Minutes of the Croissant Park Civic Association neighborhood meeting - February 25th, 2025

 Minutes of the CPCA General Meeting Feb 25, 2025. Called to order at 6:35 pm.

Board members in attendance: > Pat Rathburn, President > Jarrod Gaylis, Vice President > Carlos Lang, Treasurer > Rhonda Kramer, Director at Large > Michelle Dimaria, Director at Large > Stacey Miscisin, Director at Large > John Marangio, Secretary Minutes from the January 25, 2025, meeting were approved. FLPD Officers Jackson and Trujillo with Crime Report: -1 larceny bike and scooter. -Auto break-in through trunk of car. -Question about updates on shooting on 3rd Ave.; officers had nothing to report, and the case remains open. Guest Speaker: District 4 Commissioner Ben Sorenson. Accompanied by Vicky and Sabrina, colleagues from the commission office. Question from Pat regarding building codes for new high rises: Ben responded, "LIVE LOCAL." A new law passed by the Governor allows any new building to match the height of any building within a mile. Ben reported that Fort Lauderdale downtown has NO height limit if approved by the FAA. A new building of over 600 feet in height was recently approved. Ben proposed a height limitation for new construction in the downtown area, which he plans to explore. Under the LIVE LOCAL legislation, at least 40% of new construction must be affordable housing. Pat added that two projects are planned through the South RAC Regional Activity Center in and around our local neighborhood. Ben plans to fight against these aggressive growth plans and find a way to regulate vacation rentals more tightly. The audience asked what Ben plans to present to leaders in Tallahassee: He stated a few changes to lower building heights. He mentioned concerns around additional cars, traffic, and congestion. Suggestions about adding requirements to construction companies to improve infrastructure. Ben discussed sewage and other capacity studies that are required for new construction. The audience asked what is planned to address road issues and potholes. Ben provided his cell number

(954) 802-3311

and the FIXITFTL app or Google FIXITFTL. Question about Bridge vs. Tunnel: Ben supports a tunnel and estimates it may be 10 years out from now. He reviewed several reasons to support a tunnel over a bridge. Police Station update: Following the construction issues that caused structural integrity issues in this new building, the Project Manager said the City has to pay a percentage to correct them. Ben challenged this, and the construction company agreed to financially support any corrections that need to be made and that remedial measures would be their responsibility. Regarding the City Hall, Ben supports placing it in the current City Hall; other suggestions are placing it next to the new Police Station. Pat asked about sudden increases in water bills, and Ben stated this is due to a new water facility being built. Also, sewage capacity has increased water bills. If a large increase is being seen, Ben asked that he be made aware, and he will inquire. Questions were posed around a traffic study to put a traffic light at Perimeter Road to address increased traffic due to the Pickle Ball courts. Ben said that request was turned down. Ben was thanked for his time and departed to attend another meeting. Pat reviewed the city’s plan to begin Smoke Testing in the sewer pipes. This will be done block by block. Pat passed around the flyer with a QR code for audience members to scan and get additional information. Pat then pivoted to introduce the PET PHOTO Contest and asked attendees to place votes based on their favorites. The Winners were Lea Cornblatt's kitty in 1st place (2nd year for cats!) and David Mintz's German Shepherd (the graduate). See pictures below. The audience asked about bulk trash regs, code enforcement, and street lamp outages. It was recommended that all these issues and items be reported to code enforcement and FIXITFTL or on the FPL website. It was announced that Croissant Park will hold a neighborhood Yard Sale on May 17th. Signs will be provided, and details will follow. The meeting adjourned at 730 pm. Minutes by John Marangio, Secretary Pic by Rhonda Kramer Donuts provided by our neighbor Bobby Palusha, owner of The Hollywood Donut Factory on Las Olas - spectacular!! The next meeting will be on May 27, 2025 If you would like to follow us on Facebook, use this link -

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087445265622

Croissant Park General Meeting January 28, 2025 Minutes

 CPCA General Meeting Jan 28, 2025

Called to order at 6:38 pm

 

2025 Board member introductions:

 

Pat Rathburn, President

Jarrod Gaylis, Vice President

Carlos Lang, Treasurer

Rhonda Kramer, Director at Large

Michelle Dimaria, Director at Large

Stacey Miscisin, Director at Large

John Marangio, Secretary

 

Quorum confirmed

The board and general members reviewed and approved minutes from the Oct 2024 meeting.

