Coral Springs Commission Approves Rezoning of 58 Acres to Finish Downtown Mixed-Use District

CORAL SPRINGS, FL — Coral Springs just finished rezoning its downtown. The City Commission voted 4-0 last week at its Sept. 2 meeting to adopt two local laws that rezone 58.31 acres in the Community Redevelopment Area to Downtown Mixed-Use, the zoning already in place at the four corners of Sample Road and University Drive. The land covers about 210 parcels west of Coral Hills Drive and along a stretch of University Drive near NW 31st Court, according to city documents. It moves out of Community Business, Medium Density Multi-Family and Medical Center zoning and into Downtown Mixed-Use. Property owners do not have to change their buildings or how they use them, according to the new law. The new rules apply only if an owner expands a building by more than 20% or tears it down and rebuilds. Commissioners also adopted changes to the mixed-use zoning code. The updates add rules for ride-share pickup spots, guest parking and alleys that connect to shared parking areas. They add outdoor seating along Sample Road and NW 33rd Street, and they add small-scale manufacturing, research and development businesses, and craft beverage makers to the list of allowed uses. One change creates a building type that allows structures up to eight stories or 100 feet near shared parking on Sample Road and University Drive. The city needs the new building type to keep pace with a state law that stops cities from adopting stricter zoning rules, according to city documents. The commission approved the ordinances 3-0 on first reading Aug. 19, with Commissioner McHugh absent. The Planning and Zoning Board recommended the rezoning of 4–1 in June. In a letter to the city, Coral Springs Community Redevelopment Agency Board Chair Bernard Moyle said the mixed-use zoning already in place at the four corners of Sample Road and University Drive has added more than $130 million in taxable value since 2018. 'A vibrant, walkable downtown benefits the entire community by attracting more residents, customers, and visitors while strengthening property values and encouraging continued private investment,' Moyle wrote.