AGENDA ITEM REPORT
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A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SPECIAL LAND USE APPLICATION REQUESTED BY JUAN BASTO OF DOCTORS HEALTH GROUP OF SOUTH FLORIDA, INC. TO ESTABLISH A PHARMACY WITHIN AN EXISTING MEDICAL OFFICE LOCATED AT 3850 COCONUT CREEK PARKWAY, AS LEGALLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT “A,” ATTACHED HERETO AND MADE A PART HEREOF. (QUASI-JUDICIAL)(PUBLIC HEARING)(TABLED FROM AUGUST 13, 2026 COMMISSION MEETING)
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BACKGROUND:
Legislative Update
At its August 13, 2026 meeting, the City Commission voted to table consideration of the Coconut Creek Medical Pharmacy Special Land Use application to the August 27, 2026 meeting.
Since the August 13 meeting, City staff met with the applicant to further discuss the pharmacy’s proposed security measures, medication delivery service, signage, and hours of operation. Staff also conducted additional discussions with the Coconut Creek Police Department (CCPD) regarding the security measures and delivery procedures described by the applicant and required by law.
Based upon the applicant’s representations and the additional information provided, CCPD has advised staff that it has no objection to the proposed security measures. CCPD has requested that the applicant maintain current contact information for the pharmacy owner and/or a designated responsible pharmacy representative so that law enforcement can verify a delivery driver’s affiliation with the pharmacy, if necessary. The applicant has agreed to maintain current contact information with CCPD. Ownership and business contact information is also provided to the City through the Business Tax Receipt process.
Medication Delivery
The applicant provided additional clarification regarding the scope and scale of the proposed medication delivery service. As represented at the August 13 Commission meeting, the pharmacy anticipates utilizing approximately two (2) delivery drivers per day, operating unmarked vehicles, to deliver medications to pharmacy customers. The applicant also pointed out that all ten (10) pharmacies (Walgreens, Publix, CVS, Walmart) in the City have some form of same day delivery service. That it is a common practice and a popular service provided by community pharmacies.
The applicant has clarified that the medication delivery service is considered ancillary to their principal business of the pharmacy and is not intended to function as a pharmaceutical delivery service only. The applicant remains responsible for compliance with all applicable federal and state requirements governing the dispensing and delivery of medications. The applicant has also represented that its delivery drivers will undergo background screening and drug testing in accordance with its operating procedures.
Additionally, delivery of controlled substances is regulated by the Code of Federal Regulations 21 CFR 1301.74(e), which address carrier selection, package markings, tracking systems, and signature requirements. Based on the federal oversight already in place and the fact that other pharmacies currently offer this service without adverse site or public safety impacts, staff, including CCPD, does not recommend additional conditions related to delivery at this time.
Pharmacy Sign
The applicant proposes a small identification/directional sign on or near the entrance to the medical clinic, on the west side of the building facing the parking lot. The purpose of the sign is to provide hours of operation and direct patients, customers, and vendors to the pharmacy located within the medical clinic. The applicant has provided a photograph identifying the proposed sign location, which is included as additional backup material. Florida Department of Health regulations require that a sign in block letters not less than one (1) inch in height, stating the hours the prescription department is open each day, shall be displayed either at the main entrance of the establishment or, at or near the place where prescriptions are dispensed in a prominent place that is in a clear and unobstructed view.
To maintain the limited visibility and accessory character of the pharmacy within the existing medical clinic, staff recommends limiting exterior identification signage for the pharmacy to the west façade of the building facing the parking lot, substantially in the location shown in the supplemental materials. Any such signage will remain subject to all applicable City sign regulations and permitting requirements.
Hours of Operation
The application materials identify the medical clinic’s current operating hours as 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the clinic closed on Saturday and Sunday. The applicant has agreed that the pharmacy will operate only during those hours during which the medical clinic is open. Staff recommends memorializing the coinciding hours as a condition of approval so that the pharmacy remains operationally integrated with the medical clinic and does not independently expand its operating hours without further City review.
In summary, the new conditions of approval are recommended as follows:
1. Hours of Operation. The pharmacy shall operate only when the Coconut Creek Medical Plaza, Inc. medical clinic (a/k/a Doctor’s Health Group Clinic) is open to patients. The pharmacy shall not operate outside of the medical clinic’s operational hours.
2. Maximum Pharmacy Area. The area devoted to the pharmacy use shall not exceed approximately five hundred and ten (510) square feet and shall be located substantially as depicted on the floor plan submitted with the Special Land Use application.
3. Exterior Signage. Exterior identification signage for the pharmacy shall be limited to the west façade of the building facing the parking lot, substantially in the location depicted in the back up materials submitted by the applicant. All signage shall comply with the City’s applicable sign regulations.
4. Prior to commencement of pharmacy operations, the pharmacy shall provide the Coconut Creek Police Department with current contact information for the pharmacy owner and/or a designated responsible pharmacy representative who can verify the affiliation of pharmacy delivery drivers. The pharmacy shall notify the Police Department of any change to such contact information within ten (10) business days.
Staff recommends approval of the Special Land Use, subject to the conditions of approval stated above.
The applicant, Juan Basto of Doctors Health Group of South Florida, Inc., is requesting Special Land Use approval to establish an approximately 510 square foot retail pharmacy within an existing medical office located at 3850 Coconut Creek Parkway. Doctors Health Group is currently the sole tenant of the building. The adjacent tenant suite was previously occupied by a bank and is currently vacant.