 

Police/Crime report presented by Officer Jackson.

6 crimes:

Criminal -tires slashed

Larceny -Amazon package stolen

Residential burglary -break in and squatting

Homicide -still active investigation 1600 block SW 3rd Ave.

Suicide -no details

 

How to self-report a fender bender/minor accident -Officer Jackson provided handouts with QR codes.

 

Pat introduced concerns for residents who are exhibiting struggles with self-care.

Officer Jackson suggested accessing the Elderly Abuse website. Police cannot provide mental health care. The new program has an officer assigned to go out to select calls with a mental health component. Officer Jackson will provide additional follow-up on this program and offered to have the Cyber Security Team come and present what Red Flags to be on the alert for. 

 

Broward County Appraisers Office. Two representatives from the Office of Marty Kiar presented an overview of this Broward County Office.

 

Crimes against property/ Deed Fraud provided handouts for OWNER ALERT Register via QR code or by calling  954 357 5579. Website web.bcpa.net/owneralert.

Discussed some common attempts at fraud, such as calls offering a copy of your deed for $$$.

Accepting low-income discounts for seniors 65 and over and under 37K.

Disability exceptions include an additional $5k off.

Veterans and Active Service-connected disability.

Widow/widower exception: additional $5k off, not income-driven.

Accepting Homestead applications.

Can opt for quarterly payments vs annual sums via the property tax division.

 

Pat presented the beginning of the Chinese New Year Calendar.

Additional details on the Agenda.

 

New business: Pat asked the members and attendees to provide topics for upcoming meetings.

 

Virginia requested the Cyber Crimes offer from the Police Department.

Pat talked about the new development on the corner of 17th St and Andrews.

Pat and Rhonda attended a meeting about the new legislation on Live Local affecting the South RAC (Regional Activity Center). Pat recapped the rules of new construction and offered affordable units (10%), allowing for more lenient building restrictions.

New legislation allows for residential buildings with commercial space and a certain percentage of affordable units, and it allows building heights equal to those within a one-mile radius.

 

Attendees asked, "How are the LOW INCOME/AFFORDABLE INCOME rates assessed and monitored?" Jarrod Gaylis shared that finances are scrutinized appropriately. Jarrod and Pat also referred to additional corridors that have been slated for these new Live Local legislative rules: along SR 84, Davie Boulevard, and Andrews Ave.

 

Ted Inserra spoke about traffic studies that are overly focused and do not take large areas and impacts into consideration.

 

Joe Russell brought up a swath of land along tracks that is now vacant and appears to be prepared for development. 

 

Primo Liquors opened at the site of a Convenience store on Davie Boulevard and Train Tracks.

 

Michelle Dimaria presented an award from the CPCA Joe Shover Citizenship Award.

This year's award was presented to Pat Rathburn, who had been active on the CPCA board since 2007, many of those years as President.

Michelle cited numerous affiliations, committees, and events spearheaded by Pat Rathburn.

Pat accepted graciously.

Michelle handed out raffle tickets for the Croissant Park giveaways.

 

The meeting adjourned at 7:40 PM.

Minutes by John Marangio, Secretary

Pictures by Rhonda Kramer, Director

P.S. (Joe) Shover Citizenship Award Presentation (2024)

Patricia Rathburn receives
P.S. (Joe) Shover Citizenship Award

The Joe Shover Citizenship Award was created to recognize those who best exemplify dedication, activism, and leadership in protecting and enhancing the quality of life in our community.

This year (2024), we honored the Croissant Park Civic Association’s President, Patricia Rathburn. Pat began serving on the Board of Directors in 2007. As President, Pat attends meetings with the District 4 City Commissioner and regularly attends meetings on issues pertaining to District 4 and city-wide issues. 

Pat has worked tirelessly with the city to improve our neighborhood walkability and ADA accessibility and create safer biking paths and lanes throughout the southwest neighborhoods.  She spearheaded Croissant Park’s 100th anniversary party and coordinated activities and events to ensure its success.

