Dear Neighbor,
Fort Lauderdale is known as the "Venice of America"; thus, the quality of our waterways and guaranteeing the City of Fort Lauderdale a state-of-the-art water treatment plant are of the utmost importance. I want you to know that this City Commission has made a lot of progress with regards to these initiatives.
Water Treatment Plant
The Charles F. Fiveash Regional Water Treatment Plant was built in 1954 and has been utilized to supply the city’s drinking water throughout the decades. In order to enhance and modernize the city’s water treatment facilities, the city contracted Ernst & Young Infrastructure Advisors, LLC to provide financial analysis services for the unsolicited proposals that were submitted by four teams: Aqualia, IDE, NextSpring, and FLW. While the city currently uses a lime-softening treatment process, the future water treatment plant will be built at the prospect wellfield site. The preferred process is Treatment Scheme 11: Nanofiltration + Ion Exchange.
At the City Commission Conference Meeting on January 18, our City Commission further reviewed the four Unsolicited Water Treatment Plant Proposals. The proposals submitted by these four companies presented possibilities to design, construct, operate, manage, and maintain the city’s Charles F. Fiveash Regional Water Treatment Plant and water system. During the meeting, the public had the opportunity to learn about the four proposals after the Commission was presented the information in the "shade" according to state statutes. City staff and representatives from Ernst & Young presented their evaluations to the Commission which included a comparison of RFP and P3 project approaches, potential impacts on water rates, and cybersecurity considerations.
City staff explained the following factors when evaluating the proposals:
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Water Quality Update
On January 18, city staff provided an update on efforts to improve waterway quality in Fort Lauderdale. Major accomplishments from this past year included National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES), permit implementation and reporting with a focus on non-point source pollution, weekly waterway quality monitoring, and piloting protein skimmer technology.
Proactive measures have been a major focus in fiscal year 2021 including cleaning catch basins and street sweeping preventing nearly 1,500 tons of debris from entering the waterways and the removal of 160 tons of floating debris from canals.
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City staff will continue to take measures to improve waterway quality at Sweeting Park in the North Fork of the New River, the Himmarshee Canal, and the Tarpon River through activities such as cleaning City-owned drainage pipes, initiating construction of several stormwater improvement project in the North Fork watershed, and performing remediation dredging and installing permanent aeration in both the Tarpon River and Himmarshee Canal. The discussion also included a presentation by staff from Miami Waterkeeper with a summary on their findings from across the ten sites they monitored over the past year.
I want to thank staff for their education and awareness outreach program which educates neighbors about environmental hazards and how to properly dispose of waste and materials. I am very excited about their continued research and upcoming pilot projects which will improve our great city's environmental standards. If you have any questions about water quality, please call 954-828-8000. Click here to view the entire Water Quality presentation.
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Manatees and Fertilizer
In 2021, we were faced with an unfortunate record-setting 1,101 manatee deaths in Florida. The majority were caused by starvation due to water pollution killing off their main food source, seagrass. One of the biggest pollutants is something we are all familiar with, fertilizer. When used improperly, fertilizer runoff contaminates our waterways, bringing nutrients to algae, which causes them to grow into blooms and kill off the surrounding seagrass. After being placed on the endangered species list in 1966, protection efforts led manatees to be downgraded to "Threatened" in 2016. If we don’t clean up our waterways and ensure they have adequate food supplies, the manatees will end up back as endangered species again.
Below are some tips for what you can do to make our waterways safer and cleaner.
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Fertilizing in Fort Lauderdale
Plants, animals, and people depend on clean water for survival. When too much fertilizer is applied to landscapes, it seeps past the root zone of the grass, plants, or trees and into the aquifer, or it runs off into our canals, lakes, and rivers. Avoid weed-and-seed products, use slow-release fertilizers, and fertilize lawns, trees, and plants only to maintain health. Fertilizer will not help poor growth caused by poor plant placement, disease, or pests.
A good general purpose landscape fertilizer is phosphorous-free and contains only 15 percent of both nitrogen and potassium. This will be printed on the fertilizer bag’s label as 15-0-15. The fertilizer should contain micronutrients, and one with 7.5 percent slow-release nitrogen is recommended. If phosphorous is necessary for lawn maintenance, the fertilizer should contain 0.2 percent or less as Fort Lauderdale soil is naturally high in phosphorus.
When necessary, based on plant condition, fertilizer application is recommended twice per year, once in spring and again in the fall. It should be applied at a rate of no more than one pound per thousand square feet.
