Lauderhill approves special-exception for Broward Boulevard service station after reconsideration and added safety conditions
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Summary
After a lengthy public hearing that raised neighborhood concerns about loitering and trash near an adjacent feeding center, the Lauderhill City Commission approved a special-exception use for the service station at 3311 W. Broward Blvd. on a 5–0 vote following a motion to reconsider; the approval requires quarterly reporting to the commission for one year and a set of site-security and maintenance commitments.
The Lauderhill City Commission approved a special-exception use for a service station and convenience store at 3311 West Broward Boulevard after a contentious hearing and a successful motion to reconsider.
Attorney Dwayne Dickerson, representing Sunshine Gasoline Distributors, told the commission the site was purchased in 2021 and that the acquisition triggered a special-exception requirement. Dickerson said the owner had met with city staff, police and code enforcement and accepted a set of conditions and an affidavit of compliance. "We accept all of those conditions of approval," he said during his presentation.
Neighbors and community representatives urged caution. A homeowner who attended the March 11 HOA meeting told the commission that long-standing problems around the adjacent feeding center had not been solved by past measures and described ongoing loitering and trash that created safety concerns for residents.
Deputy Chief and police representatives recommended mitigation measures and described recent, increased police presence in the corridor. Major Lacey, presenting the police department’s 'Operation Safe Haven' results earlier in the meeting, said the department had used targeted enforcement and roll-call visibility to reduce quality-of-life issues; he provided department-level statistics and told commissioners the operation increased patrol presence in priority locations.
Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant for specific, enforceable mitigations before voting. Among the conditions agreed and later written into the special-exception affidavit were improved lighting and camera/policing access, a site-specific CPTED (crime-prevention through environmental design) review, no-loitering signage, coordination with the adjacent feeding center on maintenance and trash removal, and a requirement that the owner enter a trespass affidavit with police.
Commissioner questions focused on historical calls for service at the site and neighborhood impact. Staff agreed to provide call-for-service data as part of the monitoring.
After an initial 3–2 outcome on the application, the commission approved a motion to reconsider when the applicant agreed to incorporate additional, written conditions and to provide quarterly written reports to the commission for 12 months documenting security and maintenance actions and call-for-service statistics. On the reconsideration vote the special exception passed 5–0.
The commission also clarified enforcement: code or lien violations could trigger expedited review and potential suspension or revocation of the permit, and the special exception will expire if the use ceases for a year or if state, county or city licenses are not updated within 180 days.
The applicant and city staff said they would continue working on a site-plan-level CPTED review and finalize the affidavit language with planning, zoning and police staff. The temporary certificate of use issued earlier will remain in place while the permanent documentation is finalized.
