Outdoor Markets Illegal in Fort Lauderdale (Sunrise, Daytona Beach: spring break, sales, leasing)

[HotandHumid]

The reason you don't see outdoor farmer's markets, city sponsored park yard sales and antique markets like you see in Wilton Manors, Oakland Park and in South Beach is that outdoor markets are illegal in Fort Lauderdale.
I used to volunteer helping to run the Bizarre Bizarre Market at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center when it was located north of Sunrise Boulevard on Andrews Ave. I had moved here from South Beach and was informed that the market had been going on twice a month for years to help raise funds for the Center and encourage people to join as members as you could get a discount on your booth space at each market if you were a member of the Center.
Without any notice, officials from the City of Fort Lauderdale came in and said someone had reported the market to the City and since outdoor markets were and are illegal in Fort Lauderdale according to City officials, the City shut it down.
The City told us we couldn't run the market without a permit and then we were told when we went to apply for a permit that we couldn't have one as the City didn't allow outside selling in Fort Lauderdale, although there were outdoor booths at the Las Olas Riverfront and it seems you could have an outside sale at a church but not regularly, and of course, people have yard and garage sales all the time.
After several meetings with the City and after several articles appeared in local papers about the actions of the City, the City decided we could have the market but only once a month and that we'd have to re-apply for a permit every three months but we were told we were the exception to the rule.
Farmer's markets and antique\collectible markets have opened up all around the country because it provides an opportunity for someone to start a small business without the overhead of leasing a store and going through all the expenditures for the fixtures, etc. Many people who are trying to make ends meet sell at these markets. There's lots of retirees on fixed incomes selling at outdoor markets, along with young people just out of college with student loans to repay who often can't find a good paying job where they can get full time hours as many corporate retailers only hire part-time workers.
I think it would be nice to see open air markets in the empty lots around Fort Lauderdale rather than empty lots full of weeds which you see just north of downtown Fort Lauderdale.
It seem to me from what I've noticed these past few years here, that the City government in Fort Lauderdale caters to the wealthy and I was wondering if anyone else has noticed how the City seems to ignore doing anything for the middle class or working poor anymore which seems to have started more or less when it ran Spring Break out of Fort Lauderdale which a lot of businesses used to make money from, to make way for the tearing down of the small mom and pop motels and hotels that used to make their money when their rooms were packed full during Spring Break. Fort Lauderdale Beach used to be lined with those smaller places but I guess they couldn't afford to stay in business without Spring Break so they had to sell to wealthy developers who built those gigantic highrise hotels and condos that have put blank walls of steel and glass at street level where people friendly outdoor bars, restaurants and cafes used to be in front of the small motels and hotels that are now almost all gone.
I think Fort Lauderdale officials should take at trip to South Beach and see for themselves that you can have development on a human scale that attracts everyone, not just the wealthy who don't seem to be spending much money in the areas where they own in downtown Fort Lauderdale since most of downtown has gone downhill since all those highrises were built that were supposed to help revive the area, according to City officials, but everything has been closing down except along the business district of Las Olas.

[perry335654]

Originally Posted by HotandHumid

The reason you don't see outdoor farmer's markets, city sponsored park yard sales and antique markets like you see in Wilton Manors, Oakland Park and in South Beach is that outdoor markets are illegal in Fort Lauderdale.
I used to volunteer helping to run the Bizarre Bizarre Market at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center when it was located north of Sunrise Boulevard on Andrews Ave. I had moved here from South Beach and was informed that the market had been going on twice a month for years to help raise funds for the Center and encourage people to join as members as you could get a discount on your booth space at each market if you were a member of the Center.
Without any notice, officials from the City of Fort Lauderdale came in and said someone had reported the market to the City and since outdoor markets were and are illegal in Fort Lauderdale according to City officials, the City shut it down.
The City told us we couldn't run the market without a permit and then we were told when we went to apply for a permit that we couldn't have one as the City didn't allow outside selling in Fort Lauderdale, although there were outdoor booths at the Las Olas Riverfront and it seems you could have an outside sale at a church but not regularly, and of course, people have yard and garage sales all the time.
After several meetings with the City and after several articles appeared in local papers about the actions of the City, the City decided we could have the market but only once a month and that we'd have to re-apply for a permit every three months but we were told we were the exception to the rule.
Farmer's markets and antique\collectible markets have opened up all around the country because it provides an opportunity for someone to start a small business without the overhead of leasing a store and going through all the expenditures for the fixtures, etc. Many people who are trying to make ends meet sell at these markets. There's lots of retirees on fixed incomes selling at outdoor markets, along with young people just out of college with student loans to repay who often can't find a good paying job where they can get full time hours as many corporate retailers only hire part-time workers.
I think it would be nice to see open air markets in the empty lots around Fort Lauderdale rather than empty lots full of weeds which you see just north of downtown Fort Lauderdale.
It seem to me from what I've noticed these past few years here, that the City government in Fort Lauderdale caters to the wealthy and I was wondering if anyone else has noticed how the City seems to ignore doing anything for the middle class or working poor anymore which seems to have started more or less when it ran Spring Break out of Fort Lauderdale which a lot of businesses used to make money from, to make way for the tearing down of the small mom and pop motels and hotels that used to make their money when their rooms were packed full during Spring Break. Fort Lauderdale Beach used to be lined with those smaller places but I guess they couldn't afford to stay in business without Spring Break so they had to sell to wealthy developers who built those gigantic highrise hotels and condos that have put blank walls of steel and glass at street level where people friendly outdoor bars, restaurants and cafes used to be in front of the small motels and hotels that are now almost all gone.
I think Fort Lauderdale officials should take at trip to South Beach and see for themselves that you can have development on a human scale that attracts everyone, not just the wealthy who don't seem to be spending much money in the areas where they own in downtown Fort Lauderdale since most of downtown has gone downhill since all those highrises were built that were supposed to help revive the area, according to City officials, but everything has been closing down except along the business district of Las Olas.

Hey you need to get your facts straight before you relay them, they got rid of Spring Break for a very good reason, kids were tearing up the place, that may bode well in Daytona Beach but not Fort Lauderdale, this is old news and for the fact I am not from Fort Lauderdale and knew of this. Fort Lauderdale is Fort Lauderdale because it is Fort Lauderdale same way with Coral Gables, go figure that statement out for yourself. Your threads are a waste of bandwidth.

[obuma]

Yes, but has it really improved since they got rid of spring break..i would say no,they have made fort lauderdale beach very sterile over the years,also that horrible beach place is a glitz on the community,there are no reasonably priced hotels for budget traveller's,most europeans visit once then never again....

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by obuma

Yes, but has it really improved since they got rid of spring break..i would say no,they have made fort lauderdale beach very sterile over the years,also that horrible beach place is a glitz on the community,there are no reasonably priced hotels for budget traveller's,most europeans visit once then never again....

Yes the beach is much better now that there is no spring break nonsense in Fort Lauderdale. Beach Place is not nice but the beach in general is nice and very busy with people who come here to spend way more money than college kids. PLUS they don't tear up the town. I am sure if you really think about it you would realize that having upscale tourists is much better for a tourist city than college kids with little money to spend.