Commission overhauls storm shutter rules - A new law would regulate the length of time Dania Beach residents and business owners can leave storm shutters up

Dania Beach city commissioners moved a step closer last week to limiting how long people can leave their hurricane shutters on their windows.

Commissioners will take a final vote Tuesday on the proposed law. It allows people to leave shutters up for a maximum 30 days at a time -- unless a storm is expected within 36 hours.

"After the hurricane last year, a lot of people put their shutters up and left them up for long, long periods of time," Mayor Patricia Flury said. "On the one hand it does not make for a very nice-looking neighborhood. But more important, there is a danger because in the event of a fire, it prohibits people from getting out."

Commissioner John Bertino echoed the mayor's concern about the risk posed by shutter-enclosed rooms if a fire breaks out.

"They do possess a danger in case there's a fire in a home," Bertino said. "Every once in a great while, you read about a child dying because a bedroom had storm shutters. That's my thinking, from the safety angle."

City Manager Ivan Pato said that while the problem wasn't widespread, some businesses did keep their shutters up and closed for a long time after last year's storms.

"The commission felt strongly we needed to have an ordinance in place to prevent it in the future," Pato said.

Storm shutters kept up indefinitely on businesses could give the neighborhood a neglected look, Commissioner Bob Anton said.

"We don't want businesses boarded up all the time," he said. "It makes the area look blighted."

According to the proposed ordinance, the shutters can be left up for 30 days, but if there is a hurricane during that period, the 30 days starts again, from the time the hurricane watch or warning is lifted.

The rule also would allow people on extended vacations, such as snowbirds, to leave their shutters up more than 30 days as long as no one is living in the home during that time.

Plywood boards cannot be left up more than 30 days, even if the owner is away for that period.

When the city receives a complaint about a business or home in violation of the proposed law, the owners would be required to appear before the city's code enforcement special magistrate and could be fined, City Attorney Tom Ansbro said.