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| HISTORY OF THE CITY OF
WESTON |
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The 15,000 acres of land now comprising
the City of Weston was first amassed in the 1950’s by a
gentleman named Arthur Vining Davis, the original owner
of Weston’s primary developer, ARVIDA. Over the course
of the ensuing years, plans were prepared as to how the
land would be developed and how that development would
be financed, and the area now known as Bonaventure was
sold to be developed separately.
The development was originally known as Indian Trace,
and in 1978 with the first of what would be many
development plans complete, the Indian Trace Development
of Regional Impact (DRI) was approved, which permitted
in excess of 25,000 dwelling units to be constructed,
although subsequent amendments reduced that number to
17,000. Shortly thereafter, in 1981, the Indian Trace
Community Development District was created for the
purpose of financing and managing the construction,
maintenance and operation of water and sewer mains,
water management bodies, and arterial roadways, and was
governed by a five-member developer appointed Board of
Supervisors.
The name of the Arvida development was changed from
Indian Trace to Weston, and in 1984 the first homes were
completed in Windmill Ranch and Country Isles, and
Weston had its first residents.
In November 1991, with over 5,000 residents in Weston,
and with the Indian Trace Community Development District
ten years old, it was now time for residents to be
elected to three of the five seats on the Board of
Supervisors; Harry Rosen as Chair, Kim Ballis as Vice
Chair, and Mark Myers as Treasurer. In November 1993,
residents were elected to the remaining two seats on the
Board of Supervisors, giving residents full control of
the district, adding Eric Hersh and John Flint.
Seeing Weston develop into what was appearing to be a
self-sustainable community, the Board of Supervisors
initiated an Incorporation Feasibility Study in April
1994 to determine if Weston should incorporate as a
city, annex to a neighboring city, or remain as a part
of unincorporated Broward County. In May 1995 the Board
appointed a nine member Steering Committee to study the
incorporation issue that was comprised of residents and
consultants. The members were Alex Muxo, resident and
former City Manager of the City of Homestead as
Co-chair; Renee Smoley, resident as Co-chair; Donald
Hall, Attorney representing Arvida and former Assistant
City Attorney of the City of Fort Lauderdale; Dennis
Giordano, Engineer and former Assistant City Manager of
the City of Hollywood; Edwin Jacobson, retired attorney
and Bonaventure resident; Brad Orviedo, Basin II
landowner; Roy Rogers, Arvida Vice President; Glenn
Sterling, M.D., resident and President of the Homeowners
Association at Weston, Inc.; and Richard Weiss, resident
and attorney for several south Florida municipalities.
In addition to the Steering Committee, the Board
solicited Requests for Proposals from the neighboring
municipalities of Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines
and Sunrise to see if there were any benefits of Weston
annexing to another city. In the November 1995 Board of
Supervisors election, Eric Hersh and Mark Myers were
reelected, and Cindy Fishbein was elected to replace Kim
Ballis.
By November 1995 the Steering Committee and the Board of
Supervisors arrived at the conclusion that the residents
of Weston would be best served by forming a new city, as
the tax dollars generated by the residents would remain
in Weston under the control of and for the use of the
residents, and planning and zoning matters would be
determined by residents as well. The Board voted
unanimously to file a Local Bill with the Broward
Legislative Delegation to enable the residents of the
Indian Trace Community Development District to vote on
incorporation, and on May 5, 1996 the State Legislature
approved the Bill.
On September 3, 1996 the residents of the Indian Trace
Community Development district went to the polls, and of
those voting, 90% voted in favor of incorporation. The
City of Weston was born, and the Indian Trace Community
Development District Board of Supervisors became the
Interim City Commission, with Harry Rosen as Interim
Mayor and John Flint, Eric Hersh, and Mark Myers as
Interim Commissioners; Cindy Fishbein resigned prior to
taking the oath of office as Interim City Commissioner
to relocate outside of the city.
As a part of the Local Bill, the Bonaventure community
was afforded the opportunity to vote on April 1, 1997
whether to become a part of the City of Weston, or the
City of Sunrise, the result of which was to join Weston
by an almost two to one margin.
Weston’s residents returned to the polls on June 3, 1997
to elect their first Mayor and City Commissioners.
