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Commission approves school‑zone camera ordinance with 90‑day warning period and other safeguards
Summary
After weeks of debate and public comment, the commission adopted an ordinance allowing automated school‑zone speed enforcement in county right‑of‑way with a 90‑day warning/education period, a 100‑foot deceleration buffer and grandfathering for three cities that already applied.
The Broward County Commission voted 8‑0 on Tuesday to adopt a new ordinance authorizing automated speed‑detection systems in school zones, adopting multiple safeguards intended to limit “speed trap” concerns and to give residents and visitors a transition period.
The ordinance is framed to begin in the Broward Municipal Services District and covers the county’s right‑of‑way; it requires automated enforcement not to capture violations within a 100‑foot deceleration zone after a yellow flashing school‑zone light and calls for a public outreach and warning phase prior to issuing fines. The commission also agreed to grandfather in three municipalities that had already enacted local rules and applied for county approval.
Why it matters: County officials and public‑safety advocates argued the measure will slow drivers where children cross and reduce serious crashes; opponents raised civil‑liberty and fairness concerns and asked the county to favor on‑the‑ground police enforcement over automated tickets.
Principal sponsor Senator Steve Geller said the ordinance was designed to balance safety and fairness. "We want cameras to change behavior," Geller said, adding the draft included a 100‑foot buffer so drivers have space to decelerate after seeing the yellow lights. Geller also said the policy allows municipalities to set wider time windows for camera enforcement but requires clear signage for any all‑day enforcement.
Industry comment and data: Nick Matthews of Red Speed, a vendor, told commissioners that in other deployments the company’s equipment produced large reductions in speeding and low recidivism. Commissioners including Nan Rich and Monica McKenzie pressed for clear guardrails on where and how cameras may be used and asked that any net revenue from enforcement in the Broward Municipal Services District be preserved for local safety uses.
Outcome: The commission passed the ordinance and directed staff to implement a multi‑month outreach campaign before citations begin; the board asked that language in the county’s license agreements require the outreach and the 100‑foot deceleration protection. The board also agreed to a 90‑day warning period before fines are issued in sites under newly adopted county license agreements. The commission additionally instructed staff to ensure that leftover funds from tickets collected for cameras in the BMSD be directed for local safety uses.
What’s next: County staff will draft the implementing license agreements and administrative procedures, including vendor contracting and a marketing plan that details the 90‑day warning/education phase. Municipalities that wish to use county poles or right‑of‑way will negotiate license terms and, if approved, must follow the county’s deceleration and outreach protections.
