LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida man got to work cleaning up the beach in his town this weekend, despite warnings from officials that he’s breaking the law because of the way he is promoting beach cleanups.
7News cameras captured Garrett Nathan picking up trash from the sand in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Saturday.
“All that [trash] is from a half mile walk between A1A and the bridge for the Intracoastal [Waterway],” he said in cellphone video he recorded.
Nathan set up an organization, and he has been spreading the word of his beach cleanups.
“We’re doing our great town sweep. I’m right here behind the Intracoastal bridge,” he said.
For Saturday’s cleanup. Nathan used flyers to promote it.
“Apparently, it’s caused a little bit of an issue,” he said.
Even though the town has plenty of baskets pointing out where people can dispose of trash, town officials said Nathan’s flyers turned his personal community service project into an event, which in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea requires a permit.
Nathan said he now faces a steep fine for each day he used the flyer to publicize the event.
“A $500-a-day fine for every day I continue to advertise and organize the beach cleanup,” he said.
City officials said requiring permits for the event is a way to protect marine life like sea turtles, who nest in the sand.
In a statement, town spokesperson Aimee Adler Cooke wrote, “Our town is such a leader when it comes to environmental consciousness … we are hopeful Mr. Nathan will change his mind and decide to follow our event permit process so he can host his event in a safe and respectful manner.”
Nathan was out on the sand on Saturday, one man on a mission to beautify his community.
“I don’t know that anybody else really looks at this particular piece of land over here, but I like to make sure that I keep it clean,” he said.
Town officials sent Nathan a letter reminding him to get the event permit.
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