City domestic partnership registry tops council agenda
Facing a very light agenda, Cape Coral City Council is expected to discuss at the final public hearing Monday night an ordinance establishing a domestic partnership registry in Cape Coral.
The registry is in response to a significant number of residents who maintain important personal, emotional and economic relationships with persons to whom they are not married under Florida Law. These individuals may be denied certain rights afforded to traditional married spouses.
The latest Census figures available indicate that more than 12 percent of Americans live in a domestic relationship and that employers have begun to offer domestic partner benefits to their employees.
The rights domestic partners are seeking through the registry include sharing in medical decisions, hospital and correctional facility visitation rights, and funeral arrangement decisions among others.
Those registered in Cape Coral would be afforded reciprocal acceptance in other cities and counties maintaining registries.
As yet, neither Fort Myers nor Lee County have drawn up registry legislation, but may be persuaded to do so in the near future.
Other agenda items
Wicked Dolphin Distillery is requesting a tourist destination traffic sign be installed on Nicholas Parkway at Southwest 2nd Street to direct the public to its business location.
A resolution is being introduced to council Monday for a ruling upholding or overturning a Board of Zoning Adjustment and Appeals application denying a boat canopy hight deviation request of four feet for a residence on Southwest 53rd Terrace. Council will set a public hearing on the matter for the Nov. 17 meeting when a final vote will be taken.
Monday’s meeting is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.