Hollywood CRA Regular Meeting, March 5, 2025: Grant Continuance, Artificial Reef Update, and Executive Director Farewell
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Hollywood CRA Regular Meeting – March 5, 2025
The Community Redevelopment Agency Board met on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 9:00 AM in City Hall Commission Chambers. The meeting included citizen comments, a continuance of the lone regular agenda item, informational reports on grant activity and the Thousand Mermaid artificial reef project, and a farewell to Executive Director George Camejo, who is resigning effective March 21, 2025. The Board unanimously designated Susan Goldberg as Acting Executive Director.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Bob Wickman – Raised concerns about beach parking (250 free spaces in Nevada garage going unused), dead/dying trees along A1A, malfunctioning flapgates contributing to flooding, lack of mid-block crosswalks on A1A, a downtown cell-phone dead zone, and insufficient enforcement of developer signage requirements (yellow signs not staying up 15 days). Suggested projecting historic photos for the centennial.
- Elizabeth Barnett – Requested housing assistance, describing her recent move to Hollywood, inability to stay with her mother, and high rents. Chair Levy offered to connect her with Community Development housing programs.
- Elena Hershey (Hollywood Beach Business Association) – Expressed strong support for the artificial reef project and announced that she is personally dedicating one of the underwater statues in memory of her late husband, Billy, founder of Billy’s Stone Crab.
Discussion Items
- Continuance of Property Improvement Program Grant (R-CRA-2025-07) – The Waterway at Hollywood Beach Condominium Association requested a continuance to complete its 40‑year inspection certificate. The Board approved the continuance unanimously; the item will be heard at the April CRA meeting.
- Grant Activity Update – Project Manager Chris Crusado presented a summary of grants from FY2023–2025:
- FY2023 Downtown: 12 approved applications, $4.3 M private investment, $590 K in CRA commitments, $316 K reimbursed.
- FY2023 Beach: 4 approved applications, ~$1 M private investment, $226 K in CRA commitments, $13 K reimbursed.
- FY2024: 7 downtown apps ($1.2 M private investment, $400 K+ committed), 7 beach apps ($3.4 M private investment, $680 K committed).
- FY2025 (to date): Downtown 6 apps approved ($1 M+ private investment, $400 K+ committed); Beach 6 apps approved ($5 M+ private investment, $350 K+ committed). Many additional applications are projected.
- Thousand Mermaid Artificial Reef Project – Shelby Thomas (Ocean Rescue Alliance International) provided an update. All 48 reef modules (12 artistic, 36 habitat) are constructed. Deployment is planned for a two‑day window beginning March 28–29, with backup dates in April/May. Four sites will host the modules. Donated art pieces (e.g., heart of the ocean, additional mermaid tail, angels) were offered at no extra cost; the Board supported accepting them. The project includes a camera, coral outplanting (targeting July), and community programs (Live Blue, beach cleanups, yoga, snorkeling). Board members expressed strong support and requested prioritizing the 100‑year celebration module.
- Tenant‑Based Grant Programs & Broadwalk Improvements – Board members discussed challenges with tenant‑furniture quality and short leases. Ideas included a furniture improvement program (FIP) or a tenant‑based grant. Several members urged using existing cafe‑license standards and code enforcement to address substandard furnishings, paired with CRA grant outreach. There was consensus to explore a tenant‑focused program and to better coordinate code enforcement with grant opportunities.
- Downtown Dead Zone / Cell Signal – Chair Levy raised the issue of poor cellular service in downtown Hollywood, affecting the parking app. The Board directed staff to engage with wireless carriers and consider infrastructure improvements.
- Wayfinding Signs – Board Member Callari requested a presentation at the next meeting on the status of wayfinding signage, particularly near the Dana Beach/Hollywood Circle area.
- Dixie Highway / 21st Avenue Vision – Board Member Hernandez asked the CRA to work with city staff on a vision for the Dixie Highway and 21st Avenue corridors, suggesting possible zoning expansions and use of grants to improve the area. Both Chair Levy and Susan Goldberg (Acting Executive Director) acknowledged this as a priority.
- Farewell to Executive Director George Camejo – Chair Levy, Vice Chair Quintana, and all Board Members expressed gratitude for George Camejo’s 14 years of service, highlighting his leadership on major infrastructure, grant programs, and staff development. Camejo thanked the Board and staff, noting the CRA’s accomplishments. The Board voted unanimously to designate Susan Goldberg as Acting Executive Director, effective March 21, 2025. Goldberg thanked the Board and committed to continuing projects smoothly in coordination with city management.
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous continuance of the Waterway at Hollywood Beach PIP Grant to the April 2025 CRA meeting.
- Unanimous designation of Susan Goldberg as Acting Executive Director.
- Accepted donation of additional artistic reef modules (at no cost) for the Thousand Mermaid artificial reef deployment.
- Direction to staff to explore a tenant‑based grant program and to strengthen code enforcement related to cafe‑license furnishings and Broadwalk appearance.
- Direction to staff to engage cell‑service providers and evaluate infrastructure to address the downtown cellular dead zone.
- Request for a wayfinding sign update at the next CRA meeting.
- Staff will continue to investigate the cause of tree mortality on A1A and present recommendations at the April or May meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Neglected to pay attention today. Good morning, everyone. Uh, today is Wednesday, March fifth, twenty twenty-five. We are here for a regular community redevelopment agency meeting here at the City of Hollywood. If you could please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Um, any conflict disclosures today? Hearing none, let's go ahead to nine AM Citizens Comments. It's bad in this respect. Most people are parking on the beach side streets. They're not going into the parking garage, especially the Nevada parking garage. You drive by that garage every day, 250 spots are free. 250 spots are free. It's just ridiculous. We need a program to drive people to the to the garages. So I just want to bring this to our attention. As we know, the newly planted trees along A1A are dead or dying. Okay, there's been a tree missing on the east side of A1A for the past two years between Scott and Missouri streets that we'd like to see put back in. The flapgates are a continual problem. I know we've talked about it year after year. I've been talking about it for the last at least six years. The CRA is going away pretty soon. You know, we need to do something to fix this. The flooding is one of the main causes of flooding is the flapgates where the water is coming back up into the drainage system. I know you all know that, but I want to bring it up again and again and again until we can finally do something about it. I I know it's not the city responsibility, it's more F dot. But really, we we really need to do something. You know, we're not going to solve flooding, but this will minimize it to some degree. We're still requesting mid block crosswalks along A1A. You have more and more developments on the West Side. People need to cross the beach to the beach side safely, and they're not able to do that. Uh for the centennial. I would like to suggest that we project pictures of old Hollywood, especially at nighttime, you know, on a lot of the buildings in all areas of the city, not just downtown. You know, we we can do this, we can do this even during art walk. Let that be something to be done. It's something different. Uh in the downtown, there's still a dead cell phone zone there. You know, people try to use that parking app, they're not able to do it. You got no cell phones. Uh I'm gonna bring something up really. Uh during the uh, and I've spoken to development services about this in the past. The um during the permit process, during the process of the meetings, the developers are supposed to put sign on their property for 15 days prior to a hearing. That sign is not staying on the property for the full 15 days. You know, they they take a picture, they send an affidavit, but then a few days later the sign is missing. You know, I I have a major gripe about this that we're disenfranchising the residents in those areas where these projects are going up. They don't know about the meetings, they don't follow the city online, but they do see those yellow signs when they go by. We need more enforcement on those yellow signs. Thank you. Appreciate it. All right, uh Elizabeth Barnett. Hi, everybody.
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