City Commission Directs Changes to RV, Boat, Trailer and Commercial Vehicle Registration Requirements
Following discussion and public input, the City Commission provided new direction regarding the City’s regulations for recreational vehicles, boats, trailers and commercial vehicles on residential properties. The discussion centered on Section 25-10 of the City’s Code of Ordinances and continued the Commission’s ongoing review of regulations governing how these vehicles may be parked and stored within residential areas. The Commission directed the City to pause enforcement of the current registration requirement, meaning residents will not be cited for failing to register applicable RVs, boats, or commercial vehicles while the City works through changes to the ordinance. The Commission also approved a motion to refund registration fees to residents who have already registered their RVs, boats or trailers under the current requirements. As part of the next steps, the City Attorney advised that revised ordinance language will be prepared to eliminate the registration process and associated fees, including both initial registration and renewal fees. A revised ordinance will return to the City Commission for consideration as the City continues its review of Section 25-10.

City Commission Provides Direction on Optimist Club Compliance
The Commission approved a conditional 60-day notice requiring the Cooper City Optimist Club to address all high-priority recommendations identified in an independent financial audit. During this period, the City will focus on providing support and resources to assist the Optimist Club in achieving compliance and strengthening financial controls, accountability, and transparency. The goal is to preserve and strengthen the partnership while ensuring Cooper City’s youth sports programs continue to serve children and families with appropriate financial safeguards in place. Please read about the City’s goal of strengthening oversight of youth sports.

City Commission Approves Updated Administrative Review Fee Structure for Development Applications
The Commission approved Resolution 26-40, establishing an updated fee schedule for the City’s Administrative Review process. The new structure replaces the existing single fee category with three categories: Limited, Minor, and Major. This is designed to more accurately account for the different levels of staff time and technical review required for development applications. The revised structure is particularly important as the City processes development applications subject to Florida’s “Infill Bill” and “Live Local” legislation. Under State law, qualifying projects must be handled through an administrative review rather than a public hearing. As these applications have increased in number and complexity, City staff have assumed additional review responsibilities that were not adequately reflected in the previous single-category fee structure. The new approach is intended to better align fees with the actual cost of reviewing each application while maintaining compliance with State requirements. Under the approved structure, applications will be classified according to their scope, complexity, and the number of Development Review Committee disciplines needed to evaluate the proposal. During the required pre-submittal meeting, the Community Development Director will determine which disciplines are necessary. Applicants will be informed of those requirements before formally submitting their application, providing greater transparency regarding both the review process and anticipated fees. Fees will also be assessed on a per-submittal basis. More complex projects can require several rounds of technical review before outstanding comments are resolved and an application is deemed complete. The new structure allows the City to recover costs associated with those additional reviews while also encouraging applicants to submit complete and accurate plans at the beginning of the process. Fees are calculated using the current hourly rates of Development Review Committee staff involved in the review.

The three categories are:

• Limited Review: Smaller applications such as trademark logos, sign packages, minor sign waiver requests, assisted living or special residential facilities, and outdoor seating. These generally require a pre-submittal meeting, individual plan review, and preparation of comments or an approval letter.

• Minor Review: Medium-level applications such as minor site plan amendments and landscape plan updates. These include a pre-submittal meeting, an in-person Development Review Committee review with applicable disciplines, and preparation of comments or an approval letter.

• Major Review: Larger and more complex applications, including Live Local projects, Infill Bill projects, and major site plan amendments. These require the greatest number of staff review and may involve all applicable Development Review Committee disciplines.

The approved fee schedule is intended to cover the staff costs associated with Administrative Review requests, creating a more equitable structure in which fees correspond more closely with the level of City resources required to review a particular development proposal.

