunch of different things. And it's all about balancing. But I think the best part is the first-time homebuyer who can afford a home. So we hear about it all the time, who now, with assistance and funding, can actually achieve that. And to me, that's what builds community. So those two suggestions, I just would like to add on the record and let them know. Thank you.

Thank you. Commissioner Hernandez.

Thank you, Mayor. Goofy question to the Commission. Should we add any of the large parcels that we currently own and put the zoning in what's actually there? You noted for anyone that wants to look at it and says we didn't have a full list or we don't have this. For example, you can put City Hall, GU zoning. City Hall is currently there. And so on and so on. I'm not trying to belator the department to do that, but I think that we ought to be able to give a list that it's informative of what's there. And the reason that I say that is because some developer may want to develop in some golf courses, whether it's eco or it's anybody else, just so they know what's currently there and what zoning it has. I don't know how the commission feels about something.

Well, it sounds like Ryan mentioned, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, this is a fluid opportunity, fluid list that could grow. So if the direction of the City Commission is to grow the list, it can. Although, maybe you can just expand on why you limited the review for these particular nine right now. Is it a start? Go ahead, Ryan.

So as you said, it is a fluid list. We will come back to you more times as we identify more parcels that are appropriate. The reason why the initial list that was put on the website was everything for the same reason what the commissioner said. It allows somebody to see a parcel and enter into a strategic conversation with the commission and city manager to determine whether or not they could utilize a parcel to build affordable housing. We wanted to make sure we're in compliance, but people said that they weren't able. And what we've done is we've put together a really good list. I remember a couple of years back when Alex Riccio, who used to be on the AHAC, came to the commission and said he wants a list of all properties. We had this massive spreadsheet, like 20 pages of folio numbers, addresses, land. It was wild. And what we did in working with GSI, particularly Rob Goldjar, is we narrowed it down to a wonderful map that's online right now where you see the land use. You see what's actually there right now. You see all, if it's a vacant lot, if there's a structure on it, you see all the things that the city owns. And you can toggle with your mouse and pick it out and see what it is. And if a developer says, hey, I like City Hall. Let me reach out to the city manager and the commission and the mayor and figure out if we can enter into partnership. That's why that entire list was there, because we wanted to be very transparent with everything the city owns. However, people said that we weren't really in compliance when technically we were. And what we did was we already had a list posted over a year and a half ago. of properties that were deemed appropriate. Because what we're trying to move forward right now is, in addition to wonderful developments for rental, multi-unit developments for rental, we want to enter a new phase with the city in houses for sale to people who need.

Yes? Not to cut you off, but basically this short list is what we're pursuing. Correct. As opposed to the entire list, which is the total inventory. And the list is fluid.

It will grow. It will, yeah.

Well, and I'm looking at the finite list of potential developments, and that's all I'm asking, because the list that we currently have is basically on the LMI areas, which is what we may pursue, but it's not for multi... family development.

Correct. Correct.

So there are other parcels that may lend itself for something like that if the commission feels like doing it. And that's all I'm trying to do. Rather than to limit the list to this, expand it a little more and finite it. I could see why some developers would say, you have a very extensive list, but I don't really want to go through all the folio numbers to click on where it is and it happens to be a street or an alley or something like that. Rather than to have a parcel identified, this is what it is, and this is what it's currently zoned. whether they choose to do a P3 or something like that. It's up to them whether they choose to reach out to the city manager. It's up to them. But at least they don't have to go through days on the list to try to identify it. I just wanted to identify them for that purpose. Need support for that.

Are you clear on what the distinction is? Is it just a bigger list of other property that's also multifamily eligible? Is that what you're saying?

Well, even GU property is allowed to be something like this. I don't think a developer is going to be looking at a single family home. I like what Vice Mayor Clary said regarding first-time homebuyers, that's available. But I believe in this case is for live local, which is for larger parcels. None of those really qualify for something like that, which is what the list is supposed to be for.

So as you know, our CMED group does have opportunity sites that are generally available. They're not specified that they're available specifically for affordable housing or live local projects. They are sites that we know are generally not being used by the city into the full capacity. So what am I talking about? For example, our current police headquarters site, we know our police department is going to be moving into a new police headquarters and that that site is going to be available for some new use. And so that site has been listed in our activity report. as an opportunity site for some period of time since we knew that our police department was not going to be using that site any longer. It is, are you asking for those types of properties to be added to this list?

Correct, because since we have it on a list that city owns and there are opportunities for it to be developed, they could certainly be added to that list. I'm just trying to make the list so that it's not just single family homes, so that it actually encompasses what we're trying to promote as well.

And even if there are two lists, just have them both be maybe side by side or accessible easily. If one is opportunity site list and the other one is affordable housing list pursuant to this particular requirement, they could be side by side. But commissioner wants people to get an understanding globally, which makes sense.

There is a provision that this be adopted by you all. So we would like to have your support for this list today, but we understand what the directive is, is to look at some of those larger properties.

Do you want to see it in a motion, in the form of a motion? We would need to.

There's a current resolution that's on the floor. If you would like to make another motion, I would suggest for- I'd like to amend it.

So to include these other properties that we just discussed.

I mean, attorney, I mean, this is a specific list according to Florida statutes. Peter, I think, you know, maybe approving this resolution and also directing staff to create the additional opportunity site list as opposed to this resolution, which is specific to respond to the statute.

I know, I get it. It requires that the inventory come before you.

Is there a problem with adding those properties to this list since they're available? No. OK, that's my point. I don't know. I didn't review it.

You can add, pursuant to Ryan's determination, if Mr. Coote believes that they are appropriate for inclusion on this list.

So may I get just a note of clarification? So we have these as opportunity sites, which doesn't preclude someone from potentially bringing forward a proposal for affordable housing or even mixed income housing, where you may have half the units as affordable, half as market rate, some combination of things. What this list, though, does say is that specifically, this site is only for affordable housing. And so I don't, if the commission's desire right now is to limit the police headquarters site.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

OK. I just want to make sure.

Thank you for the clarification. But let me ask Ryan. Ryan, does this mean that those properties on that list can only be for affordable housing? Or can it be inclusive of affordable housing?

So I want to make sure I answer your question correctly. So the list that we have right up to nine, the way the state statute writes, if you approve this today, you're not saying that they're going to be, but they are able to be by the city commission, right?

That's not what the city manager just told us.

I mean, this other one is able to be.

That doesn't mean that it has to be. However, it's a legal question. However, I would defer.

The statute reads that the municipality may make the property available for use for the production and preservation of permanent affordable housing. So it is May language, which allows you to do so.

But it doesn't restrict you to? No, it does not restrict. It's up to the commission. I feel comfortable doing it, and if somebody comes up, it's not what we would say no. Or if you guys don't want to do it or have a separate list as an appendage, I'm okay with that.

I think a separate list is better, personally.

Okay. Let's do it as a separate list. And I'll make a motion to approve.

All right. We have a motion to approve and a second from Commissioner Shuham. Let's go to any other comments. Commissioner Biederman.

So I think that what's important is this is a list of properties that are most suitable for affordable housing based on how we acquired them. Somebody said 25-foot lot. I saw it on the aerial map. I don't know how you can build anything there other than a shipping container prefab home. Any home. Which also is important. And as we've discussed in the past, I'm very much a supporter of first-time homebuyer program. And I think that the most first-time homebuyer money we have available is through the ILA that restricts us to maps. Are all these properties within the ILA map?

Yes, Commissioner. That was also part of the logic behind identifying these properties. So we did have the ability to use some of our ILA dollars should we need to.

And that's why I would support this, because these are important to generational wealth and use of the what was it, $4.7 million in first-time homebuyer money that we allocated. I don't know that we've used enough of it yet, but this might help use more of that. And we've talked about the Dewey Street property multiple times over the last five or six years. But since we're talking about this subject, has staff looked into the ability to put some workforce housing in the Harrison Street garage?

Yes, we have, and we are looking at three different concepts, the ground level, at the top level, 10 units, 20 units, and then we'll bring in an item back to all of you with the heights, the cost, and the options so that you all can make a decision on how you want to move forward.

I think it just goes along with this discussion, so it's tip of mind, top of mind. Nothing further. Thank you.

Thank you. Commissioner Shuham, any comments?

Thank you, Mayor. Well, I just want to thank you, Ryan, for the work. I know it's complicated because you have to go bit by bit. But I think it's a great start. I would just say you have this big, long list that hasn't actually been fully vetted. You could just have a footnote to Commissioner Hernandez's point that just says, for a full list of government-owned property, see here. And then you have no representations about it at all. So that way you can continue to chip away. I'm very excited about this. I always worry with so much of these rental units being developed that we are forgetting that people, like Commissioner Biederman says, we want to give people an opportunity to start actually owning homes. And so this is a really great start. My only other comment to Annie's point is, Live local does not apply in areas that are zoned residential. And so I'm assuming many of these units are zoned residential.

100%.

Okay. All right. And so just thank you. Keep up the great work. And it's exciting to have these available. And hopefully the list will grow.

It will. And thank you so much.

Commissioner Gruber, final comment?

Just real quick, Ryan. So there's already interest in five of the parcels to build single-family homes and make them available, affordable.

Correct. So about two years ago, we were approached by our CHOTO, which is our Community Housing Development Organization, and approached by another person who identified some of these parcels for us, did all the research. So it actually helped us in a way to start identifying that these parcels were adequate for this. And they wanted to build houses. They wanted us to give it to them so they could build housing. But this state statute says that you cannot do that. You have to go through the city's disposition process, which is an RFP. And we explained that to them because they were constantly calling us, reaching out to us, and we went through a full RFP process. So there's been a public list for some time now out in the community with these properties. Only six lots. Dewey was included too as well because it's been a difficult time trying to move Dewey because of that deed restriction. And we put it out there, and we received some feedback. It was a structured RFP process that went through all the gamut. We had a wonderful – we had a pretty – dynamic selection committee, and they went through the process, and we are in the final stages of that now.

