Fort Lauderdale Commission Pro-Developer Stooge Says Traffic Problems Are Imaginary

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

 

Drivers along stuck in traffic on SE 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale should take heart. Anyone trapped in his vehicle on the beach should realize, the traffic is really better than it was years ago.

So says Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Bruce Roberts.  

He told a stunned Fort Lauderdale Commission audience this week not to worry about more and more construction.  Those traffic jams are all in your mind.

 

 

Bruce Roberts Picture

 

 

These are the sentiments of a pro-developer stooge. Only someone who is in the pocket of developers and their lobbyist hirelings could say with a straight face what Roberts proclaimed this week:

“Higher density actually decreases traffic.”

Roberts then rolled out Florida Department of Transportation statistics to bolster his argument.

Along traffic-clogged SE 17th Street, vehicle counts actually peaked in 2012, Roberts said. On the beach, traffic levels were highest in 2006, he added

His comments infuriated some residents in the City Hall audience who battle traffic daily. That’s probably because Roberts was haughtily brushing them off.

Roberts buys lock, stock and barrel into the high-density wet dreams of city planners,  bureaucrats who want to tell you how to live.  Instead of pouring over questionable research justifying high density, Roberts should read Mark Twain.

Twain popularized the phrase, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” The author wisely knew that skewed numbers are often used to bolster weak arguments.

For instance, do FDOT figures take into account the numerous special events like the Air Show that paralyze the road system east of Federal Highway on weekends?

Another thought. Maybe the traffic is so jammed bumper-to-bumper that vehicles can’t roll over those traffic counters like they used to.

I don’t know.  I do know, however, that any set of numbers can be massaged to say anything.

Bruce Roberts’ blindness to a key quality of life issue for city residents needs to be highlighted because he is running for mayor in 2018.  That’s when current Mayor Jack Seiler must leave office because of term limits.

Luckily, Roberts has a political problem.  He doesn’t understand politics.

Instead of chiding residents to please his developer supporters, Roberts should have learned that the Number One Rule in politics is this:

Perception is reality.

No matter what the alleged statistics show, many residents believe that traffic is getting worse. That is their perception.

Their views were formed by what they see on the roads outside the windows of their homes and through the windshields of their cars. They realize that a trip to the supermarket that used to take 15 minutes now takes a half hour…or more.

A lot of these residents are fed up with traffic.  And a lot are voters. Their perception that traffic is getting worse may drive their vote.

It won’t take much to remind voters of Roberts’ callousness.

A couple of cable ads with clips from his most out-of-touch statements at commission meetings contrasted with videos of traffic. A couple of mail piece.

The right candidate could easily bury the political career of Bruce Roberts…right under some of those high density projects he so loudly supports.

 

photo

Emergency vehicle stuck in traffic near Hugh Taylor Birch State Park (Photo by Art Seitz)

 



45 Responses to “Fort Lauderdale Commission Pro-Developer Stooge Says Traffic Problems Are Imaginary”

  1. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    As someone who was in the room AND HEARD THE WHOLE DISCUSSIION this account is LEAVING OUT so much Commissioners Roberts and Rogers said AS WELL AS THE BASIC FACT WHAT COMMISSIIONER SAID WAS THAT THE MPO SAID THEIR STUDIES SHOWED TRAFFIC HAD PEAKED ETC. ETC.
    Moreover Commissioners Roberts and Rogers are fighting FOR NEW STUDIES AND DO SOMETHING TRAFFIC!
    I know who jerred – it was the people from the neighborhoods who oppose ALL LEGAL WITHIN ZONING development on the Beach.
    BY THE WAY WHEN I FOUGHT WITH OTHERS TO KILL FOR NOW THE RIPOFF BAHIA CABANAS PROJECT FIVE (I counted them) of the booers about Commissioners Roberts comnents SPOKE IN FAVOR OF BAHIA CABANAS so apparently they had “other agendas”
    Now let me be clear – I support Bruce Roberts for Mayor because Charlotte Rodstrom’s Campaign is a mishmash of unhappy people who on the one hand want government jobs n programs but on the hand dont want development. They have never read done a Traffic Report let alone visited the MPO to understand them.
    I think a “DEEPER THINK” ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WOULD LEAD TO A DIFFERENT ARTICLE

  2. Elect Roberts at your peril says:

    Fort Lauderdale under Mayor Seiler has become a cosmopolitan city and a worldwide destination in ways no one could have imagined 7 years ago.

    The next Mayor, needs to be someone (maybe even female but not named Rodstrom) who is progressive in their thinking and not a relic of the past (he doesn’t even use social media). Roberts is the 70 year old former police chief that is working on his second pension. Is it in the best interest of Fort Lauderdale to be led into the future by the modern day equivalent of Chief Wiggam or Andy Taylor.

