BOCC Approves Changes to School Zone Speed Limits and Enforcement

BRADENTON — During a BOCC meeting on Tuesday, commissioners unanimously voted to amend provisions of a previously adopted ordinance, adjusting the hours of operation and automated ticketing actions of speed cameras in county-designated school zones. The board also voted to create uniform school zone speed limits of 20 mph. 

In April 2023, the Florida Legislature passed Florida House Bill 657 which authorized local governments across the state to enforce speed limits in school zones through the use of speed detection cameras and citation systems.

Drivers traveling more than 10 miles per hour over the posted school zone speed limit during designated school speed hours would receive a $100 ticket by mail.

In Feb. 2024, the then-BOCC voted to approve the installation of school zone speed cameras throughout the county. In the same vote, commissioners also approved a vendor agreement with RedSpeed, the company that would furnish, install, and maintain the speed detection systems.

The speed detection systems began issuing $100 citations to speed violators 30 days after the board’s approval.

However, during a BOCC meeting in Jan., Commissioner Bob McCann added an item to the agenda to propose commissioners consider approving uniform school zone speed limits across the county.

According to McCann, some citizens were confused by the inconsistency of some area school zones having a maximum speed of 15 mph, while others had a maximum of 20 mph. McCann shared that he had heard from constituents who felt they were unfairly cited for speeding in zones that they understood to be 20 mph when they didn’t realize that certain school zones were the lesser 15 mph requirement.

At the time of raising the discussion, McCann proposed all area school zones should be the same 20 mph maximum.

While no action was taken during the meeting last month, McCann's raising the discussion led to Commissioner Tal Siddique’s concern about the lack of consistency with the posted speed limits. But Siddique had another concern about the cameras and citations. He had received plentiful correspondence from citizens who, like those McCann had heard from, were unhappy with the speed enforcement devices and questioned their fairness.

According to Siddique, another complaint he heard from his constituents was that the cameras were issuing citations for speeding violations that were alleged to have occurred outside of the posted school zone speed limit hours—the designated times when the yellow school zone traffic lights were flashing.

Referring to the speed detection devices as a “cash grab,” Siddique then asked McCann if he would consider expanding the motion he proposed for uniform school zone speed limits to also include a measure to address when the devices were in operation and issuing citations to violators.

Commissioner Amanda Ballard offered that she, too, had been hearing from citizens that they had received tickets due to the devices violating them outside of school zone speed hours—when the traffic lights, signifying the decreased speed, were not actively flashing.

“My understanding,” said Ballard at the time, “was that when the board agreed to it, was that the enforcement was only going to be during the beginning of the school day and then again when school let out. I’ve been hearing from citizens that this is not what is happening. People are being ticketed during the day.”

Commissioners George Kruse and Jason Bearden confirmed that it was their understanding as well that the devices were only enforcing the decreased school speed limits during morning school start hours and afternoon release hours—but not all day while schools were in session.

McCann then shared that he had heard from a resident who alleged they received a post-mailed ticket issued by the devices for a violation that occurred at 10 p.m.

The January meeting discussion about the school zone speed detection devices concluded with commissioners voting 7-0 to direct county staff to review the previously adopted ordinance and existing state requirements to bring back to the board for potential future action to adjust the times at which the devices would be active.

Staff returned Tuesday as directed, and two items were placed on this week’s agenda. One was for the approval of amended RedSpeed school zone enforcement hours, and the other was to discuss McCann’s proposed uniform school speed zone limits.

While presenting the item concerning enforcement times, Deputy County Administrator Courtney De Pol told commissioners that HB 657 did require local governments to enforce school speed limits by camera detection devices. The language in the measure also gave local governments leeway as to what times the devices would issue citations during the school day.

De Pol explained that HB 657 allowed local authorities to dictate when the devices would enforce posted speed limits—decreased speed during school zone hours at the beginning and end of school and/or regularly posted speed limits during non-school zone hours.

De Pol told commissioners that the devices were set to issue devices at any time when schools were in session, both during decreased school zone speed hours and in between those times when regularly posted speeds were in effect.

De Pol also stated that, to her knowledge, no citizens should have received any citations for speeding violations that had occurred during any time that schools were not in session.

Given the board’s discussion from the previous meeting in Jan., De Pol suggested the board approve a motion that would amend—or change—those enforcement times to only occur within the 30 minutes before through 30 minutes after the start and end of the school day.

Despite De Pol’s reassurances as to when the citations were being issued, during public comment on the item, at least two citizens alleged they knew of citizens who had received citations at times when schools were not even in session.

A representative of RedSpeed was also present during Tuesday’s meeting and spoke from the chamber podium to address some of the concerns about the devices.

“I would like to address one of the specific concerns that I am very confident is not happening about the nights and weekends,” began the representative of RedSpeed. “Those will absolutely be refunded, and we will make a charitable contribution to that constituent’s favorite charity in addition to a refund if that occurred.”

The representative added that all citations issued by the RedSpeed devices are reviewed by at least two RedSpeed staff as well as a sworn deputy.

“We are not aware of that happening anywhere,” the representative stressed.

After staff presentation, board deliberation, and public comments, the measure to amend enforcement times was passed unanimously by commissioners.