Title
An Ordinance Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Amending The City's Comprehensive Plan By Changing The Land Use Designation For 2.98 Gross Acres Of Land Located At 1301 South Ocean Drive, Generally Located On The North Side Of Bougainvilla Terrace, On The South Side Of Azalea Terrace, On The East Side Of S. Ocean Drive, And West Side Of The Hollywood Broadwalk, From The Land Use Designation Community Facility (COMFAC) To Medium High (25) Residential (MHRES); Amending The City’s Land Use Map To Reflect The Changes. (25-L-73)
Strategic Plan Focus
Economic Vitality
Body
Staff Recommends: Approval of the attached Ordinance.
Explanation:
The item before the City Commission is a Small-Scale Land Use Plan Amendment (“LUPA”) to the City’s Comprehensive Plan for 2.98 acres of City-owned property including abutting rights-of-way, located at 1301 South Ocean Drive. The City Commission is being asked to determine the appropriateness of the proposed land-use designation. Specific development characteristics, including overall design, architecture, circulation, parking and community benefits will be reviewed in detail during future quasi-judicial proceedings required as part of the site plan approval processes.
The subject property is associated with a public-private partnership (“P3”) authorized by the City Commission. The City and its P3 partner and developer, PRH 1301 South Ocean Dr., LLC (“Developer”) have jointly applied for this Application (collectively “Applicants”). Under the contract, PRH 1301 South Ocean Dr, LLC, is required to seek all necessary governmental approvals needed for the redevelopment of the site including this LUPA. Consideration of a LUPA is a legislative matter. As such, there are no quasi-judicial criteria for the Commission's evaluation of the Application. The City Commission is charged with making a policy determination as to whether the proposed change advances the public interest and is consistent with the goals, objectives and policies of the City's Comprehensive Plan.
This amendment proposes to change the existing Community Facility (“COMFAC”) designation to Medium-High (25) Residential (“MHRES”).
This legislative action authorizes both:
1. Adoption of the City’s Small-Scale Amendment to the local Comprehensive Plan; and
2. Transmittal of the adopted amendment to the Broward County Planning Council with a formal request that the County initiate and adopt a corresponding amendment to the Broward County Land Use Plan (“BCLUP”), should this be necessary, as discussed later in this report.
The land use amendment site represents approximately 2.98 acres within a larger 5.15-acre City-owned parcel. The proposed change applies only to the portions designated Community Facility that would be redesignated to Medium-High (25) Residential.
Based on review of City’s Comprehensive Plan, staff finds that the proposed amendment is consistent with the City’s objectives for sustainable redevelopment, modernization of public facilities, and preservation of public beach access. Staff recommends approval of the attached Ordinance on first reading and transmittal to the Broward County Planning Council for its consideration to ensure required conformity with the BCLUP, if required, with the following conditions:
1. Prior to recertification of the City’s Comprehensive Plan by the Broward County Planning Council, as a result of the proposed land use change, the Applicants shall:
a. Record in the Public Records of Broward County a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants for the preservation of certain City-owned property for open space and recreational purposes in a form to be approved by the City Attorney. The Declaration of Restrictive Covenants shall address the preservation of natural resources, open space, and beach access.
2. During the Site Plan approval process the Applicants shall identify all required transportation network improvements resulting from proposed development of the subject property improvements as identified in the LUPA’s traffic study.
3. Prior to Second Reading, the Applicants shall continue to coordinate with the Department of Public Utilities to confirm that projected wastewater flows can be accommodated. If system upgrades are required, the Applicants shall identify necessary improvements, such as pump, force main, or gravity system modifications, and secure approval of an improvement plan to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Utilities prior to Site Plan Approval.
The conceptual program identifies 111 total units within the broader redevelopment site, of which 74 units would derive from the amendment area and 37 units derived from property already designated residential. The development program, outlining the final density, intensity, and site design parameters will be evaluated during the subsequent site plan review process to ensure compliance with both City and County standards.
The property is zoned Government Use (“GU”), as such a rezoning is not required to establish development standards for the proposed project. The GU District is intentionally structured to allow site-specific standards to be set through the Site Plan Review process, rather than through a change in zoning. Article 6 of the Zoning and Land Development Regulations requires elements such as density, height, setbacks, site coverage, and building separation to be determined by the City Commission on a project-by-project basis, guided by the Comprehensive Plan and applicable master plans. As a result, the flexibility built into the GU District already provides a fully compliant framework to evaluate and authorize the proposed development without the need to amend the underlying zoning designation.
BACKGROUND
Public-Private Partnership Context
The Hollywood Beach Culture and Community Center was constructed in the early 1970s and does not comply with current FEMA, building-code, or accessibility standards. In 2020, under Florida State Statutes 255.065, the City undertook a P3 process to modernize the facility. After a competitive solicitation, PRH 1301 South Ocean Drive LLC was selected by the City Commission as the preferred partner to construct a new, elevated community center facility, improved public parking, upgraded park, public restrooms and open spaces, along with a privately funded residential component under a long-term ground lease.
The City and PRH 1301 South Ocean Drive, LLC executed a Comprehensive Agreement and Ground Lease that allows the City to retain ownership of the property while leveraging private investment to replace and enhance the public facilities providing for greater resiliency and public access along the beachfront.
