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Commissioner’s Message

From the Desk of Commissioner Heather Moraitis
had the pleasure of hosting a citywide Telephone Town Hall meeting in late
October. It didn’t take long for a caller to raise the topic of King Tides. It’s a
I familiar subject that elicits frustration and concern from neighbors at my District
Meetings and when I’m out in the community.
One of the reasons many of us choose to live in Fort Lauderdale is its proximity to
the water. Our exquisite seven miles of shoreline and 300 miles of canal coastline
are as unique as they are spectacular. While the waterways provide countless
blessings, they increase our vulnerability to climate change. As sea levels rise,
residents are faced with more intense and more frequent impacts.

The good news is that the leaders of your community share your concerns and we
are taking steps to address them. As we celebrated how far we had come at our
centennial in 2011, we began to look ahead to the next hundred years. A citywide
visioning initiative revealed overwhelming public support to implement adaptation
strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Heather Moraitis
District I Commissioner The City Commission unanimously adopted a Vision Plan, Fast Forward Fort
Lauderdale, and a five-year Strategic Plan, Press Play Fort Lauderdale, both of which
emphasize climate resilience as a top priority. Determined to turn these plans into
Heather Moraitis
District 1 Commissioner action, Fort Lauderdale adopted a resiliency lens and embraced a holistic
Office of the Mayor perspective to develop sustainable strategies to foster our long-term well-being.
and City Commission
Today, we are building community resilience through numerous initiatives.
City of Fort Lauderdale
To minimize King Tide flooding, we monitor pump stations and inspect and clean
hmoraitis@fortlauderdale.gov
tidal valves, storm drains, and
catch basins. We investigate
reported flooding and send
Melissa Coningsby
District 1 Commission Assistant
information to neighbors to
mconingsby@fortlauderdale.gov
raise awareness about
954-828-5033
potential impacts and
encourage safety
precautions.
We are also utilizing long-
term adaptation strategies to
minimize the threat to
neighbors. We updated our
floodplain ordinance with
higher development
standards to minimize
stormwater runoff and
flooding. Adaptation Action
Areas were incorporated
into the Comprehensive
Plan to prioritize funding for
infrastructure projects to
improve drainage in low-
CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE lying and flood-prone areas
of the City.

10 CORAL RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES HOA