Brad J. Ostroff, Acting Director

Community and Economic Development Department

Landscape, Lien Compliance Initiative and Commercial Outdoor Storage Ordinance Update for the 2nd Quarter of 2020.

The  Community Enhancement Division is providing an update on three major initiatives        

• Landscape Initiative: This initiative focuses on ensuring businesses along our major corridors are compliant with their original permitted landscape plans.

• Lien Compliance Initiative: The purpose of this initiative is to contact both commercial and residential property owners who have code violations, fines, and liens and work with them to bring their properties into compliance and settle their outstanding liens.

• Commercial Outdoor Storage: The Commission enacted an ordinance establishing standards for outside storage and fencing of commercial and industrial properties on September 6, 2017; staff has worked to provide outreach on the standards that went into  effect on July 3, 2020 and encourage participation in the City's incentive program approved by Commission.

• Due to COVID 19 and the economic hardships, we will determine enforcement strategies to address non-compliant properties.

Landscape Initiative Update

The Landscape Initiative Project began in 2016 by identifying 120 properties within the City along major corridors that were not in compliance with their originally permitted landscape requirements. Enforcement was approached on a corridor-by corridor basis, beginning along Federal Highway, then to Prospect Road, and then Powerline Road. The next corridor staff addressed was Oakland Park Blvd, dividing that corridor by I-95, first moving west to NW 31 Avenue, and then moving east from I-95 to Federal Hwy. The compliance initiative then shifted focus to Dixie Hwy and then to Commercial Blvd. The most recent corridor addressed was N. Andrews Ave, which became a focus of efforts after the beautification and improvements on the roadway work by the City had been completed.

Staff continues to work with properties that have not complied and returning to all corridors already completed to ensure the owners have kept the landscaping up to standards.

To date, a total of 117 properties are now in compliance throughout the City out of 120 properties that were identified at the beginning of this initiative. There are currently 3 properties that are not in compliance and are in various stages of enforcement. (See attachment for specifics).

Lien Compliance Initiative Update

Since October of 2014 thru June of 2020, staff settled 456 liens resulting in those properties coming into compliance. During the second quarter of 2020, four liens were settled for the total amount of $34,113.00.  Staff, in partnership with Orange Lien Data Company, are working diligently with property owners toward a goal of compliance. In 2017, the City Commission approved a contract with Orange Lien Data to assist the City in these endeavors.

Commercial Outdoor Storage Update

Staff identified 210 properties that will need to be brought into compliance. Milestones were developed to track the progress of this program.  The new standards went into effect during July 2020, after the second quarter of the calendar.  Below is a list of those milestones that have been completed recently.

Completed:

1. Staff identified 210 businesses that require compliance with the Outdoor Storage Ordinance.

2. Staff developed brochures and informational materials to educate owners on how to comply with the Outdoor Storage Ordinance and make them aware of the incentive program's availability to assist with compliance.

3. Staff completed 5 personal visits to each of the effected businesses and sent 6 letters to property owners in May, 2018, January 2019, July 2019, November 2019 and July 2020 containing informational materials.

4. Staff publicized and held 2 Community Meetings at Jaco Pastorius Community Center on June 18, 2018 and February 27, 2019.

5. 127 properties have complied since Community Enhancement began their visits and mailings. 40 of those 127 have been brought into compliance during this quarter, leaving 83 properties left to comply (see attached reports).

6. Two business owners have taken advantage of our Commission sponsored Outdoor Storage Grant and several inquiries have recently been made in regards to grants availability. The program was developed to assist business / property owners with early compliance.