Regular City Commission Meeting - September 3, 2025
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Regular City Commission Meeting - September 3, 2025
The Hollywood City Commission met on September 3, 2025, at 1:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting included approval of the consent agenda, several proclamations, first reading of an ordinance to designate the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk as a historic property overlay site, approval of a $4.5 million inspection services contract, and extensive discussion on vessel exclusionary buoys. A motion to reconsider the previous resolution for 218-yard buoys failed 5-2, leaving the original direction intact.
Consent Calendar
- Items 5 through 17 were approved unanimously without discussion. These included budget amendments, meeting minutes, the Partnership for Engaged Neighborhoods program, insurance agreements (MetLife, Cigna), a mobile parking app contract, police vehicle technology, psychological services, a signage project change order, engineering services for sidewalk networks, a comprehensive plan update, and a unity of title release.
Presentations, Proclamations & Awards
- Police Awards (May–July 2025): Chief Jeff Devlin recognized a detective for a multi-state prescription drug and money laundering case (170 subpoenas, 70 search warrants), traffic infraction officer Heather Di Benedetto (June Employee of the Month), Officer Oscar Rebellito and Officer Dudney Walker (Honor Guard recognition), Officer Cody Anderson (July Officer of the Month for apprehending a drive-by shooting suspect), and Property Clerk Danielle Centron (July Employee of the Month).
- Hunger Action Month – September 2025: Vice Mayor Quintana presented the proclamation. Feeding South Florida reported serving 51,254 families in Hollywood from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, including 62 home-delivered meals and frozen meals, partnering with 11 food pantries, and conducting 5 mobile distributions. The Community Enhancement Collaboration (CEC) also spoke in support.
- National Hispanic Heritage Month – September 15 to October 15, 2025: Commissioner Hernandez presented the proclamation. Michelle Fernandez of Hispanic Unity of Florida noted that nearly 40% of Hollywood’s population is Hispanic and one-third of households speak Spanish. Hispanic Unity has served over half a million people in nearly four decades.
- Suicide Prevention Awareness Month – September 2025: Commissioner Biederman presented the proclamation. Linda Bloomfield of the League of Women Voters highlighted that 49,000 Americans died by suicide in 2024, and that firearms are the leading method. She promoted free gun locks from the police department and other sources.
Ordinance on First Reading: Historic Broadwalk Designation
- Item 22: An ordinance to designate the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk (from Johnson Street to Jefferson Street, as originally proposed) as a historic property overlay site.
- Discussion: Commissioner Callari moved to extend the designation north to Sherman Street to cover the entire Broadwalk, citing historic structures north of Johnson. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously. Commissioner Hernandez asked about maintenance obligations (brick vs. other materials) – staff confirmed that any material changes would require historic preservation review.
- Outcome: The ordinance passed unanimously on first reading, with direction to staff to refine the legal description to reflect the full length from Sherman Street to Jefferson Street before second reading.
Regular Agenda: Inspection Services Contract
- Item 23: A resolution authorizing a blanket purchase agreement with Calvin, Giordano & Associates, Inc. and C.A.P. Government, Inc. for inspection and plan review services, up to $4,500,000 over a three-year term (August 27, 2025 through May 15, 2028), piggybacking on Fort Lauderdale’s contract. Motion passed unanimously.
City Commission Comments
- Commissioner Gruber: Reported on the opening of Richard Blatner Mindfulness Park, a splash pad expected to complete in October, and new pedestrian lights on Kaiser Avenue.
- Vice Mayor Quintana: Promoted the Hispanic Unity Entrepreneurial Summit (September 26) and the Party on the J event (February 1, 2026).
- Commissioner Shuham: Requested a historic marker for the Broadwalk similar to the Liberia sign; support expressed. Also noted a Broward County School Board meeting on September 17 regarding potential middle school closures (Attucks, McNichol, Olsen).
- Commissioner Hernandez: Raised the need for a school zone designation for Sunshine State Academy on Federal Highway; commission supported directing staff to assist with county and FDOT approvals. Also discussed one-way street review for 20th and 19th Avenues, parking lot at USPS site, and requested a report on CRA-funded lighting upgrades on the avenues.
- Commissioner Callari: Praised new solar panel lights in certain areas. Asked for a report on additional parking options at Stan Goldman Park (due to popularity of skate park and pickleball); commission supported a report back by the second meeting in October.
- Mayor Levy: Invited the public to State Representative Marie Woodson’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on September 20.
- City Manager: Announced a call for centenarians to be recognized during the city’s centennial; installation of a new public safety radio tower begins Monday; 9/11 ceremony on September 11. Also acknowledged that staff had failed to inform the commission about an existing ordinance (300-yard vessel exclusion zone) during the previous buoy discussion, leading to reconsideration debate.
Discussion Items: Vessel Exclusionary Buoys Reconsideration
- Background: At the August 27 meeting, the commission approved applying for permits to place vessel exclusion buoys at 218 yards from shore, consistent with Hallandale Beach. Staff later discovered an existing city ordinance (Chapter 98.011) prohibiting vessels within 300 yards of the low water mark, which had not been enforced. The city manager requested reconsideration at the next meeting per policy.
