Fort Lauderdale adopts budget on first reading
From David Volz
The Fort Lauderdale City Commission adopted on first reading the tentative budget for fiscal year (FY) 2023, beginning October 1, 2022, and ending September 30, 2023. The tentative all funds budget of $985,053,597 includes maintaining the millage rate of $4.1193 per $1,000 of taxable value and increasing the annual Fire Assessment Fee by $10 to a total of $321 per residential unit.
The tentative budget allocates funding to advance City Commission’s top priorities: Homelessness and Housing Opportunities, Infrastructure and Resilience, Parks and Public Places, and Transportation and Traffic. The proposed budget also funds community investment plan projects and increases in personnel wages while maintaining a healthy fund balance. The City Commission will hold a final budget hearing on Monday, September 12 at 5:01 p.m.
Fort Lauderdale Commission approves contract for construction of Pump Station
From David Volz
The City Commission approved a $3,615,000 agreement with David Mancini & Sons, Inc. for the design and construction of Pump Station A-24 and supporting sewer infrastructure. This design-build project will bring a new wastewater pump station to the intersection of NE 6 Street and NW 3 Avenue in Flagler Village, where a new pump station is needed to accommodate the increased demand associated with new developments in the area. The project also includes the installation of a standby generator to provide power in the event of an outage and the construction of a new sewer force main connecting the new pump station to the existing sewer force main on NE 5 Street. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2023.
The City Commission approved the acceptance of grants funds in the amount of $477,666 from the United States Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) and the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management through the FY 2021 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grant Program. Funds will be used towards training and drills, equipment for public safety first responders, improvements to the City’s emergency operations center and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center.
The City Commission adopted a resolution approving the design, installation, and maintenance of signal control box wraps along Davie Boulevard, State Road A1A, and SE 17 Street within Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) rights-of-way. Since the City’s program was initiated in 2015, 46 traffic control boxes have been wrapped in seven neighborhoods, beautifying the City while transforming traffic control boxes into pieces of art. City staff works closely with neighborhood civic associations to tailor the context and character of each location. This next phase includes 20 boxes featuring floral designs along A1A, a combination of floral and beach designs along Davie Boulevard, and artwork by Guy Harvey along SE 17 Street. The City Commission approved the execution of a community aesthetic feature agreement with FDOT to bring the proposed designs to reality. Once installed, the City’s Transportation and Mobility Department will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the box wraps.
The City Commission adopted a resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit an application to Broward County for grant funding of $600,000 through the Broward Boating Improvement Program (BBIP). The grant funds will be used to renovate the Cooley’s Landing Marina. City staff also intends to apply for a $600,000 grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District to fund this project. Construction is expected to begin in early 2024
Fort Lauderdale Commission approves Streetscape Enhancement Program
From David Volz
The Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board of Commissioners approved $285,000 in Streetscape Enhancement Program funding for Broward Partnership for the Homeless, Inc.’s Seven on Seventh, a mixed-use affordable housing project located at 920 NW 7 Avenue. The project is currently over 50% complete and features an eight-story residential tower with 72 rental units, amenities, and a structured parking garage. The development will also include new case worker offices, retail and open promenade space, and professional on-site third-party property management. This will be an affordable housing community where 50% of the units will be reserved for individuals who formerly experienced homelessness, many of whom are clients of Broward Partnership for the Homeless, Inc. Rents are targeted to tenants that make between 28% and 60% of the Area Media Income (AMI) with projected rents as low as $377 per month for a studio apartment.
