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Commission approves rezoning for Edgewood Oaks after neighborhood concerns on traffic, trees and stormwater
Summary
The City Commission voted to rezone five acres for a 67‑unit project called Edgewood Oaks; residents raised traffic and canopy loss concerns and the developer committed to a conservation easement of over one acre, on‑site stormwater retention, parking above minimum, and traffic calming measures.
On Nov. 18 the Fort Lauderdale City Commission approved on first reading an ordinance rezoning the north five acres of a parcel in the Edgewood area from residential single‑family/duplex (RD‑15) to residential multifamily low‑rise (RM‑15), clearing the way for a proposed townhome project called Edgewood Oaks.
Residents and neighborhood leaders urged caution. Ted (president of the River Oaks Civic Association) said the area feels "like a piece of property that time forgot" and warned the project could worsen school pickup congestion on Southwest 26th Street and create cut‑through traffic into adjacent streets. He and other speakers asked how many units were proposed; staff and the applicant confirmed the plan includes 67 units.
Heidi Davis, counsel for the developer, presented site plans and traffic analysis. She said the property is roughly five acres, estimated about 30 peak trips for 67 units (approximately one vehicle every two to three minutes during peak), and described mitigation the team agreed with neighbors to pursue: dedicating 25 feet of right‑of‑way on the north side, preserving more than one acre in a conservation easement, relocating healthy trees where practicable, planting replacement trees per Broward County formula, and designing on‑site stormwater retention so runoff would not flow to adjacent properties.
On parking and unit layout the developer said most townhomes include garages plus driveways (two‑car or three‑car capacity for many units) and that visitor spaces would exceed minimum code requirements. The developer also proposed localized traffic calming — a right‑turn‑only condition at a key stop and speed tables on nearby 12th Terrace and 13th Avenue — subject to coordination with the city's transportation/mobility department.
Commissioners asked for details on net canopy change, stormwater elevation impacts and the mechanism for preserving trees in perpetuity; the developer committed to working with city engineering and county permitting to refine an on‑site conservation easement and mitigation plan during development review. After discussion the public hearing closed and the ordinance to rezone the parcel to RM‑15 was introduced and approved on first reading by roll call.
Action: Ordinance to revise the official zoning map to rezone the identified north five acres to RM‑15 was introduced and passed on first reading.