Prior Local Planning Agency Action
A prior version of this amendment was reviewed by the Planning and Development Board, acting as the Local Planning Agency, on May 9, 2023. After receiving staff’s presentation and extensive public comment, the Board voted to recommend denial. Public concerns focused on the private development including project intensity, potential view and traffic impacts, and use of a portion of the City-owned property for private development.
Following the Board’s action, the Developer refined the proposal and an updated amendment application was submitted addressing the extent of redevelopment, clarification of open-space boundaries, and supporting infrastructure documentation. The current request represents the continuation of the legislative process with updated materials for Commission review. The LUPA was scaled down to include less property, including the elimination of all parcels designated Open Space and Recreation on the City’s land use map; resulting in an overall reduction of units.
Coordination with Broward County and Land-Use Plan Interpretation
The subject property is designated “Community Facility” on the City’s Future Land Use Map and was recently adjusted to “Community” under the BCLUP.
Based on the County Land Use Map made publicly available as of 2025, amendments are required to both plans. While the City’s amendment qualifies as a small-scale amendment under State law and may be adopted locally by ordinance, a corresponding County amendment would require separate processing by the Broward County Planning Council. This two-tiered process reflects Broward County’s chartered land-use authority, under which the County Land Use Plan serves as the controlling framework for all municipal plans within the County. Under this process following State review, the County Commission would consider adoption of the amendment and, if approved, would recertify the City’s Comprehensive Plan to ensure conformity between the two plans.
The Developer and Broward County Planning Council have exchanged correspondence (included in the attachments to this report) outlining their respective positions on the necessity of a County-level amendment. City planning staff recognize there has been historic inconsistency and lack of alignment regarding this property on the City’s land use map and the County’s land use map. This review and recommendation are based solely on the official, publicly available versions of the City and County maps. City planning staff will continue to coordinate with Broward County Planning Council staff and will rely on the Applicants to work directly with the Broward County Planning Council to reconcile these differences. It should be noted that the analysis accompanying the application before the Commission addresses both City and County-level land use plan amendments.
The identified discrepancy pertains only to the County map and therefore does not preclude the City Commission from considering the City amendment on first reading.
LUPA ANALYSIS
The proposed amendment advances the City’s Comprehensive Plan objectives for managed coastal redevelopment, modernization of aging public facilities, and the preservation of publicly accessible open space along the beachfront. The proposed Medium-High (25) Residential designation is compatible with adjacent land uses and densities along State Road A1A and represents a logical transition between existing residential and civic development patterns on the barrier island.
A comprehensive technical analysis of infrastructure capacity, environmental considerations, and policy consistency was originally prepared and reviewed as part of the Planning and Development Board’s consideration of this amendment in 2023. That report, attached for reference, remains relevant and provides detailed findings regarding utilities, concurrency, transportation, coastal management, and environmental resource protection. While the Board ultimately recommended denial at that time, the technical documentation contained within the record continues to inform staff’s assessment of the site’s development potential and compliance with adopted planning frameworks.
Since the original analysis was conducted in support of the LUPA, the proposed project has been modified. To ensure the information before the City Commission reflects the most current conditions, staff requested updated amendment materials prior to advancing the item for Commission consideration. This updated analysis incorporates current data and methodology to address infrastructure capacity, environmental conditions, and concurrency compliance consistent with the technical requirements for County transmittal and State review.
The revised analysis confirms that there is sufficient capacity within existing and planned infrastructure systems, including potable water, sanitary sewer, stormwater management, and solid waste services, to accommodate the proposed amendment. Updated reviews of transportation and emergency access demonstrate that the amendment will not adversely impact level-of-service standards. Environmental evaluations also confirm that dune systems, coastal vegetation, and shoreline protections will remain preserved through future design and permitting controls required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Broward County Resilient Environment Department.
The amendment maintains City ownership of the underlying land, preserves all publicly accessible open space east of Surf Road and within Harry Berry Park. It provides a policy framework that supports the replacement of aging community infrastructure with modern, resilient facilities. Collectively, the findings of both the original and updated analyses support the conclusion that the proposed amendment can be supported.
Fiscal Impact:
Approval of the proposed ordinance would facilitate the implementation of the existing P3 for redevelopment of the site at 1301 South Ocean Drive. The project is anticipated to enhance the City’s fiscal position by transforming underutilized public land into a revenue-generating mixed-use development that incorporates new public amenities.
Redevelopment of the site is expected to expand the City’s property tax base, stimulate economic activity, and deliver a modernized community facility without direct capital expenditure from the City. The partnership structure leverages private investment to achieve public infrastructure improvements while minimizing financial risk to the City and ensuring sustainable, long-term community benefits.
Conclusion:
The proposed amendment establishes the land-use framework necessary to advance redevelopment of the Hollywood Beach Culture and Community Center site while maintaining public ownership and open-space preservation. Updated analysis confirms adequate infrastructure capacity and consistency with both the City’s and County’s Comprehensive Plans. Staff recommends approval of the ordinance on first reading.
Recommended for inclusion on the agenda by:
Anand Balram, Chief Planner/Assistant Director
Andria Wingett, Director of Development Services
Raelin Storey, Assistant City Manager