Okay, great. So, I mean, I see this as an opportunity, very rare, to get affordable single-family homes. We talk about these denser units and whatnot, so I think it's great. Yes, thank you. Great work. Thank you. Thank you.

Commissioner Hernandez.

Yeah, final question. Brian, on the Dewey Street property, are there side by side?

Yes, sir. They're side by side.

Is there a possibility to do townhomes so that you can actually have more density and be able to provide a better development if they actually have the parking underneath their structure?

That's a very good question. So when we put it out to bid, when we put the RFP out, Dewey Street was included. What came back was actually pretty innovative development that one of the respondents proposed to us. They were going to be able to put 11 units with adequate parking on Dewey Street and go up with it within the city's threshold, of course. They weren't going to go outside the city's threshold. And it makes sense. And they're able to make it work with the 80%.

And that's the type of development I would like to see on something like that, because it's actually infill redevelopment that makes it fit, and everybody owns their property.

Or are we talking about rentals? Well, these would be rentals because of the 80% restriction. It's very difficult sometimes, Commissioner, to pencil a deal for people who are 80 and below for sale. The properties that would, if the commission chooses to, would be for sale will be for people who are workforce. These are your 100 to 120. These are the people who are going to be able to buy. A lot of times when you try to sell to an 80 and below, that's a hard deal to pencil because they require so many layers of subsidies. But the people that are at 100, they're at the market rate. I'm sorry. They're at the AMI or they're above the AMI 120. It's easier to sell to them versus somebody else.

Was that an RFP that came in for those 11 units?

Yes, yes, yes. Dewey was a part of RFP.

Is that still in the process?

Yes, sir. It's still in the process. We're still working through that. We're going to be coming back to the commission with that for your approval with that package of the properties that went out.

ILA money is able to be used for something like that?

It could, but one of the things that we put in there that whoever was to acquire these properties and make it work for the city and enter into a long-term partnership, they would have to have the finance mechanisms in place to move forward. And we could add our layers to make sure that Hollywood residents, Hollywood employees had first rights to either purchase or rent. That would be ideal. Yeah. That's why we set it up that way. Thank you for the information. No problem.

Thank you. We have a motion and a second to approve the resolution. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, item carries unanimously. Thank you, Ryan. Thank you. Thank you, Commission. Thank you, everyone. All right. On to item 31. Resolution of the City Commission, City of Hollywood approving and authorizing the city to execute a contract with RF Environmental Services Inc. in an amount of $4.5 million and change for construction services related to the transition to a sodium hypochlorite system at the Southern Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, amending the fiscal year of 2026 capital improvement plan. This, of course, is from the Department of Public Utilities to improve our infrastructure. We have a motion from Vice Mayor Kaleri and a second from Commissioner Biederman. Are there any speaker cards on item 31? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, the item carries unanimously. Let's get on the road to modernizing the plant. All right, item 32 is a resolution of the city commission approving and authorizing the city to execute an authorization to proceed for work order number H&S 26-09 with Hazen and Sawyer PC in an amount up to 298,000 and change for construction administrative services related to the transition to the sodium hypochlorite system that we just approved at the Southern Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. Pat, are there any speaker cards on 32?

No cards.

Motion from Vice Mayor Kaleri to approve. A second from Commissioner Quintana. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, the item carries unanimously. Let's go on to item 33. a resolution of the City Commission of the City of Hollywood authorizing the city to execute a renewal of the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement through CDW government LLC for the provision of Microsoft licenses and services over a three-year period in an estimated annual amount of up to $1.1 million and change in accordance with our procurement code and amending the fiscal year 26 operating budget accordingly. This is from the Department of IT to keep things licensed and operating. We have a motion from Commissioner Shuham, a second from Vice Mayor Kaleri. Any speaker cards on 33?

No cards.

All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none. Sorry, Rahim, your 10 minutes were short. All right. Item 34 is the resolution of the City Commission of the City of Hollywood recognizing and confirming the vested rights and longstanding lawful residential status of the property commonly known as the Hollywood Beach Resort, generally located at 101 North Ocean Drive, Hollywood, Florida, the property, confirming the property's vested right to have 398 residential units in addition to its commercial and accessory uses, finding that the property was expressly approved, developed, sold, and regulated as a residential development for nearly 40 years, providing for conflicts and providing for an effective date. I have a couple of speaker cards. And pointing out to the Commission that Amadeus is a corrected resolution, label item 34, that inserts a Section 4 and amends Section 6. We have two speaker cards, Michael Seltzer and Anne Ralston. I'm happy to, well, city manager, is there a need for a presentation, for a general presentation? There is a presentation. Yeah, please. Yeah. Thank you.

Apologies. Andrea Winget, Director of Development Services.

Take your time. We've been moving fast.

I know. I know. I was getting some water and came running back in. Director of Development Services. So the item before you is for vested rights for the Hollywood Beach Resort, located at 101 North Ocean Drive. Here are some pictures. We all are very familiar with what the property looks like today. Back in March, the planning division came before the commission and talked about what can we do in this area to have redevelopment take place? What tools can we use? As part of this discussion, we talked about 101 South Ocean, North Ocean Drive, the property that's before you today, the Hollywood Beach Resort. And we talked about how this property in particular has seen a cycle of just deterioration and lack in reinvestment over the years. And the commission specifically said to us, what can staff do to help reinvigorate this property in particular, aside from the remaining area here? At the time, we talked about that the legacy entitlements needed to be recognized and memorialized back in March. So since that time, us, as well as the property owners, have combed through with us and the city legal department, probably over 2,000 records that we looked over to see what kind of legacy entitlements were there and available as a tool for us to use to encourage reinvestment of this property. So we worked with legal and decided to bring forward the item that's before you today, which is a vested rights item. What is vested rights? Vested rights has a couple different parts to it, but it recognizes that the property has rights under law that were previously approved. and allows those rights to continue on to move forward in time. It formally further recognizes these rights. This property has a general business land use, which is commercial, along with a commercial zoning district. This zoning district... But the item that's before you to vest the rights is requesting to vest the residential units, the 398 residential units. Should the commission vest this property, it doesn't automatically mean that they can put a structure on here that exceeds the allowed height under today's laws. Today's laws allow the height to be 40 feet on this property. Vesting the residential units doesn't mean they could automatically tear the building down or automatically stand before you and say, you vested me. I have the right to build a 200 tall building, we are asking you to vest the residential use only. And it does not entitle them to build outside of what the zoning code allows today or what it may allow in the future. The property was built in 1925. The property is significantly old. It has also, just like us, celebrated its 100-year birthday. And so combing through these records was quite challenging. But what we did find was in the late 80s, where the city commission specifically worked with the applicant to recognize the conversion of the property to residential. It was brought back again. I apologize. Then there was a declaration of condominium that was also established in the late 80s as a basis for the action that the commission took. There was another resolution in 87, which reaffirmed and slightly modified the residential units that are there as well. So the city commission specifically took action recognizing that residential was permissible on this property at that time. Just for an example of some of the over 2,000 pages, which we did not include all of the 2,000 pages in your backup. The backup is quite extensive. But these are just an example of what some of the records look like that we went through. You could see here in the building files, it says the original record is lost. You could see that back then we had permit cards. We've looked at the cards. It talks about some of the numbers of units that were permitted and went through this change of use through the building division. More recently, we had meetings with Broward County Planning Council. on how the city can recognize the vesting of this. We provided her with the zoning letters, which we have today. The county has said, we need a formal government action that happened to have occurred over time. And so we thought it best in working with legal to bring it before you in this manner today. Following our letter to the county, which we did provide some backup to them, The applicant also provided correspondence with Broward County. And the Broward County responded and said, this is great. Just have the commission take some formal action. And so here we are today with this formal action based on all the evidence that we have gone through over the last several months. As you mentioned, there were some changes left on the dais, which just further talks about some of the discussion points that I have made before you today. And with that, we recommend approval.

All right, thank you so much. Let's go ahead and open public comment. Let's have Anne Ralston followed by Michael Seltzer.

Thank you. This is an historical building built in 1924. What scares me is that it will get torn down and something will go that's got nothing to do with anything historically. It seems to me that we pick and choose what's historical and what's not, even though you made an overlay district. 1434 Monroe Street, it's in an overlay district, but we want something else there, so it's not a historical building. The Sun Bank, totally historic building. Got to get rid of it, even though it's historic. This is what scares me about this building. Another issue that has come up is who actually does the property own? According to Keith's letter, the folio number that he gave at the top is just beachfront. It's in front of the hotel, but it's in front of the hotel.

So I don't know if that's what he's referring to.

The owner of 101, according to the Broward Properties Office, is Hollywood Beach Hotel Owners Association. That's inactive. per the state. And there was an article, I'm sorry if I'm not, for the Beach Condominium Association that's referred to in Keith's letter. So I'm not sure who Keith is representing, and I'm sure he can clarify this. But it really bothers me that the 398, and I can't find the article. And I apologize for that. But from all the back that I've read, the most you could have was 362 by vested rights in that. And I apologize for not having that. And I meant to make copies. It's probably sitting on my desk. I've been in those little tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny. I think my clothes closet's bigger than one of those apartments when they were selling them as timeshares. I don't know how they converted it to condos. But since most of it has been sold off or made the assessment so high to force people out so that a buyer could buy that, and that's what that sounds like to me, I don't know. But this should be a nice residential hotel, like when you come over St. Pete Beach and that grand hotel that's been there forever. It's beautiful. It's a nice entryway into that beach. It's gorgeous. That's what that thing should be, not a 30-story or 50-story tower of private condominiums or whatever that's just going to only add to beach traffic. And it is an evacuation zone. So please, please be very careful with what you do with this.

