Tamarac Bans Panhandling on Intersections Throughout City

By: Sharon Aron Baron

Residents should be seeing relief from street vendors and panhandlers at major intersections in Tamarac after the City passed a new ordinance.

I first brought this up to the City Commission’s attention back in 2013  as this has been a long standing problem especially around Rock Island/Commercial and University/Commercial intersections.  They agreed as well, but it took well over a year for a comprehensive traffic study to be done before the ordinance was passed.  In the meantime, Coral Springs and Lauderhill passed the same measures making our intersections even worse with solicitors moving to Tamarac.

City Attorney Sam Gorin whose firm drafted the ordinance said, “This ordinance is based on public safety. This is not a ban everywhere…it is locational in nature.“

Nor will this ban be discriminatory, which means that students who are fundraising for their sports teams will no longer be allowed on those corridors as well.

In the report, Captain Neal Glassman said that Commercial Boulevard, McNab Road, Pine Island Road and University Drive were the the most dangerous corridors for solicitors that could affect public safety and the free flow of traffic.

Children and adults asking for money along Commercial Boulevard.

Glassman said that after the ordinance, which was passed in July, vendors and solicitors received warnings, then citations.

“It is clearly so dangerous for the everyone, the driver, the pedestrian….it’s frightening,” said Vice Mayor Pam Bushnell.

Commissioner Gomez said that on last Saturday afternoon, there were teenagers selling M&M’s on University drive. “For the safety and the welfare of everyone, I’m glad this is going through.”

If you see vendors panhandlers on our roadways, you are urged to call BSO non emergency 954-764-4357.