Beach overlay passes 5-2 despite residents' pushback
Also: overnight paving on Hollywood Boulevard and a Radius Garage closure.
Between Carolina and Tyler streets, the new height cap on Hollywood Beach stops at 180 feet, 20 feet lower than the version on the table at first reading. That is still a long way up from the sand.
Across most of Hollywood Beach, buildings are capped at 65 feet. The City Commission has now carved out exceptions: in a 5-2 vote, it passed an ordinance creating a beach overlay district of six zones where taller buildings are allowed. The overlay can stay in place for up to five years. One limit came down between votes. In the Central Beach Commercial Precinct, the stretch from Carolina Street to Tyler Street, the tallest allowed building dropped from 200 feet to 180 feet after first reading. Commissioners Idelma Quintana and Caryl Shuham cast the two no votes. Dozens of residents stayed at City Hall into the evening to speak against the plan, worried that the island's infrastructure can't take more people and citing flooding, sea-level rise and traffic. Commissioner Kevin Biederman said the overlay gives the city an alternative to Live Local, the state law that lets developers skip local zoning rules when a project includes affordable housing. Commissioners also passed two resolutions setting up density incentive programs, so eligible properties in the overlay can add hotel rooms and homes.
Hollywood Boulevard repaving will happen overnight
Starting about Monday, Oct. 19, Weekley Asphalt crews will mill and resurface Hollywood Boulevard from 28th Avenue to east of City Hall Circle. They will work overnight, from 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, with an estimated finish of Dec. 31. The same day, Basile USA starts milling and resurfacing N 32nd Avenue between Hollywood Boulevard and Johnson Street, with completion estimated for Nov. 23. Basile USA also has a third job, on N 68th Avenue between Taft Street and Stirling Road. That one has an estimated start of Nov. 2 and an estimated finish of Dec. 30. Questions about the work go to city project manager Jose D. Garcia at 754.221.8020.
Radius Garage closes to the public for maintenance
From Monday, Oct. 19, through Tuesday, Nov. 3, the city will do maintenance work at the Radius Garage. During that time the garage will be partly closed, and only residents and permit holders can park there. There is no public access while the work goes on. The garage reopens to the public Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Related's South Ocean Drive condo tower wins approval, but the lawsuit goes on
Just before 4 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, commissioners signed off on Related Group's agreements for Portofino Hollywood, a 30-story tower at 1301 S. Ocean Dr., after six years of residents fighting the project. Under the revised deal, 84 Live Local workforce rentals would share the building with 126 luxury condos, putting privately owned condos on public beach land. A court could still undo it. Residents are suing, arguing the original 2022 development agreement never fit city and county plans. The suit argues the deal was illegal from the start, and that folding Live Local into it cannot cure that. Related has asked Broward Circuit Judge Fabienne Fahnestock to dismiss the case, and the motion is still pending.
City lays out what the November tax amendment could mean for services
The property tax amendment on the November 2026 ballot would bring a proposed homestead exemption of $150,000 in its first year and $250,000 in its second, with that $250,000 exemption then adjusted each year by the Consumer Price Index. Hollywood has estimated the financial impact on the city for those first two years and expects the second-year impact to keep growing. Property taxes bring in about 46% of General Fund revenue. Nearly two-thirds of that fund pays for public safety, including police and fire rescue. The city says future effects would depend on what voters approve, any replacement revenue state law allows, and later budget choices by local elected officials.
Free health screenings at Walmart pharmacies Saturday
- When
- Oct. 17 · 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Where
- Participating Walmart Pharmacy locations
- Price
- Free health screenings
The free checks cover glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure, among others, and pharmacists will be there to talk and share health information. Vaccines for flu, COVID-19, measles, mumps and more are also on offer, at what Walmart calls affordable prices. Not every store is taking part, so look up a location at Walmart.com/wellnesshub first.