Planning and Development Board Meeting - August 12, 2025: Elections, Development Approvals, and Hillcrest Village Debate
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Planning and Development Board Meeting - August 12, 2025
The Hollywood Planning and Development Board convened on August 12, 2025, at 11:00 AM. The meeting began with elections for chair, vice chair, and secretary, followed by approval of minutes and consideration of multiple development applications, including a contentious affordable housing project (Hillcrest Village) that drew significant public opposition. The board also received an update on changes to the development review process.
Elections
The board elected Joseph Stadlin as Chair, Stephen Morales as Vice Chair, and Bob Glickman as Secretary, all by unanimous roll call votes.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of minutes from the previous meeting was moved and seconded, passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 25 SV 56 (Seminole Tribe parking variance): Barry Sharp, property owner adjacent to the site, spoke in opposition, citing concerns about an 86% parking reduction, lack of enforceability due to tribal sovereignty, safety crossing State Road 7, and potential parking overflow into his property. He argued the parking agreement was unenforceable.
- Item 23 DP 26 (8-unit townhomes at 2420-2430 Lincoln St.): Geraldine Rosner raised drainage concerns, noting flooding on her property. Mary Lane questioned zoning compliance, expressed concerns about protected birds (Cooper's hawks) in oak trees, and utility access for FPL. Ricardo Naya echoed drainage concerns and complained about current construction activity attaching to his fence without permission.
- Item 24 ZJDP 80 (Hillcrest Village affordable housing): Multiple residents from Hillcrest and Parkview spoke in opposition. Ariana Martinez highlighted existing parking issues and traffic congestion. Tucker Gibbs (attorney for Hillcrest Leadership Council) argued the application seeks to squeeze last units into the PUD, challenged density calculations, called the characterization of Hillcrest as "blighted" inaccurate, and urged denial. Nicholas Smith raised density and traffic concerns. Chad Christensen objected to the developer not contributing to the community development district fees while using amenities paid for by residents. Salbany (building 20) feared construction damage and property devaluation. Brett Brittam said the community overwhelmingly opposes the project. Steve Schneider challenged the "blighted" characterization and accused the applicant of misrepresenting a lawsuit.
Discussion Items
- Item 24 DP 24 (Warehouse at 6013 Rodman St.): Staff presented revised design with stucco siding and stone to improve compatibility. Variance request to increase curb cut from 15 to 22 feet (40% of lot width). Board member Morales noted discrepancies between rendering and elevations; condition was added to align elevations with render. Approved variance, design (with condition), and site plan.
- Item 25 SV 57 (Take 5 Oil Change at 6190 Hollywood Blvd.): Request for special exception to reinstate non-conforming auto use and variance to reduce stacking spaces. Applicant noted lower intensity than previous auto repair, added landscaping, and street improvements. Public participation meeting had support. Approved variance and special exception unanimously.
- Item 25 SV 56 (5440 South State Road 7 - Seminole Tribe office): Special exception for modifications to non-conforming building and variance to allow off-site parking at Lucky Street Garage (tribal land). Staff recommended approval with conditions: signage directing to garage, temporary certificate of occupancy, lease agreement recorded on non-tribal parcel. Applicant noted federal law prohibits recording on tribal land. Board approved variance and special exception (with amended conditions) over public opposition.
- Item 24 DPV 01 (5701 Pembroke Rd. - commercial building): Request for design/site plan approval and variance to increase curb cut from 22.8 to 24 feet. Applicant agreed to lighter colors. Approved variance, design, and site plan with staff conditions.
- Item 23 DP 26 (2420-2430 Lincoln St. - 8 townhomes): Staff recommended approval with condition to improve front facade. Public had concerns about drainage, trees, and utility access. Board member Blattner expressed concern over loss of single-family character; Corbo defended the neighborhood's transformation. Approved design and site plan.
- Item 24 DP 27 (Plunkett St. - 16-unit residential): Presented as of right in PS1 zoning. Applicant added mural and materials. Board member Glickman questioned compatibility with one-story neighborhood. Blattner again concerned about losing single-family homes. Approved design and site plan.
