Commission to vote on art museum contract, police robot and ban on new vape shops

Coral Springs commissioners will tackle several issues concerning capital improvement projects, vendor contracts and public health and safety at this week’s commission meeting.

The commissioners will vote on items ranging from continuing a ban on new smoke shops to awarding millions for the construction of a new art museum.

The meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 6:30 p.m. will be livestreamed for those interested in tuning in.

Here are some of the notable items up for discussion.

Coral Springs Museum of Art relocation

On the docket are two contracts related to the plan to build a new location for the Coral Springs Museum of Art at the Cornerstone development at the intersection of Sample Road and University Drive.

The gallery and offices of the Coral Springs Museum of Art will relocate from their current location inside the Coral Springs Center for the Arts to a roughly 8,000-square-foot storefront at the Cornerstone.

Commissioners will vote on whether to grant a $3.4 million contract to Massachusetts-based Daniel O’Connell’s Sons, Inc. to build the interior of the new art museum location, according to city documents.

They’re also weighing a $140,765 contract extension to Wannemacher Jensen Architects, LLC of St. Petersburg, which was awarded the contract for the architectural and engineering design of the new space. The firm said the scope of the project has expanded and requested additional funds to design features regulating acoustics, air conditioning and humidity, among others.

Ban on new vape and smoke shops

Commissioners will also decide whether to grant a six-month extension to a current ban on new smoke and vape shops, citing the health effects of smoking, youth access and concerns over a recent proliferation in shops opening.

Nearly half of the city’s 23 smoke shops have opened in the past three years, according to a city memo.

In June, commissioners asked city staff to research ways to amend the city’s zoning ordinance to more strictly regulate where these businesses can set up shop. But since that research is incomplete, staff members are asking for an extension on the moratorium of new shops opening.

“Over the last year, the Coral Springs Police Department has been conducting tobacco and vape store enforcement checks to ensure the products are not being sold to underage customers,” according to a city memo. “During three different operational sweeps, 30 underage purchases were attempted at various tobacco and vape establishments, and eight violations were found.”

The city also referenced how 185 vaping incidents were reported in Coral Springs public schools during the 2024-25 school year.

“Research will be conducted to review best practices and current code enacted in comparable cities to include requirements such as setbacks, parking and distance separations from other tobacco and vape retail establishments, houses of worship, parks and schools,” city staff wrote.

Police robot

Coral Springs police requested commissioners approve the purchase of a roughly $108,000 mini-CALIBER robot from ICOR Technology in Canada to replace its 2009 robot.

Police said the new robot will be used in “high-risk law enforcement and emergency response operations conducted within indoor environments,” with an emphasis on SWAT operations.

The requested package features thermal imaging, high video quality, agile movement and can deploy chemicals in a barricaded area, according to the memo.

This story was originally published December 1, 2025 at 5:36 PM.