Author: Jamie Boyd

The SIHA board would like to thank everyone who paid their dues this year — all 156 members!

We’d also like to send a special shout out to those “Super Supporters” who donated beyond the basic dues amount, as well as neighbors who recently contributed to the Guard House Fund, which now allows us to offer drinks, snacks and a clean break area to law enforcement officers. Please see the special Thank You message below for details.

The city of Fort Lauderdale’s Neighbor Leadership Academy educates neighbors about city functions and equips them with skills to become effective leaders. Workshops will be held on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. at George English Park from Oct. 15 through November 19.

Apply at fortlauderdale.gov/nla.

Fort Lauderdale residents are invited to attend the State of the City address by Mayor Dean Trantalis on Monday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m. at The Parker, 707 NE 8th Street.

The public is invited to a meeting to discuss proposed changes to the city’s mixed-use zoning standards on Thursday, August 28, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Development Services Department, 700 NW 19th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. 

Check out the flyer and detailed presentation below for more details or visit www.fortlauderdale.gov/mixeduse.   

As summer travel days approach, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department is reminding residents that it’s always a good time to make sure your home is secure. Click on the link below to see if you’re following their recommendations to protect you and your property.

https://www.flpd.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/1477/635780753670430000

The City of Fort Lauderdale is writing new regulations for mixed-use zoning standards — changes that could affect the look and feel of development around the Galleria Mall, outside our neighborhood, and beyond.

The city has already held several public meetings, but there is still time to learn more and make your opinions heard. To watch a presentation about the city’s process and plans, as well as to respond to a community survey, please visit:

https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/government/departments-a-h/development-services/urban-design-and-planning/planning-initiatives/mixed-use

The upcoming changes are, in part, in anticipation of new applications for residential units along mixed use corridors in the wake of the state’s new Live Local Act. The Live Local Act encourages developers to build new affordable housing units in certain commercial, industrial and mixed-use zones.

The city has stated that, “The intent is to establish form-based regulations that address building and streetscape design standards, as well as transition to adjacent neighborhoods, based on the context of each area. ” 

After a coyote was spotted in the neighborhood twice this week, officials are asking residents to avoid putting out cat food and to secure any garbage or fallen tree fruit that might attract the animal.

Coyotes are generally NOT a threat to people and are usually easily scared off.

The curious critter was caught on security camera on Middle River Drive two nights in a row. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been notified.

To watch the video, click here:

https://www.sunriseintracoastal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Video.mov

To report any illegal feeding of wildlife, call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

 What should you do to keep you and your pets safe? Read the FWC’s FAQ below:

Are coyotes dangerous?

Coyotes are generally not a threat to people and are usually easily scared off. Killing and removing coyotes from a community can open a space for another coyote to move in. Coyotes are highly organized in their social structure and removing one or two individuals can disrupt that hierarchy and cause more young to be born at a faster rate. Coyotes can also benefit the ecosystem by providing natural, effortless pest and rodent control.

How do I keep my family and pets safe?

 To reduce your chances of a negative encounter, we recommend the following: 

Step 1 – Secure Attractants: 

Secure all attractants, also known as human related food sources, (pet food, garbage, bird seed, fallen fruit, etc.) as this is commonly what brings coyotes to the area.  

Keep in mind that feeding coyotes, raccoons, foxes, bears, alligators, pelicans, and sandhill cranes is illegal per Rule 68A-4.001 General Prohibitions. If you believe someone is feeding coyotes, you may report it to the Wildlife Alert Hotline (888) 404-3922. 

Unsure what is attracting a coyote to your property? Please refer to our Wildlife Attractant Scorecard to help determine what attractants are in your area.  

Domestic animals (pets and livestock): 

Pets are best protected when they are accompanied by their owner even in a fenced yard, kept inside, and walked on short (6 foot) leashes. Printable brochures are available in English or Spanish. A “catio” is an option for providing some protection to small pets while allowing them limited access to outdoors.  

Appropriate livestock enclosures should have 4 walls and a roof to prevent wildlife access. Electric fence can add extra support and security to your enclosure. Coyote rollers can prevent fenced yard access. Consistent and persistent use overnight and when you are unavailable to provide oversite for free-ranging livestock provides the best protection for your pets and livestock investment.  

Step 2 – Hazing: 

Reinforce the coyotes fear of humans with sudden loud noises and threatening gestures: 

• yelling, deploying air horns, banging pots and pans, aluminum cans filled with nuts, stones, or coins 
• spray with a water hose, slingshot, paintball gun, to deter coyotes 
• installing motion activated deterrents in your yard: alarms or sprinkler styles work well. 

Find here a video of staff scaring a coyote off a golf course. 

What are my legal options if the animal is a nuisance?

Removal options are available if the coyote(s) exhibits nuisance behaviors as defined in our nuisance rules. Presence is not an indicator that the coyote is a nuisance, and non-lethal options as listed above are recommended before exploring lethal or trapping options. The nuisance rule defines nuisance behavior as: 

• causes (or is about to cause) property damage, 
• presents a threat to public safety, or 
• causes an annoyance within, under or upon a building. 

If an individual coyote or coyotes exhibit nuisance behavior, they can be: 

• trapped and released on the same property 
• trapped and relocated: 
• within the county of capture and a minimum of 40 contiguous acres, and 
• the releaser has written permission from the owner of the release site, and 
• the transportation of the wildlife does not violate any rabies alert or area quarantine issued by a county health department or county animal services 
• lethally removed if a firearm discharge is allowed in your community. Check with your local law enforcement.  

Keep in mind coyotes are difficult to trap with multiple coyotes adding to that difficulty. Following through on securing attractants and hazing are necessary if removal efforts fail and/or new coyotes fill in the void left by the removed coyotes. 

If you need assistance with trapping or lethal removal, you may use our webpage as a starting point to hire a nuisance wildlife control operator. This is not an endorsement of their services but a convenience to our citizens.   

Where do I go for more information?

If you are looking for more information, please refer to this video of our staff presenting our Living With Coyotes presentation for Broward County. Although there are local references for Broward County residents, the information in the video can be applied for all coyotes throughout Florida.   

Also see the brochures below.

SIHA members, did you know you can request that security patrol check your property while you’re out of town?

Just fill out our form online five days in advance so it can be scheduled. Go to the “Members” section of this website, enter your SIHA password and click on “Vacation Security Form” under Important Documents.

Happy Travels!

Join your neighbors for a day of volunteering Saturday, April 26. Choose from thirty-seven different projects and locations, ranging from local street clean-ups to events that support literary and the arts. For more info, call 965-828-5568.