Elected were Harry Rosen as Mayor, and Commissioners
Eric Hersh, Edwin Jacobson, Steve Keller, and Mark
Myers. In July the City Commission hired the City’s
first City Manager, John Flint, and appointed the city’s
first City Attorney, Ellen Mills Gibbs. The city
contracted with the Broward Sheriff’s Office for law
enforcement services; with the Broward County Board of
County Commissioners for Fire Rescue services and
Building Code services; with Calvin, Giordano and
Associates, Inc., for Planning, Zoning, and Engineering
services; and with Gary L. Moyer and Associates, P.A.,
later to become Severn Trent Environmental Services, for
Administration, Finance, Community and Utility services.
In October the City Manager and his staff moved into the
first City Hall in leased space at the Weston Corporate
Center. In 1999 the law firm of Weiss, Serota, Helfman,
P.A. began representing the city with Jamie Alan Cole of
the firm being the City Attorney.
The city continued to grow in land area with the
annexation of the conservation area along US 27 westward
to the L-35 levee from SR 84 to Griffin Road in 1999,
and again with the annexation of the I-75/SR 84 corridor
to the north in 2004., bringing the city’s total land
mass to 16,539 acres, or 25.8 square miles. |
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| THE INDIAN TRACE DEVELOPMENT
DISTRICT |
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The Indian Trace Development District
is a dependent district of the City of Weston, meaning
that the governing body of the district is the same as
that of the City Commission. The boundaries of the
District are the same as the City of Weston with the
exception of the Bonaventure community. The purpose of
the District is to finance and manage the construction,
maintenance, and operation of the water and sewer mains,
water management bodies, and arterial roadways.
With all of its construction obligations completed, the
district concentrates its efforts on debt service of its
bond obligations, and operating and maintaining its
infrastructure. Revenues are generated through annual
assessments appearing on property owner’s tax bills.
Only residents of the Indian Trace Development District
receive assessments from and are responsible for
payments to the District. |
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| THE BONAVENTURE DEVELOPMENT
DISTRICT |
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The Bonaventure Development is a
dependent district of the City of Weston, meaning that
the governing body of the district is the same as that
of the City Commission. The boundaries of the District
are limited to the area known as Bonaventure. The
purpose of the district is to finance and manage the
construction, maintenance, and operation of the
improvements within the Bonaventure Master Plan, and the
responsibilities and obligations of and the purchase of
the Keep Bonaventure Beautiful Corporation.
Revenues are generated through annual assessments
appearing on property owner’s tax bills. Only residents
of the Bonaventure Development District receive
assessments from and are responsible for payments to the
District. |
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| CITY COMMISSIONS |
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First City Commission – June 1997
Harry M. Rosen, Mayor
Mark L. Myers, Commissioner - Seat One
Eric M. Hersh, Commissioner - Seat Two
Steve Keller, Commissioner – Seat Three
Edwin Jacobson, Commissioner – Seat Four
Second City Commission – March 1999
Harry M. Rosen, Mayor
Mark L. Myers, Commissioner - Seat One
Eric M. Hersh, Commissioner - Seat Two
Alexander “Sandy” Halperin, Commissioner - Seat Three
Edwin Jacobson, Commissioner - Seat Four
Third City Commission – March 2001
Eric M. Hersh, Mayor
Barbara Herrera-Hill, Commissioner - Seat One
Robin Bartleman, Commissioner – Seat Two
Alexander “Sandy” Halperin, Commissioner – Seat Three
Edwin Jacobson, Commissioner – Seat Four
Fourth City Commission – March 2003
Eric M. Hersh, Mayor
Barbara Herrera-Hill, Commissioner – Seat One
Robin Bartleman, Commissioner – Seat Two
Daniel J. Stermer, Commissioner – Seat Three
Murray Chermak, Commissioner – Seat Four
Fifth City Commission – March 2005
Eric M. Hersh, Mayor
Sharon Cheren, Commissioner – Seat One (March 2005 - July 2007)
Angel Gomez, Commissioner - Seat One (January 2008 - November 2008)
Mercedes G. Henriksson, Commissioner – Seat Two
Daniel J. Stermer, Commissioner – Seat Three
Murray Chermak, Commissioner – Seat Four
Sixth City Commission – November 2006-November 2008
Eric M. Hersh, Mayor
Daniel J. Stermer, Commissioner – Seat Three
Murray Chermak, Commissioner – Seat Four
Mercedes G. Henriksson, Commissioner – Seat Two
Angel Gomez, Commissioner – Seat One
Seventh City Commission – November 2008-November 2010
Eric M. Hersh, Mayor
Daniel J. Stermer, Commissioner – Seat Three
Murray Chermak, Commissioner – Seat Four
Mercedes G. Henriksson, Commissioner – Seat Two
Angel Gomez, Commissioner – Seat One
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