Planning board recommends approval of land‑use change and rezoning for 5600 North Hiatus Road

The Tamarac Planning Board voted 3–0 to forward favorable recommendations to the City Commission for a small‑scale future land‑use amendment and a companion rezoning for property at 5600 North Hiatus Road that would allow an industrial warehouse on the former Gold Coast Schools site.

Dennis Meeley, attorney for the applicant, said the existing building is vacant and the applicant proposes redevelopment to a modern industrial warehouse similar to a recent project across North Hiatus Road. “The building's vacant and we're proposing to redevelop the site,” Meeley said during a slide presentation that showed the parcel and nearby development.

Rob Johnson, senior planner for the Community Development Department, summarized the staff analysis and recommended the board forward both the land‑use amendment (commercial to industrial) and the rezoning from MUC (Mixed Use Corridor) to BP (Business Park). Johnson told the board the change would allow an approximately 84,245‑square‑foot, one‑story warehouse and, in staff’s analysis, would reduce demand for potable water, sewer and daily vehicle trips compared with the existing commercial designation. Johnson also noted the request supports the city’s strategic goals for economic resilience.

The planner recommended approval with two conditions: the applicant must (1) submit applications to the Broward County Planning Council to recertify the city's future land‑use map and provide a copy of the approved recertified map to the Community Development Department, and (2) submit a traffic study as part of site‑plan approval to evaluate impacts at the North Hiatus Road/West Commercial Boulevard intersection and identify proposed lane or signal improvements prior to a building permit. Johnson said the applicant has already scheduled the traffic‑study evaluation meeting with the city.

The board cast a roll call vote on both items. Alexandra Alvarez, Jacques Moise and Mara English voted yes on the land‑use recommendation and on the rezoning, producing identical 3–0 favorable recommendations to the City Commission.

The staff presentation included several numerical and transcription inconsistencies that were recorded in the meeting transcript: at various points the property acreage was described as “approximately 6.1 gross acres,” elsewhere as “1.6 gross acres” and “5.5 net acres.” The planning board materials, staff presentation and the record recommend that the application proceed to the City Commission with the two staff conditions; the Commission is scheduled for first reading on April 7, 2026, and second reading on April 22, 2026 (as noted in the staff presentation).