Fort Lauderdale Bicycle Sharing Facilities

This rule seeks to: (1)Support a bicycle-sharing program in order to offer residents and visitors of the city the ability to use rented bicycles as an alternative form of short-term transportation.(2)Support the provision of an important amenity and means of transportation for city residents, workers and visitors, and help bring visitors to the city, displace car traffic, take pressure off the city’s parking needs and improve public health by providing opportunities for exercise.(3)Help the city meet its goals of reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.(4)Enable the success of city-supported bicycle-sharing program facilities by permitting bicycle-sharing facilities to be placed at optimal locations throughout the urban environment that prioritize visibility, location desirability and convenience, among other considerations.(5)Recognize the lack of sufficient public or private open space at optimal locations and permit at certain locations placement of facilities of a city-sponsored bicycle-sharing program within the city right-of-way and on other city owned land.(6)Provide for the placement of bicycle-sharing facilities in the right-of-way and city owned property through the granting of a bicycle-sharing facility permit and a permit and license agreement.(7)In order to fund a high quality city-supported program with the features the city desires, the program allows limited advertising for sponsors on city-supported bicycle-sharing facility stations and bicycles located in the right-of-way and on city owned property.(b)The city commission finds that the display of signs consistent with this division on city-supported bicycle-sharing facility stations and bicycles in the right-of-way and on city owned property will not cause aesthetic blight or traffic hazards of the sort unacceptable to the city. Rather, when included as part of the overall program, such signs will further the city’s substantial governmental interests set forth in section 27-250 by:(1)Allowing the city to select and control the location and appearance of the station and signs;(2)Identifying the station as part of the city-supported bicycle-sharing program;(3)Providing necessary directions and instructions for using the bicycle-sharing program;(4)Allowing for attractive, well-maintained public bicycle facilities;(5)Providing information about sponsors of the program thereby defraying the cost of offering the program to the public;(6)Offering an environmentally beneficial transportation option that relieves vehicular congestion and reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions;(7)Improving public health by providing opportunities for recreation and exercise; and(8)The city commission further finds that signs mounted on the bicycles and bicycle-sharing station used in the city-support bicycle-sharing program are incidental to the primary use of the bicycles as vehicles.