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Record of Proceedings

2025-05-07 Regular City Commission Meeting: Development Code, Pensions, and Proclamations

Hollywood Public Meetings — Wednesday, May 7, 2025
BodyHollywood, Florida
SessionHollywood Public Meetings
DateWednesday, May 7, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 6:17:00

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:45

All right, everybody, welcome to City Hall here in the city of Hollywood.

0:48

It is great to see so many of our legacy businesses in attendance today, and everyone that's here for the uh subjects that are uh of business today on the agenda.

0:56

Welcome.

0:57

Today is May 7th, 2025.

0:59

We are here for a regular city commission meeting, uh, but it is never regular, it's always important, and uh that'll uh goes uh of course for the items that we have before us today.

1:08

So uh at each start of each meeting, we begin with a moment of silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:13

So uh think of of loved ones, think of uh any anyone that you want to keep in mind, please rise for that moment of silence followed by the pledge.

1:34

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic, which is one nation under God, indemincible with liberty and justice for all.

1:48

Thank you.

1:50

Thank you.

1:51

At the start of each meeting, we also take an important moment to recognize uh our veterans, active service personnel, their families.

1:57

So if you are a veteran of the U.S.

1:59

Armed Forces or a family member of a service member, please rise.

2:02

We'd like to recognize you.

2:12

Thank you.

2:12

Roll call, please.

2:14

Commissioner Gruber?

2:17

Commissioner Biederman.

2:24

There you go.

2:25

You got it.

2:26

Vice Mayor Quintana?

2:27

Here.

2:28

Commissioner Shoham.

2:29

Here.

2:30

Commissioner Hernandez.

2:31

Here.

2:32

Commissioner Kallary?

2:33

Here.

2:33

Mayor Levy.

2:35

Here.

2:36

All right, thank you so much.

2:38

Uh at the start of each meeting, we take care of our consent agenda.

2:40

These are items that don't usually require individual discussion.

2:43

Uh, but if there is a speaker card on an item or if a member of the city commission would like to remove one for discussion, we always are happy to do so.

2:50

Pat, are there any speaker cards on items five through seven?

2:55

No, no cards.

2:56

Okay.

2:57

Any requests from the dais?

2:58

Number six, please.

3:00

Six and seven.

3:02

All right, six from Commissioner Callary, seven from Commissioner Biederman.

3:05

We'll take those up a little later.

3:06

So if I could please have a motion to approve item number five.

3:09

Motion to approve.

3:11

Second.

3:12

We have a motion from Commissioner Caller, a second from Commissioner Schuham to approve item number five.

3:15

All those in favor say aye.

3:17

Aye.

3:17

Any opposed?

3:18

Hearing none, the item carries unanimously.

3:21

We will take up six and seven later.

3:27

All right.

3:27

Uh our one p.m.

3:28

presentations, proclamations, and awards.

3:30

Uh thank you to everyone here from our legacy businesses uh for being here in attendance.

3:35

Uh this week is National Economic Development Week, uh, May 12th through the 16th.

3:40

And together with uh presenting this proclamation, of course, you've been invited by our marketing economic development uh and communications office uh for us to have an opportunity to recognize you.

3:50

Uh this is a special time for us uh celebrating Hollywood centennial, and we all know that the story of Hollywood over the past hundred years has also been written in large part uh by the business owners and the businesses that have been here since day one serving the community.

4:03

And so thank you all for being uh a legacy and a part of Hollywood's history as well.

4:08

Hopefully, I doesn't make you feel too old.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning and Land Use█████████████████████21%
Public Engagement████████████████16%
Pension Plan Management██████████10%
Historic Preservation████████8%
Planning And Development██████6%
Economic Development█████5%
Permitting Process████4%
Procedural███3%
Public Service Recognition███3%
Summary of Proceedings

2025-05-07 Regular City Commission Meeting

The Hollywood City Commission met on May 7, 2025, at 1:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting included proclamations for Public Service Recognition Week, National Economic Development Week, National Historic Preservation Month, Lung Cancer Action Week, and National Drinking Water Week. Major actions included unanimous approval of the Park Road mixed-use development (618 units, 8,900 sq ft restaurant/commercial, 16,800 sq ft office) on second reading, passage of a Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) ordinance on first reading, and extensive debate and approval (6-1) of an ordinance overhauling the development review process. Consent items were approved with two pulled for discussion; one was withdrawn and the other approved.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 5: Resolution R-2025-135 approving second amendment with PMA Consultants LLC for project controls up to $295,396.00. Approved unanimously.
  • Item 6: Resolution R-2025-136 for a purchase order with Rep Services, Inc. for playground equipment at Mayor Peter Bober Park (up to $210,849.98). Pulled by Commissioner Callari; discussion centered on using CRA funds. The item was withdrawn by the City Manager to be brought before the CRA board.
  • Item 7: Resolution R-2025-137 for a blanket purchase agreement with Craig A. Smith & Associates for location services (up to $340,000/year). Pulled by Commissioner Biederman; concerns about past litigation were addressed. The city attorney stated litigation does not bar the contract. Approved unanimously with direction to seek competitive options.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Ann Ralston: Commented on items 15-17 (Park Road), expressing concern that the value of the 22-acre property exceeds $250,000 and should go to voters per charter. Also raised traffic concerns. The city attorney clarified charter restrictions apply to coastal property, not this site.
  • Ann Ralston (Citizens’ Comments): Praised specific city staff members (Community Service Officers Ken B. and Linda Rodriguez, Parks staff David and Ira, Andrea for speed humps, Dan in building, Keisha in water) and thanked fire rescue paramedics who saved her husband’s life on May 24, 2020.
  • Alejandro Munoz: Proposed using tactical urbanism to slow traffic in neighborhoods; asked for it to be an agenda item. Mayor directed him to engage with the urban design and planning team.
  • Eleanor Sobel (former State Senator): Thanked the commission for attending the rededication of the Eleanor Sobel Softball Field at Hollywood Hills; highlighted ongoing pay equity issues in women’s sports.
  • Multiple speakers on Item 19: Terry Cantrell, Ann Ralston, and Pamela Butler spoke. Cantrell praised increased public participation but raised quality control concerns in building permits. Ralston questioned the 500-foot notice radius and the historical overlay process. Butler supported streamlining, noting administrative approval is common in other cities.