Thank you. Let's get to Michael Seltzer.

Hi, Michael Seltzer, 956 Hollywood Boulevard. I walk out of my house.

Oh, before this.

I have a client that is looking to purchase this property and the property in back of it. And I step out of my house every day and look at that eyesore. And no, it's not zoned historic. I spoke to the chap in charge of historic properties in the city, and he tells me it's not zoned historic. And if anybody here thinks that someone's going to pay around $200 million just for the dirt there to build a nice hotel, I suggest they open their bank account and buy the property. This is not for the faint of heart. The city wants a five-star hotel or a five-star resort and a five-star condo. That in itself, in this city, is going to take a developer with lots of guts and lots of nerve. This is over a billion-dollar development. And I guess what the city could hope for at best is whoever develops it, whether it's my client or somebody else, that they keep some portion of the old in the development as they did in Surfside at the Four Seasons. Because this is not an easy sell. You're dealing with two different parties that own two separate lots that are very, very difficult to deal with, extremely difficult. And I don't want to say that my client's the only one that might get it done, because I'm sure there are others. And in fact, I have a call with him at 4 o'clock. I thought I had to cancel it. But he is well qualified to get the job done if he's able to make a deal with both parties. If not, we'll leave it to somebody else to build a five-star resort and a five-star condo and make money on Hollywood Beach. Thank you.

Thank you, Michael. All right, that concludes the public speakers. Really exciting opportunity. And as Andrea mentioned, this is certainly a step one of a future. And I hope that we all have had for many years to have this site once again be the crown jewel for the city of Hollywood. Recognizing Vice Mayor Kaleri.

Yes, thank you. So yes, very exciting. I just want clarification because now there's three numbers. And first of all, the reading is very challenging, all the slides. So I completely agree. I wish I had the little diagram that showed the breakdown as you presented, Andrea. So thank you. But there was a question about the units. 398, I don't know if Keith or you can answer. And then Annie just brought up another number, 362. And then I've heard 401. So can you clarify exactly what's the right number?

I mean, the 1987 resolution is pretty clear. But go ahead.

There's a series of different numbers over time. And so we have, based on the evidence we've looked at, we have determined that it is the 398 that is before you today. There are some records that say 401 and different things. But based on the resolutions and the counts that we looked at, this is what we are recommending.

So, okay, perfect. So with that 398 units, as Annie mentioned, and I've been there before on vacation many, many, many moons ago when I was probably a little wee child, some of them are very small, some of them are very big. That, regardless of the size, it's 398, correct? Correct. And that's what the city commission did in the 80s. Okay. Okay. So I'm going to make a motion to approve this. I need a second. That's it.

All right, I have a motion. A second, please. Second. From Commissioner Hernandez, who has the floor as well. Thank you, Mayor.

I have a question for Andrea. Is the site registered as a historical site?

No.

Okay. I just wanted to, because that was one of the statements, and other people say that it's historical. There's a great deal of history of this site, but it's never been registered historical.

Not individually. It is within one of the city's historic districts.

It's within the district, but the site itself, it's not designated as such. Correct. Thank you.

Yeah, and today is strictly, of course, on the vested residential units.

I just want to put the... Yeah, sure.

Let's go to Commissioner Shuham, then Quintana. Commissioner Shuham.

Thank you, Mayor. So first, I just want to thank Andrea and her staff, as well as the city manager and the city attorney. I had a million questions about this. And obviously, I am still very uncertain about this. But just to address the initial point on numbers, it is my understanding that the idea of vesting is based on, number one, the residential use over these decades. And I think, Vice Mayor Clary, the difference between the 360 and the 398 is that 38 of the 398 were timeshare units. And so I think it's very difficult for me to wrap my head around counting those as residential condos, because they were timeshare units. And although they are included in this lumped category, for me, the most it could be is 360. And in the declaration of condos way back then, they only listed 360. And the 360 number is, to me, makes somewhat more sense. The 398, I couldn't wrap my head around. So that's number one for me. Number two, Andrea, if you could, I just want to talk a little bit about the staff's efforts parallel to all of this to provide us with this bonus overlay. I mean, I think we were all excited. to see what you guys come up with as part of this bonus overlay system where additional height could be granted for historic preservation in whole or in part. So can you just talk about that a little bit?

It's not really germane to the item before us. And I know they're putting in a lot of work to kind of really think about what they might do.

I just want the public to understand that what's happening today is not obliterating your work.

What's happening today is just is vesting the residential use for the property, which is very challenging to have this type of use approved in the future. City staff is working on the bonus area for, in particular, this property. And we're bringing forward those recommendations as an informational presentation to the planning board. on June 29th, and it will include bonuses by where if certain criteria are met, that additional height can be sought.

And one of those will be historic preservation?

One of those may or may not be historic preservation. I believe that, yes, there should be that among other items in there.

OK. Then the other question I have for you is it's clear from not only your materials and what you just said that for something to vest, the purchaser had to rely on the use. But you pulled these 2,000 records well after 2023 when this owner purchased the property. So how are we demonstrating that this buyer relied on a right to vest this use or a right to have this use?

I think they paid over $100 million, probably not for the dirt value.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Commission, Keith Polykov. I represent numerous people in this room who have interest in this, including the present owner and hopefully the future owner. Prior to purchase- Is that the related group?

Because I see Eric.

We have a current agreement between George Perez, Isaac Toledano, and the Chitrit family, who is the present owner of the property. I'm here on everyone's behalf. And both Chitrit is watching, Toledano is watching, and Eric is here as well.

And everybody agreed that you can be here on all of their behalves? 100%.

OK. We'll all acknowledge that if you would ask. OK. Prior to purchase, we got a zoning letter from the city of Hollywood. I'm sure you've seen it. It's in the backup.

Is that the April of 2024 letter?

That was the second letter we got. We actually got three. The first letter that we got, which was required for financing, shows that there were 401 units available to us. We relied on that when we closed with the various banks.

Is it the same exact letter each time except for that number from 398 to 401?

The last version, and Cameron came in at the end, But the last version of it corrected a couple of the folio numbers or had typos in it. I don't remember if there were any other changes in the last one.

I'm sorry, Keith. What was the date of the first letter? I printed out the other two because I couldn't figure out why they kept writing the same letter.

I don't remember. I know that there was a second one in 24 when we got our final financing. And then there was one, I think, a couple of months ago. you know, as well, and there was an original one. So we'd have to go back to that.

Can somebody just let me know the date of the first letter versus the date of the purchase?

But I will tell you, you know, Shetreat slowly got everything under contract, and closed, and closed, and closed. until everything was refinanced under one loan. So there are some units that closed early on. In fact, Mr. Forden, who's here, had a huge portion of that building under contract years ago. I remember.

It was a residential condominium buying one residential unit at a time. It's not a secret.

There were over 600 and something closings on this property. And just, Commissioner Shulam, to address your question, In some locales, timeshares are treated as hotel units. There's no doubt. In those cases, the timeshare is a deed, and then they sell fractional ownership to that timeshare. In other situations, timeshares are treated more like residential units, where you have a deed to your actual week, and the timeshare docs are recorded as such. In this case, it was not treated as a hotel. You did not get bed tax. The county did not get bed tax from the use and stay of those timeshare units. You charged them assessments and fire fees and everything else as residential units, and that was apportioned by the ownership. And as a result, everyone has treated that as a residential unit and not the converse of other timeshares in the city that are treated as hotels. And that is really the main difference between the two. I just wanted to mention that.

OK, thank you. OK. So Andrea, you keep using the word that we're vesting the use, the residential use. And I definitely have no problem with that. I totally think that we need to have residential units there. But we're not really vesting the use. We're vesting a number of units. I would be fine vesting the use, because then we would come back to this commission with a number of units. But it feels like we're putting the cart before the horse by giving 300 and whether it's 60 or 98 units based on these tiny hotel rooms before we even know what's going to happen here. And so why can't we just vest the use?

because there's several steps that in order to have reinvestment in this property still has to occur. And the commission had directed us back in March to look at all the different tools in our toolbox in order to have something occur. So we brought forward the 398 units. And I see two attorneys that probably want to add to what I'm saying.

I just want to point out that what is happening in vested rights is that you are looking at the historic actions that were taken. And this is basically approving and recognizing.

So we're not vesting a use. We're vesting 300 and whatever condominiums.

This is the recognition that the late 80s resolutions established a development program that had 398 units.

And that's the reason for that number as well.

and why we did not go with a lower number than that. Because based on the late 80s resolutions, we were using that numerical basis as the basis for our analysis today. And so it is a vesting of the 398 residential units that were noticed in those resolutions in the late 80s.

The only thing, Commissioner Shuham, that I'd like to add is that the property needs to be platted before anything can happen, even rehab. It needs to be fully platted. We went to Broward County to start the plotting process. We hired Keith and Associates. We worked with the city. We have the plotting plans. In order to plat, you have to write on the plat the number of units that you're platting for. We tried to do that. And we actually contacted Damaris before she was promoted and said, hey, we need for the county required a vested rights letter from the city of Hollywood before it would actually accept our plat. The city of Hollywood said, no, we can't give that to you because there's nothing in our code. Damaris will tell you that was her opinion. There's nothing in our code that allowed us to give you a vested rights letter. A year later, after working back and forth, looking through all these materials, we had a meeting with the Broward County Planning Council with Ray Lynn before she was promoted. We met with Andrea, I think Cameron might have been there as well, the Chaitreets and others at that meeting to find out how to get over the hurdle of getting the vested rights information to the county so that we could proceed with planning. The county then said, get us all the information showing the number of units, which we did. The city had written a letter, 401. We didn't actually find 401. We eventually found that it was 398. We provided the county with all the information on the 398. We got a letter, and it's in the backup, but I'm happy to provide it to you directly if you want it now. to the Broward County Planning Council. Barbara Blake wrote us back a letter saying, thank you for all this. The county is not going to make a vested rights determination. We're going to leave that in the hands of the city. And therefore, you need to go back to the city commission to get them to vest the rights before you submit the plat. That is why we're here today.

