Come November, Fort Lauderdale residents will get the chance to vote on 10 charter amendments, including one that strengthens protections for park land.

If voters approve Amendment 8 on Nov. 3, park land can’t be sold or leased for more than one year without a unanimous vote of the City Commission.

That proposed charter change was crafted after Fort Lauderdale made several controversial deals with developers.

Among them:

— One Stop Shop: In March 2022, commissioners approved a 99-year license with a developer to build an arts park with a towering food hall, park and concert venue. They terminated the deal in 2025 after the developer failed to prove he had the millions needed to finance the project.

— Bahia Mar: In April 2022, Fort Lauderdale commissioners approved a master lease agreement that allows developers to control the taxpayer-owned Bahia Mar property for up to 100 years. The site is being transformed into a $2 billion mixed-use development with a five-star hotel, four luxury condo towers and a public park and promenade. That new public park would be protected if Amendment 8 passes.

— Snyder Park: In November 2022, commissioners approved a deal that allowed a developer to build and operate a pickleball stadium at Snyder Park. The company can operate the courts for 50 years with an option for two five-year extensions. Opponents called the deal another land giveaway.

— Soccer stadium: Beckham United’s Chase Stadium, formerly known as DRV PNK Stadium, was built on 40 acres of taxpayer-owned land. Commissioners approved the deal in July 2019, allowing Inter Miami’s owner to build a $170 million stadium in return for a 50-year, rent-free lease of city-owned land. In return, residents would get a park. That park has not yet been built, though city officials say plans are underway.

Vice Mayor Ben Sorensen pointed to Amendment 8 as being one of the most important charter changes in terms of its impact on residents.

“I’m happy we’ve been able to get that on the ballot,” he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Public land is owned by the residents of Fort Lauderdale. I think it’s appropriate to have high standards for the lease and sale of public lands. Because it’s the residents’ land.”

Mayor Dean Trantalis said the commission accepted many but not all of the 25 recommendations made by the charter board.

“We convened the charter board to advise the commission on potential changes to the charter and they came back with a number of recommendations,” Trantalis said. “I think we have a solid group of amendments that will help the city clarify some of its policies and help move the city forward.”

One major change proposed by the mayor and supported by a majority of his colleagues would make the commission responsible for selecting the police chief and fire chief by making them charter officers.

“It helps to mainstream the administration and take a little bit of the arbitrary nature out of it,” Trantalis said. “The fire chief and police chief are significant positions in our city staff. And we feel the commission should be the ones selecting and monitoring the performance of those positions.”

Currently, Fort Lauderdale’s police chief and fire answer to the city manager.

If voters approve Amendment 9 and Amendment 10, the police chief and fire chief would be hired and fired by the City Commission — not the city manager.

Another key change, Amendment 3, would alter the process whereby voters challenge candidate eligibility. Instead of appealing directly to the City Commission, the dispute would be handled in a court of law, requiring any challenger to file a lawsuit.

The Fort Lauderdale commission has approved proposed changes to 21 sections of the city charter. The changes will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot as 10 questions.

The city has created a webpage for residents to review each ballot question and learn what each change would mean. Residents can go to spotlightftl.com/charterreview to review the proposed changes.

To pass, each ballot question needs a simple majority vote, or 50% plus one.

Here’s a breakdown of each charter amendment:

Charter Amendment No. 1

Reorganizes candidate qualifications, requires candidates to be city electors, accounts for redistricting, outlines the documentation needed to establish continuous residency, and changes the residency requirement from six months to 12 months.

Changes when the vice mayor is designated to the first meeting after all commissioners elected in a municipal election assume office, then annually after that.

Updates the timing for the oath of office to occur on the date of the first regular city commission meeting after certification of election results by the Broward County Canvassing Board.

Removes a hyphen in Vice Mayor.

Charter Amendment 2

City elections: Adds City Clerk for ministerial review of candidate documentation.

Charter Amendment 3

Removes the City Commission’s ability to receive affidavits alleging a candidate has violated the City Charter or is unqualified.

Charter Amendment 4

Requires 72 hours’ notice for special meetings, with an exception for emergency meetings which require notice to be provided as is practicable under the circumstances.

Charter Amendment 5

Updates the Civil Service Board appointment/election process and removes the Board’s role in reviewing job class specifications.

Charter Amendment 6

Distinguishes the title of interim city manager, who is appointed during the resignation/termination of the City Manager, from that of acting city manager, who is appointed during the temporary absence of the City Manager.

Removal or discharge: Updates language from “acting city manager” to “interim city manager” for consistency.

Classified and nonclassified service: Updates language from “acting city manager” to “interim city manager” for consistency.

Election tie vote: Deletes outdated language referencing a primary election.

Public hearings and public notice: Repeals the requirement for two newspaper publications for public hearings.

Charter Amendment 7

Sale of personal property: Simplifies the sale of personal property (e.g., vehicles, furniture and equipment) and provides for such sales to be governed by ordinance.

Sale or lease of city property to public bodies: Simplifies the sale or lease of property to public bodies for a public purpose, defines “public purpose,” and requires adoption of a resolution by the affirmative vote of at least four commissioners.

Sale of real property to private parties: Requires a resolution containing a finding that the sale, exchange or conveyance of real property would be in the City’s best interest, adopted by the affirmative vote of at least four commissioners.

Leases, licenses, concessions and use agreements over one year: Provides a tiered system of approval requirements for leases and similar agreements exceeding one year.

Charter Amendment 8

Disposing of public park property: Provides that the City shall not, without a unanimous vote of the entire City Commission, sell, transfer, or lease, for more than one year, any land zoned Parks, Recreation and Open Space (“Parks”), or enter into any license agreement, concession agreement, facility use agreement, or other type of use agreement, for more than one year, for any land zoned Parks; also requires a unanimous vote of the entire City Commission to remove such zoning designation.

Charter Amendment 9

Creates a new charter position of Police Chief, reporting directly to the City Commission.

Charter Amendment 10

Creates a new charter position of Fire Chief, reporting directly to the City Commission.

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan