Cape looks to define fines for watering violations in north Cape
Cape Coral City Council will hold a public hearing Wednesday regarding water management violations within the South Florida Water Management District Water Shortage Plan.
Ordinance 32-25 would amend penalties under the water management district’s water shortage plan to match penalties charged by the city of Cape Coral since 1994.
The “violation of any provision in this article, or a violation of Chapter 21 of the Cape Coral Code of Ordinances, within a consecutive 12-month period” will have the following penalties:
• First violation no fine
• second violation $200 fine
• Third violation $350 fine
• Fourth and subsequent violation $500 fine. The irrigation water customer may also be disconnected and subject to a reconnection fee. In addition, the reconnection of services shall be at the sole discretion of the city manager, or his designee.
The penalties, second, third and fourth and subsequent violations currently are $100, $200 and $400 respectively in the South Florida Water Management District’s water shortage plan, which applies to portions of the north Cape.
The ordinance also states that “each violation of this chapter shall constitute a separate offense. In the initial stages of a water shortage, or water shortage emergency, law enforcement officials may provide violators with no more than one written warning.”
The code compliance division has issued notices for second offense watering violations to commercial properties with each case carrying a fine of $200.
The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 2, in City Council chambers, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd. The meeting is open to the public.
Editor’s note: This story has been edited to clarify that the ordinance applies to properties within the South Florida Water Management District Water Shortage Plan area.
To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY, please email news@breezenewspapers.com