    While Bruce likes to gloss over it, do not forget why he ran for the Commission after retiring as police chief? Betterment of the City? Of course not, it was to lead the charge to fire and get his revenge on former City Manager George Gretzas who Bruce never had the ability to stand up to as police chief

    This is not grandpa’s Fort Lauderdale anymore. Hopefully someone from the business community will step up to run for Mayor that has a real vision for the future and not stuck in the pocket of developers.

  3. Stuck in traffic says:

    Bruce Roberts, Romney Rogers, and Jack Seiler know the truth but they don’t care about the mess that unbridled development is creating. 17th St is bad but Sunrise /US1 is pure hell. There are traffic jams at all hours of the day. I travel that stretch several times a day.the situation is made worse by the street barriers on most of the side streets. What geniuses decided it was a good idea to build all these new developments along US1 and then funnel all of the traffic to one road?

    FROM BUDDY:

    They can do all the studies they want. What possible real relief can there be to the mess you describe?

    Widen the roads? The right-of-way costs would be prohibitive.

    Fly overs at the busy intersections? Again, where is the money coming from?

    Transit? Such an expanded transit system for the roads you mention is not on any blueprints.

    Transit is a good idea, but how will it be funded?

    I covered the opening of the Metromover in Miami Dade County roughly 30 years ago. It was built as a monorail system to keep it out of the road and was built ahead of the vast majority of the high rise construction in downtown Miami.

    Fort Lauderdale is still planning the first fixed transit, a very expensive trolly called The Wave for downtown which will block existing lanes of the road, complicating the traffic situation.

    A monorail system was proposed for downtown Fort Lauderdale around the time MetroRail was being built, but it got nowhere. Too bad. Money is a lot harder to find today. For instance, every special interest — education, cities and transit, among others — is competing for the remaining allowable pennies of additional sales tax.

    And Miami-Dade’s transit runs an enormous deficit to operate. Who is going to pay to operate any system in Broward?

  4. Raymond Dettmann says:

    MPO needs to come up with a alternative way for all of Southern Broward residents that want to get to the beach,

    the current routes Sunrise Blvd and 17ST are a mess I can walk faster at time to get to beach then driving we need now and will be extremely needed 20Years from now a new Route and Bridge it would be smart planning to start now I am thinking something off 595 and directly to the barrier island

  5. Get Rid Of Feldman says:

    Buddy, Roberts is only part of the problem. This commission (and I mean Seiler, Roberts, and asleep at the wheel McKinzie) all completely ignored the complaints about traffic. According to them, bicycles, water taxi and the trolley will take us to the promised land. I want all 3 of them to ride a bike up US1 where the painted markings are. They won’t be around for the next election cycle.

    But the bigger problem is a completely incompetent city manager. He has zero negotiating skills. You want something approved in the City, just ask and it will appear on the Agenda with an Approval recommendation. Who recommends approval of the Bahia Mar lease without an appraisal on the property??? The same guy that recommended approval of the Bahia Cabana land swap without getting an opinion from bond counsel whether it could be done legally. The City Atty at the mtg was equally unprepared.

    It is astonishing the lack of negotiation, analysis or due diligence this City Mgr and his staff conduct. The City Management and Commission is truly the blind leading the blind.

  6. Stuck in traffic says:

    Traffic is a mess and I don’t see the Ft Lauderdale commission proposing anything to deal with the massive congestion. What can they do? They can open the side streets running along Sunrise/US1. That stretch is a trap. Once you make the mistake of gettimg on it, there’s no getting out. They can kill the nightmare overdevelopment that is proposed at the Galleria Mall. I sometimes take NE 13th street to avoid Sunrise Blvd but now they want to narrow that from 4 lanes to 2 lanes. That $$$ Wave will run on the streets alongside buses and cars and Andrews Ave will be the next chokepoint. They okay all these new buildings but do not address the additional traffic that they bring.

  7. Miss Marple says:

    Count, you hear almost as well as you write.
    I was at the Commission meeting and that is exactly what Bruce Roberts said – in as condescending manner as possible. He talks down to the citizens of this city as if we are idiots.

  8. Stormwatch says:

    The problem is due to lack of vision, no foresight.

    We’ve all known since at least the 70s that south Florida, much like NYC, has a huge population and a small land mass. The population gets bigger while the shoreline continues to recede.

    Emphasis should have long ago been placed on mass transportation. But, some people don’t see the light until they’re all the way at the end of the tunnel.

    There should be a sleek looking, elevated high speed light rail running down the center of 441 from Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach to the Broward\Dade line. There should also be an elevated high speed rail down the center of 595 from Weston to Port Everglades.

    Of course, both of these ideas will eventually come to fruition. But not until it’s completely inevitable and the cost is considerably more.

