Beach overlay

Summit condo president warned there's no engineering study of what the beach can withstand, citing foundation settling, evacuation, and A1A gridlock concerns.

Also from the Summit; focused entirely on hurricane evacuation — A1A flooding, bridge closures, and how much longer evacuation would take with more residents.

Asked the commission to stop treating every parcel as a development opportunity and raised public-trust concerns about developer-political overlap.

Called the renderings deceptive, citing Sunny Isles as a warning and arguing the plan amounts to a takeover of the beach for the wealthy.

Read the Lakes Civic Association's opposition, warning that 20-story towers on Ocean Drive and a 30-40 story redevelopment of the historic Hollywood Beach Hotel would overshadow the city's history.

Questioned the shadow studies (done in summer, not winter), king-tide flooding, and whether four bridges can evacuate a denser island.

A climate expert who supports fighting Live Local with local controls but urged the commission to offer only the minimum height and density needed and make benefits enforceable.

A veteran developer himself, he called the plan 'a rush to more' that will permanently destroy the beach's character and questioned whether new A1A utilities were sized for it.

A beach hotel owner spoke in support: the overlay gives his family a framework to work with the city rather than pursue a by-right Live Local build.

Leads the Hollywood Run Club; worried about runner safety, Broadwalk crowding, and losing the city's 'diamond of the Gold Coast' identity.

A lifelong resident who asked the commission to reject the high-rise plans, citing king-tide elevator failures documented by the Miami Herald.

Civic association president condemned the disrespect shown to Commissioners Shuham and Quintana, cited the king tide flooding, and warned commissioners their votes will follow them politically.

Asked whether $18 of every $100 the city takes in goes to pensions and whether the pension fund is underfunded by half a billion dollars.

Made a personal, emotional appeal for the community and commission to come together and work as a team on the beach's future.

Opened the recording (carried over from a prior meeting) urging the commission to postpone, saying the public no longer trusts city officials and members hadn't had time to read late changes.

A 40-year resident and lawyer described two feet of seawater seeping into his 77-year-old building's basement and warned the city is building too close to the ocean; he thanked staff but said the plan is 'too fast.'

Showed photos of flooding on A1A, said residents are asking for time and input, not rejection of all change, and warned rising water will drive people off the beach.

Invoking her Catholic faith, she opposed the overlay on its merits and respectfully asked the commission to postpone and hold workshops across the city.

Cited the PND board survey showing majorities said height strategies were 'wrong direction' and begged the commission to lower heights to reflect what residents said they wanted.

A rare supporter: an advertising businessman said the new beach residents and visitors could help revive struggling downtown Hollywood merchants.

Opposed both the overlay and 1301, saying the city is taking the easy way out, giving away the beach's charm, and should invest in local businesses and infrastructure instead; accused the mayor of breaking campaign promises.

Argued the beach already has enough hotel rooms (Margaritaville is mostly dark), and that investing in what makes Hollywood special — plus protecting beach access from new traffic — matters more than new towers.

Endorsed prior speakers' safety concerns and asked the commission to vote no.

Born and raised in Emerald Hills, she returned for the town's quality of life; said 'we're not here to make money,' citing Surfside and urging members to think 30 years ahead for her daughter's generation.

A lifetime resident who called the overlay and 1301 'disasters,' invoked Sunny Isles' transformation, distrusted the Related Group, and asked commissioners to 'help the people that elected you.'

Said commissioners Shuham and Quintana had asked for more time and workshops at the last meeting, questioned the rush with developers waiting, and challenged the claim that the overlay protects against Live Local.

First-time speaker who opposed high-rise construction on limestone, praised the tree canopy project as an alternative for 1301, and asked the commission to preserve Hollywood's uniqueness.

Spoke for the Hollywood Historical Society, urging rejection of 340-490-foot heights at the historic Hollywood Beach Hotel and listing nine preservation conditions.

Cited available condo inventory, Sunny Isles building subsidence reports, and sewage capacity, urging the commission to slow down.

Said the beach's low-scale charm is why people love Hollywood and warned against becoming another condo canyon like Sunny Isles.