Application and Site Information
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Application No.: |
PZ-25120006 |
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Applicant/Agent: |
Juan Basto - DHG Medical Center/Coconut Creek Medical Plaza, LLC |
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Property Owner: |
Coconut Creek Medical Plaza, LLC |
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Location: |
3850 Coconut Creek Parkway |
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Folio No.: |
484232130020 |
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Abbr. Legal Description: |
HI-RISER REALTY PLAT 87-50 B PARCEL B |
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Net Area of Property: |
1.89 +/- acres |
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Existing Use: |
Medical Office |
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Zoning: |
B-3 Community Shopping District |
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Future Land Use: |
Commercial |
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Plat Restriction: |
N/A |
DISCUSSION:
Project Description
Pursuant to Section 13-621 of the City’s Land Development Code, a pharmacy is classified as a Special Land Use within the B-3 Community Shopping District and, therefore, requires approval by the City Commission.
The applicant proposes to operate a retail pharmacy located entirely within the interior of DHG Medical Center. The pharmacy is designed as a secure, counter-based dispensing facility. Access to the pharmacy is provided through the medical office’s internal circulation system, and the layout does not include a separate storefront entrance or retail-oriented configuration. The applicant has advised that interior renovations will be limited to operational improvements, including the installation of a secure medication safe, the activation of surveillance and alarm systems, and the stocking of existing fixtures and shelving. Furthermore, the pharmacy will operate during the same business hours as the medical office, as further conditioned below.
Staff has determined that the proposed pharmacy is not expected to generate a significant impact on traffic or parking demand. The existing site configuration provides sufficient capacity to accommodate the anticipated minimal impacts on vehicle circulation and parking. Although neither the Land Development Code nor staff review imposes any requirements or restrictions limiting customer base, the applicant has stated that the facility is not intended to operate as a traditional walk-in retail pharmacy and instead is intended primarily to serve patients receiving medical care at the office, supporting continuity of care and providing convenient access to prescribed medications at the point of service.
No building additions, site modifications, or exterior improvements are proposed as part of this request. The existing building footprint, parking areas, access drives, circulation patterns, landscaping, and utility infrastructure will remain unchanged. The proposed use is not anticipated to generate additional traffic, parking demand, or impacts beyond those currently associated with the existing medical office.
Public Involvement
As part of the application review process, the applicant held a community meeting on June 8, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at DHG Medical Center, 3850 Coconut Creek Parkway, to present the project and provide an opportunity for questions or comments. The community outreach summary and presentation materials have been included in the backup for this item. No members of the public attended the meeting.
Analysis and Findings
Staff has reviewed the proposed Special Land Use request in accordance with the general and specific criteria outlined in Section 13-35 of the City's Land Development Code. The request has been evaluated based on its compatibility with surrounding uses, consistency with the Comprehensive Plan, and potential impacts to public infrastructure and services.
Pursuant to Section 13-35 (f) and (g) of the City's Land Development Code, the Planning and Zoning Board and City Commission must find that the Special Land Use meets the applicable general and specific standards based on competent and substantial evidence. Listed below are the general and specific standards for compliance. The applicant’s responses and staff’s analysis are included as a part of the backup for this item.
General Standards
1. The proposed special land use will be in harmony with nearby uses permitted under Article III of this chapter;
2. The proposed special land use will be in harmony with nearby existing uses;
3. The proposed special land use must be reasonably compatible with surrounding and adjacent uses in its function, its hours of operation, the type of amount of traffic to be generated, the building size and setbacks, and its relationships to the land values;
4. The proposed special land use will be in the best interests of the city, the convenience of the community, the public welfare, and be a substantial improvement to the property in the immediate vicinity;
5. The proposed special land use will contribute to the economic stability of the community;
6. The proposed special land use will not decrease public benefit or increase undesirable impacts other than those resulting from use of site as permitted by right under Article III of this chapter or some other special land use permitted on the site;
7. The proposed special land use will not result in more intensive development than what is approved by the land use element of the comprehensive plan;
8. The proposed special land use will be consistent with goals, objectives, and policies of the comprehensive plan.
Specific Standards for All Uses
1. The proposed use will not reduce the level of service provided on any street to a lower level than would result from a development permitted by right.
2. The proposed use will not result in significantly greater amount of through traffic on local streets than would result from a development permitted by right.
3. The proposed use will not require extension or enlargement of the throughfare system at a higher net public cost that would result from a development permitted by right.
4. The proposed use will not require enlargement or alteration of utility facilities, drainage systems, and other utility systems other than what would result from a development permitted by right.
5. The proposed use will not demand greater municipal public safety services exceeding the demand resulting from a development permitted by right.
6. If a special land use is combined with other special land uses or permitted uses on a site, the overall intensity and scale of uses on the site is appropriate given the adequacy of proposed buffers and setbacks and the land uses of surrounding properties.
RECOMMENDATION:
Based on its review, staff finds that the proposed request is consistent with the Special Land Use criteria in Section 13-35(f) and (g) of the City’s Land Development Code and is consistent with the applicable goals, objectives, and policies of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Accordingly, staff recommends approval of the Special Land Use application subject to the conditions above. At its July 8, 2026, meeting, the Planning and Zoning Board unanimously voted to forward this application to the City Commission with a recommendation for approval.
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A