Using her legal expertise gained in decades of representing neighbors in real estate transactions, estate planning, and other civil matters, Pat has drafted countless letters and emails to the city regarding issues and projects that directly affect the safety and integrity of our neighborhood.  She has fought for Croissant Park’s best interests, protecting and enhancing our home values and the safety of our residents.

In addition to serving on the Croissant Park Civic Association board, Pat is on the Boards of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society and the City Board of Adjustments.

Pat's dedication to the well-being of our neighborhood, her activism, and her leadership exemplify the qualities of an individual who contributes to making Croissant Park a nice place to live.

presented by Michelle DiMaria

pictures by Rhonda Kramer

If you haven't already sent in your 2025 membership dues, you can use the application below, PayPal, or Zelle at CroissantParkCivic@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you at upcoming meetings: February 25th—Pet Foto Contest, May 27th, June 24th, September 30th, and October 28th in the Croissant Park Community Center at 6:30 p.m.

Croissant Park Civic Association General Meeting June 25th 2024

 Croissant Park General Meeting June 25th 2024

Board members present 

Patricia Rathburn

Rhonda Kramer 

Virginia Russell

Carlos Lang

Jarrod Gaylis 

Absent MIchelle Dimaria 

Approval of MIns from last General Meeting on May 28th, 2024

Introduction of Officer Trujillo for Crime report

One Burglary at short term rental crew house.

Suspicious person reported 

Mentioned homeless encampment on Fed and SW 17th is still on radar to be monitored. 

Introduction of Katrina Johnson of Code Compliance. 

She presented the guidelines for legal vacation rentals 

Parking 

Noise

Must be registered

Violation is fee commiserate to the rental cost 

Occupancy limits 

Maximum allowances is 20 persons

Parking only allowed on property defined driveway 

Sound ordinance as well 

Violent issues need to be reported directly to law enforcement which will report to Code 

Any property receiving 3 violations in 365 days will have their license suspended 

Vacation rental Hotline 24 hrs/day/365 1800 685 7543

Website Https://www.harmari.com/tipform-fortlauderdale

Code officers respond within an hour for noise parking parties 

In our community their are 39 registered rentals 

To report General Code violations 

Call 954 828 8000 number for Code issues 

Standard response time is 48 hrs or less

Noise violations are handled immediately 

Questions from audience. 

How to report illicit substance use? Need to call PD

Presenter described what a “nuisance violation is” Loud noise, music, screaming.

Question- Difference between vacation rentals and short rentals? IE Crew House must be registered as a short term rental. All are labeled as short term rentals.

Question- Have Sober homes decreased due to illegal activity being addressed? Yes, many have been halted from conduction business. 

Question- Are taxes being targeted of unregistered and fraudulent homesteaded properties?

Question- Was the scheduled May sweep of the neighborhood done? The sweep was planned for the part of CP east of SW 4th ave and was not conducted due to staffing issues.

Question- do repeated callers ever get banned- answer - No.

Question- are there codes against fireworks- no

Question- Do all vehicles need to be registered with plate. If deemed illegal will be towed.  Yes, non-registered vehicles will be cited and towed.

Website for Vacation Rental regulations. 

https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/government/departments-a-h/development-services/community-enhancement-and-compliance/administrative-services/vacation-rental-program

List of all rentals are on the website and updated as of today’s date.

Pat read questions from CPCA Quiz 

Audience engaged in answering questions and increasing their knowledge of Croissant Park. 20 Question Quiz. Prizes were awarded to attendees who scored highest on the quiz demonstrating their knowledge of the history of Croissant Park.

Prizes were donated by the Commissioner office and included Hurricane Preparedness items, IE: flashlights, and other emergency materials.

Pat thanked all of those in attendance and made note that the next meeting is scheduled for the last Tuesday in September 2024 and wished everyone a good summer.

Meeting adjourned at 736 pm. 