Supported hotel development on the beach, saying hotels bring taxes and business, but urged bonuses be limited to hotels and capped below 50 stories.

Quoted Mayor Levy's 2024 campaign pledge to preserve Broadwalk height limits and accused the commission of breaking it; urged a public vote.

Supported Shuham's call for study, opposed condo heights, favored hotels over condos on the beach.

Asked for a transparent workshop for residents and warned the five-year program will become permanent.

District 3 candidate asked the commission to slow down, model build-out scenarios, and protect character while allowing modernization.

Compared height limits in DC, Paris, Palm Beach and Boca; urged the commission to defer until after the November election.

Accused commissioners of abandoning campaign promises on beach height and questioned political donations tied to developer projects.

Cited Palm Beach Post and Miami Herald reporting on construction vibration damage, Surfside litigation, and sinking Sunny Isles towers; urged independent geotechnical studies before any vote.

Moved to Hollywood for its small-town feel; fears endless exceptions will permanently alter the beach; urged a no vote.

Questioned the barrier island's carrying capacity — sewers, stormwater, effluent — and said the city must answer capacity questions before adding density.

Called the overlay about overdevelopment, flagged climate change and sinking barrier islands, said the resiliency fund only addresses problems after they occur, and asked for more public input.

Former mayor (20 years) opposed the overlay: tourists come for a unique, quaint beach, not towers; called 34 stories ridiculous and warned against becoming Sunny Isles.

Former mayor condensed it to seven words: 'This is not ready for a vote' — citing 1,004 pages of material and inadequate preparation time.

President of the Hollywood Beach Civic Association; against all beach overlay items; noted her pending lawsuit over 1301 and called for a referendum.

A trauma nurse who loves the beach; fears towers will darken the sand like Sunny Isles, block beach access with hotel umbrellas, and bring shadows and noise.

Spoke for the HLCA urging a continuance with a time-certain date after the cancelled Aug. 11 meeting; personally urged denial, citing TDR exploitation and resort heights.

Said the city jumped ahead of its own consultant's master plan; called the 490-foot resort scenario insane and urged waiting for the master plan.

Said plans are coming faster than the beach can adapt; development belongs in the city, not the beach — and joked the beach should secede.

The only supportive speaker: an attorney for Phoenix Hotels/Resorts whose clients want to redevelop under the overlay rather than Live Local; asked for parcel-level eligibility clarity, a defined contribution rate, and Live Local savings language in the code.

63-year resident five miles inland who feels the beach breezes; said 20 stories on A1A would kill the sea breeze and urged fixing roads/flooding first.

Former San Francisco construction manager; called the overlay 'tools for developers,' cited 35 sinking Sunny Isles buildings, and called the 49-story resort scenario insane.

Cited failed evacuation at Fort Myers Beach (161 deaths), saltwater intrusion, and said residents' survey answers are ignored; called it the worst plan she's seen.

Detailed technical objections: shadow studies showing 200-300% shadow growth, stormwater runoff on a coastal high-hazard area, and missing FEMA evacuation clearance-time analysis.

Why decide before the master plan is done? Strongly supported restoring the Hollywood Beach Hotel without added height — 'make preservation the starting point, not an afterthought.'

Financial educator/business owner: asked whether the barrier island can sustain growth, evacuate safely, and handle water/sewer — and whether low-rise can still be profitable.

Said residents are tired of being railroaded by moneyed interests and that the board cannot in good faith ignore the testimony.

Challenged the board's immunity advice and the two-month statutory clock, arguing the materials were incomplete and the deadline was being 'weaponized.'

Civic association president reading her email: the board is one of the community, the commission will do as it wishes, and 'we will remember who votes.'

Commission candidate: not anti-development, but 'responsible, balanced growth'; asked for cumulative impact answers and to slow down before the November election.

New resident who moved from Texas for the quaint beach; opposed height increases and preferred the 1301 land stay a community center.

Congratulated Shuham, noted Women's Equality Day, and asked that the controversial beach overlay item get its own separate P&Z meeting date.