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Council approves Fifth Third Bank site plan, adds safety exception for ATM lighting
Summary
The Town Council approved a site-plan application to replace a Bank of America with a 1,900 sq. ft. Fifth Third branch at 15891 Sheridan Street, adding an amendment to allow ATM/drive‑through lighting past the town's 11:00 p.m. shutoff for safety reasons.
The Town Council of the Town of Southwest Ranches voted unanimously to approve site-plan application SP85-23 by MG Southwest Ranches LLC to replace an existing 4,900-square-foot Bank of America with a 1,900-square-foot Fifth Third Bank at 15891 Sheridan Street.
Planning staff entered the report into the record and recommended approval with three conditions covering sign compliance, sign mounting and minor labeling corrections. Staff noted that federal rules for ATMs can require parking-lot illumination when an ATM is operating, which conflicts with the town's 11:00 p.m. automatic shutoff in the lighting ordinance unless the council restricts ATM hours.
Mike Troxell of Thomas Engineering, the applicant's representative, said the plan reduces the building footprint, increases pervious landscaping to more than 50 percent, provides two drive-through teller positions plus an ATM lane, and exceeds parking requirements with 13 spaces including two EV-ready stalls. "The bank is greatly reduced in size from 4,900 to roughly 1,900 square feet," Troxell said during a brief presentation.
Council members questioned whether the proposed lighting and fixtures complied with the town's style and code; staff and the applicant confirmed the lighting type met code standards but reiterated the federal ATM-illumination requirement could keep lights on while the ATM is in service. Daniel Bowman, Fifth Third's real estate director, told the council the illumination supports customer safety and night depository needs, calling it "a convenience we like to provide to our customers."
Resident Mary Ann Allen urged the council against exceptions, saying "no good things happen after 11:00" and warning that concessions create a precedent that could erode the town's dark‑sky and wildlife protections. Several council members countered that public safety and armored-vehicle pickups justified a narrowly tailored exception.
The council first moved to discuss and then approved an amendment to the staff-recommended motion to explicitly allow ATM and drive‑through lighting beyond the 11:00 p.m. shutoff for security purposes. After confirming there were no quasi-judicial disclosures, the clerk called the roll and the amended resolution passed on a unanimous vote.
The final order authorizes the mayor, town administrator and town attorney to execute documents necessary to effectuate the resolution and sets an effective date for the approval.
