Frequently Asked Questions

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1. Painting

All buildings are required to be painted when 10% of the total surface area is dirty, peeling, faded or chipped.

Woodlands residents are required to obtain a paint permit and select a color from the approved color palette to paint their homes. The permit and color palette can be obtained from the Community Development Code Compliance Division.

You may reach the Code Compliance Division at (954) 597-3425.

2. Para-Transit

(954) 597-3649

Tamarac Para-Transit is available to people who are 60 years of age or older, have no other means of transportation or are disabled. It can take you shopping, to medical appointments, banks, to the Tamarac Community Center and pharmacies within Tamarac only. No shopping service is provided for the Kings Point communities; only medical appointments.

To take advantage of this service, please fill out an application, pay a membership fee and schedule a ride 5-7 days in advance by calling (954) 597-3649.

3. Parking Restrictions

For all parking regulations, please access the City's Code of Ordinances Chapter 24, Article 5 or contact the Community Development Department, Planning and Zoning Division at (954) 597-3530.

To pay traffic or parking fine, find out information about your case, or hear the Clerk of the Courts’ pre-recorded answers to Frequently Asked Questions call (954) 712-7899.

The Clerk of the Court’s website also provides extensive information about the resolution options for tickets and citations, as well as online payment option for some tickets and citations. General information is also available at (954) 831-6565.

To obtain Disabled Person Parking Permits (i.e. Handicapped parking permits), you may contact the City Clerk's office for an application form. Once completed and signed by your physician, the form should be submitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Their phone number is (954) 497-1570. The form and more information may be found at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website at http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/disabled_pkg.html.

4. Parks and Recreation

The Parks and Recreation Department includes Aquatics, Recreation, Social Services, and Transportation divisions that come together to make every effort to maintain a higher quality of life for those living, working and visiting Tamarac.

Most parks are open from 7:00 am to sundown. Park fields are not open during inclement weather and summer repairs. Participants can obtain updated field and facility information by calling the hotline at (954) 597-3667. The message will be updated by 4:00 pm each day and will include daily field status information, as well as information about the gym at the Tamarac Community Center.

Contact Parks and Recreation at (954) 597-3620 for facility rental fees.

For a full listing of our programs, classes and events, visit Parks and Recreation or view the latest Tam-A-Gram issue.

5. Parks and Recreation Board

The Parks and Recreation board consists of five members appointed by the City Commission. The board makes recommendations concerning recreational needs for the City, implementation of a means for achieving the goals, and makes recommendations on existing and proposed programs. The board meets once a month. Please contact Parks and Recreation at (954) 597-3620 to confirm the meeting schedule.

6. Passports

Tamarac does not process passport applications. Your closest locations to apply for a passport are: The US Post Office 3225 N. Hiatus Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33345 Mon-Fri 9:00 am - 3:00 pm For appointment call 1-800-275-8777 Coral Springs City Hall in the Mall (954) 344-1828 and City Hall (954) 344-1001

7. Permits

The Florida Building Code was adopted by the City and identifies what work requires permits.

Homeowner permits only apply to single family residences and not to condominiums, multifamily or commercial properties. A homeowner seeking to obtain an owner/builder permit needs the following: Permit application; proof of residence (phone or utility bill); current Florida driver's license or state ID; owner/builder affidavit and plans or documents identifying the work to be completed. Surveys, floor plans, product approvals or Notice of Agreements (NOA's) are just some examples of documents.

Visit ePermits for fee structures for all types of permits. You can also submit an application, pay permit fees and track the progress of building permits. Tamarac's building permit process usually takes approximately 5 -10 business days for minor projects and up to 30 days for larger projects.

Customers may use the interactive IVR (Integrated Voice Response) system to schedule inspections, check inspection results, and check the status of a permit by calling: (954) 597-3420. Please note that you will be required to have your pin number/phone access code available to use the IVR system.

Please contact the Building Department at (954) 597-3420 if you have questions when considering a construction project.

(Also see Inspections)

8. Pets

For licensing, vaccinations, spaying and neutering, animal shelters, stray animal pickup, and the rescue of animals in distress, contact the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Division or by calling (954) 359-1313.

For pit bull dog registration, in accordance with the City of Tamarac Ordinance, call (954) 597-3425, in addition to meeting the Broward County licensing requirements (see above).

Humane Society of Broward County may be reached at (954) 463-4870.

Gary B. Jones Park for People and Pups
8101 Southgate Boulevard, Tamarac, FL 33321.

Information, with park events and guidelines, may be found online or by calling the Parks and Recreation Department at (954) 597-3620.

9. Picnic and Pavilion Rentals

Small, medium and large picnic shelters are available for rent. To reserve a picnic shelter, please visit the Tamarac Community Center (8601 W. Commercial Boulevard), pay the full rental fee, and the refundable clean up deposit.

Bounce houses are allowed at all picnic shelters except shelter number one at Sunset Point Park. A permit request to install a bounce house is required. Call the Tamarac Parks and Recreation Department at (954) 597-3620 for detailed fee information.