    Pretty sad that south Florida is one of the most populated places in America and we have dismal mass transportation.

    FROM BUDDY:

    Miami-Dade has a fully functioning fixed rail system. An expansion to Miami Beach and to the Broward County boundary has been talked about in recent years. Transit is just another government function that Miami Dade had the foresight to plan for long ago, while Broward remained far behind.

  9. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Dear Mr. Nevins

    A AN AFFORDABLE EFFICIENT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM for the Beach can be done by getting developers to build pay for it n run it FOR THE PUBLIC AS OWNERS.

    The truth is ONLY NEW DEVELOPMENTs can pay for improvements on 17t Street not the residents who are already ripped off with County Taxes that rarely benefit Fort Lauderdale.

    When August Belmont Widner JP Morgan etc built the original subways as private ventures but started loosing money they were able to sell them to the City by proving increased City taxes from developnent would cover costs. That wont work here because of the corrupt powerful County Government but a public private CITY COMPACT that kept the County out of it could HELP 17th STREET TRAFFIC.

    FROM BUDDY:

    Who will pay to operate it?

  10. Charles King says:

    I literally love it. It looks like Fort Lauderdale Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler’s policy of always having me, little old Charlie King speak last might just have backfired in a big way on his fellow police union stooge and would be successor as Mayor. After about 6 hours of citizen comments on the Bahia Mar project it was finally my turn to go last at about 1 am. I stated my support for the project but pointed out to the crowd that there are in fact no rules in John P. “Jack” Seiler’s Fort Lauderdale and that if they were looking for a weak spot to get what they wanted to deny the developer the supper majority of 4 votes that they needed, I told them Bruce was their man because “Jack” and Romney were term limited but that Bruce Roberts had announced he was running for Mayor in 2018. I even pointed out that his opponent Charlotte Rodstrom was sitting in the audience wearing a green thumbs down shirt in solidarity with her neighbors. Bruce proceed to turn a nasty shade of red and jumped into the discussion now after 1am with vigor, first in an effort to take power away from the crowd denying that he had in fact made the decision to run for Mayor yet, then went into those intellectually dishonest developer talking points about traffic detailed before, followed by a really great Nixonian “I am not a crook” moment where he jeered the crowd to produced evidence of a back room deal. Clearly Bruce is not a night owl like Mayor Seiler and tends to get a bit cranky after midnight. If Bruce undid his 2018 mayoral bid with those easily repackaged and marketed statements is disconnect, I am proud to have played my small part in shaping the future for Fort Lauderdale. Maybe the Fort Lauderdale Police Department will be brought to heel and reformed into a world class police department, with body cameras on each and every officer, total cost recovery for the take home car program, a phased in residency requirement for new hires, restoring disciplinary control to the city instead of the union, randomizing the conflict ridden non randomized off duty detail program and giving teeth to the toothless Citizen Police Review Board. Getting rid of City Manager Lee Feldman and his back loaded financial schemes flowing through our water system and pension system would be nice too.

  11. Stormwatch says:

    Is there a mass transit system anywhere in the world used as much as NYC’s? Do they run at a deficit? You bet. But take away that mass transit and watch what happens to real estate values in Manhattan. Is there a mass transit system anywhere in the world that is profitable?

    Its not mass transits job to be profitable. Its mass transits job to move large masses of people between places.

  12. Helen Surovek says:

    Public Servants for private purpose. Public Servants for personal purpose. Public Servants for PUBLIC SERVIC got lost!!!

  13. Floridan says:

    A lot of these residents are fed up with traffic.

    Then they better move out of the area. For as long as I can remember (near half-a-century) traffic getting to and from the beach has been, at times, heavy. How could it not be when you have an area that has so few access roads, not to mention bridges that open from time-to-time?

    I do find that your assumption that angry people are more reliable than research findings (which can be dismissed because everyone is a crook) a good micro example of our national political problems.

  14. Sunrise says:

    Those roads along sunrise were closed off to prevent cruising for prostitutes and drug sales. It’s probably time they re-thought those closures.

  15. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    @2 says in 7 years Ft Lauderdale hss becone a “cosmopolitian city”. I disagree because
    1. Lost Hittel Book Store
    2. Lost Sesrdtown book store
    3. Stsmp Club moved to Plantation
    4. Coin Club moved to Planatiom
    5. Coin & Stamp Club moved to Plantstion
    6. Econolidge that provided affordsble rooms for Bands for Culture Room from all over the world n Gospel Choirs from Black Churches demolished
    7. Two separate attempts to create restaurant hotel pool eventd on North Federal Highway for special interest groups collapsed into chaos
    8. Half a dozen five year old or more dinner restaurants two night clubs and nearly a dozen ethnic restaursnts aimed at out of county residents or tourtists collapsed.
    9 the Fort Lauderdale Art Museum was stolen by Nova and an unknown part moved to Davie
    10 As part of 9. Art benefactors n docents from Hollywood “walked” from it n got involved in the INCREASING ART SCENE IN HOLLYWOOD
    11. The Floridians late night “scene” of local entertainers hss moved to peter pan in oakland
    12. Attempts to revive nightlife at RiverWalk came to dust after two years of limited but clear progress
    13 the Emerald Society St Patricks Day Breakfast had NO IRISH SODA BREAD n the buffet tables were not in the ballroom but sone kind of converted cloak room or later a hallway – certainly marking the end of civilization in Fort Lauderdale.

