Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Leonard Vialpando
Department: Public Works and Environmental Services
Division: Administration
Information
Requested Action
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MOTION TO RECEIVE presentation of the unsolicited public-private partnership proposal submitted by Dependable Equities, LLC, as amended by its August 12, 2026, addendum, for demolition of an existing County-owned structure and site clearing of County-owned property located at 400 NE 4th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301, and for the temporary use of County-owned property located at 408 NE 4th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301; to receive comments from affected public entities and members of the public, in accordance with Section 255.065(3)(c), Florida Statutes; and to direct the County Administrator to return the proposal to the Board for the second duly noticed public meeting required by Section 255.065(3)(c), Florida Statutes. (Commission District 4)
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Why Action is Necessary
Section 255.065(3)(c), Florida Statutes, establishes the process whereby a responsible public entity may proceed with an unsolicited proposal without engaging in a public bidding process, including presentation of the proposal at a duly noticed public meeting and an opportunity for affected public entities and members of the public to comment before the responsible public entity makes a public interest determination at a second duly noticed public meeting.
What Action Accomplishes
Satisfies the requirement of Section 255.065(3)(c), Florida Statutes, for the first duly noticed public meeting at which the unsolicited proposal is presented and affected public entities and members of the public are provided an opportunity to comment before the Board makes the public interest determination at the second duly noticed public meeting.
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Previous Action Taken
On August 20, 2026, the Board voted to proceed with further evaluation of the unsolicited public-partnership proposal submitted by Dependable Equities, LLC (Agenda Item No. 44), pursuant to the public meeting process set forth in Section 255.065(3)(c), Florida Statutes.
Summary Explanation/Background
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE PUBLIC WORKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
On May 22, 2026, Broward County (“County”) Administration received an unsolicited proposal from Dependable Equities, LLC (“Proposer”), concerning the County-owned property located at 400 NE 4th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301, formerly known as the Sexual Assault Treatment Center (“400 Property”), see Exhibit 1. On August 12, 2026, the Proposer submitted an addendum to its initial proposal requesting inclusion of the additional County-owned property located at 408 NE 4th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 (“408 Property”), as part of the proposal, see Exhibit 2.
Under the unsolicited proposal, as amended, the Proposer is offering to demolish the existing County-owned structure and clear the 400 Property and is requesting temporary use of the 408 Property for construction logistics and support activities, all associated with Proposer’s adjacent Ombelle mixed-use development located at 316 NE 4th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301. The Proposer seeks a 36-month Temporary Use Agreement that would permit the County to terminate the Proposer’s use upon 30 days’ notice.
On August 20, 2026, the Board directed the County Administrator to proceed with further evaluation of the proposal and to initiate the process set forth in Section 255.065(3)(c), Florida Statutes.
In accordance with Section 255.065(3)(c), Florida Statutes, this item constitutes the first duly noticed public meeting at which the unsolicited proposal will be presented and affected public entities and members of the public will be provided an opportunity to comment.
A second duly noticed public meeting is proposed for September 22, 2026, at which time the Board may determine whether the proposal is in the public’s interest after considering the factors specified in Section 255.065(3)(c), Florida Statutes. These include:
1. The benefits to the public.
2. The financial structure of and the economic efficiencies achieved by the proposal.
3. The qualifications and experience of the private entity that submitted the proposal and such entity’s ability to perform the project.
4. The project’s compatibility with regional infrastructure plans.
5. Public comments submitted at the first duly noticed public meeting and any additional public comments received for the Board’s consideration.
Staff will prepare proposed findings addressing each of the statutory factors, including the public comments received, for the Board’s consideration at the second duly noticed public meeting.
If the Board determines at the second duly noticed public meeting that the proposal is in the public’s interest and decides to proceed with the unsolicited proposal, the County will publish in the Florida Administrative Register for at least seven days a report that includes:
1. The public interest determination;
2. Factors considered in making the public interest determination; and
3. The County’s findings based on each considered factor.
Further, if the Board determines that the proposal is in the public’s interest, the County may continue evaluation and negotiation of a comprehensive agreement with the Proposer, subject to satisfaction of the remaining requirements of Section 255.065, Florida Statutes, and subsequent Board approval of any comprehensive agreement. Before any contract is awarded, the County must also perform the independent analysis required by Section 255.065(5)(d), Florida Statutes, demonstrating the cost-effectiveness and overall public benefit of the proposed public-private partnership.
Source of Additional Information
Dr. Jennifer Jurado, Deputy Director, Public Works and Environmental Services Department, 954-519-1464
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
No additional fiscal impact is anticipated as a result of this action. Costs incurred by the County in evaluating the unsolicited proposal are intended to be paid from the application fee submitted by the Proposer and any additional evaluation fees required from the Proposer pursuant to Section 255.065, Florida Statutes.