[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6456263,"mediaKeyId","5690180-8f874bcf7a5338dbd2da1f44599bf2f6","parentId",5690180,"title","Council approves Plantation Square redevelopment: 307-unit apartment building with 40% affordable units, waivers and design approvals","audioSeconds",5684,"startMs",8023000,"endMs",13707000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5690180-8f874bcf7a5338dbd2da1f44599bf2f6&start=8023&end=13707","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5690180-8f874bcf7a5338dbd2da1f44599bf2f6/thumbnail_8023000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6456263/Plantation/Broward-County/Florida/Council-approves-Plantation-Square-redevelopment-307-unit-apartment-building-with-40-affordable-units-waivers-and-design-approvals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6456263-8ee607c8a410cc0c8f4bdf764fd5f276/orig.mp4?Expires=1776505107&Signature=TG2oFXupwtH~AgllKUpxQp2x~9xOdklAPCHgZ4nOlk7dNG8Z-KlGrt0mvK3JjcB9yws1tcsYroZ9LtBUKny2MwDgzJq9lzwj4gopPnaQ1syOMtGK~EqRKFy0lxLWEej8HKVrrSYb9B-tq7Y7lsQtxqGqAzZW0GuTOFTjXGy12i7-hH~p9i4ff06SyA2i6Aie5ASpLz0CmjQ27Fo-c4xE3noGFtkjD~vo6iVTsILDZ5rR5v09BEzJXM8Y7xT5iz3SlZiGOaVIXwv2Ll3IFWtsGafNAvTWJTtmdnm9YD-4Zm44nhRzZefpMLQ5VQY~tq64c2dTmpjn~r2ZIl1KBLzPPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Plantation","date","2025-08-27T18:00:00Z","article","Plantation City Council approved a multi-part application Aug. 27 to redevelop the Bank of America/Plantation Square site at West Sunrise Boulevard and North University Drive into a mixed-use project with a relocated bank and an 8‑story residential building containing 307 units.

The applicant (MMG Plantation Square, LLC) presented plans for an integrated development: a new multi-tenant building and bank on the north portion of the parcel, a 7‑story parking structure and an 8‑story multifamily residential building to the rear and center of the site. The developer told the council the structure would step down toward the property edges; staff said the 8‑story portion would be set well back from adjacent residential property lines and that mature canopy trees proposed for retention would screen most views from surrounding roads.

Key project facts approved by council:
- Units: 307 total; 40% of units (123) restricted as affordable (mix of 80% AMI and 120% AMI restrictions per applicant’s commitment). The applicant proposed 77 studio units restricted at 80% AMI and additional units at 120% AMI as part of the affordability mix.
- Parking: City code calculation required 679 parking spaces; the applicant proposed 540 (a 20.5% reduction) spread across garage, surface and off-site spaces, and requested a waiver for the reduced parking total.
- Waivers: Council approved several zoning waivers including increased building height (requested up to an 8‑story/93-foot maximum where 5 stories/65 feet would typically be permitted for residential) and reduced setbacks, FAR/lot coverage increases and reduced LPZ (landscape pedestrian zones) widths and shade-tree counts in places where the plan retained mature trees or proposed hedges.
- Traffic: A traffic-study and coordination with Broward County were required. The applicant committed to a traffic contribution for multimodal corridor improvements and $119,143 toward local traffic management improvements identified in the city’s multimodal transportation plan and the NW Seventeenth Court area.

The council also considered a municipal financing mechanism to support deeper affordability. Staff and the applicant discussed two options: a state-run “Live Local” tax-abatement program and a project‑specific tax-increment financing (TIF) rebate. The applicant requested a city rebate equal to 50% of the increase in assessed property taxes on the redeveloped site (the increment), rebated annually until a $6 million total rebate cap is reached; the applicant said the county would be asked for an equivalent contribution. The developer’s consultant estimated the post‑development taxable value of the project at roughly $87.1 million (current assessed value for the Bank parcel cited at $3.435 million), producing an increment the developer said would support a roughly $6 million rebate over about 19 years at a 50% rebate level. The applicant said it would not accept both Live Local and a project TIF — no double‑dipping.

Councilmembers pressed on height, design, parking and traffic. Opponents at the meeting expressed concerns about building height outside Plantation’s Midtown core and added traffic into Lauderdale West, while nearby residents and some business owners supported the redevelopment, praised façade upgrades to the shopping center and welcomed added housing that would be affordable to teachers, first responders and health‑care workers. Several nearby homeowners’ association leaders said the applicant had worked with them closely and that landscaping/hedges promising privacy were important.