    14. UNLIKE NEARLY EVERY CITY IN THE CIVILIZATED WORLD NO SYNAGOGUE a liitle Reform Temple in an out of way Temple n two Hassidic prayer groups BUT REALLY IN SOUTH FLORIDA NO JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER? NO ORTHODOX SCHUL? NO CONSERVATIVE or normal traditional REFORM COBGREGATIONS?
    15. The closing n liqidation of a major art supply house
    16. Miami’s Greater Chamber of Commerce annexing the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce removing their decisions on whether to support Fort Lauderdale cultural events to Miami
    17. The end of a REAL Broward Palm Beach New Times that covered art and entertainment to a few pages of adds n one inaccurate article misreporting this or that local neighborhood
    AS SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED HERE MORE THAN TWELVE YEARS BUT FIRST VISITED FAMILY HERE IN OCTOBER 1945 FORT LAUDERDALE TEN YEARS AGO WAS MORE ART N ENTERTAINMENT ATTRACTIVE N ATTRACTING COSMOPOLITIANS.
    I support all Mayor Seiler has done BUT THE REAL ESTATE CRASH DID GREAT HARM TO ART ENTERTAINMENT N CULTURE HERE and we have NOT recovered. TOO MANY SMALL BUSINESSES LIkE ANTIQUE STORES HAVE CLoSED – like the much heralded arts auction – to go to our sister city Rimini or Chemnitz Saxony or Przemysl and see local cultural events n tourism then come home to Ft Lauderdale to go to Hallandale or Hollywood or Plantation to find people that qualify as EDUCATED or CULTURAL depresses me MORE & MORE EACH DAY.
    Sadly the only intelligent conversation outside of Tuesday City Commission meetings or the Emerald Society St Patricks Day Breakfasts was on the Rome to Rimini Express not in my hometown.

  16. Abby L says:

    High Density does decrease traffic – eventually. When the density is high enough, it makes economic sense for services to follow, services that you can walk to or use shorter car rides to get to.

    When I visit friends on The Galt Mile we walk to restaurants, walk to the Winn Dixie, walk to coffee at Duncan Doughnuts, walk to the beach, walk to the bank or drugstore.

    The Galt Mile is one of the most densely populated areas of Fort Lauderdale and there is never any traffic on that road.

    What’s real is the pain citizens feel as the city goes through the frustrating transition of building a more modern city within the constraints of limited funding.

    Florida is the third most populous state in the country. We get something like 900 new residents a day. Broward County gets 12 million tourists a year coming into our town of 172,000. I’m glad we have two commissioners that sit on the MPO – which is the regional agency tasked with sorting out our transportation issues.

    While I understand that it’s not popular for a politician to say “The emperor has no clothes” , it’s more distressing to see residents either feign shock or be surprised that they did not know… the naked truth.

    FROM BUDDY:

    The Galt is largely inhabited by seniors, who do less purchasing (other than health care) than other age groups. Most who live along the Galt don’t travel to work every day.

    What if you want to go to Publix, Fresh Market or Whole Foods instead of Winn Dixie? What if you want to eat at Morton’s and not the place down the block? What if you want to go to the movies or a play? What if you have to go to the hospital? All those trips take cars.

  17. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    @10 Stormatch is right as are others in and out of government who say the overwhelming number of PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS LOOSE MONEY but limited private n private public systems can break even or make a profit.
    The key to making an operational profit on transportation operations is to break even with a steady reliable revenue flow n have a “windfall” in profits from special events or seasonal tourism without large addition operational costs.

    An example is in Germany today where new private bus companies have successfully replaced air n rail subsidized government systems.

    The problem here in Ft Lauderdale is lots of talking in circles when the People should reach out far and wide GLOBALLY to get ideas for NEW SOLUTIONS.

    I dont drive. I was on 17th Street on one horrible ocassion when I went to the lousey mis-placed County Convention Center and promised myself never to return.

    BUT I FEEL SORRY FOR THE DECENT RESIDENTS OVERWHELMED BY OBSCENE TRAFFIC CONGESTION but until WE REACH OUT FOR NEW IDEAS WE ARE RUNNING IN CIRCLES.

