Hollywood commission takes first vote on 5-year beach overlay plan years in the making since before COVID

The Hollywood City Commission approved a comprehensive redevelopment plan early Wednesday evening, laying the foundation for sweeping changes to the city's beach area over the coming years.

Commissioners met late into Wednesday night to debate the initiative and consider a first vote on a five-year overlay district plan that could significantly increase building heights in certain sections of the beach.

The proposal has drawn pushback from residents who fear overdevelopment will alter the beach's character.

"I think cramming this through is just insane!" one woman said during public comments.

"We should not be looking at 40 stories," another resident said.

Multiple spectators expressed concern that Hollywood Beach could come to resemble Sunny Isles to the south, where nine condominium towers rise over 600 feet and plans exist for a tower exceeding 800 feet.

"Everywhere you look there are condo canyons," one resident said.

City planners defended the proposal, maintaining that future construction will enhance the beach and that public input has been incorporated throughout the process. The city has studied beach redevelopment since before the COVID-19 pandemic to attract tourists and businesses.

"Half of this document is about not becoming Sunny Isles," said Cameron Palmer, the city's chief planner.

Palmer said officials do not anticipate mega-buildings being constructed near the two-and-a-half-mile Broadwalk — a popular stretch for cyclists, joggers, and sunbathers — or along the Intracoastal Waterway. He emphasized that the plan focuses on consistent design up and down the beach.

"What this will do is set a precedent for Hollywood," Palmer said. "We heard we need more public spaces, parking, and flood resistance."

Details regarding the redevelopment proposal are available on the city's website.

What were the results in Hollywood?

CBS News Miami received the results of the vote on Wednesday night:

• Items 19-21: (Comprehensive Plan, Transfer of Development Rights, etc.): Unanimous approval of 7-0.
• Item 22 (Establishing Zoning & Land Regulations): This passed the first reading. This will now come back to the Hollywood City Commission for a final vote at a future meeting.
• There was an amendment to the motion to approve that did pass unanimously with a 7-0 vote for Item 22. That amendment capped building height in Precinct 3 (central beach area) to 150 feet on A1A, and 180 feet as the landmark.
• Discussion over what happens in Precinct 4 (the Hollywood Beach Resort property) ended with a 4-3 vote.

Allowable heights on the Broadwalk will remain as they are. Hollywood officials said the ultimate decision for Precinct 4 included some options.

There are multiple owners for the Hollywood Beach Resort property – the building, the land and the parking garage.

City officials said that if those property owners can come together for a "unified plan," then they could go up to 340 feet or taller with the required analysis and approval from the Hollywood City Commission.

Under a unified plan, the site could also be eligible for the Flex program and Transfer of Development Rights Program.

Another option in case the property owners don't come together is for the hotel parcel to be rehabilitated. Based on that level of rehabilitation of the existing building, the height could be increased anywhere from 20 feet to 150 feet higher than what exists today.

That's also meant to incentivize and spur redevelopment of the property and was recommended as an option by the Planning and Development Board.