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CONDOLIST™
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With a population of less than 500 and a budget of $1,288, the City of Plantation was born on April 30, 1953. The residents of Plantation incorporated to provide control over building and to keep other cities from coming in and taking over their area. The first Council Meeting was held on May 11, 1953 in an old feed warehouse near the intersection of East Acre Drive and Broward Boulevard. This site would be later used for the construction of the first City Hall, Fire Station and Police Department. Ellsworth D. Gage was the first Mayor of the City. According to the Homeowner's Association, the Association President would become the Mayor. The election method calls for the Mayor and two Council seats to be up for election, while the other three Council seats wait until two years after that election. The government was formed this way as to ensure that long range planning would be continuous. Elections are held on odd years; so that National, State and County elections are not in conflict. In the beginning, the elected officials did not have a salary.
This is a picture of the original Plantation City Seal. On the left, there is a Seminole. On the right, there is a pioneer. In the middle, there is a Cypress tree. Today, there are still native Cypress trees located in Plantation. The Latin phrase E Vasitate, Haec Urbs translates into Out of the Wilderness, This City. In 1963, 10 years after the city's founding, the seal was designed and made official. The seal was designed by A.T. Hardel, who was from the Riding Club of Atlanta, Georgia. He frequently visited the home of Mayor Estey.
In 1955, the Police Department was organized as a result of the Council wanting to provide professional protection for residents. Previous to that decision, the Mayor at the time, S. Robinson Estey, had been a Deputy Sheriff for the Broward County Sheriff's Office. The Council hired Henry C. Donath at an annual salary of $4,200 to work 8-hour shifts and to be on call 24-hours a day. One year later, a second policeman was hired onto the force. In 1957, the Plantation Volunteer Fire Department was founded by residents. They held a Bar-B-Q to raise funds and later, the Council authorized the purchase of a 500-gallon front pumper. In 1956, the budget grew to $34,000 and the elected officials still were not paid. The city did not have any schools, so children were bussed to nearby Fort Lauderdale. Recreational activities were held at Holiday Park. In the summer of 1956, a recreational program was successfully introduced, since there were over 125 children in attendance. A new site was located for the City Hall, since they were running out of space in the warehouse. In the late 1950s, great changes were coming to Plantation condos. The Sunshine State Parkway, i.e. Florida Turnpike was opened. The mailing address was changed from Fort Lauderdale to Plantation around 1958. With the increase of population and development, the City Council wanted to ensure the aesthetics of Plantation real estate. So, they passed an ordinance that prohibited identical homes from being built within 600 feet of one another. At that time, homes were valued from $17,000 to over $50,000.
The city continued to grow at a steady pace. The Parks and Recreation Department was formed along with the Plantation Athletic League (PAL). Hurricane Donna was the first to hit Plantation since before its creation. The protective services and all their equipment worked without problems. Furthermore, the pumps and equipment of the Old Plantation Water Control Corporation worked without hindrance. As the demand for public services increased, the need for more land for city facilities also grew. In addition to the newly built Community Center, a new building for the Library was built in 1968. The Community Center housed the Library for a few years and was used for various social events and recreational programs. Additionally, plans for a new City Hall were underway. Plantation was on a path to becoming a modern city that was known throughout the county for its "teamwork" and its philosophy of "Research, Plan and Do it right the first time." All of this led to an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and a new understanding that planning and strong leadership will pave the way for future growth.
Even as Plantation rapidly grew, the warmth of the 1940s small village atmosphere remained. Thousands were moving into the area some to luxury condos. The city annexed to the west. Even with this fast-paced growth, the City Officials were relentless in their quest to maintain a beautiful city as the condo company can attest. Zoning ordinances required green spaces around buildings and required buffer zones among differing types of structures. The park system continued to grow with the addition of the Deicke Auditorium and Central Park, which is a large complex featuring both baseball and football fields, a swimming pool and tennis courts. Plantation by this time had 25,000 citizens, and an end to annexation problems seemed in sight. The city stretched from one block east of State Road 7 to Flamingo Road, a distance of about seven miles (plus the area surrounding the Lago Mar Colony Country Club west to 136 Ave.), and from north of Sunrise Boulevard south to North New River Canal.
The 1980's and 1990's was a time of great growth and development for what we call our "Dream City". In 1982, the population was approximately 50,000 and the budget was $64 million dollars. By the late 1990's, the population had increased to nearly 83,000 citizens. Today, we have 84,500 with 55 diverse cultures and condos for sale as well as major employers that include American Express, Motorola, Florida Power and Light, Plantation General Hospital and Westside Regional Medical Center. The city has one of the few municipal libraries in a county where most libraries are regionally operated. Although Plantation was born as a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, its charm, beauty of natural surroundings, and prime location near major roadways have caused it to grow into a flourishing city in its own right. |
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