From David Volz
The Fort Lauderdale Commission approved several major agreements during the recent meeting.
The Commission approved a $67,874 Florida Department of Transportation grant to support a public awareness and enforcement campaign focused on pedestrian and bicycle safety. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department will conduct education and enforcement in areas with high numbers of serious and fatal crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists. The campaign will focus on increasing awareness of traffic laws and encouraging safer behavior among people walking, biking and driving. Grant funding will reimburse officer overtime costs, with educational materials also provided as part of the campaign.
The Commission approved the City’s Code Enforcement Lien Amnesty Program for Fiscal Year 2027, giving eligible property owners an opportunity to resolve outstanding liens after bringing their properties into full compliance. The program provides a 50% lien reduction for eligible residential properties and a 25% reduction for eligible non-residential properties. Certain violations that have a greater impact on neighborhoods will receive a smaller 10% reduction. Since FY 2024, the program has resolved more than $5 million in outstanding liens and recovered approximately $2.46 million for the City.
The Commission approved a $75,000 agreement with the Cortada Foundation, Inc. for a new permanent public art installation at Esplanade Park. The sculpture will represent the park’s elevation of four feet above sea level and serve as an educational marker highlighting sea level rise and climate resilience. Visitors will also be able to access information about these issues through a QR-enabled pedestal at the installation. Once completed, the sculpture will become part of the City’s permanent public art collection along the downtown waterfront.
The Commission approved a $75,000 agreement with the Cortada Foundation, Inc. for a new permanent public art installation at Esplanade Park. The sculpture will represent the park’s elevation of four feet above sea level and serve as an educational marker highlighting sea level rise and climate resilience. Visitors will also be able to access information about these issues through a QR-enabled pedestal at the installation. Once completed, the sculpture will become part of the City’s permanent public art collection along the downtown waterfront.
The Commission approved the first reading of changes to the City’s water and wastewater rate structure following a comprehensive rate study. The new structure is designed to generate the same overall level of revenue while changing how costs are distributed among customers based on factors such as meter size, service type and water use. The ordinance also changes how multifamily properties are charged and provides customers with greater relief from unusually high bills caused by leaks by allowing qualifying bills to be adjusted to their previous 12-month average.
