Oakland Park recently hosted a public business forum, offering an invaluable opportunity for local business owners to ask questions and share suggestions to enhance the city’s support for its business community. The listening session, moderated by former Mayor and local business owner Jane Bolin, was held at Code Ninjas on Dixie Highway and brought together city staff from several key departments, including Economic Development, Building and Community Services, and Engineering and Community Development.

The city is sensitive to the challenges entrepreneurs face and organized this forum to actively listen and understand what resources are most crucial to helping businesses succeed. Attendees shared positive feedback regarding the new online permitting system, which is designed to streamline the process and enhance transparency by allowing applicants to track the status of their permit applications and plan reviews in real-time.

City staff emphasized their ongoing commitment to reviewing and refining the community enhancement process. The goal is to help businesses resolve permitting issues more quickly, reduce obstacles, and open their doors faster.

Business owners highlighted the importance of early guidance to identify potential issues before signing a lease and requested informational tools to explain permit requirements and avoid delays. Suggestions included creating an online permitting system FAQ and expanding the availability of informational materials online.

The forum also highlighted the city’s dedication to supporting local businesses. The meeting was a constructive exchange of ideas, with business owners and city staff eager to work together to build a more supportive and efficient environment for Oakland Park's growing business community. 

City staff will discuss the next steps at the September 2024 Downtown Business Partners meeting. Details coming soon.