  18. Abby L says:

    Buddy – you make my point. Higher density gives you choices. If you live on The Galt and it’s 4:00PM on a Friday and you need bread or want to go to dinner, you have a choice. You can walk to something local or drive your car to something that is not. When you choose to stay local, that causes less trips.

    As the Galt starts to turn over to a whole new generation of folks, you’ll see the demand for a Trader Joe’s type Grocery Store on the Galt. You’ll have more choices. Culture and entertainment options will improve as well. Urgent Care centers will move into more densely populated areas.

    Frankly, slightly off topic, The Galt is poised to have a resurgence due in part to its walkability. With new construction costs topping the $1,200 a square foot price, The Galt at $200 to $300 a square is looking like an incredible opportunity for a younger demographic.

    No doubt about it, all this change is upsetting and incredulous to local residents, especially those who have lived here a long time. But I have faith in those of us who live here to adapt and embrace the changes that make us a more vibrant and forward thinking community.

  19. Ha Ha Ha says:

    @Buddy – These are the sentiments of a pro-developer stooge. – ROFL, that’s probably the very best line you have ever written!!! Love it!!! 🙂

    @13 – Those roads along sunrise were closed off to prevent cruising for prostitutes and drug sales. It’s probably time they re-thought those closures. – Correct thinking would result in the legalization and regulation of both activities. Visit these links:

    http://www.businessinsider.com/why-america-should-legalize-prostitution-2013-11?op=1

    http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana-legalization-and-regulation

  20. Tax Paying Resident says:

    First and foremost, I want to thank Vice Mayor Dean Trantalis (who I hope will be next mayor) for having the guts to vote NO on Bahia Mar. There is no doubt in my mind the flack he has received from it, however, there are more of us who are on his side.

    With that said, I must inquire – why does the commission ask for public input at a meeting, when it is apparent you have already made your minds up. It is why I didn’t even coming to the one for Bahia Mar, instead I watched on TV.
    They say you speak to the community, but I’d like to know who. Just the wealthy? I have a great line into the community and I can assure you nobody has come to anyone I know who isn’t of the rich and famous or a realtor.

    The same thing happened with Marina Lofts. I know Dean voted for it and I wasn’t happy about that either.

    Every commissioner needs to be voted out and replaced people who have no special interests, can’t be bought and are FOR the people in office.

    May the mayor and every commissioner who voted for the obscene Bahia Mar project be stuck in traffic for the rest of their lives

  21. Stormwatch says:

    The magnificent, publicly owned, top 10 grossing arena that sits way out west, across the street from the state’s biggest tourist attraction, should have been built where Riverealk is. There’s plenty of downtown parking garages by the courthouse and library that open up after 5 pm and are empty on weekends. The Las Olas and Himmarshee districts would have both benefited. Of course you would also need light rail to get around. It would have been nice having a beautiful arena right there on the water attracting all those folks to that area. It’s too late for that now. So what do we do? We cant have pro sports at Riverwalk, but we can have all the other events. I would turn Riverwalk into the worlds premiere indoor / outdoor Amphitheater in the round. Right there on the water.

    Next, we need a light rail from the tri rail stop at Broward and 95 into downtown. We also need a Metromover-like elevated rail along downtown connecting Himmarshee, performing arts center, museum, library, parking garages, courthouse, Las Olas, etc.

    In the decades to come, downtown Ft. Lauderdale could be one of the worlds premiere places to live and play. But it takes vision, foresight, money, and the will to do it.

  22. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    If Mr Charles King is so “on target” n we all see his sucesses in selling million dollar homes why doesnt he run for Mayor? Because he knows like Commissioners Tim Smith n Commissioner Dean Tranalis he’ll get creamed in the Election as less than 35% of the voters are anti-development n 65% plus of the voters are pro development so that their homes n businesses increase in value n more jobs are created.
    The anti development crowd are grouching older people or young students living off their parents

  23. urbanista says:

    I keep reading here the high-fives about the Miami people mover transit system. Inside scoop on that: i worked in transit development consulting in the 1980s in Los Angeles. .this was the tume that the Miami people mover was in design. It was designed by transportation consultants. The joke around the office then was what suckers the folks in Miami were for buying into that project because we all knew that the consultants purposefully manipulated the forecasted People mover ridership data… in order to get the justification to build the damn thing.

    FROM BUDDY:

    It is true that the traffic forecast were optimistic for the Metromover and Metrorail. In addition, promises made to the public about what would be built were not fulfilled.

