Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

MOTION TO DETERMINE whether population increases in Broward County justify the issuance of new taxicab and new luxury sedan certificates of public convenience and necessity (certificates) and accompanying permits.

ACTION:  (T-10:31 AM)  (Per the Tuesday Morning Memorandum, the Board continued this item to Tuesday, March 14, 2017.)   (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)

VOTE:  8-0.  Vice Mayor Furr was not present.

Section 22½-3 of the Broward County Code of Ordinances ("Code") requires the Board of County Commissioners to hold a public hearing to determine whether population figures justify the issuance of new certificates and accompanying permits. The Board of County Commissioners may issue not more than one taxicab certificate for each 2,000 inhabitants and one luxury sedan certificate for each 4,500 inhabitants. Per Section 22½-4 of the Broward County Code, only 3.5% of the total number of approved taxicab certificates shall be issued to the wheelchair accessible taxicab category.

Determines whether population increases in Broward County justify the issuance of new certificates.

On January 24, 2017, the Board approved a request to set the public hearing for February 7, 2017, to consider a lottery determination.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSING AND BUILDING PERMITTING DIVISION (ELBPD) RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS MOTION.

The ELBPD recommends the Board of County Commissioners authorize the issuance of 15 new taxicab certificates and nine new luxury sedan certificates by lottery. Should the Board officially determine that population increases justify the issuance of additional taxicab and luxury sedan certificates, at a later date, after solicitation for lottery applicants, staff will request the Board to first set and then hold a public hearing for a lottery to be conducted to issue additional certificates.

Taxicabs
Chapter 22½-3 of the Code authorizes one taxicab for each 2,000 inhabitants. The most recent estimates of the University of Florida, Population Program, Bureau of Economics and Business Research indicate the total County population has increased to 1,827,367 affording a total of 914 taxicab certificates. As there are currently 899 taxicab certificates outstanding after four were abandoned in 2016, 15 new taxicab certificates may be issued.

Per Section 22½-4 of the Code, 3.5% of the total number of approved taxicab certificates are made available to the wheelchair accessible taxicab category (with associated bonus regular taxicab certificate). Should the total number of taxicab certificates be increased to 914, then 32 wheelchair accessible taxicab certificates would be made available. As there are currently 32 certificates outstanding, no new wheelchair accessible taxicab certificates are necessary.

Under the methodology contained in Section 22½-4 of the Code, the 15 authorized certificates would be distributed by lottery in the following manner: seven taxicab general certificates and eight taxicab driver only certificates.

Luxury Sedans
Chapter 22½ of the Code authorizes one luxury sedan certificate for each 4,500 inhabitants. The most recent estimates of the University of Florida, Population Program, Bureau of Economics and Business Research, indicate a total County population of 1,827,367 affording a total of 406 luxury sedan certificates. As there are currently 397 luxury sedan certificates outstanding after four were abandoned in 2016, nine new luxury sedan certificates may be issued.

Leonard Vialpando, Deputy Director, Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department, (954) 357-6677