So what number is going to be on the plat?

398.

So is it your expectation that there'll be 398 units on this site?

Right now, that's the expectation, depending what you all do with hotel bonus program and the like.

How are you going to fit 368 units on that site?

398 units. 398. We're going to work to figure that out. That's why we hire architects and the like to do that. We're not there yet. We don't have a plan yet. But that is currently what's there. So that is what we're plotting it for is what's there today.

And then if there's something more that can be- How high would a condo have to be to hold 398 units?

I have no idea. Right now, how tall is it? 12 stories?

So I guess 12 stories. I actually think it's 10.

Yeah. I mean, that holds 398. So I can't answer that.

No, it doesn't hold 398 of today's standards. It holds 398 hotel rooms.

I'm not a developer. I know you were developer's counsel for a long time.

No, I wasn't. I was a construction company's counsel.

So they may know how many stories can fit 398. I can't.

OK, thank you.

No worries.

Damaris, the other question, I know we've talked about it, but I just want to bring it to light, is the vesting rules in common law, because we don't have a process, require there to be continuous use and no abandonment, basically. But in 2023, when the property was purchased, Not only was the condominium dissolved, but the building was abandoned. And I'm curious, from your perspective, and Mr. Polykov, you can sit down. I'll let you know if I have any more questions for you.

No problem. But I'm going to have to answer also to put it on the record.

I'm curious from your perspective, and also I'll add that the building was left to decay. And we had to take this owner to the unsafe structures board. So how, and you've explained it to me, but for the public, I want them to understand how this vesting can happen in light of what happened between 23 and 26.

So as I explained previously, vesting is to recognize the historical use and the applicability of what had been done in the past. So when we talk about the use and vacancy and all of these things, it very much centers on a question of the intent. of the property owner. And at no point has the intent of the property been to abandon a residential use. And so when we look at the legal nonconforming use of the property over the years, again, this must be centered within a conversation of the intent of that. And case law supports that the intent behind the abandonment issue is really what controls there. And so having looked at the case law, I would invite Mr. Polyakov to speak as to the intent issue, as he does represent the parties of interest here. But it is our understanding that there has never been an intent to abandon the residential use. And so that is the basis.

Keith? I'm sorry, Michael. No, you can't. No. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

You're out of order. Thank you. Please. Sorry.

So just for purpose of the record, Persaud Properties, Florida Investments LLC versus town of Fort Myers Beach, 310 Southern 2nd, Southern 3rd. 493 is one of the primary cases on point on that. Happy to provide the commissioner with a copy of it. I'll leave it with the clerk. In that case, a property owner had a liquor store, and it took them a long time to redevelop their property, and they wanted to reopen the liquor store there. At that point, the city of Fort Myers didn't want the liquor store anymore and said, you abandoned the use. We have an ordinance on point that says after 190, 120 days, that that use is no longer valid. And the court ruled no, because there was no evidence that they intended to voluntarily and permanently discontinue selling alcohol. As evidenced by their ongoing work to try to renew it, the court found that the property owner did not abandon the non-conforming use.

So in this case, though, We had to take the property owner to the unsafe structures board, and I don't know from the documents attached to the record to the agenda item today, Mr. Polikoff, what happened over all these three years other than dissolving the condominium, abandoning the building, and neglecting the structure? What happened to show a continuous desire to have 398 units on that site?

Sure. Well, since this retreat's closed, we have actively worked with the City of Hollywood staff to not only try to plat the property, but also configure things such as access and the like, and to work on a redevelopment plan. So we've worked actively with your staff since the conclusion of purchasing of the units. And we have a full plat ready to go, but for this item.

And that plat has 398 units? That's correct. OK. Um... Damaris, I know that you have talked to us about the idea of having a vesting process in the future. So we're kind of winging it today. We've never done this before, as far as I know. Back in 86, they did it differently. They did a resolution to allow this. But to come to a commission without a process and ask us to vest, I expressed a concern to you that I wouldn't want anything done today to be precedential, be used to argue that this has to be the way we do it in the future, or hypothetically, if the vesting is legally inappropriate today because of these abandonments and things that we're discussing, that that would not be precedential in the future, that an abandoned property could not use this instance to then argue, well, you vested those 398 units even though we did X, Y, and Z. I still want us to be able to say, you did X, Y, and Z in that case. Under a new process, you won't be vesting. So can you give us assurances that what we're deciding today will not be precedential for other properties?

Yes, I would say that vesting rights are by their very nature very fact specific and very dependent on what you're talking about. In this case, we were looking very much the analysis is based on the previous resolutions and the weight of the factual evidence that was compiled in the extensive backup that was provided regarding this item. And so if someone else were to come forward, they would have to have the weight of evidence on their side. And any process that we do create following this item today would have to include evidence and it would have to be sufficient evidence to allow for the city to vest those rights.

Okay. And

Commissioner, just one thing to add to that. This is not the first time this has occurred in the city. I personally brought an application forward for a Marware Montessori school to renew its vested rights for its location probably 15 years ago. So that's how the city did approach it back then as well.

OK, thank you. And the other concern that I had, which I think has now been addressed, was that there's nothing, if the commission were to approve this regardless, 360, 398 today, that Andrea and her team still are able to bind the owner by all of our current day restrictions on development, be it height, set back everything else. Is that correct? And can you go over the language that we found on the dais today?

Yeah, let me get the...

Still subject to zoning.

Yeah, so the vested rights, again, is very much... The analysis is based on the historic use of the property, and so this is really kind of a backwards-looking... action. It is not intended to guide or otherwise force the commission to in any way abandon current zoning regulations or what may be current at the time that any redevelopment application is submitted.

So hypothetically, and I know this sounds crazy, but let's say hypothetically in the future, based on the bonus program and all that, we come and say we want this property to be 12 stories. And based on the minimum square footage for a condo in the city, 398 of them could not fit in 12 stories. The result of that would have to be, in your opinion, that the building would have to have less than 398 units.

That's correct. Based on the current zoning regulations at the time of application, what we have is the ability, what we're vesting, if you decide to approve this today, is the ability to have 398 residential units. But it would be subject to the zoning requirements of whatever present day application regulations we have.

And Mr. Polykov, do you agree with that?

I'm sorry. We agree with the resolution as written that it still requires us to meet zoning requirements of the property. I think that's what your question is. Yeah.

So like, let's just say everything goes great, right? And you have this 398 units on the plot. But they can't be 200 square feet, right? They'll have to satisfy.

Oh, of course.

They have to satisfy the minimum standards today.

Correct. Unless a variance is achieved or a waiver.

Or a bonus or whatever.

Exactly.

And similarly, there's a height restriction there, and you're bound by it unless, same thing, right?

That's correct.

Okay, thank you.

But without waiver to say that, there is some height there today. So if we are not demolishing and reusing that whole thing. That's currently allowed. That's correct.

I'm with you 100%. Okay. I think that might be it, but let me just read my notes real quick. Okay.

I think you've covered it all.

Well, Mayor, it's a really important building in the city. I've spent a lot of time on this.

I think you've covered a lot of it.

And I appreciate you taking it seriously.

I am.

Thank you.

OK, that's it. I'll listen to my colleagues. And if there's anything else, I'll come back to it.

All right, we have a motion on the floor to approve the item. Lots of questions have been answered. Let's hear from Commissioner Quintana.

Thank you, Mayor. So I understand that there's so many challenges with bringing this property out of the current circumstance that it's in. And I certainly welcome the idea of bringing people together to try and find a way out of what its current condition is. I think that, I mean, I'm concerned about adding, not just because of this property, but just in general, any significant density at the beach, just because of all the issues with environmental issues and the issues of... Should evacuation be necessary? So if I had my druthers, which I don't because I'm not the one who has the money to solve this problem, but if I had my druthers, I'd much rather see a preponderance of hotel use where it wouldn't be people living there. But again, that doesn't matter whether that's what I want because I'm not the one who has the resources to address the challenge. And I guess what I would just ask is that When we get to that point where design is being considered, we saw the difference in that property that was approved earlier when design was applied, that it can really make a difference in the way something looks. And so whether this is a historic site or not, that there be an effort to preserve the elements of it that honor the history of this property is important to me. So, I mean, that's, you know, in brief, those are the things that I want us to consider. And if we can find a solution, if there's people who have the resources that want to do this, those are the things that I would hope they would take into consideration. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Quintana. Commissioner Biederman?

I have a question real quick before I start my comments. Did you close the public hearing or can we hear from Michael Seltzer?

We closed. I mean, if you'd like to call him up, you're welcome.

Sure, I'll start my comments with asking Michael what he had to say earlier.

There's several questions. First, I don't understand why Mr. Polakoff was called up. I didn't see his name put out anywhere here. Number one. Number two, do we have or do you have anything in writing from Chetrit that he made a deal with these people. Because from what I'm told, there is no deal. In fact, there's a sale of a mortgage. The mezzanine mortgage is happening the first week of July. And I understand that the first mortgage is also going to be foreclosed on and sold. So unless he can show you that he has a deal. I don't even understand why you're entertaining this. If he has a deal, great. My client has been lied to. But if he doesn't have a deal, shame on you for even letting him talk on behalf of Chetrit and Related. I rest my case.

I think what Mr. Seltzer doesn't recognize is that Mr. Polyakov represents Chitrit, who is the current owner, despite being in foreclosure on an element of a particular loan. They are still the owner, and he is the attorney for the owner who is coming forward with the application. I don't need a response. I'm just clarifying.