Picnic shelters are located at the following parks and are available daily from sunrise to sunset. (Closed Christmas Day.):

Caporella Park, 5200 Prospect Road
Sunset Point Park, 11000 W. McNab Road
Tamarac Sports Complex, 9901 N.W. 77th Street
Tephford Park, 10003 Southgate Boulevard

10. Planning

Community Development Department/ Planning & Zoning Division 7525 N.W. 88th Avenue, Tamarac, Florida 33321 (Room 206) - (954) 597-3530 To learn about current developments around the City, please go to “Pardon Our Dust” which provides details on development and capital improvement projects currently slated for construction. To find out what zoning a specific property has, please call or visit and ask one of the planners for assistance. Click here for development application and review schedules.

11. Poison Control

Call the Poison Control Hotline for more information 1-800-222-1222.

Call 911 for an emergency.

12. Police Department

Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) Tamarac provides comprehensive law enforcement services for Tamarac residents. The Tamarac District Office is located next to City Hall at 7515 N.W. 88th Avenue and is open Monday-Friday 8:00am-8:00pm . For non-emergency law enforcement needs, please call (954) 765-4321. For any threatening emergency call 911 from any phone, including cell phones without service, as long as the phone is charged. 911 calls are free from any pay phone. The 911 operators will ask many questions, because experience has shown that the first 60 seconds of every 911 call are the most critical. Operators need to determine the exact location of the emergency, the nature of the situation, whether anyone is injured and of what elements a responding officer should be aware. A deputy armed with this information can react quickly and accurately and minimize the chance that further damage will occur, or that innocent bystanders will be hurt. BSO - Tamarac offers residents in its jurisdiction a free “Vacation Home Check” program. Deputies will drive by unoccupied residences and perform a daily perimeter check for signs of break-in or suspicious activity. To sign up call (954) 720-2225 and request a vacation home check form. Residents may sign up for the "R U OK?" program. They will receive daily computer generated phone calls from BSO - Tamarac checking to see if they are OK. If the repeated calls are not answered, an officer will be sent to the residence to check on the well-being of the resident. Keep in mind, if you sign up for this service you cannot have an answering machine or voicemail, since the system cannot distinguish between a person picking up a phone and a voicemail/answering machine recording. If you need information about a ticket or traffic citation, don't call the Broward Sheriff's Office or the police agency that issued it. Once the ticket is issued, it becomes part of the court process and is handled by Broward County's Clerk of the Courts. (See Traffic Citations). (Also see Concealed Handgun Permit, Restraining Order). To find out more information, visit BSO's website; under Law Enforcement tab select BSO District Offices and click on Tamarac:

www.sheriff.org.

13. Police, Off-Duty Service

Call the Special Detail Office (954) 831-8199.

14. Police Report Pick-Up

Call the Records Division (954) 831-8700.

15. Pools, Private

You must obtain permits for the construction of a swimming pool and the construction of the safety barriers for the pool, before any work commences. Visit ePermits.

16. Pools, Public

Caporella Aquatic Center

9300 N.W. 58th Street Tamarac, Florida 33321 - (954) 597-3660

The Caporella Aquatic Center is open to the public, featuring a heated 8-lane swimming pool with zero-depth entry and double tornado slide, children's water play area (Sprayground), picnic pavilion, concession stand, and a fitness center.

To sign up and pay for swim lessons, water exercise classes, personal training sessions or special events, please visit Online Payments.

Hours vary by season. Pool is closed December, January, and February to the general public. It remains open during these months for swim lessons and classes.

17. Post Office, Tamarac Branch

7875 N.W. 57th Street
(954) 722-4476
1-800-275-8777

18. Propane Tank

Regarding a gas tank installation in your backyard, please, call the Community Development Department at (954) 597-3530.

For propane tank disposal, check with places that sell propane, as they often offer propane tank recycling programs. You may also dispose of your propane tank as any other household hazardous waste.

19. Property Appraiser's Office

Broward County Property Appraiser deals with the appraisal of all property, assigns municipal taxable values and grants Homestead Exemptions. Call (954) 357-6830. Broward County Property Appraiser is available at Tamarac Community Center once a month. Call (954) 597-3620 for specific times.

20. Public Art Committee

The role of the Public Art Committee is to identify locations for public art, assist with the selection of artists and make recommendations to the Mayor and Commission regarding public art. Please contact the City's Public Art Program Administrator through the Community Development Department at (954) 597-3530. Committee members must live or conduct business in the City of Tamarac and are chosen from the following disciplines: landscape architecture, urban planning, engineering or related design discipline; one professional artist; one private citizen knowledgeable in the field of public art, education or community affairs and one private citizen from the development community.

21. Public Services

Tamarac’s Public Services Department consists of Public Works and Utilities.

The Public Works is responsible for overseeing City streets, landscaping, storm water infrastructure, engineering, engineering permit inspections, City building maintenance, and Tamarac's fleet of vehicles. They are also responsible for all capital improvement projects and citywide garbage/recycling contracts, ensuring that Tamarac meets or exceeds the Florida state statutes for solid waste management.

Utilities is responsible for overseeing the City's water distribution system, water treatment plant and wastewater collection system.