Plantation planning board deadlocks on Shalimar North site-plan amendment seeking flex units, waivers and new retention lake

The City of Plantation Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 9 failed, by a 4-4 vote, to approve a site-plan amendment for Shalimar North that would have converted an approved retail/restaurant outparcel into a five‑story, 144‑unit multifamily building and deeded about a half‑acre retention lake to the city for Cleary Boulevard drainage improvements.

The amendment (case PP24‑0030 / PP25‑0025) sought allocation of 19 flexibility units, approval of 19 moderate‑income deed‑restricted units, a site plan, elevations and landscape plan for a five‑story building (60 studios, 66 one‑bedrooms and 18 two‑bedrooms), and five zoning waivers plus three landscape waivers from Chapter 27 of the Plantation code. Planning staff incorporated the September 9 staff report into the record and recommended approval subject to conditions in section VB of the report.

Why it matters: The developers proposed the change in part to allow the project to fund and construct a retention lake that city engineers say will be connected to the Shalimar North drainage system and sized to handle standard 10‑, 25‑ and 100‑year storms for Cleary Boulevard between Pine Island Road and NW 80th Street. City Engineer Sameera Shalane told the board that the developer agreed to deed roughly one half acre to the city and that "the drainage from Cleary Boulevard will connect through their drainage system." Shalane also noted that "Cleary Boulevard floods at that segment," citing recent intense rainfall in the region.

Staff and developer presentation: Planner Sean LeMay summarized the request and noted staff’s finding that the applicant met flex criteria in section…