NEW CHARTER of the lauderdale isles water management district
effective feb 21, 2023
Up until 2002, Lauderdale Isles existed as a neighborhood in unincorporated Broward County. The LIWMD was created in 1970 as a dependent special district in the county to address the severe problem of aquatic weeds that would occur in the summer (see the page on this website "How LIWMD started in 1970").
In 2002, Lauderdale Isles , along with other Riverland neighborhoods, was annexed into the City of Fort Lauderdale. At that time, it was decided to retain the Lauderdale Isles Water Management District and make it a dependent special district within the City. However, the County, the City and the LIWMD Board failed to notice that the southern boundary line of the district was the edge of the south side of the New River. But the boundary line for the City ran down the center of the river. Thus, the southern boundary for the District now existed outside the City.
In 2021, the LIWMD Board discovered this discrepancy in the boundary, and sought assistance from the Fort Lauderdale City Attorney's office. During this process, it was also discovered that some of the enabling state/county legislation under which the District was chartered was no longer applicable. And some of the responsibilities of the district needed to be modified, so that it's guiding principle was to "protect and improve the waterways of Lauderdale Isles."
Due to the incredible legal guidance of Assistant City Attorney D'Wayne Spence for close to two years, the boundary discrepancy was rectified and all facets of the enabling legislation for the district were made current. We refer to this as our new "charter."
On February 21, 2023, upon it's second reading by the the City Commission, the new updated LIWMD charter was approved and the LIWMD boudary is now "coterminous" with the City boundary.
For your reading pleasure, Ordinance No. C-23-06 follows.
In 2002, Lauderdale Isles , along with other Riverland neighborhoods, was annexed into the City of Fort Lauderdale. At that time, it was decided to retain the Lauderdale Isles Water Management District and make it a dependent special district within the City. However, the County, the City and the LIWMD Board failed to notice that the southern boundary line of the district was the edge of the south side of the New River. But the boundary line for the City ran down the center of the river. Thus, the southern boundary for the District now existed outside the City.
In 2021, the LIWMD Board discovered this discrepancy in the boundary, and sought assistance from the Fort Lauderdale City Attorney's office. During this process, it was also discovered that some of the enabling state/county legislation under which the District was chartered was no longer applicable. And some of the responsibilities of the district needed to be modified, so that it's guiding principle was to "protect and improve the waterways of Lauderdale Isles."
Due to the incredible legal guidance of Assistant City Attorney D'Wayne Spence for close to two years, the boundary discrepancy was rectified and all facets of the enabling legislation for the district were made current. We refer to this as our new "charter."
On February 21, 2023, upon it's second reading by the the City Commission, the new updated LIWMD charter was approved and the LIWMD boudary is now "coterminous" with the City boundary.
For your reading pleasure, Ordinance No. C-23-06 follows.
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