Board weighs Las Olas valet rules, asks staff to consult Transportation Mobility

Members of the Planning and Zoning Board and neighborhood stakeholders discussed limits on valet operations along Las Olas Boulevard and other corridors and agreed to pursue follow‑up with the city’s Transportation Mobility staff; no formal policy change was made.

During the communications portion of the meeting a speaker raised that the city’s valet ordinance—section 26‑226—precludes valet pickup in the public right‑of‑way at certain locations and that the rule can limit restaurant operations east of 12th–15th avenues on Las Olas Boulevard. A staff member summarized the code section for the record: “For the sake of clarity … the section of the code that’s being referenced here is in, volume 1 … it deals specifically with valet operations within the rights of way of the city,” and said the rule “prohibits them from setting up those valet services in the public right of way.”

Speakers described local examples they said illustrate the issue, including a recent development on Federal Highway (Solera at 721 South Federal Highway) where cones were being used to reserve curb spaces that residents and board members said are not pay‑by‑phone spaces and are being held for valet use. Board members noted the conditions east and west of the Intracoastal/Himmarshee Canal differ and suggested a targeted, site‑by‑site approach rather than a blanket ordinance change.

Board members and speakers recommended Transportation Mobility review isolated locations—starting with the specific restaurant and block cited—and consider options such as temporary paid curb loading zones or negotiated short‑term parking arrangements rather than immediate code amendments. The board’s discussion indicated staff would pursue follow‑up outside the meeting with Transportation Mobility and with affected businesses; attendees named a staff contact (Zach) to consult. No motion was made and no formal vote occurred on a policy change.