FLOODING! - PIE! Neighborhood Meeting - Tuesday 6:30, Oct 29th

FLOODING! - PIE! Neighborhood Meeting - Tuesday 6:30, Oct 29th

We know we just saw a lot of you at our 100th anniversary party on Saturday, but tomorrow night is our last meeting of the year – Oct. 29th, 6:30 PM at the Community Center. This is a VERY IMPORTANT meeting—the City consultants will be gathering and providing information on the flooding situation in our neighborhood. Don’t complain in the future if you don’t participate now! Also, it is Fall Dessert Night. Bring your favorite or come try goodies made by others. Pat Rathburn, President, Croissant Park Civic Association

Croissant Park Community Center
245 West Park Drive

Croissant Park Civic Association 'Small Business Night' May 28th, 2024 - Minutes

Location: Croissant Park Community Center

Board Members in attendance:

Pat Rathburn, President
Virginia Russell, Director
Rhonda Kramer, Director
Jarrod Gaylis, Director
Carlos Lang, Treasurer
John Marangio, Secretary
Absent, Michelle DiMaria, Vice President

Pat called the meeting to order at 6:40 PM and established Quorum was reached.

• Pledge of Allegiance.
• Approval of Minutes from the Feb 27th General Meeting.
• Pat introduced Officer Trujillo from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department with Crime Stats and Updates:

Review and discussion of automotive crimes from February 27th to the current date, including two auto thefts and six burglaries of vehicles. Emphasis on the ease of stealing Kias with USB cables and the importance of locking vehicles. Officer Trujillo reminded the community that Kia offers a club for security, and Hyundai Sonata has a fix-it solution. She encouraged owners to make sure vehicles are locked and use remote disabling features if available. The thefts have not decreased and occur in waves. Detectives have an idea of the groups involved, and investigations are ongoing.

Question for Officer concerning Catalytic Converter Thefts:
Inquiry about the status of catalytic converter thefts in the city, with a specific mention of five incidents at BGH.

Question from attendees re Homeless Encampment:
Discussion about a homeless encampment near Burger King on 17th Street and SE 5th Ave, including concerns about safety and drug activity. The officer will bring these concerns to her precinct. The issue will be passed to homeless outreach officers. Three more officers will be coming on board in the next two months to address such issues.

Pat provided an update regarding the 100th Anniversary of Croissant Park and the planning for an event on October 26th at Croissant Park, including considerations for alcohol permits, food options, and swag. Invited all interested parties to join in on the planning for this event.

Celebrating our local Small Business owners:
Introduction of various small businesses and their services, including a private chef, fitness center, a pet store, and a water aerobics instructor.

• Michael Nichols, Chef/Owner provided an overview of his culinary services and provided the attendees with samples of his baked goods.
• 
  The owner and representative of HIT Fitness introduced himself and provided a demonstration of Balance and Strength assessment and training.
  
• Susie Ludlow introduced herself as a water aerobics instructor and balance and strength trainer with classes at Hort Park in Shady Banks. She also provided coffee from Expresso Coffee on Andrews Avenue.
• A representative from Auggie’s Pet Supplies provided a detailed overview of their healthy pet food, treats, chews, toys, leashes, and other supplies for dogs and cats. She also provided handouts and samples for the neighbors in attendance.
  
• Pat Rathburn introduced her profession as an attorney focusing on Real Estate and Estate Planning. She discussed her relationships in the community and was thankful for her ongoing collaboration with local Real Estate Agents. Pat also discussed the differences between using an attorney and a title company for real estate transactions, highlighting the benefits of personalized service from an attorney.
• Rhonda Kramer introduced herself with an overview of her decades as a local Remax real estate agent sharing that homes that went for $68,000 now sell for $680,000 and emphasized the importance of supporting your neighborhood businesses to strengthen community. She then introduced her neighbor and fellow real estate agent, Jarrod Gaylis.
• 
  Jarrod took the microphone and introduced himself, his affiliation with Coldwell Banker, and his commitment to the community. Jarrod emphasized why local realtors are crucial for neighborhood development and understanding market dynamics.
  

The next presenter was Jeri Pryor, Chief of Staff for the City of Ft Lauderdale, District 4. Ms. Pryor spoke to the following items and topics:

• Announcement of a hurricane preparedness event on June 1st at the Museum of Art, organized by the City of Fort Lauderdale.
• Discussion on the city's budget process and the importance of community involvement in requesting funding for local projects like sidewalks.
• Discussion on the need for speed humps in the neighborhood and the city's preference for plastic road humps over concrete ones.
• Concerns about the color and quality of the water due to old filtration systems and the upcoming new water plant.