Well, do you have, well, does he represent both parties?

He said he did, yes. Thank you. Thank you. Commissioner Biederman, the floor is yours.

Thank you. I've got to say, this doesn't sit well with me.

Well, just to clarify it, regardless of who was the owner or who's going to be developing it, what we're doing today is going to benefit, whether it's Mr. Polyakov's client or your client, what we do today is going to benefit whoever the future redeveloper is. So I'm supporting this because I think that this has been going on way too long. And the longer it goes, the more deteriorated the building goes. And for those of you that want to preserve historic building, the longer you wait, the harder it is to preserve. And I think that we really need to take a lesson from the Great Southern. The Great Southern would have been built 10 years ago if it didn't have opposition to being built. And the longer it waited, the more deteriorated it got. Eventually, none of it was saved because it went on too long. So I think that we have to take a lesson from that. And let's try and get something done so that we aren't getting emails from people saying, what are you doing with the Hollywood Beach Hotel? It looks like, you know... to use Mayor Bober's expression, dreck. I mean, it really looks horrible. And it's an eyesore for what we want Hollywood to be, or at least most of us, and to continue punting it down the road till we find a developer that might put in twice as much money as it's worth just to create or to restore what is there now. I just don't see that happening. We see people saying, well, why can't it be the breakers? Or why can't it be this? I don't think that if somebody wants to come up with the money, then by all means, do it. This is what's on our table now. Mr. Seltzer has somebody. Mr. Polyakov has somebody. I'm sure there's somebody watching today that might have somebody. But somebody's got to do something. And by us refusing to acknowledge how many units there are is just It's a violation of our fiduciary responsibilities to our residents to continue moving the city forward. So that being said, I'm ready to vote on it right now.

We have a motion and a second. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing one, the motion carries six to one. All right. Thank you all for this day. Hopefully things can move forward. All right. Let's see now. Is it 5 o'clock yet? It is not. You guys want to take a five-minute recess before comments? I'm getting a yes. Let's do it. Five, ten minutes. Let's give it a whirl here. All right. Let's go ahead now to comments by the city commission, city attorney, city manager, beginning with any comments by Vice Mayor Kaleri. You can always wave hello and goodbye. Go ahead. minutes to time up.

Anyways, this morning, I'm going to bring up a little bit of history about this morning on our call that we had, our sunshine call about our conference meeting. And we talked about what our thoughts were for the Hollywood the old Hollywood Police site there on Hollywood Boulevard and Park Road. And a lot of us have some great ideas, but I also just want to bring forth that we're requesting that the charrette that was happened in Park East to bring forward so that we have a better understanding as to what it is that the residents are asking for. That way we have an opportunity to balance the demands, the needs, and our desires as well because we focus on the fiduciary means. And while it is a hot commodity, Corner, you know, for many years, and this is the clarification purpose, many years ago when we started talking about Orange Brooks redevelopment, the YMCA had approached me and had said we were told that we had property willed to us or deeded to us for the YMCA, and we want to utilize that property. Well, that came to be null and void. But it created a discussion. And for many, many years in District 3, especially in the earlier time, we had a lot of complaints about parking and traffic issues and a little bit of blight that came along with it with people parking on the swales and so forth and so on. And so the discussion continued and I'd like to just, you know, bring opportunity forward that while the police department, old police department site is still considered Park East, perhaps there's an opportunity for relocation of the YMCA. I'm not sure if it fits in that area, but I think it would be an ample opportunity that we get a Taj Mahal YMCA. But why I'm bringing it up is I think that it's very important that we have the community input as well and that we come up with what we want to see there as a whole. Second, today was the presentation of the GO bond, and there was mention also from Parks and Recs, but also mention, and Jose, you're going to kill me, but I'm sorry. As I'm narrowing down my last nine meetings as a vice mayor slash commissioner, many of my tasks have been accomplished, which I have to say is amazing. Rotary Park has not been even attempted to.

I mean, we've made a lot.

No, just rotary parks, renovation, stormwater drainage, AstroTurf at the park. And I just wanted to know, as far as the Go Bond projects that were listed, it was mentioned today that there possibly is additional funding. And yes, while I am a huge supporter of Sunset Golf Course, that was for the purchase of Sunset Golf Course. We are putting out grants and loans. And depending on the costs, would it make such a major impact or not? Or can it be diverted to complete Rotary Park that hasn't even like hit the ground running yet, even though we have all the plans in the background. So I'm just asking for support to look into even addressing all of the Go Bond projects that have not been completed, that we complete them if they're steps away from being completed, wherever that's at, including Rotary Park. Yes? Go ahead, Jose. Do you want to talk?

Yeah, I didn't want to jump in without. So just a quick update on Royalty Park for everybody to kind of get a good perspective. So Royalty was a job that had $600,000 when the bond was put out. Didn't have enough money until 2024, because there was not enough. The job got designed, and there was not enough money to do it. So we had to get additional funding that actually came from Orange Brook, $600,000. And with that money, the project was redesigned. So it took some time to get it there. Got submitted for permits. That final permit from Broward County, which you all know how long it takes, we got the final permit in March this year. So with that, we were able, well, we got the permit in November, actually, last year. And then they sent us a whole bunch of notes with new things. And it took them until March to approve it, as it happens with these stormwater permits with the county. The project is out for bid as we speak. It's actually being put out between yesterday and today. And we are asking a variety of different pricing for the project. One of them is what is the base design for drainage. The second one includes, and this is something we met with the leader about a week and a half ago to walk him through all of this and get his comments and make sure we're all on board. The second one includes having under drainage on the fields for the project to drain better. It's not completely necessarily needed, but we're going to ask for that. We did get pricing for the turf components. However, the turf is an element that is a little bit different from a stormwater management calculation, and it's quite expensive, but we'll show you what that is. And the last, there's one more element to it. So what they said in the discussions with the team members in there is that they preferred, instead of having turf everywhere, on those fields, that they preferred having turf clay areas. So we also included another option for pricing to get turf only for, because they say that's the bigger issue they have. So the pricing should be, they put it out for about a month. We're hoping, we told them, I need to get this done before we come to the next meeting. in August so that some decisions can be made. So we should be getting the final pricing. We're in June. By the end of July, that should give us time to get ready to bring an item to all of you and saying, hey, here is the cost. We did that. while also analyzing what is the recovery time that the recommendations take. So some of it has to do with how quickly the park is going to recover from rain events versus the investment so that you all can say, OK, here are the four options. So we're working on it. We should have it. The process on procurement is moving. And you should be able to make those decisions unless something happens with the bid process. But we're moving forward with that.

OK, perfect.

Just so that you know the status of where we are right now.

And then if there are any other outstanding parks that are on the obligation bond that have not been completed yet, if we could get a list of those. I'm not sure if there are that many.

No, the only job that hasn't started that we're still waiting to commit a contract to it is only two jobs that have not contracts committed, Rotary and FEC, because of the Brightline discussions. However, Raylene, the city manager, asked us to continue moving forward with the job the way that we wanted because we don't know what's going to happen with Brightline. We've been waiting for Brightline for about a year, a year and a half. They're still kind of saying, yeah, yeah, we're going to start in limbo. So we're reengaging and moving forward with the job. That job has, you know, funding to do what we need and artwork. So we ask for additional monies for that job. But I can certainly provide the last presentation we did for the GOP committee has a full breakdown.

No, no, as long as it's just the FEC, I think that's great. It's just the FEC. You know, we constantly hear about our parks and recs and encouraging community, and Rotary Park is a highly used core baseball softball park. Granted, it ultimately is for stormwater drainage, and that's the purpose of it there, but... It's a highly used, and it is a family network type of place that memories are built, and that's what makes community. And I just hate to see it not getting done before my . And then, but thank you. And the last thing that I just want to, on a good note, so I want to thank Clarissa and staff. So we have had a resident for 14 years. They've complained about a location of AT&T boxes being placed in their backyard and encroaching on their property. And for 14 years, I've heard the complete negative impacts that it has made on them, and to the point that at the last election two years ago, or actually four years ago, it's been so fast, the resident spit at me because I was not able to get anything done. And those memories stick in your brain because you try so hard to help every single individual. But their lives are impacted by something so minuscule, but it bothers them every single day. So we had a meeting with them. And I have to say thank you to staff. working diligently with AT&T, we were able to finally find resolution and get the boxes moved within the next six months. So it's another check out of my box of most challenging situation. And it just shows that you have to be persistent. And thank God I have these 14 years, or I may have not ever been able to see it through. But I've been able to make a difference in an individual's life that worked so hard to make that change. So it's a great thing. And I just want to say thank you to staff for really helping out with that. And that's it.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor. Commissioner Gruber, with any comments today? Just a couple.

The block party for World Cup, do we know the dates of those? I was looking on our Facebook page, and I couldn't find it. June 27 and July 19. June 27 and July 19. Okay. So letting everybody know, June 27 and July 19. June 27 is the Columbia game. And then July 19 is the final. The streets closed in downtown for a big block party watch. I didn't see it on our Facebook. I looked on Parks and Rec and I looked on our regular Facebook page. I didn't see it. So if we could get that added, I think that would be great.

Keep pumping it, Joanne.

The community at Oak Lake Community Center, the community garden over there. Ricky, I think it looks like it's been abandoned. No? That's what it looks like and it's not abandoned? It doesn't look like anybody's using it. He intends to continue the use. It's not abandoned. So I was just thinking, in November, if it still is planned to open the memory care center for seniors, there may be something we could use that as programming for that, since it's attached to it. It might be a nice program for the seniors there to be able to use that community garden. I think there's definitely room. Because I looked. I didn't see much use in there. And it was locked when I was there. OK. And if you can get back to me on that. Vice Mayor Kaleri just reminded me, in the lakes of Emerald Hills, the park there, there's what used to be like a softball baseball field. So the fence behind it is still there. But where the clay is, it's mostly grass now. If there's any way we can look into kind of just getting that back to where it resembles a ball field. I think it's been like that for many, many years. But if we could do that. Some of the residents there had mentioned it because they play kickball and baseball and softball and whatnot. And that's all I have for today. Thank you.