- Motion to Reconsider: Commissioner Shuham moved to reconsider the previous resolution, citing incomplete information (no state statute requiring 100 yards, conflicting data on neighbor’s distances). Vice Mayor Quintana seconded. Discussion ensued.
- Arguments for Reconsideration: Commissioner Shuham noted Dania Beach also has 300 yards; the 218-yard number was based on consultant advice that may not be accurate. She wanted staff to gather correct information within 45 days.
- Arguments Against: Commissioners Gruber, Hernandez, Callari, Biederman, and Mayor Levy argued that the 218-yard line aligns with the color change of the water (as lifeguards use), is consistent with Hallandale, and that delaying would slow safety improvements. They noted the existing ordinance has not been enforced and that the permitting process should continue.
- Vote on Motion to Reconsider: Failed 5-2 (Commissioners Shuham and Quintana in favor; all others opposed). The original resolution to pursue permits at 218 yards stands.
- Direction to Staff: The commission directed staff to proceed with permit applications for vessel exclusion buoys, reef marker buoys, and mooring buoys, and to bring back an amendment to the 300-yard ordinance to match the 218-yard resolution after permits are received.
Public Comments & Testimony (Buoy Discussion)
- Rick Goldman (South Lake): Opposed the 218-yard buoys, arguing they would encourage boaters to park just outside the line, endangering swimmers heading to the natural first reef (300–400 yards out). He urged extending the exclusion zone to 400 yards or more.
- Todd Graham (dive instructor): Supported pushing buoys farther out than 218 yards, noting that boaters will anchor right at the line, creating dangers for snorkelers and divers. He recommended 300 yards.
- Julie Greenfield (resident): Argued that putting buoys at 218 yards legally brings boaters closer to swimmers heading to the natural reef. She noted many elderly neighbors swim to the reef daily, and that 218 yards is 82 yards closer than the current ordinance. She urged the commission to take more time to research and push the line further out.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda (Items 5–17): Approved unanimously.
- Proclamations: Recognized Hunger Action Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
- Historic Broadwalk Designation (Ordinance 22): Approved on first reading with amendment to extend from Sherman to Jefferson Street. Legal description to be refined for second reading.
- Inspection Services Contract (Item 23): Approved unanimously ($4.5 million over 3 years).
- Vessel Exclusionary Buoys: Motion to reconsider the 218-yard resolution failed 5-2. Staff directed to continue permitting for all three buoy types and to bring back an ordinance amendment to align the 300-yard ordinance with the permitted distance.
- Parking Study at Stan Goldman Park: Staff to report back by second meeting in October on options for additional parking.
- School Zone Assistance: Commission directed staff to assist Sunshine State Academy with school zone designation from county and FDOT.
- Lighting Report: City manager to provide status update on CRA-funded FPL lighting upgrades on the avenues.
Meeting Transcript
All right, everyone. Good afternoon. It's great to see everybody here for our city commission meeting today, September third, twenty twenty-five. Great to see members of the community and members of the Holy Police Department here in chambers with us. At the start of each meeting, we also take an important moment to recognize uh U.S. veterans, active service personnel, and their families. So if you are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or an active service member or family member thereof, please rise. We'd like to recognize you. Thank you. Roll call, please. Vice Mayor Quintana. Here. Commissioner Shoeham. Commissioner Hernandez. Here. Commissioner Kallary. Commissioner Gruber. Here. Commissioner Bieterman. Mayor Levy. Here. All right. Thank you all so much. Today's consent agenda includes items five through seventeen. These are items that don't usually require individual discussion. However, uh, if there is a speaker card or a request from the dais to remove an item for discussion, we will be happy to take it up later. Pat, are there any speaker cars on 5 through 17? No cards. Motion to approve. Second. We have a motion from Commissioner Kallery and a second from Vice Mayor Kintama to approve the consent agenda items five through seventeen. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, the items carry unanimously. All right. Going on now to our 1 p.m. presentations, proclamations, and awards. Uh let's go ahead and invite uh the honorable chief of police, Jeff Devlin. He's here to recognize recipients of the Hollywood Police Department Awards for May and June and July of 2025. Chief. Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioner, City Manager. How are you? Thank you guys once again for allowing us the opportunity to recognize some of our officers and the hard work that they do on a daily basis. And also realizing the importance it is to recognize them not only for the police department and the officers, but our community as well. So thank you for that, and we appreciate the time. One of our detectives who cannot be here today because of their undercover capacity, but I wanted to briefly share their accommodation and recognize what they do and they have done, and we'll recognize them in a more intimate uh place back at the police station. Uh but this detective was a part of a multi-year multi-state case that targeted Brower organization involved in prescription drug diversion and money laundering. Over the past five years, this detective utilized 170 subpoenas, 70 search warrants, which led to the successful arrest across three states.
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