Pembroke Park approves parking reduction for 150-unit senior housing project with condition of at least six EV chargers

The Town of Pembroke Park Commission on Wednesday approved a parking reduction for ECOS Pembroke Park, a proposed 10-story, age-restricted affordable housing project, authorizing a waiver that reduces the town's usual parking requirement to 168 spaces and requiring a recordable covenant and other conditions.

The vote approved Resolution 2025-006 after a quasi-judicial hearing and came with the condition that the applicant include “no less than 6 EV spots” on site and record the parking reduction in Broward County public records; the same EV requirement will be incorporated into the forthcoming developer agreement and the site plan, the commission was told.

Town planning consultant Mike Vondermullen described the request as a parking reduction under the town code and said the proposal would reduce the usual two-spaces-per-unit standard to essentially one space per unit for the proposed 150 one-bedroom, senior-affordable units. Vondermullen also noted the site is located near transit and that the town traffic engineer recommended approval of the applicant's parking study.

Keith Poliakoff, representing the applicant, told the commission the project is being developed by a nonprofit and is using the Live Local Act to qualify for reduced parking because the site lies within a quarter-mile of transit. Poliakoff said the applicant and the planning board had agreed to three automatic EV spaces and to wire additional spaces; during the hearing Poliakoff then put the EV commitment on the record: “We will do, no less than 6 EV spots.”

Chris Shear, the development partner, said the 62-plus, one-bedroom unit mix and the affordability restrictions argue for the lower parking ratio. “One parking space per unit for one-bedroom units on a 62-plus senior affordable community is completely adequate in operations,” Shear said, adding that the owner — an affiliate of Miami Jewish Health Systems — operates shuttle and medical-transport services that would be available to residents.

Several commissioners and members of the public raised concerns about overflow parking on nearby streets if the project provides fewer spaces. David Roach, who identified himself as a resident of Dale Village Mobile Home Park, urged the commission not to require EV infrastructure as a condition of the parking reduction, saying the developer should not be forced to add the electrical work while asking for fewer spaces. “If you decide … to agree for them to have the parking reduction, that they don't have to spend that extra money to put in the electrical outlets,” Roach said.

The record also shows the applicant has drafted a development agreement that, the applicant said, includes a contribution to town parks and other community improvements; the developer stated a $200,000 contribution to the park fund is included in the draft agreement now under staff review. The town attorney reminded commissioners that public comment is persuasive but that quasi-judicial decisions must be grounded in competent and substantial evidence in the hearing record.

With Mayor Shera Mohammed absent, the roll call on the motion recorded four affirmative votes: Acting Clerk Commissioner Mosvika Kashem — yes; Vice Mayor Eric Morissette — yes; Commissioner William Hodgkins — yes; Commissioner Jeffrey Jacobs — yes. The motion carried and the resolution was adopted.

Next steps noted at the meeting included incorporation of the EV requirement into the resolution and the developer agreement, site-plan approval by the development review committee, and recording of a covenant reflecting the parking reduction.