COLD FRONT SHOULD COOL US BACK ON TUESDAY. JENISE?
>> BETTY, THANK YOU.
ABANDONED BOATS AND LONG TIME
LIVE ABOARD AT RISK VESSELS
ARE A BIG PROBLEM HERE IN
SOUTH FLORIDA, ESPECIALLY IN
HOLLYWOOD.
>> ONE LAKE IS SO CHOKED WITH
THESE DERELICT VESSELS, IT’S
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO NAVIGATE.
BUT NOW A NEW LAW MAY CHANGE
THE GAME.
HERE’S TONIGHT’S DON’T TRASH
OUR TREASURE.
>> IT’S ONLY GOTTEN WORSE.
15 YEARS AGO, THERE MIGHT HAVE
BEEN FIVE OR SIX BOATS OUT
HERE DURING THE WINTER.
THERE’S ABOUT 38 BOATS OUT
HERE NOW TODAY.
>> HOLLYWOOD RESIDENT TERRY
CANTRELL HAS HAD ENOUGH.
>> THIS IS A LAKE THAT WE USE
FOR RECREATION.
CAN YOU RE-CREATE IN THIS LAKE
RIGHT NOW?
NO, YOU OBVIOUSLY CAN’T.
>> IT’S BEEN 16 YEARS SINCE
THE STATE OF FLORIDA PASSED A
LAW BASICALLY BANNING LOCAL
MUNICIPALITIES LIKE HOLLYWOOD
FROM BEING ABLE TO ENFORCE HOW
LONG A BOAT CAN STAY ANCHORED
IN A LOCAL WATERWAY.
THE RESULT HAS TURNED THIS
ONCE BEAUTIFUL LAKE INTO AN
EYESORE.
>> IT’S A VESSEL THAT’S BEEN
DOCKED HERE FOR WEEKS, MAYBE
MONTHS, SOMETIMES EVEN YEARS.
>> BASICALLY A SQUATTER ON THE
WATER THEN.
>> SQUATTER ON THE WATER,
EXACTLY.
>> ABANDONED VESSELS, DECREPT,
DERELICT BOATS.
LAST DECEMBER, A FIRE BROKE
OUT HERE SENDING ONE MAN TO
THE HOSPITAL AND THE CHARRED
REMAINS OF 2 OF 4 BOATS THAT
WERE TIED TOGETHER INTO THE
WATERWAY.
>> CAN’T TIE FOUR BOATS UP.
IT’S JUST UNSAFE FOR YOU AND
OTHER PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
>> RESIDENTS WHO RECREATE HERE
SAY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON
BOARD THESE BOATS ARE DUMPING
THEIR GARBAGE IN THE WATER AND
WORSE.
>> THESE PEOPLE THAT LIVE
HERE, THEY’RE DUMPING THEIR
SEWAGE INTO THE WATER.
GOING BY CERTAIN BOATS HERE,
I’VE SMELLED IT.
>> THE PROBLEM EXTENDS UP TO
LOGGERHEAD PARK, DOWN TO SOUTH
LAKE.
>> THIS VESSEL HERE HAS BEEN
HERE FOR 4-5 YEARS EASILY.
>> THERE’S SOME UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES.
THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
WERE BOATERS DECIDING TO MAKE
THIS A PERMANENT HOME.
>> EVER SINCE SHE WAS ELECTED,
SHE’S MADE IT HER MISSION TO
TRY TO CLEAN UP THE WATERWAYS.
>> IT WAS A BIG DEAL.
OUR ENTIRE CITY COMMISSION WAS
UNITED ON THIS.
>> IN DECEMBER, BROWARD COUNTY
SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED THE STATE
TO PASS A NEW LAW THAT GIVES
COUNTIES THE RIGHT TO
ESTABLISH THEIR OWN ANCHORING
LIMITS.
FROM NOW ON, BOATERS WON’T BE
ABLE TO ANCHOR THEIR VESSELS
IN HOLLYWOOD FOR MORE THAN 45
DAYS WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
>> IT DOESN’T SOUND LIKE A
LOT, BUT WE’RE HOPEFUL THIS
WILL REALLY GIVE THE POLICE A
TOOL TO HELP KEEP THINGS
MOVING.
>> BOATERS WHO OVERSTAY THEIR
WELCOME WILL RECEIVE A
CITATION.
REPEAT OFFENDERS CAN HAVE
THEIR BOATS TOWED AND
IMPOUNDED WITHIN 12 HOURS.
AND THOSE WITH MULTIPLE
VIOLATIONS WILL HAVE THEIR
BOATS PERMANENTLY REMOVED AND
DESTROYED.
BOAT U.S. HELPED LOBBY FOR THE
LEGISLATION THAT STILL
PROTECTS RESPONSIBLE BOATERS
WHO WANT TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE
INTERCOASTAL.
>> WHERE IT’S A CHALLENGE IS
WE’VE GOT BOATS THERE THAT
REALLY AREN’T BOATING ANYMORE.
THEY’RE DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
>> BROWARD IS TESTING THE NEW
LAW, FOR NOW ONLY IN
HOLLYWOOD.
>> WE KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE UP
AND DOWN THE WATERWAYS.
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THIS
WHOLE PROJECT OF ALL OF THIS.
SO WE’RE WATCHING AS IT
DEVELOPS.
>> IF IT WORKS, OTHER BROWARD
CITIES WILL BE NEXT.
ENFORCEMENT WILL BEGIN ONCE
FWC PUTS UP SIGNAGE WARNING
BOATERS THEIR DAYS OF
SQUATTING HERE ARE NUMBERED.
>> THERE’S A LIMIT TO THAT.
AND THERE’S 45 DAYS AND YOU
HAVE TO GIVE OTHER PEOPLE A
CHANCE.
>> CANTRELL CAN’T WAIT TO HAVE
HIS LAKE BACK.
>> WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
IS A MINIMAL NUMBER OF BOATS
HERE AND RETURN THIS LAKE TO
WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, A
RECREATIONAL LAKE FOR THE
RESIDENTS OF BROWARD COUNTY.
>> OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS,
HOLLYWOOD POLICE HAS REMOVED
29 DERELICT VESSELS FROM LAKES
AND INTERCOASTAL.
THIS IS VERY COSTLY TO THE
CITY, UPWARDS OF $5,000 PER
VESSEL AND THERE’S A LOT OF
RED TAPE INVOLVED.
NOT JUST A BIG PROBLEM IN
HOLLYWOOD, BUT ALL ACROSS OUR
STATE.
WE’VE TOLD THIS STORY BEFORE
FROM THE MIAMI BEACH
PERSPECTIVE, CITY OF MIAMI
PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO ALL THE
WAY DOWN TO THE KEYS.
MIAMI-DADE WITH A BIG PROBLEM
WITH DERELICT VESSELS.
>> THEY’RE SORT OF TESTING
THIS OUT IN HOLLYWOOD RIGHT
NOW.
>> POMPANO’S NEXT.
POMPANO, YOU’RE UP IF IT WORKS
IN HOLLYWOOD.
ALL THE POLLUTANTS SUING INTO
THE BOAT, NOT JUST SEWAGE BUT