Pat Rathburn took this time to thank all of the Small Business Owners and encouraged the community to support our local vendors. Pat asked the audience for suggestions for future meeting topics, including inviting the new City Forester and discussing Croissant Park's 100-year celebration with the historical society. The focus turned to the neighbors and they were asked to present any questions, comments, or concerns:

• Concerns about short-term rentals (vacation rentals) affecting the neighborhood, including parking issues and garbage collection.
• Discussion about the restriction that Sober Homes cannot be located within a thousand feet of each other. Entities must be registered, and if they are not, they will need to obtain a license.  
• Concerns were raised about unregistered vacation rentals in the neighborhood. A suggestion was made to invite someone from the city to explain the registration process.
• Discussion on how to handle noise and parking issues caused by vacation rentals, including calling a non-emergency number for code enforcement officers.
  

Pat thanked all who participated in this evening’s General Meeting and Small Business Night and announced the next meeting is scheduled for June 25th at the Croissant Park Community Center at 6:30 PM.

 
The meeting Adjourned at 7:58 PM.

minutes by John Marangio
pics by Rhonda Kramer

Occasionally Annual Small Business Night

 Small Business Night in the Neighborhood

Tuesday May 28th – 6:30 PM

Friends and Neighbors-

The Croissant Park Civic Association is hosting its occasionally annual Small Business Night in conjunction with our May meeting. This was wildly popular the last time we did it, and this year, we have gotten even more interest and more small businesses signing up.

This is a great way for them to introduce their services to us and a great way for us to support small businesses in and adjacent to our neighborhood. I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of projects that need to be done, and I’m constantly reaching out to people in the neighborhood for their recommendations. Almost all of the businesses that will be attending are businesses one or more of our Board members uses regularly – so it’s not like opening the Yellow Pages ( for those of you under 35, the yellow pages was a book that the telephone company [ yes, the telephone company – Bell South – for those things called “land lines”] used to print and distribute every year to every house listing everyone's phone numbers and including ads for businesses) and simply turning to the page for “plumber” “attorney” or whatever. 

Think of this as Yelp without the nasty reviews.

Our Small Business Night promises to be a fun-filled evening with a diverse range of businesses. We have florists, several new restaurants, AC repair, realtors, attorneys for various specialties, gyms, and many more. And the best part? The restaurants participating may bring some delicious goodies, adding to the event's festive atmosphere.

There may still be time to sign up to present your business. If you are interested, please e-mail us at CroissantParkCivic@gmail.com.

Hope to see you next Tuesday night!

Pat Rathburn

President, Croissant Park Civic Association

February 27th, 2024 Minutes for the Croissant Park Civic Association General Meeting

Minutes of the Croissant Park Civic Association General Meeting

Called to order at 7:02 PM by Pat Rathburn

There were 23 meeting attendees, plus the speakers and police. 

The Board introduced themselves.

 

Pat Rathburn, President 

Michelle DiMaria, Vice President  

Rhonda Kramer, Director 

John Marangio, Secretary 

Carlos Lang, Treasurer 

Virginia Russell, Director 

Jarrod Gaylis, Director

 

January 30, 2024 Minutes - Rhonda made a motion to approve, which was seconded by Jarrod. The motion passed

 

Police Officers presented crime stats and fielded questions for Croissant Park 

Officer Trujillo 

Officer Hagerty

Officer Jackson

 

Crime report:

Stats provided: Zero crimes have been reported in the last 30 days. Report and follow up on a complaint noted at the last meeting regarding a crew house and noise code violations. Code enforcement contacted the home's owner, who was cooperative, and the noise compliance issues were resolved.

Golf carts -what is legal and allowed?

Difference between a golf cart and a low-speed vehicle:

A golf cart can go 20 mph, and a low-speed vehicle can go 25 mph. It must have seat belts and lights, go within the speed limit, and be of legal age. A golf cart must abide by the same rules and regs as a vehicle. Require insurance and a license

 

Pat provided examples of people driving golf carts without seatbelts. She highlighted some statistics citing the danger of these vehicles: 13,000 golf cart-related accidents.

