Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution directing the County Administrator to publish Notice of Public Hearing to be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., in Room 422 of the Governmental Center to consider enactment of a proposed Ordinance, the title of which is as follows:
 
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, PERTAINING TO MOTOR CARRIERS; AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 22½ OF THE BROWARD COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES ("CODE"); AUTHORIZING THE SEIZURE AND IMPOUNDMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES OF ILLEGAL SOLICITORS; PROHIBITING SOLICITATION OF ON-DEMAND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BY OPERATORS EXCLUSIVELY PERMITTED TO PROVIDE PREARRANGED TRANSPORTATION; PROVIDING FOR THE SUSPENSION OF CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, PERMITS, AND REGISTRATIONS OF REPEAT CODE VIOLATORS; AMENDING INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR MOTOR CARRIERS; AMENDING PROCEDURES FOR TAXICAB RATE INCREASES; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 

(Sponsored by Vice-Mayor Dale V.C. Holness)

(Per the Tuesday Morning Memorandum, this item was withdrawn for additional review by the Office of the County Attorney.)  (See Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated March 28, 2019, submitted at the request of the Office of the County Attorney, as well as Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated March 28, 2019, submitted at the request of Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department.)

The proposed Ordinance was prepared by the Office of the County Attorney at the direction of the Board of County Commissioners at its meetings of May 22, 2018, and November 13, 2018.

Sets a public hearing for the Board to consider proposed amendments to the Broward County Code of Ordinances.

At its May 22, 2018, meeting, the Board of County Commissioners ("Board") directed the Office of the County Attorney to draft an ordinance amending Chapter 22½ of the Broward County Code of Ordinances ("Code") to address two major regulatory issues in the vehicle-for-hire community:  illegal ride solicitation and repeat violators of the Code.
 
The proposed Ordinance addresses these regulatory issues by (1) authorizing the Environmental and Consumer Protection Division ("ECPD") and its designees to seize and impound motor vehicles utilized by illegal solicitors to solicit for-hire ground transportation services in Broward County; and (2) prohibiting operators permitted to exclusively provide prearranged ground transportation services from soliciting on-demand for-hire ground transportation services in Broward County. Additionally, the proposed Ordinance allows the ECPD to suspend any certificate, permit, registration, or license issued under Chapter 22½ if the holder has, within a 24-month period, received three or more citations adjudicated to be in violation of the same offense under the Code.
 
Further, at its November 13, 2018, meeting, the Board directed the Office of the County Attorney to draft an Ordinance implementing housekeeping and efficiency measures associated with vehicles for hire. The proposed Ordinance makes several housekeeping changes including (1) clarifying the insurance coverage requirements for motor carriers; (2) amending the procedures for biennial review of taxicab fares to provide the ECPD more flexibility in deciding the necessity for taxicab fare increases; and (3) removing the requirement that taximeters be approved by the Florida Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Weights and Measures ("Department"), as the Department no longer regulates taximeters.

Annika E. Ashton, Senior Assistant County Attorney, (954) 357-7600