Regular City Commission Meeting - November 5, 2025
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Regular City Commission Meeting - November 5, 2025
The Hollywood City Commission met on November 5, 2025, at 1:00 PM in City Hall Commission Chambers. The meeting included consent agenda approvals, proclamations, quasi-judicial hearings for the Oakwood Activity Center, several infrastructure contracts, a long discussion on a change order for the classic car show contract, and a first reading of a land use amendment for the Diplomat Activity Center. The meeting recessed and reconvened at 5:00 PM for a FIND grant presentation and public comments.
Consent Calendar
- The Consent Agenda (items 5–23) was approved unanimously without discussion. Items included: resolution rescheduling 2026 meetings, legislative agenda, SHIP annual reports, interlocal agreements for signage construction engineering and inspection (CEI), bridge repairs, tidal flooding mitigation (RJ Behar & Company, Inc. $399,062.91), police mobile command vehicle upfitting ($750,000), emergency repairs to water treatment plant degasifier, PFAS phase 2A and 2B engineering, cake belt conveyors rehabilitation, water service line material inventory renewal, ranking for Southern Regional WWTP influent pump station upgrade, on-call engineering support, water main replacement in Finger Canals area, sewer cleaner truck purchase ($526,410.35), portable generators for lift stations ($573,649.20), and city holiday décor contract ($248,910.00).
Presentations, Proclamations & Awards
- National Career Development Month (November 2025): Presented by Commissioner Biederman. Director Joanne Hussey and Newton Sannon (President/CEO of OIC of South Florida) accepted. Mr. Sannon noted an 89% success rate for OIC's training programs and discussed potential to deepen the partnership. A resident graduate, Ricardo Piguero, shared his success story.
- Epilepsy Awareness Month (November 2025): Presented by Vice Mayor Quintana. Sebastian Regolato of Epilepsy Alliance Florida accepted, urging education and seizure first aid.
- Native American Heritage Month (November 2025): Presented by Mayor Levy. Lieutenant Cesare Daniels of the Hollywood Police Department accepted on behalf of the Seminole Tribe.
- FIND Grant Presentation (delayed to after recess at 5:00 PM): Broward County Commissioner Richard Waltzer presented a $50,000 check from the Florida Inland Navigation District for police boat lifts at the Marine Unit.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Citizens’ Comments (5:00 PM session): Two speakers addressed the Commission:
- Andre Brown expressed dissatisfaction with community division and promised to expose unethical practices in campaigns.
- Robert Atlison requested traffic calming on Johnson Street, arguing that an Atkins engineering study recommending speed tables was overruled by City Engineer Clarissa Ips. He cited dangerous speeding. Commissioner Shoeham noted a meeting with staff scheduled for the next day to discuss the issue further.
Discussion Items
- Item 29 & 30 – Oakwood Activity Center Variance and Design/Site Plan Approval: Director of Development Services Andrea Winger presented. The variance reduces setbacks for internal/external rights-of-way across the entire Oakwood PD. The design and site plan is for an 8-story, 280-unit multifamily building at 2609 N. 26th Avenue. Staff recommended approval. Commissioner Biederman relayed a resident concern about litter at Oakwood Plaza; Josh (Kimco representative) assured high maintenance standards. Commissioner Callari asked for more unique design. Commissioner Hernandez noted road conditions and inquired about workforce/veterans housing; staff confirmed 10% affordable units are required. The variance and site plan were each approved unanimously.
- Item 31 – Water Treatment Plant Aeration Pump Station Upgrades: Authorized a $3,440,780 construction contract with PSC-Cardinal Contractors and a $331,909 work order with Arcadis for construction administration. Approved unanimously.
- Item 32 – ParkMobile Parking Payment System Agreement: New three-year agreement (Dec 2025 – Nov 2028) estimated at $1,530,000. Staff reported 94% of parking transactions via credit card, 60% via ParkMobile app, and over $6 million in annual revenue processed. Hollywood residents pay no transaction fee. Commissioner Callari raised concerns about transaction fees misleading the $3/hour rate and difficulty of the resident registration process. Commissioner Hernandez asked for an interactive parking map in the app; ParkMobile representative John Bland noted recent UI improvements and the city’s own app is being developed. Approved unanimously.
- Item 33 – Renewal of Grounds Maintenance Contracts: Renewed blanket purchase agreements with Nice & Smooth Landscape Corp and Perfect Edge Inc. in a combined annual amount up to $2,157,719 for citywide maintenance. Approved unanimously.
