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Boynton Beach commission approves ordinance limiting disruptive recording and authorizing trespass warnings, 3–2
Summary
On a 3–2 vote the commission approved Ordinance 26-016 to classify city facilities into public/limited/nonpublic forums, make recording in nonpublic forums subject to restriction if it materially disrupts operations, and create a written trespass-warning and appeal process.
The Boynton Beach City Commission on June 2 approved Ordinance 26-016 (first reading) to classify city-owned facilities into public, limited public and nonpublic forums and to give the city authority to restrict recording in nonpublic areas when the activity "materially disrupts" city operations.
Assistant City Attorney described the ordinance as aligning city practice with federal and Florida case law and said it would permit signage, set conduct standards for municipal facilities and allow the city manager or law enforcement to issue written trespass warnings when behavior prevents staff from doing their duties. The ordinance establishes an appeal process: a person who receives a written trespass warning may file a written appeal with the city clerk within 10 days, and the appeal proceeds to a hearing before a special magistrate.
Supporters said the measure closes a gap that has left staff exposed to repeated harassment, doxxing and prolonged confrontations at service counters. The city attorney’s presentation cited incidents in which staff reported repeated disruptive conduct that generated threatening calls and emails to employees.
Opponents raised First Amendment concerns and warned the language could chill public recording and oversight. Commissioners Cruz and Turkin voted against the ordinance, saying they had outstanding legal and definitional questions about how courts would treat particular spaces and when staff would categorize a room as a limited public forum versus nonpublic forum.
Roll call: Commissioner Kelley — Yes; Commissioner McCray — Yes; Commissioner Cruz — No; Vice Mayor Turkin — No; Mayor Shelton — Yes. Outcome: ordinance passed on first reading, 3–2.
Next steps: because this was a first reading, the ordinance will return for a subsequent reading consistent with the normal ordinance schedule.
