Gazette
Volume 2 • Issue 21 November 4, 2015
Wilton Manors
Twice-Monthly Neighborhood Outlook
Page 2 The Pink Triangle
Page 2 Rental Fee Changes
Page 3 Real Estate Geek
Page 4 New Senior Residences
Page 4 Support For Two-Lane Initiative
Community Business
Wilton Drive Safety Features Installed, More To Come By Michael d’Oliveira In their effort to improve pedestrian safety on Wilton Drive, new pedestrian signage has been installed near Northeast 20 Street and the crosswalk signal in front of city hall has been altered to respond faster when pedestrians bush the button.
The Florida Department of Transportation [FDOT], at the request of the city, will also install a crosswalk at Northeast 20 Street with rectangular flashing beacon signs. When FDOT was working on installing the crosswalk signal now in front of city hall, city officials asked that it be placed at Northeast 20 Street so that it would be more convenient to pedestrians. FDOT denied the request in favor of the current location. Asked why, FDOT officials said they thought the city hall spot would be the best location. Residents and business owners have continually spoken out in favor of moving the crosswalk. FDOT is also conducting a lighting survey of Wilton Drive and the city’s police department is conducting a "Traffic Safety Blitz" along Wilton Drive and Northeast 26 Street to ticket speeders. The speed limit on Wilton Drive is 30 miles per hour. WMG
Photo: Facebook.
Art
Inside Out Art Unveiling WMG Staff As part of the Inside Out art project, 50 blackand-white headshots of residents, business owners and community leaders will be installed on the front of Wilton Manors city hall. The
unveiling will be on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 9 a.m. Inside Out is part of Broward 100, the county’s centennial anniversary celebrations.WMG Photo: Facebook.
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October 21, 2015
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Opinion
Gazette The Pink Triangle Wilton Manors
NOVEMBER 4, 2015 • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 21
By Sal Torre
2520 N. DIXIE HIGHWAY • WILTON MANORS, FL 33305
Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild.
PHONE: 954-530-4970 FAX: 954-530-7943
The Pink Triangle began under the Nazi reign of terror as a badge to identify homosexuals. As homosexuals were rounded up in Germany and later throughout Europe, this pink triangle was stitched on the prison uniform as homosexuals were sent to concentration camps. We all know the fate of millions of Jews, homosexuals, gypsies, and others whom the Third Reich decreed inferior as Nazi forces marched forward with devastating state-sponsored ethnic and moral cleansing. Originally intended as a badge of shame, the Pink Triangle was reclaimed by the LGBT community as an international symbol of gay pride, second only to the Rainbow Flag in popularity. Many in our community would like to see these two very popular symbols of LGBT pride somehow embraced by our city. Thoughts of a triangle and where to proudly display a flag leads me to only one spot along Wilton Drive. This perfect spot, known as the Iberia Bank Triangle, should become a city park dedicated to the LGBT community and its many achievements, accomplishments, and participation in our city’s government, our community, and our future. The triangular plot of land in front of the Iberia Bank has been long sought after by Wilton Manors Development Alliance and by our city, to create a public space at the entranceway to our city. This triangle could become Wilton Manors Pride Park, with the Rainbow flag flying proudly at the triangle-shaped gateway to our Arts & Entertainment District and into our city, a city that embraces diversity and brings together people who have built a wonderful community that looks to the future with open arms. The idea of flying the Rainbow flag along Wilton Drive recently gained momentum when our City Commission unanimously approved a motion put forth by Commissioner Justin Flippen and seconded by Mayor Gary Resnick, instructing our City Manager to identify places on city-owned property, or through public/private partnership, for a permanent display of the Rainbow flag. All agreed that the Rainbow flag should not be placed in front of City Hall with the official flags of our state and country, but rather somewhere along the Wilton Drive corridor. To keep this momentum rolling, I call upon our city and Iberia Bank to come together to make the Iberia Triangle into the Wilton Manors Pride Park Triangle. This unique piece of property has the potential to be transformed into something truly amazing! The small, irregularlyshaped lot with little commercial potential located right at the gateway of our city, at the tip of Five Points, can become Wilton Manors newest park, perhaps one with the greatest purpose. The shape, a triangle, can be highlighted to represent the history of the LGBT movement, the
Community
PUBLISHER • NORM KENT NORM.KENT@SFGN.COM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER • PIER ANGELO GUIDUGLI ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER / EXECUTIVE EDITOR • JASON PARSLEY JASON.PARSLEY@SFGN.COM
Editorial
ART DIRECTOR • BRENDON LIES ARTWORK@SFGN.COM ONLINE PRODUCER • DENNIS JOZEFOWICZ DENNIS.JOZEFOWICZ@SFGN.COM EDITORIAL ASSISTANT • JILLIAN MELERO JILLIANMELERO@GMAIL.COM NEWS EDITOR • MICHAEL D’OLIVEIRA
Correspondents
NATALYA JONES • JOHN MCDONALD • JAMES OAKSUN
Staff Photographers
J.R. DAVIS • POMPANO BILL • STEVEN SHIRES
