Board recommends City Commission adopt Broward Next recertification amendments to Oakland Park comprehensive plan

The Oakland Park Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously to recommend that the City Commission adopt targeted amendments to the city’s Comprehensive Plan (02/1945) to address issues flagged by the Broward County Planning Council during its Broward Next recertification review.

Rick Buckeye, the city’s Planning Supervisor, told the board the county had given provisional recertification because seven policies — mostly in the future land use and related elements — required amendments or cross‑references to align with Broward Next, the countywide land‑use plan. “We have 1 year to to do this amendment,” Buckeye said, describing the scope as a limited set of changes rather than a full rewrite.

Staff presented a bundle of policy fixes and clarifications staff said would address deficiencies identified by the county planning council. The changes mentioned in staff materials and during the hearing included cross‑references for environmentally sensitive land and county regional park policies, clarifications on stormwater and first‑flush retention language, updates to school concurrency and interlocal mitigation agreements with the school board and county, and language on the use and tracking of flexibility (redevelopment) units.

Buckeye also described a proposed wording change in the housing element. Staff removed text that the board and commission had previously seen that referenced serving households at 60% of area median income; the revised language as presented will “encourage” affordable housing for households at the 80% of the area median income level rather than require or “include” it as a mandatory provision.

Board members asked questions during the advertised public hearing about the practical meaning of “flexibility units” (sometimes called redevelopment units), timing of water‑supply and stormwater updates, and how the city will continue to update its plan. Buckeye reviewed the history of flexibility units and said the city currently has remaining balance (the Cypress Creek development discussed earlier in the meeting seeks to use 286 of those units). He also said the city will be required to update other related elements — for example, a water‑supply facilities plan subject to the South Florida Water Management District — in coming months.

No members of the public spoke at the hearing. Following discussion and minor editorial suggestions from board members, a motion to recommend the ordinance amending the comprehensive plan (to ensure consistency with Broward Next) passed on roll call: Member Gross — yes; Member King — yes; Member Peterson — yes; Vice Chair Ravelli — yes; Chair Doran — yes.

Buckeye and planning staff told the board they will return with the formal ordinance and the package of text changes required by the Broward County Planning Council; the county gave the city one year to complete the amendments and secure final recertification. Staff also offered that the Broward County Planning Council may present to the board in a future meeting to explain Broward Next and avenues for board input.