Tamarac planning board recommends land‑use and zoning changes for proposed Hiatus Road warehouse

The Tamarac Planning Board on Tuesday recommended that the City Commission approve a small‑scale future land‑use amendment and a companion rezoning to allow a proposed one‑story, 84,245‑square‑foot industrial warehouse at 5600 North Hiatus Road.

The board voted 3–0 to forward both items—case LUA 25 for the land‑use change and a rezoning to BP (Business Park)—after hearing a presentation by the applicant and a staff analysis. The votes were recorded in favor by Alexandra Alvarez, Jacques Moise and Mara English.

Applicant attorney Dennis Meeley said the site, the former Gold Coast Schools building, would be demolished and redeveloped and that the proposed industrial use is compatible with nearby business park development. "When you look at it, it's a lot of offices and a lot of warehouses," Meeley said, adding that the applicant had met neighborhood property owners and a nearby church during outreach.

Rob Johnson, senior planner for the Community Development Department, told the board the proposed change from commercial to industrial would allow the warehouse and that, as presented, the industrial designation would likely reduce daily vehicle trips and demands for potable water, sanitary sewer and solid‑waste collection compared with commercial use. "The proposed industrial use represents a decrease in daily trips, potable water demands, sanitary sewer, and solid waste collection," Johnson said.

Staff recommended the planning board forward a favorable recommendation to the City Commission with two conditions: the applicant must (1) submit the required application and obtain recertification of the City's future land‑use map from the Broward County Planning Council and provide the approved recertified map to the Community Development Department, and (2) submit a traffic study as part of site‑plan review to evaluate impacts at the North Hiatus Road/West Commercial Boulevard intersection and identify any needed lane or signal improvements prior to issuance of a building permit.

Meeley and staff said the applicant has scheduled the city traffic‑study evaluation meeting. Johnson said the amendment qualifies as a local small‑scale amendment under Section 163.3187, Florida Statutes, and therefore does not require state or regional review, though county recertification of the future land‑use map is required.

There were no public speakers for the item during the meeting. The planning board recommended both items to the City Commission for first reading on April 7, 2026, and second reading on April 22, 2026, with the two conditions. The planning board adjourned at 9:34 a.m.

Clarifying details from the meeting include differing area figures cited in the record: the ordinance text read at the hearing described "approximately 6.1 gross acres" for the land‑use amendment, while staff noted the subject property as "1.6 gross acres, which is 5.5 net acres"; the record contains those inconsistent figures and they were not reconciled during the hearing. The applicant's filing identified the designated agent as Dennis Meeley of Greenspoon Martyr LLP, representing Genesis Group LLC. The action requires Broward County Planning Council recertification and a traffic study; no funding sources were discussed.