[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6595228,"mediaKeyId","3040067-0a066a0e7f94ed323cc28f8c6a721c04","parentId",3040067,"title","Margate adopts ordinance permitting school-zone speed detection systems after heated debate and public testimony","audioSeconds",2774,"startMs",5971000,"endMs",8745000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3040067-0a066a0e7f94ed323cc28f8c6a721c04&start=5971&end=8745","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3040067-0a066a0e7f94ed323cc28f8c6a721c04/thumbnail_5971000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6595228/Margate/Broward-County/Florida/Margate-adopts-ordinance-permitting-school-zone-speed-detection-systems-after-heated-debate-and-public-testimony","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595228-bdbb3665972bf7d0ac70aa58031b244b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437616&Signature=B7W-9-4HbSAibey~rJzgN5gWlFqo8wxFew274MroAC9lQlqeefr4-NX6qFdzg9QCoFxvIpu-~2TENfETPl0phO~id~UQcjQnSQguqOGbGkpI~KSfRwN~u9tbZooqBg7dfk7oB-H0NGhq2c24FC6HMqJLWH3Y4q6sHcq0kPa612Fb8URVE0l8AxUVkcD6RL9Iw33f0JAdVpUmjBN1AZjvEQVMpneFLIznjma4do3HLMJW~8YJZdVVd3sIKgwv1m8HxfeMgLQDt0Mx0ppZjQSe8IuK-H3ZJsbe2qyF9NGWKYjbZFqcsGPAyCN9xZDR3dhaTQnbeRpT81k7PYmMvY6cQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Margate","date","2025-04-17T00:00:00Z","article","The City Commission of Margate on April 16 approved an ordinance authorizing the installation and use of speed detection systems in school zones, after a lengthy public hearing and sharp debate over safety, enforcement and revenue.

The ordinance amends Chapter 33 (Police and Law Enforcement Offences) by adding a new section titled \"Speed Detection Systems in School Zones,\" setting definitions, a safety-need determination process, a local hearing officer for appeals, and implementation procedures. The text presented at the meeting contemplated systems operating during school hours when lights are flashing and included a minimum threshold for citation (discussed in the meeting as roughly 10–11 miles per hour over the posted school-zone limit).

Vice Mayor Serio, who advocated for the measure, framed it as a safety tool and said the goal is to change driver behavior and reduce dangerous speeding. \"The number 1 goal is safety,\" he told the commission, adding that the cameras would target higher-speed violations and not minor, one-mile-per-hour exceedances: \"You're not gonna get a ticket for going 1 mile an hour over.\" He cited data submitted by proponents showing large reductions in repeat speeding at pilot locations in other Florida cities.

Commissioners and members of the public disagreed sharply on the ordinance's purpose and likely effects. Commissioner Simone said she was \"not for this at all,\" arguing the measures were effectively revenue-generating and that driver awareness, signage and police presence were preferable. Several public speakers, including Jonathan Krawcheck and Tracy Van Winkle, said they opposed the cameras and called them a \"money grab,\" citing examples from other jurisdictions. Supporters said cameras change driver behavior and can fund additional public-safety investments.

The commission initially considered a motion to table the item; the table motion passed on a 2–3 vote but the body then voted on the original motion to approve the ordinance. The final roll call on the motion to approve the ordinance was: Commissioners Casciano, Vice Mayor Serio and Mayor Schwartz voted yes; Commissioners Rosano and Simone voted no. The ordinance therefore passed on second reading and will permit the city to negotiate with vendors and implement systems in school zones, subject to contract terms and operational rules.

City staff and commissioners emphasized that adopting the ordinance simply authorizes the legal framework for systems; any installation, vendor selection, hours of operation and citation thresholds will be decided later through contracts and administrative process. Several commissioners said they expect staff to negotiate terms that limit operation to school hours and to protect residents from excessive enforcement during non-school periods. Public comment and several commissioners urged strict controls over hours of operation, threshold speeds for citations, and strong transparency in vendor contracts.

The ordinance includes an appeal process to a local hearing officer for disputed citations. It also requires a study or demonstration of a safety need before deployment at a given school zone, and states that revenues from citations be used for public safety purposes as allowed by state law.