City Commission Authorizes Pursuit of $12.32 Million Resilient Florida Grant for New Public Safety Complex
The Commission approved Resolution 26-41, authorizing the City to pursue up to $12.32 million through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Resilient Florida Grant Program to help fund the relocation, rebuilding, and hardening of Fire Station 28 and development of a new Emergency Operations Center Public Safety Complex. If awarded, the grant would fund 50% of the estimated project cost, with the City providing the required 50% local match. The grant opportunity builds upon the City’s Vulnerability Assessment, adopted by the City Commission in June 2025. That assessment identified Fire Station 28 as one of Cooper City’s six most flood-vulnerable critical assets. The Resilient Florida Grant Program allows communities to seek funding for implementation projects addressing critical assets identified through vulnerability assessments, with a 50% local cost share required for this category of funding. Fire Station 28 was constructed 36 years ago and no longer meets current Florida Building Code requirements, structural and operational standards, resiliency requirements, or modern hurricane- and flood-resistant construction standards. The existing facility has also experienced erosion related to flooding, and its size and configuration do not adequately accommodate current staffing, emergency apparatus, and operational needs. The City’s Vulnerability Assessment projects that the facility's flood exposure will worsen as sea levels rise, potentially affecting emergency operations during major storms and flooding events when the facility is needed most. An existing-conditions assessment conducted by CPZ Architects also identified aging infrastructure within the station. Electrical systems are original to the building and beyond their useful service life, while electrical panels and distribution equipment are in poor condition. The generator and emergency power systems do not meet current operational standards, and upgrades are recommended for lighting, information technology, communications, and fire alarm systems. According to the staff report, bringing the existing station into compliance would require more than $10.4 million in structural improvements while providing an estimated useful life of only 15 to 20 years. By comparison, construction of a new fire station is estimated at $14.4 million and would provide an estimated useful life of 30 to 35 years. The proposed project would construct a new, flood-resilient Public Safety Complex at 10500 Stirling Road. In addition to replacing Fire Station 28, the complex is planned to include a new Emergency Operations Center, Real-Time Crime Center, and Autonomous Drone/UAS Control Center. These public safety functions would share a hardened communications backbone designed to support fire-rescue and emergency management operations, particularly during major emergencies and severe weather events. The project is planned to move forward through a Design-Build procurement process. CPZ Architects has been contracted to prepare a Design Criteria Package that will advance the project to approximately 30% partial design completion. This work will establish the parameters necessary for the future Design-Build procurement and position the City to pursue grant assistance for the remaining design and construction costs. The overall estimated Design-Build cost is $24.64 million, consisting of approximately $2.24 million for design, $14.4 million for construction of an approximately 18,000-square-foot fire station, and $8 million for an approximately 8,000-square-foot facility housing the Emergency Operations Center and other public safety functions. The City is seeking $12.32 million in Resilient Florida funding, which would be matched by $12.32 million in City funding if the full grant request is awarded. The required City match is budgeted within the City's Water & Sewer Capital Improvement Projects Fund. Approval of the resolution allows the City Manager to pursue and execute the grant agreement, accept grant funding if awarded, provide the required local match, and take the necessary steps to advance the project. The proposed complex is intended to replace an aging and flood-vulnerable emergency services facility with modern, hardened infrastructure capable of supporting coordinated fire-rescue, emergency management, and public safety operations during major storms, flooding, and other emergencies.

City Commission Approves Emergency Repairs to Lift Station 57
The City Commission approved retroactive authorization for critical repairs to Lift Station 57, a component of Cooper City’s wastewater collection system serving the Country Glen development. The approved work, in an amount not to exceed $50,647, will be performed by Hinterland Group, Inc. through an existing competitively procured lift station rehabilitation contract. Lift Station 57, located at 12771 Country Glen Drive, was originally constructed in 1994. During a routine monthly maintenance inspection, the Utilities Division identified significant structural deficiencies within the station’s wet well and pumping system. Staff found that existing piping was heavily corroded and rusted, while the discharge pipe support for Pump No. 2 had completely detached from the wall and required immediate attention. The discharge piping associated with Pump No. 1 was also showing deterioration and was considered likely to begin leaking if not promptly addressed. Due to the condition of the infrastructure, Utilities staff determined that the separated pipe support for Pump No. 2 needed to be repaired and that deteriorating discharge piping serving both pumps should be rehabilitated or replaced before additional corrosion could result in a system failure. To expedite the necessary repairs, the City is utilizing a competitively procured Lift Station Rehabilitation Continuing Construction Contract awarded to Hinterland Group, Inc. through the City of Palm Beach. The contract includes the specialized labor, materials, equipment, and established unit pricing necessary to perform lift station rehabilitation work. The work was handled as an emergency procurement under the City's purchasing regulations, which allow the City Manager to authorize expenditures for supplies, equipment, and services when emergency conditions pose a threat to public health, welfare, or safety. The Commission's action provides retroactive authorization for the repairs necessary to address the deteriorated infrastructure and reduce the risk of a wastewater system failure. Funding for the $50,647 repair is available within the City's Maintenance – Lift Stations budget. The line item was budgeted at $225,000 for Fiscal Year 2026 and had an unencumbered balance of approximately $82,000 prior to this expenditure.

City Commission Approves $812,447 Investment in New Playgrounds at Ted Ferone and Dawn Parks
The City Commission approved the purchase and installation of new playground equipment at Ted Ferone Park and Dawn Park, representing a combined investment of $812,446.98 in two of Cooper City’s neighborhood parks. The project includes $445,914.31 for Ted Ferone Park and $366,532.67 for Dawn Park, with equipment and installation provided by PlayCore Wisconsin, Inc., doing business as GameTime. The existing playgrounds at both parks have reached the end of their useful lives and are being replaced to improve safety, accessibility and the overall park experience. The new commercial-grade playgrounds will be designed to serve children across multiple age groups and meet current safety and accessibility standards while providing opportunities for physical activity, imaginative play, social interaction and inclusive recreation. The improvements extend beyond the installation of new play structures. The project scope includes removal and disposal of the existing playground equipment, installation of new safety surfacing, replacement of borders and site furnishings as needed, and site preparation, grading and restoration. Installation will comply with applicable ASTM, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Americans with Disabilities Act and manufacturer standards. The City will purchase the equipment and installation services through an existing competitively solicited OMNIA Partners cooperative purchasing contract with GameTime. Using the cooperative agreement provides the City with competitively awarded pricing while streamlining the procurement process in accordance with the City's Purchasing Code. The Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget includes $400,000 for improvements at Ted Ferone Park and $300,000 for Dawn Park. To fully fund the two projects, the Commission's approval includes an additional $112,446.98 appropriation from fund balance, bringing total available funding for the playground replacements to $812,446.98.

