Hollywood, Florida, has approved agreements for a 30-story beachside development after a yearslong dispute with Broward County over the use of public land. The decision relies on a recent change to Florida’s Live Local law, turning a measure that limits local zoning authority into a tool for the city to assert control over its own property.
Key takeaways
- Hollywood commissioners voted 6-1 to approve agreements for Related Group’s Portofino Hollywood project.
- The proposal includes 84 workforce apartments and a replacement community center on city-owned land.
- Broward County had rejected the project; a resident lawsuit challenging the land lease could affect what happens next.
The vote followed about 12 hours of public comment and capped six years of debate over the site and its future. Commissioner Caryl Shuham cast the sole dissenting vote.
Live Local shifts the dispute
The project is planned for a four-acre parcel at 1301 S. Ocean Drive, which Related would lease from the city for 99 years. The developer’s earlier proposal for 111 condominium units was rejected by county officials. The revised plan adds height and 84 workforce apartments, with rents intended for households earning up to 120% of area median income, and includes a new community center.
Florida’s Live Local law limits local authority over zoning, density and building height for qualifying private developments that include workforce housing. A 2024 update, known as Live Local 4.0, also gave cities new home-rule powers concerning government-owned property. Hollywood invoked that provision to move the project forward on its land, creating an unusual reversal: a law often viewed as curbing municipal control became part of the city’s effort to defend it.
County opposition and a possible court test
Broward County rejected the project in February, finding that the parcel was designated for community use. After the state legislation passed, Hollywood relied on the new authority to revive the plan. County Commissioner Beam Furr, whose district includes the site, continued to oppose it and sought to postpone a county hearing on the city’s rezoning request indefinitely.
Residents sued in June, arguing that the lease conflicts with a deed restriction requiring the property to remain in public use. The lawsuit could give the county another opportunity to challenge the approval if a court overturns the city’s decision. However, the lead plaintiff’s bankruptcy and foreclosure proceedings may complicate the case, according to the report.
What comes next
The project’s future now depends in part on the legal challenge and how Florida courts interpret the city’s authority over publicly owned land. Shuham, who opposed the development as a city commissioner, is set to replace term-limited Furr on the county commission, keeping an opponent of the project in a position to shape the county’s response.
For Hollywood, the vote is both a step toward a major coastal development and a test of how far a municipality can go in using state law to determine the future of its own property.