A good rule of thumb when applying fertilizer is “less is best” to protect the environment. Even if fertilizer is applied at proper rates, too much water following fertilizing can result in leaching or runoff. Just ¼ inch of water is all that is needed for fertilizer to seep into the lawn. It is especially important to avoid fertilizing just before a heavy rainfall.
Look for Alternatives to Traditional Products
There are alternatives to using traditional insecticides, herbicides, and fertilizer that are effective and less harmful to the environment. Many products are now being introduced to meet the demands of gardeners who prefer to use fewer toxic chemicals on their plants. Read labels carefully and consult with your nursery or home improvement store representative for advice. An alternative to using fertilizer is composting, which can improve soil fertility.
Whatever method you choose, please remember that fertilizing your lawn is a choice, not a necessity. Following proper lawn care and fertilizing guidelines can result in a healthy, aesthetically pleasing lawn with minimal or no impact to the environment.
Using Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizers with Care
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Use organic, biodegradable, non-toxic pesticides and fertilizers that are low to no phosphorus.
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Only treat problem areas.
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Carefully follow manufacturer's directions. Apply only the recommended amounts and avoid applying if rain or wind is forecasted.
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Mix and load fertilizers or pesticides on grassy or dirt areas, not on driveways or paved surfaces, and never near the water's edge.
- Apply only ¼ inch of water to soak lawn chemicals into the ground. Avoid over watering. It washes excess lawn and garden chemicals away.
- Sweep up excess amounts of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Never hose them into storm drains.
- Never dump lawn, garden, or any other products down a storm drain. It is a crime and could result in fines.
- Dispose of lawn and garden chemicals at a Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off event.
- Store left over fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other hazardous chemicals dry, covered area to protect containers from deterioration resulting from exposure. Storing them outside could results in the product leaking out and being washed into a storm drain during rains or when you water your garden.
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Plant native plants to reduce the need for water, fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. This is the simplest approach to avoiding runoff. It helps you avoid the use of chemicals altogether. If you do encounter pests on your plants, consider an Integrated Pest Management approach.
- Consider reducing the amount of grass you have and substituting other native low-growing plants and mulched plant beds. You will reduce the time and costs of caring for your grass, and you will reduce the amount of chemicals and clippings that go down our storm drains.
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Virtual Pre-Agenda Meeting
Monday, January 31 from 5:30 - 7:00 PM
via Zoom and Conference Call
Please join me via Zoom/Conference Call at the District 2 community forum on Monday to review the agendas for the upcoming Fort Lauderdale City Commission Meetings on Tuesday. Click on the images below to view the agendas.
Note: Two or more Fort Lauderdale City Commissioners or City of Fort Lauderdale advisory board members may be in attendance.
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Meeting URL:
Join by Telephone:
Dial: +1 669 254 5252 or +1 646 828 7666
Meeting ID:
160 400 2002
Password:
PreAgenda
If you have any questions about accessing the meeting, please do not hesitate to call our office at 954-828-5923.
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In Review: FY 2021 City Commission Priorities and
Key Accomplishments
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Please click the button below to view alternatives for
New River Crossing
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Alternatives Public Workshop Registration
Registration for all workshops is available at
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District 2 Crosswalk News
Upcoming Pedestrian Safety Improvements: Improving safety for all users of our transportation system is an important city initiative. Most recently, we’ve had great success working with our partners at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) who share our interest in improving pedestrian safety, particularly as it relates to adding new signalized crosswalks. Based on requests received from residents, TAM staff asked FDOT to study the possibility of installing new crosswalks at several locations throughout the city. We are very excited to share that this year, FDOT is designing two new pedestrian crossing signals in District 2, with another two locations approved for installation once FDOT funding becomes available, likely to be within the next two to three years. Here’s a quick view of what’s to come:
Crosswalks Approved for Installation – the below locations are approved by FDOT and on the needs list once FDOT funding becomes available
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SRA1A and Park Tower: a new signal will be installed to improve safety for pedestrians to cross at this popular location that will serve the Fingers
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SRA1A and NE 27th Street: a full signalized crosswalk at SRA1A and NE 27th Street to improve crossing for both pedestrians and vehicles
Still in Study Phase
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US 1 at NE 5th Street: FDOT is assessing the right of way and the utility impacts to confirm the feasibility of installing a signalized pedestrian crosswalk at SR-5/US-1/Federal and NE 5th Street. The new signal would greatly improve safety for people crossing US1 between Flagler Village and Victoria Park
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SE 9th Street and Vistamar Street by the Bonnet House: a request was also received to add a crosswalk as this area which lacks safe pedestrian crossing - the crosswalk engineering study has been scheduled for February during peak season
Upcoming traffic signal improvements: in addition to the new signals, FDOT will also be replacing several damaged signals throughout District 2 this year. They have scheduled the replacement of the following signals that were previously removed and replaced with temporary poles:
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US1 & NE 4th Street
- SRA1A & Bayshore Drive
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Helping Our Homeless Neighbors
The City of Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD) continues to support the City’s homeless neighbors through a variety of efforts. The Reunification Program assisted a total of 29 individuals and three families to return to their relatives outside the City. As of November, the Unit has contacted 1,112 homeless neighbors this year. In conjunction with the Task Force for Ending Homelessness, the FLPD Homeless Outreach Officers made a total of 9,056 contacts which resulted in an additional 1,333 placements in 2021. The Unit is also developing an officer training program to increase support for the homeless. Partnering with the City’s Neighbor Support (NS) Division, this program is an innovative approach to handling certain low-level misdemeanor crimes and violations of municipal ordinances.