City Commission Directs Addition of Code Enforcement Status to Land Development Staff Reports
The Commission approved a motion directing City staff to include additional information in future agenda staff reports involving land development matters. Going forward, applicable staff reports will include a statement identifying whether the applicant has any pending City code enforcement violations at the time the matter is presented to the City Commission.

City Commission Approves Reclassification of Communications Position
The Commission approved the reclassification of the City’s Director of Communications position to Communications Manager, along with a revised job description and corresponding update to the City’s classification and pay plan. The position was assigned to Pay Grade 120. The organizational change follows the creation of the Innovation and Community Engagement Department and the addition of the Director of Innovation and Community Engagement position. Administration subsequently reviewed the duties, reporting structure and classification of the existing communications position and determined that the Communications Manager classification more accurately reflects its responsibilities and placement within the City’s organizational structure. The position will also oversee key communications functions including media relations, public information, emergency and crisis communications, digital and social media, community outreach, and organizational brand management. The role is intended to help ensure residents, stakeholders and the media receive accurate, timely and consistent information while maintaining the City as a primary source for information about municipal programs, services, policies and operations. The reclassification is also intended to more clearly distinguish departmental leadership from the City's professional public information function while improving coordination among communications, community engagement and other strategic initiatives. There is no additional fiscal impact associated with the reclassification. The position will continue to be filled through the internal reassignment of an existing employee, with no additional position or headcount created and no budget amendment or transfer of funds required.

City Commission Approves Increased Contract Capacity to Maintain Building Inspection Services
The Commission approved an increase in the City’s contract authorization with CAP Government Services in an amount not to exceed$150,000 through August 2027. The additional contract capacity will allow the City to continue utilizing qualified Structural, Mechanical and Plumbing inspection personnel while Community Development works to fill vacant inspection positions. The City has experienced a Structural Inspector vacancy for several months and recently received the resignations of a Plumbing Inspector and Mechanical Inspector. With these vacancies, the City determined that temporary private-sector inspection services are necessary to maintain operations. After contacting multiple vendors, staff reported that CAP Government Services was the only provider with personnel currently available to meet the City's needs. The City's existing contract with CAP Government Services had a not-to-exceed amount of $19,000. Increasing that authorization to $150,000 provides the City with additional flexibility to maintain required inspection services while recruitment and hiring efforts continue. The Florida Building Code requires the City to maintain a Chief Inspector for each applicable trade and permit type, making continued access to qualified personnel necessary to avoid disruptions to permitting and inspection services. The City's goal is to fill the positions with qualified part-time, in-house employees as soon as possible. Staff anticipates completing the hiring process well before the full $150,000 contract authorization is used. The higher contract ceiling therefore serves as a contingency to ensure the City can maintain uninterrupted inspections and code compliance during the transition. Salary savings resulting from the vacant full-time Structural Inspector position are expected to offset the increased contractual costs, with no anticipated increase beyond the department's approved budget for the current fiscal year.

City Commission Adopts Policy Establishing Guidelines for City Proclamations
The City Commission approved Resolution 26-39, adopting a new City Commission Proclamation Policy to establish a consistent and transparent process for the sponsorship, review, presentation and issuance of proclamations by the City of Cooper City. Proclamations serve as honorary recognitions acknowledging individuals, organizations, events and other matters of community interest. Under the policy, proclamations must have a connection to Cooper City, including its residents, organizations, businesses, events or community interests. The policy also specifies that City proclamations may not be used for political purposes or to take positions on policy matters. The policy allows the Mayor or an individual Commissioner to authorize the City Clerk to issue a proclamation without requiring prior action by the full City Commission. However, any member of the Commission may object to a proposed proclamation and require that it be considered by the full Commission before it is issued.

More Information
For more information on the August 11, 2026 Regular Meeting, please see the meeting agenda: https://meetings.municode.com/adaHtmlDocument/index?cc=COOPERCITY&me=25e8d0a5e4a948dc8b9e3b31b102216c&ip=true.

The next City Commission Regular Meeting is scheduled for August 25, 2026 at 6:30 PM at City Hall located at 9090 SW 50 Place, Cooper City, FL 33328.