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Students urge Plantation to curb canal nutrient pollution and add protected bike lanes
Summary
Students from South Plantation High School told the council they are working on environmental projects: one urged limits on phosphorus‑containing fertilizers and buffer rules to reduce nutrient pollution in city canals; another urged protected bike lanes and repairs to a sidewalk gap on Peters Road to keep students safe.
Two students from South Plantation High School addressed the council on March 12 about local environmental and transportation concerns.
Legend Wilkerson, presenting as part of an environmental senior project, urged the city to address nutrient pollution in canals caused by fertilizer runoff. Wilkerson recommended three measures: ban fertilizers containing phosphorus, prohibit spraying fertilizers within 20 feet of bodies of water to create a buffer zone, and ban fertilizer application during the wet season (June through September). Wilkerson said the South Florida Water Management District had supported similar initiatives and cited concerns that algal blooms reduce oxygen and kill fish, harming water quality.
"If unchecked, this problem will most likely continue to decrease property values and can eventually harm the health of the citizens and residents that like to interact with the water itself," Wilkerson said in the public comment record.
Christopher McGowan, also a South Plantation student working on an environmental senior project, asked the council to prioritize protected bike lanes to reduce vehicle emissions and improve student safety. He identified Peters Road as a critical route for students and said a sidewalk at 6928 Peters Road "abruptly cuts off," forcing cyclists into traffic or circuitous detours. McGowan cited statistics about transportation emissions and studies showing protected bike lanes can reduce cycling injuries.
Mayor Sordle and staff invited the students to meet with city staff for follow‑up. A city official noted he would need to research whether the city is preempted by state law from imposing certain fertilizer bans for private property but indicated the city could regulate practices on city‑owned property and rights‑of‑way.
Ending: City officials thanked the students and offered contact information for follow‑up; no new ordinance or regulation was adopted at the meeting.