Thank you. Let's get to Commissioner Biederman.

Thank you, Mayor. First of all, the residents in Boulevard Heights are very excited about all the traffic calming measures along Arthur Street and 76th Avenue traffic calming devices. As a matter of fact, I got an email from a Pembroke Pines resident that thanked us for doing traffic calming along 76th Avenue. And I want to make sure I invite everybody to commission the community next Wednesday night, June 24th, where not only are we going to have six of us. Sorry. And to have a conversation with our residents. We're going to have the utilities department there talking about septic to sewer. And for those people that have questions that haven't been answered yet, And we are going to have a taste of the West Side as an addition to it. And committed so far is La Casita Tropical, Juicy Patties, and Pupusa Time. And then there's two others that haven't gotten back to us yet, but let's see what happens. Your appetite. Yes. And on August 4th, Driftwood Civic Association is going to do a national night out. What day is that? It's the first Tuesday in August. Moving on, I would like support. Since they did, as we all know, we prepared for sewer expansion when we were widening 441. And we laid a bunch of sewer pipe in the ground. And then Pinnacle 441 used that connection for their property. And I would like support to move that line west to 64th Avenue. and see if staff can evaluate what it would take to move that up in our timeline to connect those businesses along Johnson Street to our sewer system. Kevin, do you mean only Johnson or the whole corridor? Whatever staff brings back to us, but most important.

I guess it's a lot easier to do to cure this problem for Johnson and those businesses.

Yeah, so it's already on Johnson, a few hundred feet west of 441. The idea was to connect commercial areas to it before we get to residential. But let's see what staff says about doing some prioritizations to connect those commercial properties.

Good bang for the buck.

To stimulate some economic development. And the other thing I wanted to bring up, and hopefully nobody's going to be upset because I didn't really discuss it fully ahead of time. But we have, since Orange Brook is being redeveloped and Hollywood Beach has been redeveloped, we don't have a driving range in the city anymore. So we need to identify property that might be close enough that we can create a driving range for our residents, our golfers. We talked about it the other day. You did your presentation. We talked about how we could be a golf destination. Sister Cities talked about sports tourism. We have vacant land that the staff can identify how it's tied up, but it's on the outside of It's on the outside of Echo. It's on the outside of Echo. Part of it is being used by West Lake Village for their pool. We all saw this when we were talking about the antenna relocation. And I would love support if staff can evaluate whether or not we can economically create a driving range over there that will allow not only our residents to use it, but also another passion of mine is youth golf and creating the next generation of golfers. And the best way to teach kids how to golf is at a driving range. So if we could have support to evaluate whether or not we can, whether this site or another site we can identify for driving range.

Yeah, this site or another site, an endeavor to take a look. That doesn't hurt anyone. Thank you very much. Nothing further. All right. Commissioner Shuham, go ahead. Oh, I'm sorry. Commissioner Quintana.

I let Joseph off the hook on my other request.

Commissioner Quintana, go ahead.

Thank you, Mayor. Well, you guys inspired me. I only had a few things, and now I've got more. So as long as we're talking about Orange Brook, can someone please provide an update on where that stands with the next stage of that? I just haven't seen any action recently. I know that the permitting process and all that. It takes a long time, but just, you know, I'm very nervous, and I want to make sure that happens before we totally, I know we already gave away all the money, but before, I just want to make sure it happens. And I would also, I know there's been several references made to money from the ILA that's sitting unutilized, and I haven't seen specifically what that looks like. So I want to know what the status is of our ILA funds. I would also like to bring up that at one of our public comments period there was a resident who came who lives at 59th and Fillmore who's been waiting for traffic calming measures and I speak with somebody else who lives at that intersection on a regular basis about the multiple accidents that happen there and so I wanted to know where that particular location for traffic calming, where that stands. This morning's conversation about feeding cats in the neighborhoods. So in my neighborhood, I see a lot of really kind-hearted people who are very concerned about the cats being hungry. people who don't live in my neighborhood who come from elsewhere in their cars to leave food on the sidewalk. And then they leave. I don't know who they are. And then they leave, and they leave cat food all over my neighborhood. I understand the intentions. I just think if we can do some kind of a communication campaign about what the law says about what you can and can't do, and what's a humane thing to do with animals who are homeless. Living on the street is a horrible thing for anybody, including cats. Cats' lives are shortened, and they get sick living on the street. I wish more people would take cats into their homes not think that it's OK to leave them on the street. I also think it'd be great to have some kind of public information campaign about what to do about iguanas now that they're making a big comeback, what what are best practices for managing them. And I know the solution is a quick, painless death. But I can't do it myself. So just public information about that, I think, would be helpful. And then the rest of the things I have are really, let's see. Oh, we had a very successful story time in the park last week, Friday. That's just my favorite part of this job. To tell you the truth, it brings me the most joy. But I noticed that I couldn't tell. There were blue bins and there were gray bins. And I couldn't tell if one was for recycling and one was for garbage. It wasn't clearly labeled. So Rick, if we could just kind of do a little survey of all our parks and really all of our public facilities and whether they're all equipped with both a recycling bin and a garbage bin and whether they're clearly labeled. And this Friday, I know that we're having some fantastic events happening downtown, but for folks who want to stick closer to home, the German American Club is hosting a World Cup watch party. It's doors open at 2 p.m. It's free admission. They've got a huge parking lot, and it's the U.S. versus Australia party. So welcoming anybody who wants it. If you've never been to the German American Club, you really are missing out. It's an amazing, amazing place, all hardwood, dark woods. This is a great opportunity to check that place out. On June 27, we've been having a series of workshops, family events, for something that the city has undertaken, the Tree Canopy Project. You're not cutting me off, are you, Mayor?

You know, I've got to be fair to everybody.

The Tree Canopy Project is having its fourth workshop on June 27 at the Washington Park Community Center. Casita Tropical has also committed to sponsoring that with their delicious food. If you haven't tried their food, that's a good place to do it. But there's art activities for the kids. And the whole purpose of that event is to help our residents understand why trees are infrastructure for us, why we need them, and what our part is in keeping them here and keeping them. We determine whether a tree grows weak and crooked or strong and straight. So that's the whole thing about that workshop. So come on out. It's going to be lots of fun. And you get to take home a tree or a plant.

Thank you, Commissioner Quintana.

You're going to cut me off? Wait. July 1st, Bob Butterworth Park. It's the COVID Memorial ribbon cutting. Please come on out for that at 10 a.m. if you're available. And then I think that's it. Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, ma'am. June 10th, I'm sure. Commissioner Shuham, there you go.

Thank you, Mayor.

I think first I just want to say, with respect to the Hollywood Beach Resort, notwithstanding the fact that I cannot support the 398 number there, I do support, and as I've expressed to you, I absolutely support having residential units there, certainly in combination with a five-star resort. And Andrea, that's why I'm so excited to see the bonus overlay, because as I recall, it was going to incentivize for five-star hotels and historic preservation. So I don't want my no vote to be construed as not being supportive of residential use there. But the residential use should be to support some historic preservation, bringing a great hotel, and making that the gem of the city. And I am very concerned about the density that we just allowed, so.

Just so you know, we're taking it very seriously.

Okay, thank you. And I do take it very seriously. Mayor, I know you do too, but I just want to make it, and I've told staff this, that I, you know, I can see what it could look like, and I'm very excited about it. And hopefully, there'll be lots of people bidding on this thing in a few days. I heard that Chatrete has another problem at the Shell building in New York. That's big trouble. So we need a good, solid company to take control of this site. So that's one. Regarding iguanas, Commissioner Quintana, this is something before Ray Lynn became city manager, I think maybe even before George Keller became city manager, we asked Gus Zambrano to come back to us with a citywide plan. to help not only on city property, but even our residents. But on city property in particular, we're paying to maintain facilities, and then we're allowing iguanas to undermine our work. And so I would just re-up that, Jovan, if somebody could take a look at I think it was way back when Commissioner Kaleri talked about the Cayman Islands, that because that was so contained, they could handle their iguanas. We obviously have other cities in our borders, but if there is something we can do either to offer our residents some help, but at least try to get ahead of it in our parks, it would be really great. If you drive down A1A when the sun is at a certain angle, it is terrifying. You just have these massive iguanas racing across the street, and they're massive. So we just need to kind of focus on that a little bit. Jose, I know that you see the emails that I do too, but we really owe the residents on Johnson Street some good responses about traffic calming. And also on Polk around the golf course, I'm getting some concerned residents as well. I want to send a gigantic thank you to Veronica Perez and Chris O'Brien, Chief Levy, and everybody that helped put together a really great hurricane preparedness event at the Beach Community Center on June 11th. You know, whenever there's change, and we lost Jamie Hernandez, he had a great shtick, but I have to say, Veronica, very different approach, but so engaging, and people really, really participated. And people shared their hurricane tips, and I think all in all, it was really great, and I can see her advancing over the years to make this a really great annual event. Lastly, and I mentioned this at my agenda review to the city manager and assistant city managers, we changed our P&D process, got rid of the PACO and the TAC meetings, which I supported. But one thing we lost in that process was the ability for residents to see projects that are coming online early. And now we have this design review or development review committee right DRC is it design or development development review committee which is great but what I would like to get some support for is for that agenda for each DRC meeting to be posted not for the purposes of sunshine but necessarily but just for the purpose of residents to see what's coming So I'm asking for support to place the DRC agenda a few days or even a week before their meeting, however it works out best, so residents have the opportunity to see projects coming on board early. Can I get support for that? Okay, thank you. And with that, that's it. Thank you. And I don't think we're meeting again until after the 4th, correct? But we will see each other at the fourth, the 250th birthday of our country. And I really just want to extend thanks to my colleagues. We're going to make it to our break.

