From David Volz
The Fort Lauderdale Commission listened to several presentations about future developments for the city.
The Commission received a presentation on the Sailboat Bend Vision Plan, developed in partnership with Dover, Kohl & Partners to guide future improvements in Fort Lauderdale’s only residential historic district. The plan was shaped by input from residents through open houses, an online survey, and several meetings, and highlights opportunities to improve the overall streetscape, calm traffic, enhance local parks, and protect the neighborhood’s historic charm. It also explores ways to manage new development and improve connections to surrounding areas while preserving Sailboat Bend’s unique identity
The Commission received a presentation outlining the next steps for implementing the City’s Net Zero Plan, which targets net zero greenhouse gas emissions for government operations by 2040 and community-wide by 2050. Staff shared an overview of 32 initiatives already underway and introduced new short-term actions focused on solar installations, electric fleet conversions, and mobility improvements. The presentation also highlighted a five-year implementation schedule, estimated costs, and long-term strategies to support sustainability, infrastructure resilience, and emissions reduction.
The Commission received a presentation on efforts to recover outstanding code enforcement liens, which total about $66 million across nearly 2,000 cases. Staff shared the results of past strategies like third-party collections, lien foreclosures, and reduction and amnesty programs, which have helped collect over $13 million since 2015. The presentation also compared Fort Lauderdale’s results to other cities and outlined next steps, including changes to the current amnesty program, a possible restart of lien foreclosures, and updates to how uncollectible debt is handled.
The Commission received an update on the Mixed-Use Code Project, which aims to revise Section 47-18.21 of the City’s Unified Land Development Regulations to address redevelopment along major transit corridors. Staff shared results from initial public outreach, highlighting concerns about development scale, infrastructure, and the impacts of the Live Local Act. The presentation included potential code amendments to address building length, podium stepbacks, floorplate size, transitions to residential neighborhoods and removing outdated code requirements. The Commission directed staff to move forward with the proposed code amendments.
