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Commissioner’s Message

ort Lauderdale has always been defined by its water and its weather. As the
“Venice of America,” our beautiful city offers 337 miles of coastline, and our
Fbreezy semi-tropical climate produces sunny skies nearly 250 days per year.

The sun and sea were the impetus for Fort Lauderdale’s early development, and they
remain major drivers of our economy and key factors in our quality of life. For many
decades, people have visited and moved here to enjoy our beaches, fishing, and
water sports. From Spring Break tourism to Port Everglades cruise and cargo, from the
Swimming Hall of Fame to yacht provisioning - it is all possible because of our climate.
Yet as much as climate benefits our city, it now presents one of our greatest
challenges. Today, the City of Fort Lauderdale and the entire South Florida region are
Steven Glassman considered among the most vulnerable areas in the world when it comes to climate
DISTRICT 2 COMMISSIONER change. Climate change is no longer just a global scientific topic of discussion. It is
City of Fort Lauderdale real, local and personal for all of us.
We are proud to be among the nation’s most progressive populations when it comes
to climate resiliency. In our region, City leadership is at the forefront of mitigation
and adaptation activity. Private residents, businesses, organizations, students and
teachers are all getting involved.
Over the last 10 years, Fort Lauderdale created a Sustainability Division, formed a
Sustainability Advisory Board and also incorporated a Green Your Routine program.
“Green Your Routine” helps to educate and assist the neighbors on what could be
done in their neighborhoods regarding topics such as recycling, energy efficiency in
City Hall, 8th Floor and outside the home, and much more.
100 N Andrews Ave
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Another noteworthy commitment to climate change was the creation of the 2035 Vision
for the City of Fort Lauderdale. One of the six parts of our vision statement is “We are
Ready: We are a resilient and safe coastal community.” In addition, every year since
2020, the City Commission has selected resilience as one of its top priorities.
The more resilient we make our beaches, utilities, drainage systems, seawalls,
bridges, roads and homes, the less damage inclement weather and high tides will
inflict on our City. We will reduce our risks and avoid debilitating costs from disaster
response and infrastructure rebuilding. As we make wise, calculated decisions about
our infrastructure, we will be able to effectively manage increased water supply
Office Contact demands by reducing our per capita use and reuse. In addition, improved drainage
Erica Franceschi
District 2 Chief of Staff
Efranceschi@fortlauderdale.gov
954-828-5679

Ashley Cacicedo
District 2 Commission Assistant
acacicedo@fortlauderdale.gov
954-828-5923

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