City Commission Regular Meeting Brief for February 25, 2025

City Commission Appoints New Members to Advisory Boards
The City Commission announced the following appointees for the Public Safety Advisory Board: Andrew Gross (Mayor Curran’s appointee), John Simpson (Commissioner Shrouder’s appointee), Matthew Lerner (Commissioner Katzman’s appointee), William Tighe (Commissioner Mallozzi’s appointee), and Mark Colombo (Commissioner Smith’s appointee). Additionally, Mayor Curran has appointed Natallie Oliveros to the Green Advisory Board.

City Commission Reaches Consensus to Search for Potential Locations for a Community Garden
The City Commission discussed the possibility of creating a community garden that could assist Cooper City households experiencing food insecurity. City staff will first work with the Commission to identify potential locations for a community garden.

City Commission Reaches Consensus on “Don’t Block the Box” Initiative
The City Commission discussed a “Don’t Block the Box” initiative to help improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and enhance pedestrian and vehicular safety at key intersections. The Commission reached consensus to identify one intersection where the initiative can be assessed by marking a designated “box” and installing signage to educate drivers on the importance of keeping intersections clear.

City Commission Approves Purchase of Tractor-Loader for Field Maintenance
The City Commission approved the purchase of a Toro Outcross 9060 Tractor-Loader & ProCore 1298 Aerator via the OMNIA Partners (City of Mesa, AZ) Contract for Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Parts, and Accessories with Related Services and Equipment in the amount of $140,658.18. The Outcross 9060 Tractor-Loader will predominantly be used for Turf Maintenance and Fertilization now giving our Spray Tech & Fertilizer Applicator a much more accessible way to complete weekly turf management work orders. This purchase was funded via Resolution 25-01, which provides for an amended Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget.

City Commission Approves Resolution Regarding Sewer Developer’s Agreement with First Baptist Church of Southwest Broward
The City Commission approved Resolution No. 25-11 which authorizes the execution of a Water and Sewer Developer’s Agreement with First Baptist Church of Southwest Broward, Inc. This agreement helps to serve First Baptist Church’s request for eight (8) water and eight (8) sewer Equivalent Resident Connections (ERCs), at a total cost of $30,525.36, for their building addition project located at 2700 N. Palm Avenue in Cooper City. There is sufficient capacity in the City’s Utility system to service this development, and the City Manager and the Engineering Inspector/Plans Examiner recommend approval of the Water and Sewer Developer’s Agreement with First Baptist Church of Southwest Broward Inc.

City Commission Approves Resolution Regarding Sewer Developer’s Agreement with the Archdiocese of Miami
The City Commission approved Resolution No. 25-13 which authorizes a Water and Sewer Service Agreement for water services outside of the City limits to the Archdiocese of Miami Edward A. McCarthy High School, located at 5451 SW 124 Avenue in Southwest Ranches, for one (1) water ERC at a total cost of $1,798.52. There is sufficient capacity in the City’s Utility system to service this development and the Utilities Engineering Inspector/Plans Examiner recommended approval of the Water and Sewer Service Agreement with The Archdiocese of Miami Edward A. McCarthy High School within the Town of Southwest Ranches for their training facility fire line project for one (1) water ERC.

City Commission Rejects First Reading of Ordinance to Propose One Workshop Meeting and One Regular Meeting Each Month
The City Commission rejected Ordinance No. 25-07, which had proposed one workshop meeting and one regular meeting of the City Commission each month.

City Commission Approves First Reading of Ordinance to Propose Amendment to Unified Land Development Code
The City Commission approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 25-08, which proposes to amend City Code providing for the enforcement of the City’s Unified Land Development Code (ULDC). The City’s ULDC serves as the regulatory framework governing land use and development within Cooper City. Currently, enforcement mechanisms for development orders and other approval lack formal codification under Chapter 162, F.S. This proposed ordinance seeks to align enforcement efforts with State law. The proposed ordinance will work to establish a clean enforcement process, define compliance requirements for property owners and developers, allow for appropriate corrective measures before penalties are imposed, ensure development orders remain enforceable and binding on current and future property owners, and align the City’s enforcement procedures with best practices and legal standards. This ordinance will have a second reading and public hearing during the City Commission Regular Meeting scheduled for March 11, 2025, at 6:30 PM.

City Commission Approves Second Reading of Ordinance to Clarify Certain Parking Restrictions
The City Commission approved the second reading of Ordinance No. 25-06, which amends Chapter 17 of the City’s Code of Ordinances to clarify the City’s parking restrictions, the timelines of payment, and updated fee structure. In December 2023, the City Commission held a public workshop to discuss several ordinances pertaining to trees, right-of-way maintenance, swale matters, thoroughfare beautification, and ancillary issues. During this workshop, the City’s parking ordinance was isolated and discussed, resulting in the Commission directing staff to draft a modified ordinance to address a variety of concerns, such as swale parking as same-directional, enforceability of commercial vehicle restrictions as parking violations. City staff has worked with the City Attorney to draft amendment to Chapter 17 of the City Code to clarify recent changes. The approved Ordinance does the following:

  • Clarifies the fee structure as related to handicap parking and same-directional swale parking.
  • Increases the time allotted to make payment for violation, from 10 business days to 15 business days.
  • Eliminates redundancy or apparent conflict with the Code.
  • Clarifies parking restrictions within 1,000 feet of a school, to include public or private driveways, swale, parking lots, plazas, undeveloped land, and other areas within the designated radius.

More Information
For more information related to the February 25, 2025 agenda, please visit: https://meetings.municode.com/adaHtmlDocument/index?cc=COOPERCITY&me=abbe82b91c374479bbf4cac932a2c2fd&ip=true.

The next City Commission Regular Meeting will be held at City Hall, located at 9090 SW 50 Place, Cooper City, FL 33328, on March 11, 2025 at 6:30 PM.