Rainbow flag flying high and proud at the tip of the triangle welcoming all to our city, and the additional open space used as a setting for major pieces of public art depicting the diversity and strength of our city and our community. This investment by our city, in partnership with the local business community, can serve as a catalyst to bring desired major public art installations to the Drive. The local LGBT community can raise funds to commission a powerful significant work of art to be installed at the new Pride Park Triangle. “Putting the Arts into the Arts & Entertainment District,” has long been a battle cry of many a local organizations and residents who recognize the lack of and the need for works of art installed along Wilton Drive. This project can be the beginning of something wonderful that will benefit our city, our community and our local business community for years to come. The concept of Pride Park Triangle is my own, just an opinion, but one I hope others might embrace, develop, and even improve. There are many other opinions on where the Rainbow flag should be placed, and a lively debate on this issue will definitely take place as we move forward. However, in the end, we must come together, as the Rainbow flag signifies, as one community of many, to make this dream we call Wilton Manors a very special somewhere under the rainbow. And that is why…..life is just better here!! WMG
Residential Rental Fee Goes Up, Alarm System Fee Goes Down
Sales & Marketing
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SALES MANAGER • JUSTIN WYSE JUSTIN.WYSE@SFGN.COM ADVERTISING SALES ASSOCIATE • EDWIN NEIMANN EDWIN.NEIMANN@SFGN.COM ADVERTISING SALES ASSOCIATE • CINDY CURTIS CINDY.CURTIS@SFGN.COM ADVERTISING SALES ASSOCIATE • JIM ALBRIGHT JIM.ALBRIGHT@SFGN.COM ACCOUNTING SERVICES BY CG BOOKKEEPING South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.
Associated Press
Copyright © 2014 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.
By Michael d’Oliveira In a mix of local government action and state-mandated requirements, two city fees are changing: the residential rental fee has been increased from $20 to $50 and the permits for hardwired alarms have decreased from $55 to $40. The fees were altered during the Oct. 27 commission meeting. The state legislature required the decrease in the alarm fees. City staff estimate revenue from the fee will only be decreased by $100 a year.
“This is another example of state intrusion into local government. But it won’t involve an impact to income, so why not?” said Commissioner Tom Green. The residential rental fee, increased because of the city commission, is a yearly fee charged to landlords for every tenant they have. It’s estimated that the increase will raise about $55,000 a year. City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson said the last time the fee was raised was 1995. WMG
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November 4, 2015
Visions of the 2015-16 High Season
Real Estate Geek
By James Oaksun
It's November, we have “turn[ed] back time” (no I won't sing it), and it is another high season in South Florida. And that means increased real estate activity. What market conditions will apply this winter? It is difficult to make statements about pricing in the overall real estate market that apply universally at the neighborhood level. I have compiled proof of that in my Broward's Real Estate Yearbook (online at issuu.com/ JamesOaksun/docs/2015_yearbook). All real estate is hyper-local! Forget cities – even within some neighborhoods, price trends for homes with different characteristics will vary. In the 35 neighborhoods and segments analyzed in my Yearbook, median price changes in the 12 months ending June 30, 2015, ranged from +48 to -49 percent! There are, however, two macro trends applicable everywhere this season, and an economic truism that will govern the market in certain neighborhoods in South Florida. Practically every expert says interest rates will rise in coming months. Holding other things constant, this will depress housing values. Monthly mortgage payments will increase, and the maximum price a person can spend on a home will go down. However, next year is a presidential election year. And looking back in history (with few exceptions), incumbent
politicians strive to get the economy humming along in election years, particularly in presidential years. That pulls real estate prices up. Here in Broward, there are some (but definitely not all) neighborhoods where housing inventory is very low. Further, because prices generally have flattened, sellers have been less eager to list. But I think an opportunity exists for shrewd sellers in the next 30-60 days: Take advantage of low inventory in select neighborhoods and price points and list as soon as possible. When supply is low, and demand starts to increase (as it does every high season), first on the market will get better results. Then, prices increase, more properties get listed, and prices flatten or turn down in some places. That happened in center Wilton Manors last season – the first half was strong and the second half weaker. It is impossible to say without very specialized knowledge how certain neighborhoods could perform compared with the overall market. Whether you are buying, selling or investing, only an absolute local market expert can do that. Choose carefully. WMG James Oaksun, Broward's Real Estate GeekSM, is a Realtor with the Wilton Manors office of RE/MAX Preferred. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a graduate of the Realtors Institute (GRI).
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Photo: Facebook.
