prev next

Cooper City, Florida

Cooper City, Florida, a municipal corporation, was created by special act of the Florida Legislature on June 20, 1959. The city is named for Morris Cooper, who bought citrus groves that were devastated by floods and created a planned community. Fifty years later, the original 85 residents and 35 homes have expanded into a community of 30,465 residents with 10,122 housing units. In 2006, Cooper City annexed the Waldrep Dairy Farm, the last dairy farm in Broward County. The city started construction on the 1,800 unit upscale housing development called Monterra. It is expected the addition of the 530-acre property will add upwards of 4,000 new residents through 2011.

Cooper City, Florida, in Broward County, is 2 miles west of Davie, Florida and 20 miles north of Miami, Florida. While the city is considered part of the Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area, it is tucked away from the major metropolitan congestion with an abundance of greenery and planned open space. The City of Cooper City, FL is ideally situated to take easy advantage of the nearby Southeastern Florida recreational resources. Fort Lauderdale, with its miles of sandy beaches, is east of Cooper City, and The Florida Everglades are just a few miles west of the city. For excitement, the urban nightlife of South Beach and Miami lies directly south of Cooper City and the home stadiums of the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, Florida Marlins and Florida Panthers are all located within a few minutes drive from Cooper City .

Cooper City, FL is not without its own attractions. The small city has over 20 public parks for residents to enjoy. For the avid bicycling fan, the Brian Piccolo Park features a challenging velodrome as well as a regular bicycle path. There is also a banked track for in-line skating. Bicycles and in-line skates can be rented at the park. The Cooper City Sports Complex features soccer, baseball and football fields, plus roller hockey rinks and lighted basketball courts.

Families comprise 86 percent of the households in Cooper City, Florida. The family-friendly community has been rated as one of the top 10 towns for families by Family Circle Magazine. Cooper City , referred to as “Someplace Special,” features a strong sense of community and top-rated schools run by The Broward County Public Schools. The magazine cites team spirit, volunteerism, and the environmentally friendly policy of the town of Cooper City, which helps folks who’ve lost trees to storms or hurricanes by replacing them for free. Residents of Cooper City have the option of using a free Community Bus Service, operated by the city.

Cooper City, Florida is part of Broward County’s 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida. The 17th Judicial Circuit serves a community encompassing 1,197 square miles in South Florida and containing a population of 1.8 million. Florida currently operates under a two-tier trial court system of circuit and county courts, established in 1972. In the circuit and county trial courts, disputes are resolved by jury trials or by non-jury trials. County Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction where misdemeanor and civil cases are heard. In the Circuit Courts, which are the highest state trial courts in Florida, felony, civil, family, juvenile and probate matters are heard.

In April 2009, The Cooper City Council hired a Special Magistrate who has the jurisdiction and authority to hear and decide alleged code violations. The Special Magistrate also has the authority to subpoena people and records, hear cases involving suspected violations, order rulings on violations, assess fines, and order liens to be placed upon property. Cooper City has strict ordinances and codes regarding property appearance.

There are four area courthouses: the Broward County Judicial Complex, 201 Southeast 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301; the North Regional Courthouse, 1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442; the South Regional Courthouse, 3550 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, FL 33021; and the West Regional Courthouse, 100 North Pine Island Road, Plantation, FL 33324.