FORT LAUDERDALE — In an effort to protect neighborhoods, officials are making plans to require a buffer zone between commercial and residential properties.
Planners say the way in which commercial and residential areas are separated is critical because so many neighborhoods border on or near commercial developments.
“I think we really need it,” said city planner Mark LaFerrier. “Commercial property can really have a negative effect on residential areas.”
The buffer zones would include landscaping, increased setbacks, walls, hedges, lighting and sign restrictions and design plans that would require commercial buildings to take on a residential flavor.
The purpose of a buffer zone would be to minimize the noise, lights, dust, debris, odors and other annoyances generated by commercially zoned properties.
The problem with the plan is that most of Fort Lauderdale is already built up.
“The law will have to be flexible,” said Mayor Bob Cox. “It’s nice if you are designing a new city to have all the fancy setbacks, but when you have a city that is already all built up you need flexibility in the rules.”
Cox said although there were limits on what the city could do retroactively, the new law will have an impact.
“It will reduce drastically the impact between commercial and residential districts,” Cox said. “You just need to be reasonable about the requirements and give people enough time to comply.”
LaFerrier said non-residential developers most likely would be the ones required to provide the buffer zones.
“It is usually the non-residential activity that creates negative impacts on neighborhoods,” LaFerrier said.
Commissioners are expected to approve the plan at the next City Commission meeting.
“We understand that it would be difficult to implement all the elements of buffer yards on existing property,” LaFerrier said. “We will have to give those properties individual attention to determine what aspects of the plan they can implement.
City officials say the buffer zones would not be required for properties in the central business district, the central beach district and the Progresso area. Planners say these areas will have special requirements because more intense and mixed uses are desired there.
