Resident participation important to creating financially stable cities

The landscape in Broward

County is certainly changing. Many residents may not recall this, but in 2017, the county passed its Broward Next Plan, which essentially abandoned a continued commitment to wide streets, sprawling suburbs and development with disregard for carbon emissions. The new plan made a commitment to mixed-use development that incorporates easy access to mass transit and more walkable streets.

In Wilton Manors, we had already committed to this philosophy nearly a decade earlier with the development of Wilton Station. Now, as our small city of nearly 13,000 residents looks toward the future, and more importantly toward ensuring healthy revenue streams, I am certain that we were on the right track then — and now.

Like many of Broward’s 31 cities, Wilton Manors is built out. Yes, on the surface this means there is no more vacant land to welcome new development, but aside from that, there is another, greater concern for cities, like Wilton Manors, that have builtout landscapes. That concern is long-term fiscal sustainability.

Public safety, infrastructure improvements, park maintenance and other public services and amenities require a constant stream of revenue. Costs for services and equipment will increase over time, so how do built-out cities meet their current and future increasing revenue needs?

Redeveloping aged commercial parcels to a higher and better use increases land value and enhances the community. The city’s outdated building code needed to be updated to encourage that type of revitalization. Building up and allowing more units per acre are viable solutions, but public input and buy-in is necessary. We dedicated years to achieving the goal of finding a path forward that is right for our community and our pocketbook, and I hope other cities will use Wilton Manors as an example.

In June, after years of studies and public outreach meetings, we ultimately voted to increase Wilton Manors’ height and density requirements. I am very much in favor of these changes because not only will they secure additional revenue and allow for smart redevelopment of buildings that are more than 40 years old, but these changes will also favor mixed-use development that will increase walkability and reduce carbon emissions.

Residents played a key role in our process and, in my opinion, really got us over the finish line. We learned through our public outreach meetings that our community values Wilton Manors’ small-town feel.

I’ll admit that, at first, I was doubtful we would be able to achieve increases to height and density while preserving our small-town sensibility, but we arrived at a viable solution. We essentially defined five commercial corridors and set limits that are acceptable for each area. It was definitely not a one-size-fits-all approach.

The city’s redevelopment goals include walkability and access to a future commuter rail station to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels; resiliency in the wake of severe weather and rising sea levels; protection of our neighborhoods, particularly traditional single-family homes; and maintaining affordability. Those are our goals because they are the goals of our residents and business owners. The solutions we choose today as policy makers must meet the future needs of our key stakeholders and can’t compromise our public safety or infrastructure improvements.

About half of the cities in Broward County have their own police department; Wilton Manors is one of those cities. Police services alone typically account for 30%-40% of a city’s general fund budget and these essential services cannot be jeopardized.

I mention public safety because it’s irresponsible to increase density without considering the future impact to these essential services. Our redevelopment discussions were all-encompassing because they had to be. Now, our city is poised for smart growth. Yes, the road was long to accomplish all the necessary elements to position Wilton Manors for growth, and we couldn’t have done it without the feedback, input and buy-in from our residents and business community. Get involved in your city’s planning process, reach out to your local commissioners, and make your voice heard — it will be the most important contribution you can make toward ensuring your city remains financially stable for years to come.

The future of Wilton Manors and cities throughout Broward County depends on addressing these issues in a strategic manner as they will make for stronger communities with a high level quality of life and attract new residents, businesses and tourists.