Discussion Items

  • Item 14 (Ordinance – Alley Vacation): Second reading, no changes. Unanimously approved (6-0, Commissioner Gruber absent).
  • Items 15 & 16 (Park Road Rezoning and Site Plan): Second reading of an ordinance changing zoning from Government Use (GU) to Planned Development (PD) for a mixed-use development at 1600 S. Park Road (22 acres). The site plan includes ~8,900 sq ft restaurant/commercial, ~16,800 sq ft office, and 618 multifamily units. Both passed unanimously. Commissioner Hernandez confirmed the $250,000 charter threshold does not apply.
  • Item 17 (Amended and Restated Land Development and Disposition Agreement): Authorized the agreement with Park Road Development LLC for remediation, sale, and redevelopment. Passed unanimously.
  • Item 18 (DROP Ordinance – First Reading): Amends Section 33.025 to make DROP available to all City of Hollywood Employees Retirement Fund members and allow distribution upon completion. David Keller (Pension Board) presented: the change is expected to cost the city minimal or nothing; offsets include elimination of normal cost contributions ($400,000/year for 77 current DROP participants) and frozen COLAs. Participation is voluntary (41% eligible entered DROP in the prior year). Requires June votes by AFSME membership and pension fund board. Unanimously approved on first reading.
  • Item 19 (Development Review Process Overhaul – First Reading): Comprehensive amendment to Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 of the Zoning and Land Development Regulations. Staff proposed streamlining: projects up to 20,000 sq ft and 10 units (with no variances) could be administratively approved; requiring two public outreach meetings; new signage; and removing sunshine from technical advisory committee (renamed Development Review Committee). Extensive debate led to three amendments: (1) remove protest rights for by-right projects (no variances); (2) clarify that administrative variance provisions do not apply to new construction; (3) treat requests for payment-in-lieu of parking as a trigger requiring Planning & Development Board review. The amended motion set thresholds at more than 10 units or more than 20,000 sq ft for board review. Passed 6-1 on first reading.

Key Outcomes

  • Votes:
    • Item 14 (Alley Vacation): 6-0 (Gruber absent).
    • Items 15, 16, 17 (Park Road): Unanimous.
    • Item 18 (DROP): Unanimous on first reading.
    • Item 19 (Development Review Ordinance): 6-1 on first reading with amendments (Commissioner Hernandez likely the dissenting vote based on his stated reservations).
  • Withdrawals: Item 6 (playground equipment) withdrawn by City Manager to explore CRA funding.
  • Directions: Staff to seek competitive bids for location services (Craig A. Smith). Staff to provide additional language for Item 19 before second reading to incorporate amendments. Staff to report back on pay equity study (requested by Vice Mayor Quintana).
  • Upcoming: Second reading of Item 18 (planned after June membership votes). Second reading of Item 19 (drafting clarifications).
  • Presentation Awards: Water Conservation Poster Contest winners recognized (grades K-8).

Meeting Transcript

All right, everybody, welcome to City Hall here in the city of Hollywood. It is great to see so many of our legacy businesses in attendance today, and everyone that's here for the uh subjects that are uh of business today on the agenda. Welcome. Today is May 7th, 2025. We are here for a regular city commission meeting, uh, but it is never regular, it's always important, and uh that'll uh goes uh of course for the items that we have before us today. So uh at each start of each meeting, we begin with a moment of silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. So uh think of of loved ones, think of uh any anyone that you want to keep in mind, please rise for that moment of silence followed by the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic, which is one nation under God, indemincible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you. At the start of each meeting, we also take an important moment to recognize uh our veterans, active service personnel, their families. So if you are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or a family member of a service member, please rise. We'd like to recognize you. Thank you. Roll call, please. Commissioner Gruber? Commissioner Biederman. There you go. You got it. Vice Mayor Quintana? Here. Commissioner Shoham. Here. Commissioner Hernandez. Here. Commissioner Kallary? Here. Mayor Levy. Here. All right, thank you so much. Uh at the start of each meeting, we take care of our consent agenda. These are items that don't usually require individual discussion. Uh, but if there is a speaker card on an item or if a member of the city commission would like to remove one for discussion, we always are happy to do so. Pat, are there any speaker cards on items five through seven? No, no cards. Okay. Any requests from the dais? Number six, please. Six and seven. All right, six from Commissioner Callary, seven from Commissioner Biederman. We'll take those up a little later. So if I could please have a motion to approve item number five. Motion to approve. Second. We have a motion from Commissioner Caller, a second from Commissioner Schuham to approve item number five. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, the item carries unanimously.

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