Hollywood commission approves Broward County dune project, allows non-vegetated sections at hotels

Hollywood approved an interlocal agreement with Broward County on Oct. 9 clearing the way for the county to construct dune and other shore‑protection work on the city’s beach as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Segment 3 project.

The commission approved a five‑year agreement that grants the county access to city property for beach management actions including sand placement, dune construction and escarpment removal. Chris Roshek, Hollywood’s chief resiliency officer, told commissioners the county intends to begin construction after sea‑turtle nesting season, in November, and that the Hollywood portion of the county’s dune construction is estimated at about $3.2 million.

Why it matters: the county and city say the work is intended to increase shoreline resilience and protect private property and coastal infrastructure. Commissioners and county staff repeatedly framed the project as complementary to the Port Everglades sand bypass and other renourishment work aimed at reducing future shoreline loss.

What was approved: the interlocal agreement gives Broward County control of the dune design and construction on city property for the duration of the agreement through Nov. 1, 2030, while making the city responsible for ongoing maintenance after construction. Roshek said maintenance was expected to run roughly 5–10% of initial construction costs, or about $160,000 to $320,000 a year, but that a precise budget would be set after the dunes were established.

Key design points and carve‑outs: the county’s plan follows the city’s 2020 dune master plan, which sets a maximum dune elevation for most of Hollywood at 8.4 feet NAVD; the county proposed 8.9 feet NAVD for the northern transition near Dania Beach. The county excluded the Cleveland–Harrison central beach area from the county work so the city can study different designs there.

Hotel exceptions, outreach and conditions: developers and hotel operators raised concerns that vegetated dunes would remove critical recreational beach space immediately in front of large beachfront hotels. After extended public discussion, the commission amended the county agreement to allow non‑vegetated, raised sand segments in specific short stretches in front of the Diplomat and, in part, the Marriott, while preserving the county’s planned elevations. The commission also required the county and developer teams to do shared community outreach before construction and agreed that staging areas for contractors would be decided in consultation with the city manager rather than fixed in the ILA. Mayor Josh Levy noted the scope of the work: "Let's show the ordinance passing unanimously. The largest dune project in Broward County history, ladies and gentlemen."

Public safety and access: commissioners pressed for an east‑side emergency/maintenance lane at the southerly seawall area and directed staff to include an approximate eight‑foot offset in the south segment so specialized public‑safety buggies can move along the beach where needed. Police Chief Jeff Devlin told the commission that "the more access we have, the better" and said a modest path west of the dune would be beneficial in some weather conditions.

Construction schedule and process: the county has issued the construction bid and expects to begin work after sea turtle season ends. County staff said they will hold a public meeting with contractor representatives before work begins to present staging plans and phasing. County beach program manager Stephanie Roche described the design elements — vegetated dune fills (green shading), pedestrian access ways (purple shading), and native plant palettes — and said the contractor planned to plant salt meadow cordgrass, sea oats, railroad vine and dune sunflower as foundation and diversification species.

Opposition and concerns: beachfront hotels and operators testified they depend on open, non‑vegetated recreational beach to host events and to attract guests. The Diplomat and other hotel representatives urged that at least the convention‑frontage be left free of plantings; the commission accepted a compromise that permits raised sand without vegetation at specified hotel frontages so the sand elevation is achieved without creating planted dune habitat that would be fenced or restricted to guests.

Outcome: the commission approved the interlocal agreement and the amendment unanimously, with the additional conditions described above. The contract includes a 60‑day mutual termination for convenience, and the county told the commission it will work with city staff on staging and minimize disruption to parks and events.

What comes next: city and county staff will finalize contractor staging plans, the county will hold a public meeting with its contractor, and the county expects to begin construction in November. The city will budget maintenance costs after the dunes are established and will monitor dune growth and any future FDEP permitting needed for long‑term maintenance.