Oakland Park, the City on the move is building steadily toward its future. For this reason Oakland Park is a hot spot for new development. On June 12, 2020 we published an article about 12 New Residential Real Estate Projects in Oakland Park. In response to that article residents have voiced concerns about all the construction, and some are in regards to the compatibility of the new buildings in the current neighborhoods.
Long before we published the article the City had taken note of this concern. As a result, the City had put together a team to address residential compatibility standards. Brad Ostroff, Acting Director, Community and Economic Development, Peter Schwarz, Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development and Alexander Dambach, Planning Supervisor, Planning & Zoning Division headed up the team behind the changes. They made their first presentation to the City in March of 2019. They proposed changes to the current Land Development Code that would insure that new construction is compatible with the current character of existing neighborhoods, as well as encourage community enhancement features.
The proposed changes would seek to address the following concerns:
- Overshadowing;
- Blank/stark walls;
- Misaligned street walls;
- Incompatible regulations;
- Provide support for community enhancing features.
In order to remedy these concerns the proposed ordinance changes include:
- Front setback and height requirements for new buildings in order to keep the look of the neighborhood consistent;
- Stepbacks to upper stories to minimize overshadowing;
- The promotion of community features and glazing such as, but not limited to, encroachment incentives for front balconies, bay windows and other outdoor connecting features;
- Glazing requirements to address stark or blank walls (glazing is the addition of windows);
- Require varying depth of projections for bay windows, balconies, porches, alcoves or recesses;
- Require conditional use for modular dwellings;
- Restrict parking on grass and swales;
- Set standards for accessory structures such as AC units.
The first reading of the ordinance passed on June 3rd with a vote of 4-0 in favor of the changes. Mayor Sparks, Vice Mayor Bolin, Commissioner Lonergan and Commissioner Carn voted in favor of the ordinance. Commissioner Guevrakian was not in attendance and did vote.
On the second reading on June 17, 2020 the ordinance passed by a vote of 3-0. Vice Mayor Bolin, Commissioner Lonergan and Commissioner Carn voted in favor of the ordinance. Mayor Sparks and Commissioner Guevrakian were not in attendance.
The new ordinance became effective upon its passing. To read the new ordinance click here.
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