Up until last year, they did not require a license. Now, a license or permit is required.

 

Questions and comments were taken from the audience regarding scooters and visually impaired crosswalks -SW 4th Ave, SW 17th St, SW 9th Ave, and SR 84 need audible crosswalks for the visually impaired.

The next Item on the agenda was a presentation by Representatives from Code Enforcement.

Inspector Rafael Santos was accompanied by Compliance Manager Katrina Johnson.

Inspector Santos is on duty in Croissant Park from Wednesday through Sunday. He said he drives past SW 4th Ave, Andrews Ave, and SW 9th Ave daily to assess for common violations,

checking for curb appeal, roofs, overgrowth of landscaping, and alleyway trash. Focus on Alley - these are shared between the two homes- shared 50%.

Violations of bulk trash and debris must be removed within 10 days. If not removed within those 10 days, the city will remove it and send a bill to the property owner. 

Beginning in May 2024, a new project in Croissant Park will beautify the area, house by house, looking and ticketing violations, including cars with flats, on jacks, etc. Cars on swales will also be cited.

Focus on Auto-body shops and collision shops to move vehicles to proper areas. Concerns should be addressed within 24 hours but at most 48 hours. The audience brought up some specific areas that would benefit from a visit. It also has a 24-hour number for reporting after hours.

The audience asked a question regarding the change to reporting where a name and address must be submitted with the report. It was noted that “a” name and address of the caller must be provided when a code violation is reported.

The audience asked about property that may be city-owned and has debris and litter on site. Katrina Johnson spoke about the need to clean up public areas and alleys used as dumps. 

Question from Pat Rathburn: How does code enforcement work with the city when there are clear code violations on construction sites? Do the inspectors address open permits at these sites to identify if construction is not reflected in the permit?

Question from Rhonda Kramer: The Lauderserve app has a feature that allows you to hold your camera in an area that needs to be reported. Ms Katrina Johnson stated that the app can be challenging to use. Ms Johnson stated that the Lauderserve platform will be replaced by a new version, which is more user-friendly and can address all items that need to be fixed or reported. This should be implemented in the next 30 days.

 

Joe Russell asked about the alley behind his home, which is used for refuse and dumping, and

asked what they could do to identify culprits.  There is a detective assigned to this type of illegal dumping. There is also a call center available that will be shared with the civic association. 

 

The suggestion from the audience is to have Croissant Park neighbors report any concerns or violations directly to the inspector. His phone number is 954-838-4771 - and his email is RSantos@fortlauderdale.gov

 

Some properties have ongoing liens and fines of up to $100 per day per violation. If the property is homesteaded, they cannot foreclose on it. There is a list of criteria, and the property can be taken for injunction review before a magistrate. The reality is that the property must have severe violations to be taken down this route.

 

Regarding Bulk Trash- Officer Santos stated he rides through the neighborhood one week before the day of scheduled pick up. 

 

The speakers were applauded and thanked for their time and presentations.

 

Pat asked the audience for future speaker topics to be shared with the board. Pat also

encouraged members and attendees to consider being part of the planning for the Croissant Park 100-year celebration to be held in the Fall of 2024.

 

Commissioner Warren Sturman arrived at the meeting at 8 pm following attendance at the Tree Ordinance meeting. He announced that Speed Bumps are available instead of Speed Humps; bumps are plastic and less expensive and are the option available for the time being.

Improvements along 17th Street will be reviewed at an upcoming meeting on March 13th, 2024, at 630 PM on the second floor of BGMC.

There was a question from the audience about the speed of cars on 15th Street and 9th Ave. Pat noted that this is one of the streets being assessed by the traffic committee. 

Commissioner Warren Sturman was applauded and thanked for attending this meeting and providing local updates.

The Pet Photo Contest votes were counted, and they showed that Cats Rule!!!  Goldie Johnson beat out nine dogs and one other cat to take 1st Place. There was a tie for 2nd Place.

The next general meeting will be May 27, beginning at 630 PM. All meetings going forward will begin at this time.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 PM.  

Minutes by John Marangio

Pictures by Rhonda Kramer

Website http://mycroissantpark.blogspot.com/
Email address is CroissantParkCivic@gmail.com