Beach Renourishment Project Begins in South County
Broward County’s long-awaited Beach Renourishment Project became a reality this month as the first tons of new sand were piped to the beach near Magnolia Street in Hollywood. An official ceremony on May 6 marked the occasion at the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood. Broward County Mayor Kristin Jacobs joined Hollywood Mayor Mara Giulianti, Mayor Joy Cooper of Hallandale Beach and Dania Beach Vice-Mayor Patricia Flury at the event.

Segment III of the Beach Renourishment Project will restore 6.2 miles of County shoreline from John U. Lloyd State Park to the Miami-Dade County line. When completed in February 2006, the width of these Broward beaches will be increased between 20 and 220 feet. Broward County has received $17 million in state and federal grants for the project and is in the process of asking the federal government for an additional $6 million. Great Lakes Dock & Dredging Co., of Oak Brook, Ill., is the primary contractor for the project.

Sand is being dredged off the north Broward coast and hauled by hopper dredge to the County’s southern coast, where it is piped to the beach. After completion of Segment III, the impact of the restored beach on marine resources will be studied over an 18-month period. Based on study results, Segment II of the beach renourishment plan, which involves the restoration of beaches in Fort Lauderdale and surrounding communities, could begin in 2008. More information, including weekly updates, is available online at www.broward.org/beachrenourishment.

Grant Funds Available for Community Landscaping
Broward County is now accepting applications for the 2005 Community Grants Program for landscaping projects on public properties or private properties visible and accessible to the public. Homeowners associations, civic groups, schools, governments, and other nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply.

Grants are available for $1,500 up to $10,000. Up to $200,000 will be awarded countywide on a competitive basis. Applications are available online at www.broward.org/dpep. Click on Broward Beautiful and select Community Grants.

The deadline for applications is July 7 at 12 noon. Seven copies of the completed application along with supporting documents must be submitted. Applications should be mailed to: Broward Beautiful – Community Grant, Broward County Environmental Protection Department, Biological Resources Division, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Room A240, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301.

Applicants are encouraged to attend a special meeting, scheduled to provide assistance in preparing the grant application. Those who attend will receive bonus points toward their overall application score. The meeting is scheduled on:

Friday, May 13, 2 p.m.
Broward County Governmental Center, Room 422
115 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale

Funding for the grant program is provided by the Broward County Commission, based on recommendations by Broward Beautiful, an advisory board appointed by the County Commission. Broward Beautiful was created to eliminate litter in the County and to beautify public areas. For more information, contact Lorraine Bertone at 954-519-0326 or Sean McSweeney at 954-519-0327.

County Continues Efforts to Eradicate Rabies
The first phase of Broward County’s five-year Oral Rabies Vaccination (ORV) Program is now complete. The program began March 2 when oral vaccines against rabies placed in bait were distributed throughout the county. More than 400,000 baits were distributed by hand and air over 423 square miles. The primary rabies threat in the County comes from raccoons, often found in the wild. Post testing of raccoons began in early May.

Since July of 2000, there have been 30 reported cases of rabies in the County.
In addition to the ORV program, the County’s Animal Care and Regulation Division has scheduled a series of $15 rabies vaccination and license tag clinics for the spring and summer. To qualify, pet owners must be Broward residents, meet certain income guidelines and provide proof of residency. Dogs must be on leashes and cats in carriers. The clinics are held on Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Only cash is accepted. The next clinic will be held on May 21, Joseph C. Carter Park, 1450 W. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, to be followed by a clinic on June 11, North Broward Park, 4400 N.E. 18th Ave., Pompano Beach. Visit www.broward.org/animal for details.

Adventure Camp Offers Summer Activities for Youth
The Broward County Parks and Recreation Division offers Adventure Camp, for ages 6-12, starting June 6 and ending August 5 at Markham Park in Sunrise and Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach. Activities include on-site swimming, special events, soccer, biking, boating, environmental studies, nature hikes, arts and crafts, racquetball, tennis, movies, entertainers, games, and Splash Adventure water playground (Quiet Waters only). Field trips may include bowling, skating, ice skating, museums, water parks, and more. Fees per camper are $190 per session; $210 per session with early drop-off and late pickup; $230 per session with lunches; and $250 per session, with lunches and early drop-off/late pickup option. For additional information, call Markham Park at 954-389-2000 or Quiet Water Park at 954-360-1315, or visit www.broward.org/parks and click on Adventure Camp.

Renewal Registrations Have New Look
Broward County residents renewing their car, mobile home or boat registrations will notice a new look and design in the renewal notices they receive in the mail. Instead of postcards, residents will receive a new registration package complete with detailed instructions, a return envelope and offers for vehicle-related products and services. The registration renewal package applies to vehicles, vessels, mobile homes and parking placards.

To make it easier for residents to renew their registration, included in the package is a visually appealing, easy-to-read brochure with detailed information and instructions on renewal methods, office locations, helpful web site addresses and other important messages. Residents with multiple renewal notices will also enjoy the added convenience of multiple notices sent in one package.

The new registration package will streamline the registration process, helping Broward County’s Revenue Collection Division save money and improve service and communication with customers. For additional information, visit: www.broward.org/revenue.

Legislature Approves Three Annexation Votes
Three areas in the county will be voting on annexation proposals, following action by the Florida Legislature this spring. If approved by Governor Bush, as expected, the neighborhoods will be voting next year on which municipality to join. The three areas are:

Pine Island Ridge, a community of 6,000 residents, south of I-595. Because the area is surrounded entirely by the Town of Davie, residents will be asked if they want to join the town or remain unincorporated. The vote is scheduled for March 14, 2006.
Country Acres, also known as the Godfrey Road area, will vote on March 14, 2006, on whether to join Coral Springs or Parkland. The neighborhood has a population of 172.

United Ranches, a southwest neighborhood of more than 800 residents, will vote on July 5, 2006 on whether to join Davie or Cooper City.

A number of smaller enclaves are also part of the annexation agreements. If voters approve the referenda, the annexations will become effective September 15, 2006.

Gay Holocaust Exhibit Featured at Main Library
The Broward County Library, in cooperation with the Stonewall Library & Archives and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., is featuring a free exhibition, Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933-1945 at the Main Library, Sixth Floor, 100 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale through June 3.

The exhibit presents 250 historical documents and photographs that examine the Nazis’ political efforts to eradicate homosexuality. During the 12 years that the Nazis were in power, German police arrested more than 100,000 men for violation of the laws against homosexuality. Approximately 50,000 were sent to prisons and mental hospitals. Between 5,000 and 15,000 were sent to concentration camps.

The exhibit is sponsored in part by Broward County Public Schools, the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art. For more information and to schedule group tours, contact Libraries Division Outreach Services at 954-357-7403.

Nearly One-Third of Residents Live in Rental Housing
Statistics released in the April 2005 edition of Broward-by-the-Numbers, a monthly electronic information service of the Planning Services Division, indicate that nearly 200,000 households in the county (31 percent) are rental units. Most of the rental housing is located in apartment buildings with at least 10 units. Twelve percent is in single-family homes. Pembroke Park, Fort Lauderdale and Oakland Park have the highest proportion of rental housing. The recent increase in apartment building conversions to condos has resulted in a net loss of 11,200 rental apartments in the county. For more detailed information, visit www.broward.org and click on Broward-by-the-Numbers.