150 strong. Commissioner Hernandez.

Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to start with one of the things that I talked about this morning is ask that the estimate water usage once it's triggered, that it's an estimate to be under 60 days before the department actually goes and reads a meter? Yeah, I support that. OK, thank you. One of the questions that was asked earlier was the ILA money. I met with Ryan earlier today. I asked about the ILA money. We currently have somewhere around $9 million in the coffers. I don't know if you can ask Ryan if he can confer that. regarding the conversation we had.

So what we'd like to do is just go ahead and put that in our weekly memo to all of you with all of that information. So we'll share that breakdown for you.

I'm going to talk about the ILA here as well. So either way, if he has the ability to do it, that's fine. If not, we can just guest out it until you bring it up. So if he doesn't mind, if he remembers. I don't know.

City Manager? He can come forward if that's the pleasure. I was just trying to be mindful of the citizen comments and wrapping up before that.

I'll be done within that. Yes, sir.

YES, COMMISSIONER. SO RIGHT NOW IN THE ILA? CORRECT. YEAH. SO WE'VE SPENT 9 MILLION ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND WE HAVE ENCUMBERED 1.2 MILLION. WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN THE ACTUAL BUDGET WAS PROBABLY CLOSER TO 8 OR 9 MILLION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT THINGS BUT THERE'S ALSO MONIES THAT ARE ENCUMBERED THAT WE HAVE FOR VARIOUS REHAB PROJECTS. WE'VE ENCUMBERED FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYER BUT WE HAVE ABOUT THAT AMOUNT IN THERE. YES, SIR.

Thank you. That was one of the conversations that we had earlier today, and it was fresh in my mind and fresh in his. And I believe that we're going to have a project that's coming in front of us July 7th that it's going to be asking for four million dollars For us to be able to do that project I'm in support of that project and I believe that's going to be another two million dollars That it's going to be coming out of either CRA or city funds to make it a six million dollar project as long as it doesn't come out of the ILA I'm okay because if it starts coming out of the ILA and then the purpose of the low to moderate income individuals that needs the money for their house to be rehabbed will not be the stream, the revenue stream will not be there after this coming year. So we need to be mindful of that. So I'm supportive of what we've done so far, but we need to be mindful of spending that money in years to come in order for us to focus on the homeowners that we currently have. to bring up the property values and bring up their quality of life at their house. So that's the only reason I wanted to ask him, so we know how much money we have versus what we're going to spend. So we've got $8 million, we've got a million encumber, and we're going to be spending another $4 million? Yes, sir?

I just wanted to add, Peter, on that note, I've asked the staff and I know an item is forthcoming because for a long while now we said well could we explore additional categories or do we need to change any thresholds in that exhibit to the ILA that would expand the opportunities for how to use these dollars neighborhood-wide improvements as well and so I'm looking forward to that coming back I mean when do you think the city manager so actually we had a meeting on that earlier today and the

Deputy City Manager Reichbach and Director Koot are going to be working. They have a draft of that, those changes. It goes hand in hand with what... And we'll be meeting with each of you individually to go over those proposed amendments, which then have to be presented to the county, and they'll go over that accounting at that same point in time. And you are correct, yes, that there is indeed some proposals out there related to additional affordable housing gap financing.

And that's one of the concerns that I have because the intended purpose is for the property owners to be able to bring up and uplift their houses. Notwithstanding, we have made some beautiful projects, and they're definitely welcome into the community. But we need to be mindful of what's there for traffic calming devices. And by the way, the ILA program has been so successful. We've been able to complete about 100 This year and in the years past, we've done some and some. So it's growing in popularity. People just need to be aware. Some people come for one thing and they realize it's more and they're taking advantage of it. So traffic calming devices that we talked about are on 22nd Avenue going from Pembroke to Washington Street. I wanted to see where that's at, if that's at all possible. Van Buren Street and 24th Avenue, that intersection has had plenty of accident. As a matter of fact, the unintended consequences of those accidents is that the church gets violated because their friends gets knocked down. And then we give them the violation that they had nothing to do with it. They have replaced their fence several times, and it keeps getting knocked down. Talked to the police department regarding some traffic calming devices on Van Buren Street, because that seems to be some of the, and on 24th Avenue near the intersection. If we could bring that to the forefront, that would be greatly appreciated for the neighborhood and the church as well. I also like to bring up, and I talked about earlier today, on 1980 Grand Street, there was a variance that it was issued for the elimination of 11 parking spaces when 12 were required. And I'd like to give some background on this. In the early days, it was a warehouse from 22 to 25, it was a warehouse as well. It's a legal non-conforming structure. It did not require parking since it, since it did not change the use. The request for the change of use is what triggered the 12 required parking spaces. So if it continues to be a warehouse, there would be no issue when it comes to that. But to want to change the use, it requires 12, actually originally 14, then it was 12. They were able to tweak to see the different uses. And then ultimately they came in front of the planning board without a site plan approval. So there isn't any, the rendering that you saw, the picture that it was sent out to you, wasn't presented to them as this is what we're looking for. What they presented was we need you to reduce 11 parking spaces out of 12 required. And so that's the only thing that was presented. Nothing else was presented when it comes to this. It didn't even say that it had to be handicapped parking spaces. It just said a parking space. And they're looking to put the parking space in the back. I would ask if we could actually review that process in order so we can make clear determinations of what it's needed. I need one more. If you want to bring it.

I mean, I think it's a challenge that's going to be broader even than this one property. And we ought to have a direction to staff on how we want it handled. I agree. Can you bring it back?

Thank you. Thank you for this report. And I'm not looking to kill the project. I'm looking to start something, even a conversation with our staff as to what we're going to do with future warehouses that have the similar things. And that's basically what I'm looking for. I thank you, Mayor. I thank you, Vice Mayor.

So Peter, the support was to bring the subject, not specifically a CRR on this particular one.

No, I'm looking for a CRR so that we can actually address this. And that's what I'm looking for.

I'd rather do it globally.

I need one more.

I have a question. I have a question for . What's the time frame of bringing it back for a CRR? And how much is this going to delay this project, Andrea or city manager?

It's not going to delay the project because they haven't asked for any permits as of yet. I didn't ask. You didn't ask me? No, I asked them.

Well, go ahead. He still loves you, though.

Oh, no, I love you guys. It's not a matter of that.

In August, we'll come back in August.

I believe we have maybe up to four meetings to bring it back. There are noticing requirements that have to be done, and we'd have to make the applicant aware. It would be a de novo hearing.

It could be an artist. I would like to see this move forward and then work on a parking issue. I drove by there today. There's a swale area that can be converted to parking.

And that's what I want to talk about regarding this thing. Look, if you don't want to support it, I understand. But don't say that you want to support the whole area when, in fact, this is the opportunity to do it. We have asked, the residents have asked, I have asked for the Regional Activity Center to be reviewed in order for us to address this thing. It takes something like this to bring it forthcoming. I just want to know what the end game is. To be able to provide a better product, I'd like to be able to know the site plan. I'd like to be able to know what kind of business is going to go in there. Right now, we have a carte blanche variant of 11 parking space required without knowing the business that's going to be in there, without knowing what kind of project is going to be in there. And the rendering that you saw, it was not submitted. They just asked for a variance for 11 parking spaces and they got it. And I'm okay with something like that if that's what it needs. But I want to know what's going to go into it. The residents want to know what's going to go into it. That's all I'm asking. I'm not looking to kill the project. I'm looking to try to make it better.

City Manager, can you address this? I'm hearing one thing from some residents that I spoke to today. I'm hearing two things from different residents. It depends on who you talk to. So is it a fact that this variance that was given is like will the variance expire? Is it for one particular project? How is that like really part of it?

It was my understanding that the variance was conditioned on this particular use and not a variance that stays with the property. We can certainly, you know, look at that and provide that information to you. This is an interesting portion of the code in which the regional activity center zoning is clearly desiring an adaptive reuse along this specific stretch of 20th Avenue and Grant Street. And yet, it is an area where a warehouse was built in the 1960s. It doesn't have any parking. And so a use has come forward. It is a craft roaster, entrepreneurial sort of maker space, where people who want to get into the batch roasting business can learn that skill and develop a business in this coffee roasting. They have a similar operation in, is it Doral, I believe? in Doral, and they wanted to bring this operation to this area. And so it was a challenge for staff, which is why they brought it to the Planning and Development Board. Because on the one hand, you have an encouragement in the code for an adaptive reuse of the property. And yet, on the other hand, you have no real provisions in the code for how to address the parking. And so that is what the variance process allows for. Staff did require that they got a parking engineer to look at the situation to examine the use and their business model and how they operate and determine that they could operate under this variance. I absolutely understand, though, Commissioner Hernandez is concerned because there is, you know, in this area, like in many areas where we have industrial uses or light manufacturing or warehouse-type uses next to... residential and other types of uses, historically, they were not appropriately parked. And as we see the reuse of some of these with different newer uses coming in, we also still see those problems. And so as we work to resolve them, how do we do it? And Commissioner Hernandez has been been spearheading the pilot project that's south of the boulevard on 19th and 20th Avenue to try to make sure that some of that parking can be made legal and accommodate additional parking in that area. And so we had talked about looking at some similar type of approach to this area, and could we create more available public parking. And so if that is, you know, it's just unclear.

No, no, I understand. But I think the question was an answer. Was there a site plan approved? Was there a site plan submitted with the application?

