boardname
PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD
Meeting Date: FEBRUARY 25, 2026
title
PARENTS INFORMATION & RESOURCE CENTER FLEX UNIT REQUEST
projectinfo
Request: FLEX
P&Z# 25-05000005
Owner: Parents Information & Resource Center Inc
Project Location: 817 N Dixie Hwy
Folio Number: 484235150010
Land Use Designation: C (Commercial)
Zoning District: B-3 (General Business)
Commission District: 4 (Beverly Perkins)
Agent: Joselyn Aldas
Project Planner: Jean Dolan (954-786-4045 / jean.dolan@copbfl.com)
otherinfo
INTRODUCTION
The provision of Flexibility Units is a function of the Broward County Land Use Plan and administered by the County’s “Administrative Rules Document.” Local governments are permitted to allocate residential units without amending the City’s Future Land Use Map or requesting permission through the County. Each City keeps track of the number of Flexibility Units allocated and reports back to the County regarding each approval. The use of such allocation is advantageous when the city has determined that an infusion of residential units would enhance a project or area.
THE REQUEST
The Applicant (Keith on behalf of the property owner) is requesting 12 flex units to enable an existing office building to be converted to residential apartments. The building is referred to as the Parent Information and Resource Center and is located at 817 N. Dixie Highway which is south of NW 9th St, west of N Dixie Highway, north of NW 8th Ct, and east of NW 2nd Avenue. Since the site is less than 1 acre, it is exempt from any affordable requirement. The applicant intends to have all 12 units unrestricted in regard to income and affordability.
Though the Future Land Use Map shows the parcel in two different Future Land Use categories, deeper investigation has resulted in the determination that the split land use is actually a mapping error and the entire site should be Commercial land use (the FLUM will be corrected). The entire parcel is zoned General Business (B-3).
This is a unique flex application because the request is to convert an existing nonresidential building to residential use using flex units for the entitlements rather than using flex units for new construction that meets all modern zoning and residential habitability standards. The conceptual site plan required as a condition of approval for flex units will, in this case, reflect an existing condition which does not meet modern zoning requirements in some aspects. The additional issues caused by the change of use aspect of this older (1954) building relates to ensuring we’re enabling a condition where the building and the residential units themselves meet minimum habitability standards including basic structural integrity; minimum unit sizes; bathrooms; kitchen facilities; laundry facilities; electrical, HVAC and plumbing adequacy; utility metering; and basic life safety standards such as fire walls between units. The cost of these upgrades in this older building that was built as an office building (per original Certificate of Occupancy) and has not been upgraded for central air conditioning, indicating the electrical will not meet modern demands, will likely be quite significant and the question of this being economically feasible for just 12 units will need to be determined by the current or future owner.
The regulations related to allocating flex units (Chapter 154.61) do not prohibit the use of flex units for residential conversion of existing commercial buildings. Staff research showed that these same 12 flex units were allocated to this building in 2003 via Resolution 2003-296, however, the allocation expired without being used.
FLEXIBILITY UNIT ALLOCATION REVIEW STANDARDS
An application for a Flex Unit allocation must meet the following review standards found in Section 154.61(D):
Application review standards.
(1) Consistency with applicable goals, objectives and policies of the City's Comprehensive Plan and this chapter.
The following Comprehensive Plan Goals, Objectives and Policies support this Application:
Policy 01.03.06 - Consider density and intensity revisions with an emphasis on minimal negative impacts to existing residential areas, particularly single-family areas.
Policy 01.01.13 The City shall utilize flexibility units and redevelopment units to increase residential densities within the flex receiving area when consistent with the community character; adjacent land uses; and public school capacity both within Pompano and affected contiguous municipalities; and has undergone a compatibility review relative to potential impacts on Environmentally Sensitive Lands and County or regional parks in accordance with Policy 2.10.01 of the Broward County Land Use Plan.
Policy 01.03.11 - Consider the compatibility of adjacent land uses in all Land Use Plan amendments and rezonings.
Compatibility Statement: The conversion of this office building to residential is compatible with the context of the surrounding area. The closest developed properties to this site in all directions have an existing residential use.
(2) The use of the flexibility units will produce a reasonable development pattern. The criteria for reasonableness shall include compatibility of adjacent land uses and suitability of the parcel for various development patterns.
It is Staff’s opinion that the infusion of residential units on the subject property would produce a reasonable development pattern considering adjacent uses. The land use, zoning and uses on surrounding properties are shown in the following table:
|
Direction |
Land Use Designation/Zoning |
Use |
|
North |
Commercial/B-3 |
Mixed Use (Commercial with Apartments above) |
|
East |
LM 10/RM-12 |
Vacant |
|
South |
Commercial/RM-20 |
Sonata (MF Residential) |
|
West |
LM 10/RM-12 |
Vacant |
Flexible Allocation Tracking
The city has 281 Flexibility Units and 500 Redevelopment Units that can be used when all the flex units have been allocated. If this request is approved, the city will have 269 Flexibility Units remaining (281-12 =269).
Recommendation
Given the information provided to the Board, as the finder of fact, staff provides the following alternative motions, which may be revised or modified at the Board’s discretion.
Alternative Motion 1: Recommend approval of the requested 12 Flex Unit allocation as the Board finds the application is consistent with the aforementioned pertinent Future Land Use goals, objectives, and policies, with the following conditions:
1. Should compliance with any code requirement result in changes to the site that necessitate Site Plan approval, a new Development Order for a Site Plan for the property shall be required.
2. The following must be provided prior to building permit:
(a) a Retroactive Landscape Plan
(b) a site plan with tabular data that demonstrates compliance with all applicable zoning regulations; (lot coverage, pervious, impervious area, minimum unit sizes, etc.);
(c) an approved Broward County drainage permit;
(d) utility plans showing internal and external utility infrastructure and connections approved by the City Utility Department;
(e) a Life Safety Plan
(f) a CPTED Plan
(g) Approval of a change of use permit
(h) all fencing must be brought up to code
(i) all trash management must be code compliant
(j) plans that show all unnecessary pavement to be removed
(k) complete the right-of-way dedication for the NW 8th Court to provide the required 50’ width (25’ to the centerline of the roadway);
(l) plans that include a side walk along NW 8th Court;
(m) plans that meet all code requirements including DRC comments issued for this flex unit allocation;
3. If a building permit is not issued within two years of the approval date, the Applicant must request an extension or the approval of this Flex Allocation will become null and void.
Alternative Motion 2: Table this application for additional information as requested by the Board.
Staff recommends Alternative Motion #1.