Cities to state: Get tougher on texting drivers
Margate and Coral Springs have joined the list of cities that are exerting pressure on the state legislature to enact law that makes texting while driving a primary offense.
At recent meetings, city officials in the cities unanimously passed resolutions asking the state legislature to enact such a law. Currently, texting while driving is only a secondary offense and only carries a $30 fine as a traffic infraction. Forty-six states consider texting while driving a primary offense.
The resolutions by the two cities follow similar action by the county commission as well as a few other cities in South Florida such as Delray Beach, Miami and Boca Raton. It was in 2013 that the state legislature passed the Florida Ban on Texting While Driving Law. As per the law, a police officer can issue a ticket only if a driver has been pulled over for committing another traffic violation.
Code on drive-through facilities changed: At a recent city commission meeting, Margate city officials approved an ordinance that allowed drive-through facilities as a special exception use in neighborhood business (B1) districts.
For a business to apply for a special exception use, the property will have to be adjacent to arterial road. The city commission will be the deciding authority when it comes to special exception use applications.
The decision to amend the law was made taking into consideration a request by a business, said Reddy Chitepu, the city’s acting Economic Development Director. “We looked at this property and we looked at other properties in B1 zoning districts within the city. All the others are small properties and next to local streets. This is the only commercial property that is next to a major roadway.”
Extended hours of alcohol sales: At a recent city commission meeting, Margate city officials also approved renewal of special permits of 19 bars in the city that were seeking extended hours of alcohol sales.
“We have a very good relationship with bar owners in Margate,” said Police Dana Watson. “We keep them in line. They do a good job of selfpolicing.”
Margate decides on temporary signs: Margate city officials have passed an ordinance regulating temporary feather banner signs and inflatable signs for special events.