Broward County commissioners will revisit a proposal to sell approximately 22 acres of county-owned land in Pompano Beach after the measure failed to receive majority approval earlier this month. The decision could affect the county’s long-term waste disposal plans and municipalities such as Margate that have a financial interest in the property.
The proposal, sponsored by Commissioner Beam Furr, is scheduled for the October 20 County Commission meeting. Commissioners will first vote on whether to reconsider the measure that failed October 6. If that motion passes, they can vote on a resolution authorizing county staff to begin a competitive bidding process for the property, known as Alpha 250.
The undeveloped parcel sits along Blount Road, north of West Copans Road, near the Florida Turnpike. It covers approximately 22 acres and carries a general industrial zoning designation under Pompano Beach’s land development regulations.
The proposed sale stems from a 2015 settlement between Broward County and several municipalities over the distribution of assets associated with the former Broward Solid Waste Disposal District. The dispute followed the expiration of a 1986 agreement that governed regional garbage disposal services.
Margate was among the municipalities that participated in the settlement. Under the agreement, proceeds from the sale would be distributed among 21 participating municipalities and four additional municipalities entitled to shares of the settlement funds.
The agreement originally called for the property to be sold, although the county and participating municipalities subsequently approved several extensions. The most recent deadline required the county to begin reasonable steps toward a sale by October 11, 2026.
Coconut Creek officials have opposed moving forward with the sale, arguing that the land could become valuable as Broward develops a long-term solution to its waste disposal needs.
In a September 28 letter to the mayors involved in the settlement process, Coconut Creek Mayor Jeffrey Wasserman urged another postponement. He warned that selling the property for unrelated development could permanently eliminate an opportunity to use the land for future waste management facilities.
Coconut Creek City Manager Sheila Rose raised similar concerns in a September 30 letter to the Broward Solid Waste Authority. She argued that starting the sale before completion of the authority’s procurement process would be premature because future waste disposal needs remain unresolved.
The Solid Waste Authority’s Executive Committee declined to recommend another delay at its October 2 meeting. According to a county memorandum, the authority’s attorney, Jamie Cole, advised that Broward could breach the settlement agreement if it failed to begin the sale process by the October 11 deadline.
County officials also pointed to studies that examined whether the property could accommodate waste processing facilities. Those evaluations found significant limitations on potential development.
Although the parcel covers approximately 22 acres, zoning setbacks reduce the usable area to about 18.9 acres. A separate plat restriction limits the property to 342,000 square feet of industrial development, equivalent to approximately 7.85 acres. Certain waste-related facilities would also require special zoning approval from Pompano Beach.
These restrictions contributed to the property’s exclusion as a viable facility location in the Solid Waste Authority’s master plan.
The competing positions leave county commissioners with a decision about whether to pursue the property sale required by the settlement or continue efforts to preserve the land for potential public use.
Under the proposed resolution, Broward’s Real Property and Real Estate Development Division would manage a sealed competitive bidding process. The mayors of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miramar, Sunrise and Weston would have an opportunity to review the solicitation requirements and evaluate the bidding results.
If a majority of those five mayors objected to the proposed sale price, the county would have to reject the bids and conduct another bidding process 12 to 18 months later.
The county also retains the right to keep the property after the bidding process by paying the amount that otherwise would have been distributed from the sale.
Even if commissioners approve the October 20 resolution, the action would only authorize the county to begin the sale process. A final sale would require another County Commission vote.
For Margate and other municipalities, the outcome carries financial implications because the settlement provides for distribution of the proceeds. Retaining the land could also preserve a potential public asset at a time when Broward continues to develop its regional waste management system.
Commissioners must first decide whether to reopen the October 6 vote before determining whether the Alpha 250 property moves closer to the market.