The Deerfield Beach City Commission voted unanimously to approve a major site plan and a related conditional use and variance package submitted by Eastern Dredging Inc. for property at 81 Northeast Eller Street (application 20-B3-113, revision 1). The commission also accepted a 10-foot right-of-way dedication along Northeast First Avenue required by the city's engineering code.

Attorney Dwayne Dickerson, representing the applicant, told the commission the property is about 0.25 acres after the dedication and described two new warehouse buildings totaling about 2,238 square feet (a ~942-square-foot office/warehouse and a ~1,296-square-foot multi-bay building). The project includes approximately 2,876 square feet of outdoor storage for the operator’s vehicles and equipment; the applicant said leased tenants would not use the outdoor storage. Dickerson and the architect said the design follows the city's Pioneer Grove architectural approach; staff and both the Community Appearance Board and the Planning & Zoning Board recommended approval.

Dickerson said variances were required because the Florida Department of Transportation previously took part of the parcel for a Dixie Highway flyover. The commission approved two variances to allow no landscape buffer and no required trees or hedges along Northeast First Avenue in lieu of the 10-foot buffer required by code; staff had noted the right-of-way dedication created a non-self-inflicted constraint. Because variances were part of the request, the item required a four-fifths vote; the final roll call showed unanimous approval by all five members present.

Votes at a glance

- Item 2 (Resolution: Major Site Plan with conditional use and variances for 81 NE Eller St, appl. 20-B3-113, rev.1): Motion approved. Motion by Commissioner Daniel Chenetzky; second by Commissioner Tom Plaut. Roll call: Hudak—Yes; Plaut—Yes; Chenetzky—Yes; Vice Mayor Ben Preston—Yes; Mayor Todd Drozky—Yes.

- Item 3 (Resolution: Acceptance of 10-foot right-of-way dedication along NE First Ave in connection with same project): Motion approved. Motion by Commissioner Tom Plaut; second by Commissioner Daniel Chenetzky. Roll call: Hudak—Yes; Plaut—Yes; Chenetzky—Yes; Vice Mayor Preston—Yes; Mayor Drozky—Yes.

- Consent item 4 (Resolution accepting certified municipal election results, 03/11/2025): Approved by voice vote (unanimous consent).

- Consent item 5 (Resolution approving facility use agreement with KP Aquatics International, d/b/a Performance Aquatics, at the Peggy Nolan Aquatics Complex): Approved by voice vote (unanimous consent). Members of the public urged swim-safety and youth programming during public comment.

- Item 6 (Ordinance—first reading—to vacate and abandon portion of a 15-foot alley near 1414–1498 SW Third Street): Commission approved moving the ordinance to second reading and set the public hearing where it will be considered with an associated site plan and plat (motion to advance passed unanimously).

Applicant and staff said the site plan meets parking, setbacks and open-space requirements despite the irregular parcel shape caused by the FDOT column footprint. The applicant reported community outreach with adjacent property owners; the nearby business owner said they supported the reinvestment.

Public comment during the meeting included questions about the Pier reopening and legal claims tied to the Pier restaurant, a resident who described prolonged permitting and code-enforcement delays that led to fines she said total more than $160,000, and requests for more updates on Mayo Howard Park and the Tivoli Sand Pine Preserve. Commissioners and staff acknowledged those concerns and directed staff to follow up where appropriate.

The meeting began with approval of minutes from March 4, 2025, and ended after routine administrative comments and a motion to adjourn. Several other procedural votes (agenda approval, vice‑mayor lot drawing and oath of office ceremonies) were taken earlier in the meeting as part of the swearing-in agenda.