The FLPD Homeless Outreach Unit supports the Community Court’s weekly efforts to offer individuals experiencing homelessness a chance to engage in treatment and social services. The 17th Judicial Circuit Community Court at Fort Lauderdale City Hall is a program that addresses the needs of at-large, homeless, petty crime and municipal ordinance offenders and focuses on the root causes of each defendant’s issues. During 2021, the Broward County Clerk of Courts reported 58 cases filed through the Community Court. In addition to those with court cases, the Community Court Program served approximately 137 walk-in clients. The network provided about 670 onsite goods and services, including meals, haircuts, hygiene kits, clothing, bus passes, masks, and other items. In addition to the needed onsite services, approximately 291 referrals to community services and treatment providers, such as mental health, housing, substance abuse, employment, and skills training were provided to those seeking assistance.
Along with the City, Broward County has numerous resources available for
people experiencing homelessness including three Homeless Assistance
Centers (HAC) located in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano and Hollywood. Services include emergency housing, food, clothing, intensive case management and timely access to mental health and substance abuse treatment; education and job training; social skills development; health care; counseling; and other support services.
The Broward Partnership for the Homeless is expanding its operations in our city. Currently, they are constructing a 72 unit development called Seven on Seventh. This development will be a mixed use affordable residential apartment community, on their campus in downtown Fort Lauderdale, specifically designed for low-income and formerly homeless individuals and families. The Broward County Continuum of Care (CoC) is a collaborative network of organizations, advocates, community residents, and businesses that plan programs with the primary goal of alleviating homelessness in all areas of Broward County. To attend a CoC public meeting, please access the following link: https://www.broward.org/Homeless/Pages/CoC.aspx
If you see an individual struggling with homelessness, please contact the City of Fort Lauderdale 24-Hour Customer Service Center at (954) 828-8000 or online at:
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Update on Segment II Beach Renourishment Project
Sand placement is complete down to ~1300 ft north of Sunrise Blvd., with trucks still using the NE 27th St. access point. Work continues to move at a steady pace, thanks to decent weather and wave conditions. The northern portion of the project from NE 7th St. in Pompano down to NE 27th St. in Fort Lauderdale has been inspected and signed off by the Army Corps. Looking ahead, the contractor is hoping that sand placement will be complete to around Vistamar St. by the end of next week.
The contractor is making a concerted effort to ensure that haul road signs are strategically placed near beach access points and close together so that beachgoers stay informed. They are also focusing on placing construction fencing in an organized and tidy manner to keep pedestrians safe. It sounds like pedestrians are heeding the signs and fencing just fine.
Pre-construction surveys for the “Option A” portion of the project (from south of the Hillsboro Inlet to about NE 7th St. in Pompano) have begun. Sand placement in this area is still estimated to begin in early February, likely in a north-to-south direction. The contractor is in touch with City of Pompano staff as well as hotel staff in that area regarding this portion of the project. As a note, Option A will require much more sand to fill the template, meaning they will move slower down the beach compared to the more southern sections of the project.
