Broward County Commission Public Hearing

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AI-16235

Meeting Date:	04/08/2014
Director's Name:	Cynthia Chambers	Submitted By:	Environmental Protection
Department:	Environmental Protection	Division:	Env. Licensing & Building Permitting

Information

Requested Action

MOTION TO HOLD drawing to award nine taxicab certificates of public convenience and necessity (certificates) and five luxury sedan certificates to qualified applicants, as authorized by the Board of County Commissioners on November 12, 2013, Item No. 9, of the Public Hearing.

ACTION: (T-2:27 PM) Approved. The Board directed staff to review how current taxi services are appropriated and how the process could be improved by review of systems used in other locales, and to seek input from local vendors on how to improve the current processes. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)

VOTE: 9-0.

Why Action is Necessary

Chapter 22 1/2 of the Broward County Code of Ordinances provides for the award of new taxicab and luxury sedan certificates by drawing.

What Action Accomplishes

Awards nine new taxicab certificates and five new luxury sedan certificates to qualified applicants.

Is this Action Goal Related

Previous Action Taken

None.

Summary Explanation/ Background

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSING AND BUILDING PERMITTING DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.

At the November 12, 2013 Public Hearing (Item No. 9), the Board of County Commissioners authorized nine new taxicab certificates and five new luxury sedan certificates. The Environmental Licensing and Building Permitting Division (Division) held the application period during the month of January 2014. The Division received 614 applications in the general taxicab certificate category, 424 applications in the driver-only taxicab certificate category and 209 applications in the luxury sedan certificate category. The total number of applications received for all available certificates was 1,247.

Each of the 1,247 applicants paid a $400 non-refundable fee to enter the lottery, resulting in a total of $498,800 being collected. Each of the 14 winning lottery applicants will be required to pay the new permit fee of $1,000 to Broward County within 60 days after notification of award, which will increase the total collected by another $14,000.

Fiscal Impact

Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary:

The Division relies on lottery revenues to support operations. The lack of a lottery for the past several years has required the Division to dip into reserves and delay infrastructure updates such as computer software and equipment. These funds will be deposited in account number 033-6250-2909 to be used to supplement reserves and for software upgrades necessitated by the transition to Windows 7, computer equipment and enhancements to the customer service areas to reduce wait times.

Attachments
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