The council approved the land‑use/zoning waivers, site plan and landscape plan (agenda items 25–27) by majority roll call votes; several votes were 4–1 with Councilmember Fadgen recorded as the lone No on several measures. The council later approved a related administrative resolution (item 21) to enable a local TIF framework; staff said the agreement would return in standard contract form with specific legal terms and conditions for a rebate and that county participation remained a separate request to Broward County.

Councilmembers directed staff to return with final development orders and to track implementation conditions including traffic improvements, tree preservation/landscaping commitments, parking monitoring and the detailed TIF agreement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Plantation - City Council","oneSentenceSummary","After extended public comment and council scrutiny, Plantation approved site plan, conditional-use and waiver requests for an 8‑story, 307‑unit mixed-use redevelopment on West Sunrise Boulevard; the project includes 40% income-restricted units and a proposed 19‑year, 50% tax-increment rebate up to $6 million to support deeper affordability.","taxTitle","Plantation, Broward County, Florida","taxId",4265,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6456268,"Plantation council approves traffic study for midblock pedestrian signal on Cleary Boulevard",1771,4105000,5876000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5690180-8f874bcf7a5338dbd2da1f44599bf2f6&start=4105&end=5876","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5690180-8f874bcf7a5338dbd2da1f44599bf2f6/thumbnail_4105000.jpg","/articles/6456268/Plantation/Broward-County/Florida/Plantation-council-approves-traffic-study-for-midblock-pedestrian-signal-on-Cleary-Boulevard","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6456268-47869e27e066151b4ce9db70dde18a23/orig.mp4?Expires=1776505107&Signature=AX0KXQa5Z8x~zhhS9giexHfaJanG9bRHIz7fhqn53OinxLfbSmYmpEdv2ZTO0ETJYDuSNaiJgAh52pBK5oKQylF-Hge6JR8BohpLu-T7-P2WH0OUcMEx0pw0CFfBQrP3xo9WQPEgjHJk9jZS5o40XW0-ztYEDJPzvVQmmovrJqDEsXF4c9-OkYJFwRAWkL2EK6H2f42LjtDTfWPOcAbM~0Tu~09AzPWzkFGdUv2It0ySqeRiWBeI3KHrGnVQ~J4T59PRK-KZtZ7yKw7-Sa71WSax6g8XRJcqOf7azvgoaUaVuxF3VZBUL7QHUKMP7VnufRBHX3sW78xk7-oVcT67eg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Plantation City Council voted unanimously Aug. 27 to advance work on a proposed pedestrian crossing on Cleary (Clery) Boulevard near Northwest 90th Avenue and Central Park, approving a narrowed contract scope limited to a traffic-warrant analysis and preliminary design.

City engineering staff told the council the Metropolitan Planning Organization had already allocated $500,000 toward construction of a midblock safety improvement at the location after a multi‑agency roadway-safety audit. At the council meeting, staff recommended performing a warrant study and coordination with Broward County traffic engineers before advancing to final design. Council members and residents voiced safety concerns about pedestrians crossing the four-lane divided collector; some council members and public speakers also questioned whether a pedestrian hybrid beacon (PHB) — a signal that is normally dark until a pedestrian activates it and that uses flashing indications during the pedestrian interval — is the best or least‑confusing solution.

City Engineer Samira Shalen (presentation) described the PHB operation: the beacon remains dark, then cycles flashing yellow to steady yellow to steady red (for all directions) after activation, followed by a flashing red during the pedestrian clear interval before shutting off. She cited Federal Highway Administration materials that show crash reductions associated with PHBs and noted that Broward County recently approved similar devices on other corridors. Staff also noted the county and FDOT would review any proposed device.

Several council members and residents urged caution because PHBs use different signal phasing than standard full traffic signals and because some recent research has flagged potential driver confusion. Multiple speakers asked the city to approve only the $73,000 contract piece that covers the traffic-warrant analysis and coordination (Task 1), then return with data and Broward County’s concurrence before committing to construction. Councilmember Andreu moved to limit approval to the design services warrant analysis; the motion passed unanimously.

Councilmembers noted alternatives exist — a full traffic signal, or other enhanced midblock treatments — but engineers said a full signal is unlikely to meet warrants at that location and that the PHB was a short-term, MPO‑recommended improvement identified in the safety audit. Staff added the corridor is part of long‑range multimodal and road‑diet discussions but said the need for a safer pedestrian crossing exists regardless of conceptual future changes.

