Fort Lauderdale considers banning plastic straws ■
FORT LAUDERDALE — Fort Lauderdale residents and visitors might be slurping sodas from seaweed straws soon.
The city is considering joining nine others in Florida in banning plastic straws, which litter the beaches and waterways.
City officials would rather see sippers using environmentally friendly straws that disintegrate, like those made from seaweed, paper or hay.
Reusable straws made of steel, bamboo or glass also are preferable to plastic, city officials said.
“I’m not aware of any challenges at this point,” City Attorney Alain Boileau said of the legalities of such a law. “Maybe the straw industry will organize and do something . ... But they haven’t materialized yet.”
Already, four other seaside Broward cities regulate plastic straw sales or distribution: Deerfield Beach, Dania Beach, Hollywood and Hallandale. Elsewhere in Florida, the cities of Fort Myers, Marco Island, Sanibel, Miami Beach and Surfside have anti-straw laws on the books.
A law will be drafted for a future debate and vote. But Mayor Dean Trantalis and commissioners Steve Glassman and Ben Sorenesen said they’re interested.
Glassman said it should be part of a larger discussion about protecting Fort Lauderdale’s environment.
Commissioner Robert McKinzie said passing a law is going too far. Rather than an “all-out assault on straws,” he said, a public education campaign would be better.
“I want to take it step further,” said Glassman, who represents the central beach area.
“Let’s not be weak on this,” Trantalis said.
The city could limit any straw law to a geographic area, like commercial establishments near waterways, or on the barrier island. And they likely would ban the sale or distribution of straws, not their use.
Attempting to police the law could be difficult, the more broad it is, Boileau warned.
Violators would be with a fine.
In other action, Fort Lauderdale commissioners Tuesday:
Gave a reminder that the City Commission will hold a joint meeting Wednesday at noon at City Hall with the infrastructure task force to discussion $3 billion in needs. The public is welcome.
Approved an agreement with Yachting Promotions, Inc., for the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, to be held Oct. 31- Nov. 4 at the publicly owned, privately leased Bahia Mar Yachting Center at Fort Lauderdale Beach. The agreement includes use of the entire beachfront Fort Lauderdale Beach parking lot, just east of the Bahia Mar, for the duration of the show. punished
Hired the Weiss Serota law firm to handle a federal lawsuit filed against the city by Florida Gun Shows Inc., operator of the Shoot Straight Gun Show held at the city’s War Memorial Auditorium. The city recently decided not to allow gun shows at the auditorium after the licensing agreement runs out in November.
Approved the platting of about 3 acres at 2210 NW 22nd St., a preliminary development approval needed for eventual construction of a Royal Palm Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Gave final approval to a rezoning at 706 NW First Ave., a block west of the FEC railroad tracks, a necessary step to allow Blue River Realty to develop a seven-story project called Icon 0706.
Agreed to let Panthers Outdoor Ice once again construct a temporary ice rink for public use at Huizenga Plaza, on southeast corner of Andrews Avenue and Las Olas Boulevard, from midNov. 23 to Jan. 5.
Approved a new policy for giving public funding to affordable housing projects. The money will be used for new construction or renovations of rental or for-sale housing that is affordable to families making up to 40 percent more than the area midpoint income. According to the U.S. Census, the 2016 median household income in Broward was about $53,000. So an affordable housing project would allow a family making $74,200 to spend no more than 30 percent of income on rent or mortgage. The city will use competitive bids to determine who gets the money.