April 3, 2006 - Hollywood, Florida

Long before it became in vogue, the City of Hollywood, Florida, approached urban planning with the goal of balancing development, conservation and public access.

With Hollywood Beach currently on the cusp of a major physical transformation, the City of Hollywood wants to address its future and avoid adding to the sterile sprawl popping up across Florida’s coast line that occurs with out thought of impact and how it fits into a larger "big picture" plan.

Creating a cohesive design aesthetic now will provide a blueprint for future development that ensures a sensible environment today and will increase property values over the long term. To aid the city in this goal, the city has hired Urban Planner Bernard Zyscovich to aid the development of a pedestrian-friendly "Smart Growth" plan for the entire beach area. While this Smart Growth plan is finalized, the city commission will temporarily defer approval on new building permits on new development projects to ensure that all future development in the area conforms to the community’s vision.

This long-term approach to urban planning has worked well for the City of Hollywood in the past. In 1984, Hollywood and Broward County officially set aside 1,500 acres of prime real estate to create the West Lake Nature Preserve. It’s perhaps most often seen during the descent into Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, as the great open area sandwiched between the massive urban structures of North Miami Beach, Hallandale Beach and Ft. Lauderdale Beach that gobble up air space and block sunlight along the coastline.

Just west of central Hollywood Beach, the preserve, made up mostly of mangroves, wet lands and a large lake, is one of the last great open spaces in any urban area. While The West Lake Nature Preserve is a haven for migratory birds an indigenous animal and plant life, it also offers visitors a glimpse of the natural beauty of South Florida as humans saw it hundreds of years ago and is a prime eco attraction.

The action that the City of Hollywood took over 25 years ago to preserve West Lake as open space (long before the eco benefits were known about preserving open space and wet lands) is one of the biggest appeals of the region and one of its most valuable assets- the sense of open space. Over 25 years ago, long before open space preservation benefits were known, the City of Hollywood took definitive actions to preserve West Lake as open space as well as more than half of Hollywood’s coast line is public park space featuring Hollywood North Beach Park and John Lloyd State Park.

The Hollywood city commission feels that enacting this new Smart Growth plan for Hollywood Beach will ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy a well thought-out beach area with preserved treasures and new treasures to explore. The new Smart Growth plan for Hollywood Beach is a forward thinking pedestrian friendly place and the kind of welcoming neighborhood Americans recall fondly from early times. Such a special and pristine coast line deserves a well thought out smart growth plan for new development.