The final action instructed staff to proceed with the traffic-warrant analysis, coordinate with Broward County Traffic Engineering, and report findings to the council before any decision on construction. MPO and FDOT involvement were listed as dependencies for later phases.","Council approved funding and a design contract amendment limited to a pedestrian-warrant study for a proposed midblock pedestrian hybrid beacon on Cleary Boulevard near Central Park; staff will return with results before committing to construction.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6456273,"Plantation council keeps school banner agreement but removes annual cap after debate",1054,2889000,3943000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5690180-8f874bcf7a5338dbd2da1f44599bf2f6&start=2889&end=3943","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5690180-8f874bcf7a5338dbd2da1f44599bf2f6/thumbnail_2889000.jpg","/articles/6456273/Plantation/Broward-County/Florida/Plantation-council-keeps-school-banner-agreement-but-removes-annual-cap-after-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6456273-9e27dda438fecd51fef72223710d2750/orig.mp4?Expires=1776505107&Signature=FjXDFbhCnCTZRAmOFDNTY5NR3LwrMBYa1XoKl2vvOLHQCSfkqsTzlfyRPGtt5wUhXE0ClQoqh7BsRBeqTXDhOdy251IVy5IKPqfVST~PbCM-g3x4lppo0rfqLXDz3v69Yfy~hBusQ7vxNyA-1wLcp6exRWVcW2yZU9ypQDip~bp8cx9OxXVWKXezZ~N9wshnWyY8py7KPLO3gnZhrnBMMP3WP1JO2nqR-17uY0vOJfPqwJCPgtrkkc7~au9NMeZoMZ-JKm2X8TWSF0k8pZA3jKVPMT36oQbqlIJELRYdjL47rmjq78OeeL8~L7ZIQ8tA31MjHhrRLfPkCUjw-4wKqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Plantation City Council voted 3-2 on Aug. 27 to amend its interlocal agreement (ILA) with the School Board of Broward County to remove a numerical cap on temporary school banners displayed on school fences, while leaving the remainder of the ILA in effect.

Council President Reinstein and three council members who supported the amendment framed the change as a compromise: the city will continue to rely on the ILA’s rules about appearance, maintenance and safety while dropping a specific limit on the number of banner displays schools may post annually. Opponents said the cap was a modest protection for sight lines and neighborhood character and argued the school board’s enforcement record had not yet been proven.

The amendment removed the language in section 2.04 that limited the number and cumulative duration of banners schools could display. Council staff and the city attorney described the ILA as the result of a 2019 compromise intended to resolve disputes about whether temporary school signage violated the city sign code. Supporters said the school board adopted a countywide policy — Policy No. 1930 — that now includes uniform size and content rules and removal of damaged banners, and that the countywide policy reduces the need for strict numeric limits in Plantation’s agreement.

Councilmember Fadgen, who voted against the amendment, said she did not trust the school board to enforce the new policy immediately and favored keeping the city’s numeric limits until enforcement could be observed. Councilmember Horland, who led the motion to remove the cap, said limiting the number of banners constrains school fundraising and that principals would be more likely to maintain banners if the school board is enforcing the new policy.

City Attorney Esrael (transcript spelling) advised that the original ILA had been intended as a settlement to avoid litigation and that eliminating the ILA could re-open enforcement questions; staff said the city could also pursue sign-code changes through its zoning code but that doing so could create precedent and exposures where other property owners demand the same exceptions.

The roll call on the amendment was: Anderson — Yes; Andreu — Yes; Fadgen — No; Horland — No; Reinstein — Yes. The motion passed and the ILA will be amended to remove the numeric-cap language (2.04.0.01) and be renumbered accordingly. Administration said it will notify council members when the school board implements administrative approvals required under the county process.

The amendment preserves other ILA provisions including requirements that banners be uniform in size and color where required by the school board policy, that temporary signs not obstruct sight lines, and that principals be responsible for removal of damaged signage. City staff told the council they will maintain the city’s sign-code enforcement authority and will revisit sign-code language in planned code updates.

The council’s action follows an extended public conversation stretching back to 2019 and a recent school-board policy change (Policy No. 1930) that staff said addresses many of the city’s prior concerns. Supporters of the amendment emphasized the revenue role banners play for school booster organizations; opponents warned against creating a permissive precedent for other non‑school entities.

Councilmembers and staff said they will continue to monitor enforcement by the school district and will revisit the city’s sign code language in the coming weeks as city planning staff prepares broader sign-ordinance updates.","The City of Plantation council voted 3-2 to amend its interlocal agreement with the Broward County School Board, removing a clause that capped the number of temporary school banners permitted each year while leaving other terms intact.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves Plantation Square redevelopment: 307-unit apartment building with 40% affordable units, waivers and design approvals

Plantation council approves traffic study for midblock pedestrian signal on Cleary Boulevard

Plantation council keeps school banner agreement but removes annual cap after debate