The city commission of Oakland Park unanimously approved a moratorium on small multifamily real estate developments.
The moratorium temporarily prohibits multifamily developers from building small projects with garden apartments, duplexes, townhouses or villas.
Large-scale multifamily real estate developers are unaffected by the moratorium, a temporary ban expected to end on Oct. 18. The moratorium is part of a broader effort by Oakland Park’s city government to update its land development regulations and encourage denser residential developments within maximum heights of five or six stories.
The city’s residential development rules with respect to parking and such amenities as street lights and benches also are likely to be redone.
City officials have said they want a “small-town downtown” in Oakland Park with a larger number of residents and a pedestrian-friendly design. Oakland Park’s downtown extends northward from Oakland Park Boulevard to the 43 Street corridor.
The petite city spans less than eight square miles and is one of 16 cities in Broward County with a population under 50,000. [Sun-Sentinel] – Mike Seemuth