  24. Budget Man says:

    More density sometimes does decrease traffic because there is not a direct relationship between density and cars. There are endless examples, a food store brings lots of traffic but relatively low density. Senior condos bring in more density than a food store but less traffic. Single family homes bring less density than family condos but much more traffic. Office brings more density and traffic than many big box stores. Then you have the issue of pre-existing zoning. Each classification offers traffic trip counts at the max of what they could build there. This is done for planning purposes. But if the zoning changes, even though there may be more density, the number of trips may decrease sometimes significantly “reducing” traffic impact. It doesn’t take ery much effort to grasp these basic urban planning and traffic engineering concepts. Similarly, it is also true sometimes that with more density comes more traffic. It depends on the project.

    FROM BUDDY:

    There is nobody who would buy one of those buildings now on the planning boards who would not own/lease/travel in a car to and from their condos or apartments some point.

  25. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    First of all Comm.Bruce Roberts represents his district quite well. In fact the district is having a hard time to have someone seek his comm. seat. As far as Comm>Roberts being corrupt or shady as implied, no way. He is an honest man. As far as Charlie King and his issues. Charlie ha sbeen going to these meetings for the past five or six yrs. I told Mayor Seiler to put him on an advisory bd. , the mayor would not budge. Charlie ,I envoy, he gets to go to all the conference ,evening meetings, workshops etc. Me , I have to work and its impossible to get the time off. Again, I envoy Charlie. Charlie ha s his own real-estate business ,even though I basicly work for myself , its hard to get away. yes, i.m to busy earning a living. However, don’t count me out. I watch all meetings that are televised, plus the one big advantage that I have is I am in constant contact w/ staff that work in the bldg. I know all the issues.That being said Charlie King likes to push their buttons, which is what it is. Be careful Charlie if Bruce becomes mayor, remember the old sayin “pay back is a bitch”. I can see it now,however the election is over a year away, so plenty of time for all. Which is good for you Charlie cause you ain’t to liked by that dais.. On a personal note Charlie is a good father and husband.. But be a little nicer at that podium Charlie….To Bruce Roberts and that dig that he is 70. Well, I would invite Bruce to th egym any day of the week, and I am sure , positive he could keep up w/ me. You look great Comm.Roberts, keep it up…..

  26. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    To comment about the traffic on the beach etc. Traffic is a bitch on the beach. Here’s my take if I had that damn voting card(what are some of you concerned about, keep Robert out, he knows to much,etc). Again my take. sign the petition no more development East of Federal Hwy. Bridges Monday to Friday closed, from 7am to 9am,and also from 4:45 to 6;30pm. No parking on west side of a1a from Sunrise North to Oakland Park, bring back parking on side streets. My take for starters. Will I run, atty. telling me. will investigate. In mean time I observe, wait and cut hair….

  27. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    I lived on AlA near Galt n I was near everything from live music (multiple locations even with friends from South Beach) to ethnic restaurants book stores n cafes n even a coin & stamp dealer with walking distance.
    Abby L makes all valid points. And Beach was never tacky or crowded.

  28. Gibbonite says:

    I have known Bruce for a very long time and couldn’t be more disappointed in the way he is treating his constituents. I have always believe in him and supported him but can no longer make excuses for his bad behavior.

  29. Just Beachy says:

    Abby L is in this. She is probably JS or another paid lobbyist, right?
    The Galt was city land and was privatized years ago. Now there is no public access and shadows on the sand galore. The Galt is where old people go to live out their remaining days and die, not vacation or raise families.
    If this project goes through it will be the beginning of the end for our beautiful Ft Lauderdale Beach. Thank you Bruce for selling us all out. I am sure Judy will continue to pay and repay you, handsomely.

    FROM BUDDY:

    The area that is the Galt Ocean Mile has been in private hands for roughly 100 years. It was first owned by Arthur Galt, described as the son of a law partner of Fort Lauderdale pioneer Hugh Taylor Birch. He eventually sold it in the early 1950s to Coral Ridge Properties, whose principals were Stephen Calder, Joseph P. Taravella and James S. Hunt. They developed roughly 10,000 units along Fort Lauderdale beach, along with thousands of homes in the Coral Ridge section of northeast Fort Lauderdale and Coral Springs in northwest Broward.

    Calder eventually owned jai alai frontons and, of course, a large piece of Calder Race Track in Northwest Miami-Dade.

    Westinghouse Election bought Coral Ridge Properties in 1966 for $67 million.

  30. Judy Urban Dweller says:

    I want a commission who can preserve what’s left of this beautiful city. There are stunning mid-century modern architectural wonders by the beach that are being decimated daily right before our eyes. At least Miami made an all out effort to preserve its Art Deco District. Come on Fort Lauderdale. It’s not too late to save what’s left.

    Bruce Roberts, if you are a pro-development “stooge,” why not focus your efforts on affordable housing and take your projects west of the beach.

    News flash: The beach sells itself as a beach; not a downtown, skyscraper beach or NYC beach.