No vendor was selected at the meeting. Commissioners said they will weigh pilot program results from other cities and discuss operational parameters before any camera activation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Margate - 4/16/25 Regular City Commission Meeting - Apr 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The City Commission of Margate on April 16 approved a second-reading ordinance authorizing speed detection systems in school zones after extended public comment and split votes.","taxTitle","Margate, Broward County, Florida","taxId",5088,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6595233,"Margate commissioners agree to study code changes after residents urge permission to euthanize invasive iguanas",1478,1121000,2599000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3040067-0a066a0e7f94ed323cc28f8c6a721c04&start=1121&end=2599","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3040067-0a066a0e7f94ed323cc28f8c6a721c04/thumbnail_1121000.jpg","/articles/6595233/Margate/Broward-County/Florida/Margate-commissioners-agree-to-study-code-changes-after-residents-urge-permission-to-euthanize-invasive-iguanas","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595233-f22db0c6bcd6895a42854843b4f1e2c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770403284&Signature=XzU4-104BO4XkhqcM2pf17B0yG6MPGHJLyYNEvO0DUVRujuzwdfbppZqyqEWQ0G311eQcreEUSBIN9I6ug-t~aMC1A3o8jIBLKuWU0lqSgqfJ9Wqb1vHTuhEAdtmbIQXUkEiJR6tmP2T1fLeT5vjHR8x0pOabCLj9fwRsg1yI75zoVYNFUQ6zsrjVWKYA~eFqWVWMSb~PEALNfFdD-3Ga7l3JpQEOB3tisnX7Ae4f3xGJJsbZfYQLfhOchpi2x9zBjL5cPcoNeFr2Ry3xYV4~tgIAeBCI9TmYxCXyUgRacWoXy090YmsyErionhC9~FFShym3JIPzcLZ9TkyJLpZUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Margate residents urged the City Commission on April 16 to change city code to allow residents or licensed contractors to humanely euthanize invasive iguanas after dozens of speakers described property damage, health concerns and repeated encounters with the reptiles.

The commission heard multiple accounts from Paradise Gardens residents who said iguanas are damaging seawalls and landscaping, entering homes and presenting hazards for pets and people. John Donahue, president of Paradise Gardens Section 4 HOA, told commissioners: \"They are destroying our seawalls and canal banks. They are digging holes in yards and under houses.\" He said residents had previously been told by police or staff that they could euthanize the animals, but that animal control most recently declined to issue permits.

City Attorney David Tulsa told the commission the city's current code makes it illegal to kill any animal within city limits and that the existing regulatory path allows homeowners to hire a trapper with a permit to remove iguanas but not to kill them. Tulsa said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) permits humane killing of iguanas on FWC property, \"but that doesn't necessarily extend to the areas where they live.\" He said amending the city code would be necessary to authorize euthanization within Margate.

Residents described property losses and personal fear. One speaker said she had spent $14,000 to repair a seawall and home damage caused by iguanas; another said elderly neighbors were afraid to use their patios. Several speakers and commissioners emphasized public-safety concerns from people encountering large animals on porches or rooflines.

Commissioners responded with support for drafting changes. Vice Mayor Serio said he supported \"looking into\" language mirroring FWC that would treat invasive species differently and urged careful parameters to avoid encouraging unsafe weapon use. Mayor Arlene Schwartz and other commissioners asked staff to work with police and the animal control officer to draft a code amendment with limits and enforcement guardrails. City staff indicated such a revision would require two commission readings; staff estimated the earliest return date for draft language would likely be in June or July 2025.

The commission did not adopt an ordinance or change code text at the meeting. Instead, the body directed staff and the city attorney to prepare proposed code amendments and implementation parameters, including whether and how permits would be issued, where euthanasia would be allowed (for example, on private property with owner consent), and enforcement and safety provisions.

Speakers representing Paradise Gardens said they had circulated permission forms among homeowners to allow board members or volunteers to remove iguanas from private yards with signatures and were seeking a clear city policy rather than ad hoc enforcement. Several commissioners stressed the need to avoid creating a public-safety risk by permitting unchecked use of firearms or encouraging unlicensed people to discharge weapons in public spaces.

Next steps: staff will draft code language and consult with the police department and the animal control officer about operational parameters. The city attorney said the matter would return as a two-reading ordinance if changes to the code are proposed.","Residents from Paradise Gardens neighborhoods told the City Commission that iguanas are damaging property and posing health risks; commissioners directed staff to draft code revisions to allow humane euthanasia of invasive species, with a likely two-reading ordinance aimed for June or July.","actionData","errors"]

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Margate adopts ordinance permitting school-zone speed detection systems after heated debate and public testimony

Margate commissioners agree to study code changes after residents urge permission to euthanize invasive iguanas