- Item 34 – Ranking for Stormwater Engineering Services: Ranked CDM Smith as highest firm and authorized negotiations. Approved unanimously.
- Item 28 – First Reading of Land Use Amendment for Diplomat Activity Center: Ordinance to change 2.03 acres at 3726 S. Ocean Drive from Medium High Residential (25) to Diplomat Activity Center designation. Staff and applicant Pedro Gassant presented, citing need for consistency with existing commercial zoning and potential for 300 hotel rooms to support the convention center. The Planning and Development Board recommended approval 4-3 over traffic concerns. Commissioner Shoeham questioned evacuation plans and traffic impacts (from 200 to 2,414 daily trips). City Engineer Clarissa Ips stated the impact on A1A and Hallandale Beach Boulevard corridors was below the 5% significance threshold. Commissioner Hernandez emphasized that only the land use change was before the Commission, not the hotel. The vote was 5-1-1 (Commissioner Gruber recused, Commissioner Shoeham voted no).
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: All items (5–23) approved unanimously.
- Oakwood Variance (Item 29): Approved unanimously.
- Oakwood Design & Site Plan (Item 30): Approved unanimously.
- WTP Aeration Pump Station (Item 31): Approved unanimously.
- ParkMobile Agreement (Item 32): Approved unanimously.
- Grounds Maintenance Renewal (Item 33): Approved unanimously.
- Stormwater Engineering Ranking (Item 34): Approved unanimously.
- Diplomat Activity Center Land Use Amendment (Item 28): Passed on first reading (5-1-1). Will go to Broward County Planning Council and then return for second reading.
- Cobra Joe Car Show Contract Change Order: Motion made by Commissioner Hernandez to increase the monthly fee from $1,938 to $45,000/year was withdrawn after extensive discussion. Staff will meet with the vendor to review costs and determine if the contract should be rebid.
- Tolling Agreement Extension: Authorized extension of the tolling agreement with Dania Beach regarding the Pines litigation until January 21, 2026. Approved 6-1.
- Public Outreach Meetings Announced: Emerald Hills and Orangebrook golf course developer meetings on November 12 at David Park Community Center (9 AM–12 PM and 1–6 PM); Johnson Street Bridge virtual meeting November 6; Paramount brownfield hearings November 19 and December 10.
Meeting Transcript
Stopping the uh social moment. All right, everyone, good afternoon. Today is November 5th, 2025. We are here, of course, for a regular city commission meeting, but as I mentioned, though the title is regular city commission meeting, meetings are never regular because there's always important business uh to take uh here as a city commission. So today is no different, and as we uh ask before we ask everyone to rise for a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. I would like to extend a moment of privilege to our chief of police, Jeff Devlin, uh, who would like to say a few words of remembrance uh before we rise. Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioner, thank you very much. Uh last week, as many of you heard, uh fortunate accident took place with Officer David Cahuso from the Miami Beach Police Department. Um not many people know, but he also was a Hollywood police officer from 13 to 15. So our uh thoughts and prayers are with his family, the Miami Beach Police Department and our Hollywood Police Department family. Thank you. Yeah, thank you, Chief. And I know uh the fraternal order of police has also been uh trying to support the family, and of course, uh as a member of the Hollywood Police Department, it uh touched a lot of our hearts just to see that in general. Uh you know, it's to see his smile there, and uh I never had a chance to meet him, I'm sure many of us didn't, but uh just a terrible tragedy for for the family and and just for for the law enforcement community, so our condolences. Uh please rise in remembrance of the officer, followed by the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. An important moment we also take each meeting is to recognize our veterans, and this is just in advance of Veterans Day. Uh veterans, active service personnel and their families, please rise. Uh we'd like to recognize you. Thank you. Roll call, please. I'll go ahead and activate the mics. Okay. Vice Mayor Quintana. Here. Commissioner Shoeham. Here. Commissioner Hernandez. Here. Commissioner Kalleri. Here. Commissioner Gruber. Here. Commissioner Biederman. Here. Mayor Levy. Here. All right. Thank you so much. Today's consent agenda includes items five through twenty-three. These are items that don't usually require individual discussion. However, if there is a request from the dais or a speaker card on any of the items, we are happy to discuss them individually later in the agenda. Uh Pat, are there any speaker cards on five through twenty-three? No cards. Is there a request or a motion from the dais? We have a motion from Commissioner Hernandez, second from Commissioner Kaleri to approve the consent items. All those in favor say aye. Aye.
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