City approves waiver to extend mooring piles into Middle River despite advisory board concerns about applicant history

The Fort Lauderdale City Commission approved a resolution March 19 granting a waiver to permit several triple mooring pile clusters to extend into the Middle River from a property at 736 Northeast 20th Avenue.

The Marine Advisory Board earlier recommended denial, not because of navigational concerns, but because members cited the applicant’s prior conduct and an unclear history of compliance. "The board recommended denial of it… it came down to the history of the applicant," Marine Advisory Board Chair Steve Wherry said, recounting concerns that construction had begun before permits in earlier cases and that the applicant had previously rented out a slip in violation of rules.

Commissioners debated whether the matter was primarily an enforcement problem or a land‑use compliance issue. Some members urged stronger enforcement mechanisms and monitoring if the waiver were granted. One commissioner said denying the waiver would be akin to “rewarding bad behavior,” while another emphasized the difficulty of policing numerous violations on the street and the need for consistent code enforcement.

After closing the public hearing and introducing the resolution, the commission approved the waiver on roll call. Staff and commissioners asked that code enforcement monitor the property to ensure future compliance and underscored that approval carried conditions and will require adherence to permit terms.

Next steps: the commission directed staff to ensure active monitoring and follow‑up on compliance at the site.