    Fort Lauderdale Beach, a precious barrier island, is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We have visitors from all over the world who share this global sentiment.

    Officially, our precious sand dunes are federally protected. Sand dunes are beautiful; and they are rare. And, this commission voted to “mow” one down on the southern portion of Fort Lauderdale Beach. The reason: a better view. I wonder if those wanting a better view will now have to contend with mowing down a skyscraper and or a parking garage instead of a sand dune.

  31. Art Seitz delivered Bahia Mar Park Version E and is also due credit. says:

    Thanks Buddy for telling it like it is — Just wondering why, Vice Mayor Dean Trantalis, a lawyer, failed to mention/declare that he had been offered and accepted $5,000. in campaign donations by Team Jimmy Tate in December, 2014? That’s sucks!

    Just wondering why, Dean, made the key motion to knock off ten floors from the Bahia Mar Fiasco Tower, making it an obscene twenty nine floors — at which point Tate Capital received what it wanted from Trantalis — as they are going to flip the property — Instead of starting at fourteen floors.

    Its no wonder that thousands residents are mad as hell never –before have hundreds of well organized tax payers turned up at city hall?

  32. Talks like a politician says:

    Heads up to all who are tired of politicians who are pro development no matter the consequences to the quality of life of their constituents: Watch the candidates in District 4 for the seat being vacated by Romney Rogers. Do your homework regarding the former Mayor of Dania Beach. Research his actions regarding respect for his fellow commissioners by watching the City of Dania Beach’s cable recordings of commission meetings. Ask why a vacant commission seat went unfilled. Ask why
    a hospitalized commissioner was nearly removed from office. Ask why real estate appraisal and city business were entwined. Research.

  33. Roger Moore says:

    Don’t y’all get it? The beach is being secluded for the wealthy and ultra-wealthy. They want to tear down a large parking lot to make room for more mega-yachts. If you don’t live near the beach, don’t even bother trying to go the beach. I’m not sure how these part time rich residents are going to support all those businesses once the middle class folks stop traveling to the beach. Fort Lauderdale is going to become a ghost town of part time residents.

  34. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Mega Yachts PAY FOR CITY n COUNTY SERVICES @33 Roger Moore uses. Parking lots are a SERVICE that COST MONEY FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
    I OPPOSE BUILDING THRU LANDSWAPS OF PUBLIC LAND at Sebastian Beach n the Fire Station BUT the BOATING INDUSTRY LIKE SO MANY RETAIL TRADES has only become profitable at the HIGH END so if we dont PROVIDE FOR MEGA YACHTS we will kill THE CITYs MAJOR MONEY MAKER N EMPLOYER.

  35. Separate but equal sell outs says:

    Now we know why McKenzie and friends changes th name of John U Lloyd park to Mizell and Johnson State park. That will be the only place for us to go to the beach. They are making Ft Lauderdae beach just for white people and blacks will have to go to Mizell and Johnson. McKenzie sold us out and Roberts did too.

  36. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Commissioner McKINZIE NEVER SOLD OUT ANYONE n NEITHER DID COMMISSIONER ROBERTS!
    @35 n the others who attack the City Commission members n City Manager either NEVER ATTEND MEETINGS or if they do MAKE WILD UNRESEARCHED STATEMENTS THAT CONTRADICT FACTS STUDIES or RATIONALE OBSRVATION.

  37. Stormwatch says:

    At the rate the shoreline is expected to recede in the next 20+ years, it’s doubtful many of those buildings along A1A will still be standing a few decades from now. I’ve been here since the early 70s and I can remember when there was a whole lot more sand between the road and the water. I’ve seen 200,000 people on Ft. Lauderdale beach during the old spring break days and nights. I dont miss the craziness. The push to kill spring break and turn the beach into mostly residential properties started long ago. City leaders figured that the property taxes generated by all those beachside condos would more than make up for the lost revenue from drunk spring breakers who were trashing the place. Don’t be surprised one day when there’s more houses directly on the ocean like Golden Beach a little south on A1A. But I do miss a lot of the local businesses. I would love to see big beautiful casinos on the beach. It’s a gorgeous beach that absolutely needs to be accessible to tourist and the locals from all over south Florida. But I also understand that folks wanna live there too, be it part time or year round. I hope we can come to some common ground and soon. Parts of A1A are already underwater. I don’t know if bringing in more sand is even worth it. We’re just shoveling it against the tide. Maybe we should just let mother nature have her way and try to do the beast we can to work around her.

