The City of Hollywood Planning Board on Tuesday approved multiple variances allowing the conversion of a small building at 300 Arizona Street into motel units with one retained residential unit, while debating parking impacts along the beach.

Carmen Diaz, planning staff, said the site is a compact 0.09‑acre lot (about 4,222 square feet) at the corner of Arizona and Surf Road. The applicant requested three variances: to reduce required parking (the BRT‑25C district would require five spaces for four motel units, but the applicant proposes two, including one ADA space), to reduce the front landscape buffer from 10 feet to 5, and to reduce a walkway setback by about 10 inches. Staff recommended approval of the three variances and recommended the residential 'flex' unit be forwarded as a recommendation to the City Commission.

Board members pressed staff and the applicant on how the project would affect parking on a street that already has constrained supply. Board member Bob Glickman said he was concerned about 'negative parking' and suggested forbidding the owner from applying for long‑term on‑street permits if the variances are granted. Staff responded that certain beach lots just under the lot‑size threshold can be exempted from parking requirements (the code gives a waiver for lots 40×80 with 4 units) and that the applicant’s lot (44×90) is slightly larger but still in a constrained category that staff could recognize.

The applicant described the history of the building, which contains existing nonconforming improvements; the owner purchased the property in 2022 and seeks to legalize the existing layout and provide an ADA space. Applicant representatives said they have applied for building permits and are working to correct historic violations, and they noted that one existing larger unit includes a kitchen and would be treated as a residential unit under a flex‑unit allocation.

After deliberation, the board performed roll‑call votes on the individual variances and the recommendation for the flex unit; the record shows a split on key votes but the motions passed (roll call recorded and the board chair announced the motion carried). The board asked staff to confirm parking counts and condition some approvals on staff/engineer findings during permitting where appropriate.

What happens next: the applicant may proceed to permit submittal; staff will require that outstanding engineering and code issues be addressed through the permitting process.

Votes and outcomes: votes were recorded on the record (roll‑call) and the board approved the variances and the recommendation for the flex unit; the agenda record shows formal actions and roll calls in the transcript.