- Item 24 ZJDP 80 (Hillcrest Village - 110-unit affordable housing): Largest item. Staff recommended approval of PUD amendment, design, and site plan with conditions (unity of title, parking agreement with charter school, etc.). Applicant (Liz Somerstein) detailed project changes (reduced from 120 to 110 units, added three-bedroom units, increased parking, removed variance, added playground, leasing preference for locals). Density calculation using Broward County affordable housing bonus (6 base units from PUD + 114 bonus units). Traffic study minimal impact. Parking demand study showed 106 spaces needed, but providing 157. 24 spaces for charter school faculty during school hours. Community outreach conducted. Public testimony overwhelmingly opposed. Board debate: some members emphasized need for affordable housing; design concerns (cacophonous, not cohesive). After initial vote to deny design, board reconsidered and approved design conditionally with requirements to simplify elements, improve compatibility, break up massing, and present two design alternatives to City Commission. Site plan approved. Final motion: recommend PUD amendment approval, design approval with conditions, site plan approval.
Key Outcomes
- Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary elected unanimously.
- 24 DP 24 (Warehouse): Variance approved; design approved with condition that elevations match renderings; site plan approved.
- 25 SV 57 (Oil Change): Special exception and variance approved.
- 25 SV 56 (Seminole Tribe): Variance and special exception approved with conditions (signage, temporary CO, lease agreement).
- 24 DPV 01 (Commercial Building): Variance, design, and site plan approved with staff conditions.
- 23 DP 26 (Townhomes): Design and site plan approved as recommended.
- 24 DP 27 (Plunkett): Design and site plan approved.
- 24 ZJDP 80 (Hillcrest Village): Board recommended approval of PUD amendment to City Commission (unanimous). Design recommended for approval with conditions (simplify elements, improve compatibility, break up massing; present two design alternatives to City Commission). Site plan approved. Overall, the board forwarded a recommendation of approval with design modifications.
- Technical Advisory Committee update: The new Development Review Committee (DRC) process takes effect August 18, 2025. Projects under 30 units or 30,000 sq ft meeting code as-of-right will be administratively approved after DRC review. Projects with deviations still require board review.
Meeting Transcript
Thousand and twenty-five. I think we are ready to commence this meeting of planning and development board. Can I get a confirmation from my board clerks that we are ready to go and we are recording? On today's agenda, which is the elections for chair, vice chair, and secretary. Once the chair is elected, I will relinquish responsibility as chair, and the the board will proceed as normal. Our first order of business is Pledge of Allegiance. So if we can all rise. I'm a longtime resident of uh Hollywood, 25 years in downtown. And I'm looking for a successful term. Thank you. Thank you, Christine. So with that, we can move on to elections. For everyone's benefit, those in the audience and board members yourselves. Today we are electing all three positions. We are electing chair. The chair is responsible for maintaining decorum amongst the board as well as the audience and adhering to Robert's rules in the way that motions are made and presented. Their responsibilities also include introducing items following the agenda. And then when the time comes for um signing the resolutions for the approved resolutions following a decision of the planning and development board, they're expected to meet our legal representative Dina Kapp over there in the corner. Wave Dina, just for everyone in the audience. Um to ensure that all decisions that are are written within the resolution are accurate and true to form. The next position that we will be electing will be the vice chair. The vice chair has a lot of the responsibilities of the chair. However, they're only really enacted if the chair is absent. So they would assume the role as chair in the event that the chair is absent, or if the chair is required to recuse themselves for any conflict of interest or perceived conflict of interest. And the last position that we have is the secretary. The secretary is who we rely on to confirm minutes if if staff has some issues in recounting the events of uh the previous board or the previous meeting, and they are also responsible for meeting Dina to ensure that the resolutions are true to form based off of the decisions that are made, as well as signing those resolutions to that effect. So assuming that nobody has any questions, we will start our election process. Again, just because currently we have no positions elected, we will be starting with the chair. And once the chair is elected, I will relinquish the interim responsibility as board chair, and it will be resumed by the newly elected chair to elect vice chair as well as secretary, and then following the rest of the agenda. I'd like to nominate Joseph Stadlin as chair. So we have a second. I think at this point we entertain the motion and you know uh we vote on Joseph Stadlin as chair. I recommend a roll call. Roll call vote has been requested. Bob Glickman? Yes. Let's see. Stephen Morales? Yes. Richard Blattner? Yes. Joseph Stadlin? Yes. Christine Corbo? Yes. Odallas Delgado? Yes. Yes. So with that, the motion passes. Congratulations, Joseph.
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