We also received word from the City of Fort Lauderdale that one of their Commissioner’s offices got a call saying that the project was damaging reefs. All environmental monitoring is in place and being conducted per the permit requirements. County staff are in touch with City staff regarding this complaint and are standing by to respond to any direct inquiries we may receive.
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The Postal Service is delivering one shipment of 4 COVID tests per residential address. Enter your name, address and email at www.usps.com/covidtest to request a shipment. It is live now.
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Tomorrow - Bike and Ride - January 29, 2022 |
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Tomorrow - In District 2's Sailboat Bend |
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"60 Years of Black Art” Black History Month Exhibit Opens at History Fort Lauderdale February 1 |
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In celebration of Black History Month, History Fort Lauderdale will present “60 Years of Black Art,” a fine art exhibit featuring works for show and sale from Dillard Center for the Arts’ Advanced Placement (AP) students, from February 1 – 28. The exhibit, curated by instructor Celestin Joseph, represents historical and contemporary themes of equality from the perspective of students at the very school that was instrumental in overturning segregation laws in the City of Fort Lauderdale 51 years ago. The exhibit will be open at the New River Inn and as a digital experience on History Fort Lauderdale’s YouTube channel.
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SAVE THE DATE - February 7!
Applications Open for The Jorge and Darlene Pérez Prize
in Public Art & Civic Design!
Are you a civic design professional who incorporates the arts into the design of places and spaces? Are you someone who primarily works in either planning, transportation, or land use development and leverages arts-based practices to address community goals? Then the Jorge and Darlene Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design is for you!
In 2022, Americans for the Arts will award the next Jorge and Darlene Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design to a civic design professional. The Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design aims to celebrate and highlight the work of the individuals who support, develop, and manage the incorporation of art and artists into the designing and building of places across the United States. The goal of the prize is to celebrate one unique person at the mid-career level for their locally implemented contributions that support community development through the integration of art and artists into the built environment.
A civic design professional is identified as someone who primarily works in planning, transportation, or land use development and leverages arts-based practices or projects to address community-driven goals. The selected individual will:
- Receive $30,000, which can be used to support project work, research and development, professional development, or any other expenses that enhance the individual’s ability to continue doing creative work to transform the processes and projects that make up the built environment.
- Get a one-year Americans for the Arts Individual Professional membership.
- Participate in the public announcement for the 2022 awardee during the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention in May 2022.
- Engage in national opportunities to share knowledge, perspective, and experience with Americans for the Arts and its national stakeholders, such as conference presentations, engagement in training events, author of articles or blog posts, or other opportunities of mutual benefit to the awardee and Americans for the Arts.
The application will open on Monday, February 7, 2022, through Friday, March 4, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The application encourages nominations and self-submissions. Click here to learn more.
The Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design is named after the internationally recognized philanthropists, Jorge M. Pérez and his wife, Darlene Boytell-Pérez. Americans for the Arts is thankful for their support and contribution.
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COVID-19 Testing Sites & Information |
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We have the following Board Vacancies below. Please email Nancy Fry [email protected] if you are interested in serving on a Fort Lauderdale City Board.
Affordable Housing Advisory Board
Audit Advisory Board
Aviation Advisory Board
Board of Adjustment
Central City Redevelopment Advisory Board
Civil Service Board
Community Services Board
Fire-Rescue Facilities Bond Issue Blue Ribbon Committee
Insurance Advisory Board
Nuisance Abatement Board
Sustainability Advisory Board
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Great to be with the South Middle River Civic Association Tuesday evening. Thank you to the new Board for the invitation, the terrific dialogue, and our always engaged City Staff for your presence and expertise. Great things ahead for this neighborhood! |
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The Fort Lauderdale City Commission met for 5 hours yesterday in the annual Prioritization (Goals) Workshop at the historic Woman’s Club. We dug deep into Homelessness & Affordable Housing; Infrastructure; Transportation & Traffic; Waterway Quality; Resiliency; and Parks & Public Places. Full report with all priorities coming soon. Thank you to our excellent City Staff for the daily work that produced all the accomplishments this past year. |
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It is always a pleasure to welcome a new business to District 2 and the City! Last evening was no exception as we gathered at the stunning new beach restaurant Morea located at the Paramount. Congratulations to all involved and all the best for great success! |
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The greatness of our community starts with passionate citizens like you.
Please do not hesitate to contact our Outreach Coordinator, Ashley Cacicedo, with any questions, comments or thoughtful suggestions [email protected] or 954-828-5923.
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Steve Glassman
Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner, District 2
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