  38. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    reading all these comments I can honestly say residents on the beach and else where ar e not happy. Biggest problem as you know is traffic. If I were to run for mayor(oh its happening thank you Rep Grayson atty. tells me you will be able to register to vote by end of year-will see). That being stated here is what I would recommend again 1- bridges stay down from 6;45-to 9am, and then from 4;45 to 6pm-what I’m sorry if I inconvience your dinner ,sun set cruise, people want to get home from work, so they can see their families. 2. sign petition no more dev. east of federal. 3. no parking on west side of a1a, from sunrise to Oakland.3. bring back beach parking back on side streets. Also lower miledge rate. 5.tell Mr.feldman that I am sick and tired of the over paid staff he hires.. 6. Strong mayor . Th e residents expect to have the mayor represent them and their issues not a city manager(strong mayor-7. all rates/prices etc, go back to pre Feldman days. Lower sewer, fire, miledge etc. It cost way more now than before mr.feldman was hired.8. New police officers will get a raise 55g per year to start-I don’t want to hear it Black lives matter. Blue lives matter also- finally.9. We will change this. Pray some of you that I don’t get that voting card cause I’m coming , and I’m coming on strong. Enough of this taking advantage of these residents as you personal piggy bank. And those atty. platiffs ,etc that are suing the City, I.m going to expose you. The other canidates won’t, but I will.. Plenty of time…..

  39. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Since Augustus defeated Anthony at Actium people have complained about traffic especially during Saturnalia and between Rome n Ostia’s Beach. They still do.
    The salaries in Fort Lauderdale City Hall are SUBTANIALLY LESS THAN OTHER COMPARABLE CITIES in South Florida and Mr Feldman has recruited a good staff IN THE MAIN BECAUSE COSTS ARE LOWER IN FORT LAUDERDALE THAN NEARLY EVERY CITY NOT ONLY IN BROWARD COUNTY BUT IN MIAMI-DADE n PALM BEACH as Mayor Seiler n City Manager demonstrated witb third party to REFUTE CHARLIE KING WHEN HE SPOUTED THIS NONSENSE as @38 does on a FACT FREE BASIS much too often

  40. City activist Robert walsh says:

    #39-blah,blah,blah,typical from you.,at least I have plans,ideas,etc,to make fort lau. A better place,you,you wine.robert Walsh knows the issues and can go the distance,you are just the same old blah,blah…..

  41. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    17th Street Causeway is the most complained about route in the City of Ft Lauderdale where I am a homeowner n investor in businesses. The major issues revolve around the County’s developments or State Highways n Roads. NONE OF WHICH THE CITY HAS CONTROL OVER or planning which is FDOT n MPO. Aa someone who has actually meet with traffic engineers at FDOT n the MPO I can say – dont hold your breathe for progress

  42. Count LF Chodkiewicz ChudzikiewiczAtt says:

    ATTENTION PLEASE! Brian Bandell of the South Florida Business Journal that immigrated from Fort Lauderdale to Miami had a piece THAT THE COUNTY IS REQUESTING DEVELOPMENT IDEAS FOR THE CORNER OF SIXTH STREET/SISTRUNK and ANDREWS AVENUE!
    I guarantee this will be THE MOTHER OF ALL SLEAZY REAL ESTATE SELLOUTS OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST!!!-
    The real estate Mavens are telling deep pocket investors it is near the new Train Station Center and can be purchased “with the right lobbyist support” for “chicken feed” from the likes of our current AND FUTURE COUNTY COMMISSION.
    I will not get personal or make up baseless allegations BUT THE INTELLIGENT READERS OF THIS BLOG CAN FIGURE OUT FOR THEMSELVES WHAT CANDIDATES LOOK TO LINE THEIR POCKETS ON THIS PROPOSED DEAL!
    You heard it here from me first. The Sixth/sistrunk & Andrews Avenue Development Deal will be a STINKER IN SPADES!!!
    So when the Merde hits the fan n everyone blogs “how could this happen?” – BECAUSE NO ONE CARES except greedy lobbyists developers political consultants n public officials THE PUBLIC CANT BE BOTHERED INCLUDING YOU THE READER OF THIS BLOG!

  43. Dear Count says:

    The lady doth protest too much me thinks.
    Are you the lobbyist who got overlooked for the gig? So pro development on the beach but not in downtown. We see right through you.

  44. ^^^^^^^^^ says:

    Willy Shakespeare – I think you’re on to something. Those would like the works of Mama June.

  45. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    I have NEVER been a lobbyist.

    I SIGN MY NAME to anything
    I write including blog comments.

    I have EXPERIENCE as both an elected and appointed official so DESPITE ALWAYS WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR I am QUALIFIED BASED ON EXPERIENCE to comment at Public Meetings or on Public Questions IN THE STATE I WAS BORN IN and my family has lived since before World War I.

    EVERY TIME someone who blogs under a fake name is “EXPOSED” that person turns out to be a LOBBYIST for this or that thing I have opposed or supported and is hiding the fact BEHIND A FALSE NAME.