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Community
Business
Majority of BID Board Supports Two-Lane Initiative
By Michael d’Oliveira
Wilton Drive’s new Business Improvement District [BID] board hasn’t made any decisions yet on how to allocate funds. But the majority of board members support the Two-Lane Initiative – reducing Wilton Drive from four lanes to two and making it similar to Las Olas Boulevard. In the past, the city commission has rejected calls to take over Wilton Drive from the state and alter it because of the estimated cost to the city. If the number of lanes were reduced, possible changes include angled parking on each side of the road as well and landscaping and pedestrian improvements. Past estimates by FDOT put the cost of resurfacing Wilton Drive at about $500,000 every 10 to 15 years. Maintaining the street would cost about $75,000 to $85,000 per year. But now, with the BID estimated to bring in $100,000 per year over its 10-year lifespan, it’s possible that the city could allocate those funds to make the Two-Lane Initiative a reality. The BID generates money by levying additional taxes on property owners along Wilton Drive. The majority of property owners approved the extra millage and the money can only be spent to benefit Wilton Drive. Commissioners would have final approval over how BID funds are spent. “My dream would be to have it down to two lanes but it would really be up to the board,” said board chair Doug Blevins. It will be a while though until funding is available. Property owners on Wilton Drive won’t be assessed until 2016. “We have a long way to go before the BID has any effect on Wilton Drive,” said Greg Phelps, coowner of Village Pub. “My first goal is public safety – one of the many reasons I support [the Two-Lane Initiative],” he added. “There’s too many pedestrian
incidents resulting from traffic and there are clearly not enough crosswalks.” Robert Katz, board member and owner of Shades of the Past on Wilton Drive, said his biggest reason to support the Two-Lane Initiative is to create more parking. “Parking’s very limited for us. It’s a problem. I also think slowing the traffic down is important,” said Katz. “I’m hoping the board can bring this to fruition and push the commission to do it,” said board member Paul Hugo, owner of The Manor on Wilton Drive. “Right now, Wilton Drive is like a highway. We want to make it like Las Olas,” said Hugo, who envisions more outdoor cafes. “[Wilton Drive] is not friendly. It’s uninviting.” Asked how the city could keep funding Wilton Drive after the BID expires, Hugo said reducing the street to two lanes would attract more people to the city and help businesses which in turn would provide a larger tax base for the city and more revenue. But Blevins and other board members said they will also explore other ideas for Wilton Drive, including marketing campaigns, public/private partnerships and the possible development of a hotel. Blevins sees the BID as similar to Main Street, later renamed the Wilton Manors Development Alliance, an organization founded to support the cultural and commercial development of Wilton Drive. The BID is an opportunity, said Blevins, to form public/private partnerships and raise funds in addition to what’s generated through taxes. “In some ways [it is Main Street] but on a much bigger scale.” Board members Danny Scarfone, owner of Scarfone’s on Wilton Drive, James Govin and Daniel Keester, BID vice chair, declined to comment. WMG
In the past, the city commission has rejected calls to take over Wilton Drive from the state and alter it because of the estimated cost to the city.
Senior Residences Planned For Equality Park By Michael d’Oliveira
The Pride Center at Equality Park already offers services to seniors. Now, executives there want to offer seniors a place to live. Pride Center wants to build a five-story mixed-use residential and retail development on its property along Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. If approved, there would be 12,346 square feet of retail space and 130 affordable housing units. Heidi Siegel, formerly the director of the city’s Community Development Services Department, spoke on behalf of the Pride Center at the Oct. 27 commission meeting. Siegel said she was “very proud” to bring the project to commissioners for support. The Pride Center is applying for affordable housing credits from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation and asked for a
demonstration of support from the city. The commission unanimously backed the project’s concept but the actual development will still have to go through the normal city approvals before it can be built. “Three years ago, Commissioner Tom Green brought this to me. The only questions has always been where [do we put it?],” said Siegel. She called the project a feather in the city’s cap. One that would allow the Pride Center to expand services for seniors. Siegel added that housing would be open to LGBT and non-LGBT seniors. Green said the Pride Center is the most logical location for senior housing because seniors won’t have to worry about transportation to take advantage of the services offered.
Government
Wilton Manors Hires New Assistant City Manager By Michael d’Oliveira Pamela Landi has been hired as Wilton Manors’ new assistant city manager. Landi was chosen to replace Leigh Ann Henderson who replaced Joe Gallegos as city manager when he retired on Oct. 1. Landi, who has a bachelors in political science from Florida Atlantic University, previously worked for FAU as assistant vice president for university relations and for Broward County in the intergovernmental relations office. She also worked for late Congressman E. Clay Shaw as a liaison with cities on issues such as energy, beach and Everglades restoration. “I just hope to be contributing for many years,” said Landi. WMG
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