Davie council approves land‑use, zoning and site plan for proposed 164‑bed assisted‑living facility on Davie Road

The Town of Davie approved a series of land‑use, zoning and site‑plan measures Wednesday to allow a proposed assisted‑living facility on Davie Road that the applicant says would contain 164 private rooms and require 82 flex units from the town’s allocation.

The approvals included a comprehensive plan amendment to change the site’s future land use from commercial to residential, rezoning to community facility (CF), the project site plan and plat, and four variances tied to CF development standards. Each measure passed 4–1, with Mayor Judy Paul recording the lone no vote.

Why it matters: the developer and the town said the facility is intended to provide only assisted‑living and memory‑care units (no independent living), a use the applicant argued responds to local demand for long‑term care. Attorneys and the applicant said the site is roughly 3.81 acres and will include a one‑acre lake and a 164‑room building oriented with two stories facing Davie Road and a three‑story portion set back from the road.

Applicant presentation and council concerns Manny Snalofsky, attorney for the applicant, told the council the project is a specialized assisted‑living facility in which “a 100% of the units require … assistance with their daily life,” and that the town’s zoning and county rules count those beds at a different rate, so the project requests 82 flex units to yield 164 beds. He said the site is about 2.5 miles from two hospitals and that Broward County has a shortage of licensed assisted‑living beds.

Developer Gene Kesselman, introduced during the meeting, addressed council questions about long‑term intentions for the site. Kesselman said he intends to build the facility and noted lenders commonly resist deed restrictions on property that would bar future sale; “I have the … full intention to build the facility,” he said.

Council members and staff stressed procedural limits and long‑term safeguards. Planning and zoning manager David Quigley explained that once the town’s land‑use and zoning changes are in place and flex units are assigned to the parcel, subsequent owners would need to return to the town for any materially different use or for variances beyond what was approved. Town counsel confirmed actions granting the land‑use and rezoning create entitlement for the CF designation and the delegated flex units to remain with the parcel.

Key project details and concessions The applicant said the site measures about 3.81 acres and that the plan dedicates roughly one acre for an on‑site lake required for stormwater management. The developer said the CF district’s minimum lot size (now 5 acres by ordinance) and a 50‑foot front setback are not met; those are among the variances the council approved. The building height along Davie Road was redesigned so the front façade is two stories (under about 30 feet including parapet), with a three‑story mass set back to the rear; the applicant said the structure’s maximum rear roofline rises higher to accommodate mechanical systems and rooftop screening.

The applicant also committed to: an accessible therapeutic pool, perimeter landscaping and an expanded buffer around the east lake, two accessible parking spaces that slightly encroach on the buffer, and standby power and on‑site fuel to supply 72 hours of generator operation for resident safety.

Votes and motions (summary) - Land use plan amendment (LA22‑141 / 5000 Davie LLC): approved 4–1 (Council members Lewis, Whitman, Starkey and Vice Mayor Hatton — yes; Mayor Judy Paul — no). Motion to approve carried. This item required a supermajority and passed. - Flex allocation (FX25‑031 / 5000 Davie LLC): approved 4–1 (Lewis, Starkey, Hatton, Whitman — yes; Mayor Paul — no). - Rezoning to CF (ZB22‑142 / 5000 Davie LLC): approved 4–1 (Starkey, Hatton, Whitman, Lewis — yes; Mayor Paul — no). - Site plan (SP22‑145 / 5000 Davie LLC): approved 4–1 (Hatton, Whitman, Lewis, Starkey — yes; Mayor Paul — no). - Plat (5000 Davie): approved 4–1 (Whitman, Starkey, Hatton, Lewis — yes; Mayor Paul — no). - Variances tied to the CF rezoning (V22‑162, V22‑174, V24‑058, V25‑036): each approved 4–1 (same pattern: Mayor Paul opposed).

What the approvals do — and what they don’t Taken together, the council’s votes permit the developer to proceed with the CF zoning, assign the requested flex units to the parcel, and move through county and district permitting (including the Central Broward Water Control District and Broward County processes) toward building permits. Council members emphasized that if a future owner proposed a materially different use, the new owner would need to return to the town for the applicable approvals and any additional variances.

Next steps The developer said county platting, drainage permits with the Central Broward Water Control District and the Broward County Planning Council review remain. The council’s approvals allow those applications to proceed. The applicant indicated the project team will return with required permits and final construction plans and expects to coordinate with town staff on exterior materials and landscape details before building permits are issued.

Speakers quoted or cited in this report include Manny Snalofsky (applicant attorney), Gene Kesselman (owner/developer), David Quigley (planning and zoning manager), and council members present.