Broward commission pauses decision on Monarch Hill land‑use, seeks more study on landfill expansion

The Broward County Commission on Jan. 28 continued four connected land‑use and ordinance items tied to Waste Management's Monarch Hill facility after several hours of testimony and a lengthy staff briefing. The items were continued to the commission's Feb. 25 meeting so the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) and county staff can provide additional analysis and the public can review updated materials.

Why it matters: Monarch Hill is the county's largest active landfill. Waste Management and county staff said the site needs more permitted airspace to avoid near‑term capacity and emergency response problems; opponents warned that expanding the footprint or increasing the permitted height would prolong local environmental impacts and complicate long‑term planning. The commission's decision to continue the hearings keeps the issue active while the SWA finishes portions of a draft master plan and conducts workshops.

The debate centered on two types of changes proposed by Waste Management: a small‑scale comprehensive‑plan amendment to reclassify 24 acres (currently designated for a former power plant) to industrial use, and an amendment to county code to raise the permitted landfill height in the A‑6 agricultural/disposal district from about 225 feet to 325 feet. Waste Management representatives said the expansions would provide capacity needed for county waste, storm debris after catastrophic events and disposal of construction and demolition (C&D) residuals.

"Ninety percent of the material coming into that landfill on a day‑to‑day basis is not…