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Home » About Weston, FL

About Weston, FL

The City of Weston is one of the most affluent communities in the state of Florida and the entire United States. It is located in southwest Broward County, and is bordered to the west by the Everglades, to the east by Davie, to the south by Southwest Ranches, and to the north by the Everglades and Sunrise.

As of 2015, it has an estimated population of 69,959, based on figures from the U.S. Decennial Census. One-third of the population is aged 18 or younger.

The city is in close proximity to the following Central Florida landmarks and attraction:

  • Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport
  • Fort Lauderdale Beach
  • Downtown Miami
  • Everglades National Park

Weston has a good balance of residential and commercial neighborhoods. The city boasts several business districts where a number of Fortune 500 corporations have offices, along with other big and small companies.

Weston is also known as a bedroom community for workers in nearby areas, who have chosen the city as their home because of the high quality of life it offers.

History & Origins

The City of Weston was originally conceived as a master-planned community under the name, Indian Trace. It encompassed 15,000 acres of land amassed by Arthur Vining Davis, owner of Indian Trace developer, Arvida. A portion of the land was sold for development into what is now known as Bonaventure.

In 1984, the development’s name was changed to Weston, and the first homes were completed in the neighborhoods of Country Isles and Windmill Ranch.

Residents voted to incorporate Weston as a city in 1996. In 1997, the residents of Bonaventure voted for their community to be part of the City of Weston.

The city’s land area grew with the addition of the conservation area along US 27, and the northern part of the I-75/SR 84 corridor.

The future

Weston’s growth over the years has been carefully planned to preserve the high quality of life here, and the city is set to continue in this direction for the future.

Weston also remains committed to the conservation of the Everglades, as well as the wetlands within its territory. New developments and construction are always being reviewed against the standards set up to protect preserved lands.

Botaniko Weston, the city’s first development in 10 years, has been designed to keep with the community’s commitment to nature preservation. It is currently under construction, and is slated to complete its first homes in 2017.

Departments

The city government of Weston employs an unusual system in carrying out its duties – it outsources most of its services to private contractors. Fire and police services are contracted out to Broward County.

Under this system, the city government directly employs only ten employees, but has a few hundred “dedicated” staff in the payroll of service contractors. This arrangement has been working very well for the city and is being studied as a model for other local governments.

Here are the various departments tasked to perform needed services in Weston:

Building Code Services – the Building Department handles building permit processing and issuance, plan reviews, site inspections and Certificate of Occupancy issuance. It is also in charge of administering the government’s Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program, which offers incentives to participating residents.

City Clerk – appointed by the City Manager and tasked to keep and maintain the records of the City of Weston

City Commission – Weston uses the Commission – Manager form of government. The City Commission acts as the legislative branch and appoints the City Manager, whose office serves as the executive branch.

City Manager – As the city’s Chief Executive Officer, the City Manager is responsible for overseeing services and implementing the city’s policies.

Code Enforcement – Code Enforcement officers are responsible for making sure the city’s codes and ordinances are followed, and are authorized to start enforcement proceedings if needed.

Communications & Information – this department is responsible for providing Weston residents with information on the city government’s services and activities. It runs several media platforms, including the Weston website and Twitter page, cable TV channel, AM radio channel and others.

Development Services/Planning & Zoning – this is responsible for creating, implementing and modifying ordinances related to developments within the city. It also reviews all plans for new developments, as well as modifications and additions to existing ones. It also issues Engineering Permits.

Employment – as the city government taps contract providers to provide most municipal services, it only has 10 full-time employees, as follows:

  • City Manager
  • Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer
  • Assistant City Manager/Chief Operating Officer
  • City Clerk
  • Director of Communications
  • Director of Landscaping
  • Director of Parks & Recreation
  • Director of Public Works
  • Director of Budget
  • Director of Technology Services

To see the list of the city’s major contract service providers with their contact information, see http://www.westonfl.org/Departments/Employment/EmploymentHome.aspx

Finance – the city’s Finance Department is tasked with budget preparation and planning, as well as the management of the Local Business Tax Receipt program.

While the Finance Department is managed by city employees, it uses the services of Municipal Technologies, LLC for various support services, such as accounting and financial reporting.

  • Contact phone no. : 954-385-2000
  • Fax no. : 954-385-2010
  • Emails :

Assistant City Manager/CFO – dkeller(at)westonfl(dotted)org

Director of Budget – bcahen(at)westonfl(dotted)org

Landscape – this department is responsible for the maintenance of the city’s parks, athletic fields, public sidewalks and roadways, government properties and others. They are also in charge of maintaining wetland mitigation areas, as well as public lakes and canals. The department also issues tree removal permits for private and commercial properties.