No, this was not. There is not. Their intent is not to change the actual layout of the building. The building is an existing building, and they are not anticipating change in it. They did provide an interior breakdown of the use of the space.

I HAVE A QUESTION. GO AHEAD. WE HAVE CITIZEN COMMENTS.

I'M TRYING TO WORK MY WAY TO SUPPORTING YOUR ISSUE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IS THE APPLICANT THE PROPERTY OWNER OR ALICE?

IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE. It's a lease. It's a lease.

So the tenant is going to invest a bunch of money into redoing this property. And in order to do so, they needed to get a variance on 11 of the 12 required parking spaces. And what determined the requirement of parking spaces? The use.

The breakdown of uses within the building and the study that they hired a traffic and parking engineer to look at their business model and determine that they could operate with one parking space.

OK. So I mean, if staff made them go spend money on a traffic engineer to determine that they didn't need any parking spaces, I mean, I guess we could take that for?

It was not a parking study. It was a parking statement from an engineer that said, look, here's the background. I went to the place to take pictures. I took the pictures. I saw a line of cars, and I can provide the pictures if you like. I saw a line of cars, and I saw a truck parked in the street, blocking the street, because there's no other parking. You're talking about on Grant Street. No, no. I'm talking about 20th Avenue. OK. Grant Street has parking in front of the building. The next day, I see our staff going out there to put no parking signs on that swale. The reason that I like for this to be reviewed is for us to be able to provide the needed parking that they need. I do not believe that one parking space is going to be able to provide for that place, and there's a parking need in the area. I go to the Cuscatleco restaurant right there. I go to the Colombian restaurant right there. And if you go there doing lunchtime, or if you go doing breakfast, or if you go doing dinner, you got to fight to find a parking space. So I'm trying to do something that is going to help these people. And my point was, in a site plan, whether it's a site plan for... Trees or not trees, we're not looking at that. But normally a site plan provides for parking. And these people were able to get a variance without providing where that parking space is going to go, whether it's a handicap or whether it's not a handicap. And this is the reason that I like to bring it back. Look, whatever they have to do inside, they still got to get permits for. And they can apply for those permits. And I'm not looking to kill the project. I'm looking to make a better project and to be able to get A footing as to what future warehouses. If somebody wanted to do a warehouse right now, it wouldn't require anything. They have the ability to do it. So with all due respect.

Yes, sir. I'm not looking to kill the project. Neither am I. Somebody's saying, I'm telling the truth now. You know, it's like, honestly. This is it. You know, it's kind of like, I think you're trying to kill the project.

I am not. Okay, well, thank you guys. Hold on, hold on.

I'll withdraw my request. I'll withdraw my request. Try and get me there, okay? I'm just curious. Because if you're telling me that you want to improve the project and to... help make it a better project, and create parking in the neighborhood. If you're telling me you want to charge them for parking spaces similar to buildings, I'll support the review of the project.

So hold on. Let me just clarify it, because Peter.

But there's got to be an end game, not a just...

Let's review the project. Guys, one missing element in all of this is that the solution is on the right-of-way. And my whole thing of not supporting the CRR is because the solution is in the right-of-way, we have to come up with a solution that could apply to many other different businesses there or exclusively, depending on how we do the solution. But it's not within the four corners of the property. So why call this up when the solution is on us outside of the property, which is what you want to do? Yeah, go ahead.

Thank you. I like to make a better project. Some of the businesses and some of the restaurants are able to pay in order to be able to have the parking that they have. What I see in some of the other places is they have a no parking sign in front of it, yet they're not paying for that parking space, and it's legally be able to park. I'm not trying to kill the project, and I'm not lying. If you think I'm lying, listen.

I'm not saying you're lying.

Well, no, but I'm just saying you insinuated that idea. I didn't say you were lying.

It's just I wasn't insinuating you were lying.

And I'm trying to tell you that you decide, Kevin, so we can move on to the citizen comments.

All right. CRR support. Thank you.

All right. I have nothing else.

So let's go ahead now to citizen comments. You guys got to see a little government in action there. We all get passionate. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, 250 years in the making. All right. We've got a lot of cards here. Thank you to everyone for being here. If you're here for citizens' comments, it is a little bit after 5 o'clock. That's Pat, our city clerk. Go fill out a card. We'll call you up. You have three minutes to speak on an item that's not on today's agenda. So let's go ahead. Ann Ralston, come on up, followed by Michael Seltzer, then Douglas Asch.

I love the project on 2900 Polk Street. It's a beautiful building and an appropriate place to put it. See, I'm not negative all the time. It's gorgeous. Speaking of speed humps, on Polk Street by the golf course, they put in reflectors. That may be a solution to all the signage that's put up, because you can clearly see it night or day. One of the bad parts of speed bumps, though, is as an older person driving, especially at night, those headlights, when they hit that bump, they go straight into your eyes. And it can temporarily blind you. And so that is kind of a downside of those speed humps. They're still speeding in front of my house, so it hasn't stopped. Also in front of my house, this is the third time they have painted the little arrow going up. The first was after they put it in. The second time they came out, they put a tiny little arrow in the arrow. And just two days ago, they sent this huge truck out again. So it's the third time they have painted the same two Vs. I have no idea why they decided to do this three times. And speaking of the golf course, when you golf, especially on Polk Street, when you're parked at the tee box on 9, anyone can just reach in and grab anything they wanted out of your cart. Those hedges are not going to stop somebody from grabbing one of my clubs, my purse, because we leave the stuff in. We're on the tee box. We're not paying attention to the golf cart and who may be walking by. It's just a safety issue for golfers, and especially women that carry purses in their golf carts. It's there. So it's kind of along Polk Street. Johnson is not nearly as bad, because there's a big kind of buffer. But it still could happen, because those hedges, until they grow in, you could look two, three years until they're solid and very hard to get through. So maybe some type of the wood fence at least that would stop them a little from coming through might be very helpful. So also on signage, we have plenty of signs to say pay parking here, especially along 17th Avenue and Polk, where they started charging residents to park. But only four that I counted so far around the golf course for no trespassing. I have been on 12 when the old 12, sorry, Dirt bikes are riding right through. They go through those hedges and go right down that course. The dog walkers, people do think it's a park. And if they are going in somewhere where there's only one sign on each side, they don't know it's not a park. And I don't know. I'm scared that someone's going to get hit by a golf ball, especially mine. So it's just food for thought.

Michael Seltzer, followed by Douglas Ash, and then Ellie Dobson O'Connor. Eli.

Hi. First, I want to say I am in favor of the 398 units, so I don't know where you thought that I wasn't. And as far back as 15 minutes ago, apparently, unless Mr. Chetrit is lying, there is no deal with related. Now, in the world of real estate today, there's very few companies that can get equity and or loans. And you have given out some deals before I got here with no timeline. Like these people can sit here, at least from what I hear, forever without performing. A good case in point was Margate, where they fought with a developer for 12 years because he had something under contract, but he couldn't perform. Myself in the real estate business, two years ago, I realized that all of my clients had no money because after everything was approved and they had to perform and close on the land, it was the city's fault, the mother's fault, somebody's fault. The only fault was is they didn't have financing. So taking all that into account, I called a client of mine, Brookfield. Brookfield is one of the largest asset managers in the world. They're worth over $100 billion. And they came to the city yesterday. And I have to tell you, they told me the following. And they deal with some of the largest developments in the world. And your staff can tell you who they were, New York, Chicago, San Francisco. And the young gentleman who's been with Brookfield for 10 years told me this morning, and I quote, they were not one of the most professional, well-prepared, and knowledgeable groups he has ever met. So to Raelynn, Lisa, Herb, and Jose, kudos to you from a guy that sits and listens to cities all over the world that says something for the job all of you are doing. As far as cats go, I was in Publix last week. And there was a mother with two kids. And she couldn't afford to buy food. I was looking at her basket. And I was looking at the way they were dressed. And I said, what's wrong? She says, I have no money. I said, here's $100. Go buy yourself food. I asked two people, and someone's here and some other people, that I want to help, homeless people and homeless kids. You would think someone would call me, right? I'm still waiting for the phone call.

All right. Ryan, make sure to get his number. Douglas Ash, followed by? Is it Ellie or Eli? Eli. Eli Dobson, O'Connor. Douglas.

Good afternoon, Commissioner Mayer. My name is Douglas Ashe. I live at 2315 Freedom Street. My parents came to Hollywood in 1950, so they've been here in this family. I'm the youngest of 11, almost half of the 150 years. I live in Liberia. What I wanted to do is echo on two things. Please, I implore the work that Ryan Coote presented today on the nine properties on item number 30 is needed and to accelerate it. Liberia, culture, history, and economic growth is what we're looking for. You mentioned generational wealth. Our ownership has gone way down. We have a lot of renters. And so whatever you can do, Commissioner and staff and team, let's get those nine, especially those three, Peter, in Liberia, the two on Sims and the one on Farragut. So my first comment is to let's double click and double down on that. My second and final comment is on watch out for the unintended consequences. If affordable is defined as 60% to 80% at or below AMI, and gross income housing 30%, not being more than 30%, subsidies got to help. I'm a boomeranger. Lots of people my age that grew up. I finished high school here and was gone 40 years and came back. Property taxes are a bear. I'm paying $11,800 in Liberia. Yes, I built a new home. So if there are subsidies available in that RFP to qualify, please pay attention to the back. Because the ownership for affordable housing, the owners won't be able to afford it. It's just going to continue to escalate. So maybe there are some subsidies in that process that can help those new homeowners maintain their home. Those are my comments for the record today.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Ash. Appreciate it. Eli, come on up. Eli Dobson O'Connor, followed by Jeff Delmay, then Jeff Oliverio, Miles Davis, Diana Pittarelli,