Fire & EMS – the city’s Fire & EMS services are contracted out to the Broward Sheriff’s Office Department of Fire Rescue and Services Operations, but the city owns three stations, which are open 24/7. An Assistant Chief from the Broward office is permanently assigned to Weston as the City’s Fire Chief.

Police – Weston’s law enforcement services are contracted out to the Sheriff of Broward County, as part of the Sheriff’s District VIII. The Sheriff’s Office in Weston has its headquarters in the city-owned Police Services Building.

  • Emergency: 9-1-1
    Non-Emergency Dispatch: 954-764-HELP (4357)
    Weston District Office: 954-389-2010
    Weston Traffic Unit: 954-389-2016
    Weston Detective Bureau: 954-659-3531
    Crime Prevention Services: 954-389-2030
  • Fax: 954-659-3541
  • Website: http://www.westonfl.org/Departments/Police/ContactUs.aspx

Economy

The median household income in Weston is almost twice that of Broward County and of the entire United States. A robust economy encompassing diverse industries is one of factors that make Weston a highly desirable place to live in.

Several Fortune 500 companies operate out of Weston, along with many other big and small establishments.

Weston has the lowest combined property and municipal taxes and fees in Broward County, as well as lowest millage rate.

Houses of worship

According to Citystats.com, about 44.35% of Weston residents are affiliated with a religion. The largest religious group in the city is the Catholic Church, with more than 22% of the population belonging to this denomination. This is followed by the Jewish Faith, with more than 11% affiliation, then by various Christian-based religions.

The lone Catholic Church within Weston is the St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church. There are three Jewish places of worship, and a few others belonging to other denominations.

See http://www.westonfl.org/Residents/HousesOfWorship.aspx for a list of houses of worship in Weston.

Landscape

Weston’s picturesque winding streets set against the Florida sunshine are a feast for the eyes and are among the city’s prized assets. Lush greeneries, rows of palm trees, flowering shrubs and shimmering lakes dot the city’s landscape.

Two thousand acres of wetland, and 1,877 acres of lakes and canals that were part of the Everglades have been restored and are being maintained by the city government.

Parks and recreation

Weston has fourteen municipal parks (including a tennis center) with features and amenities that include athletic fields, playgrounds, soccer fields, bike paths, archaeological walks and water views. The biggest park is Western Regional Park, which sits on 102 acres of land. The privately-owned Sawgrass Recreation Park runs tours of the Everglades.

Weston parks also serve as venues to the numerous concerts, music festivals, sports festivals, and other events held yearly in the city.

To see a list of the city’s parks, visit http://www.westonfl.org/Departments/ParksAndRecreation/ParksMunicipal.aspx

Safety

In May, 2016, Weston was named the #1 Safest City in America by home security and financial expert, CreditDonkey. It is rated #11 in NeighborhoodScout’s Top 100 Safest Cities in the U.S. for 2016. Weston also has the lowest crime rate per capita in the whole of Broward County.

Schools

Served by the Broward County Public Schools, Weston’s public schools have been rated A by the State Department of Education.

There are also a number of excellent private schools offering Pre-K to Grade 12 levels.

Weston is also home to the following campuses:

  • University of Miami School of Continuing Studies – Broward satellite campus
  • American Intercontinental University
  • Broward Community College, Weston campus

Shopping & Entertainment

In line with Weston’s nature preservation efforts, the city’s Town Center has been developed to minimize residents’ need to travel for shopping, dining and entertainment. The Mediterranean-styled Weston Town Center houses numerous shops, boutiques and restaurants, and regularly hosts special events that include music festivals, and food &wine festivals.

There are also dozens of nightspots and restaurants in other places around the city, as well as a number of top-rated hotels and resorts, like Residence Inn and Bonaventure Resort & Spa.

Statistics

Here are some figures and statistics about the City of Weston, as per the latest information from the U.S. Bureau of Census and the Weston website:

  • Population estimates (as of July, 2015) – 69,959
  • Median age – 38.6 years
  • Persons under 18 years old (as of 2010) – 30.7%
  • Persons 65 years and above (as of 2010) – 8.0%
  • Median home value (2014) – $375,100
  • Number of households – 21,317
  • Median household income (as of 2014) – $91,613
  • Holders of Bachelor’s Degree or higher – 58.5%
  • Total number of firms (2014) – 10,226
  • Annual crime rate per 100,000 residents (2014) – 647.2
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