By Editor,Jensen Bird

Copyright dailymail

A peaceful Florida enclave is being torn apart by a proposal to name one of its most picturesque streets after President Donald Trump.

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea locals are protesting the plan to rename the beloved Sea Gape Drive with the additional moniker of President Donald J. Trump Drive.

Cristie Furth, a resident and business owner for 53 years, told the Daily Mail that Sea Grape Drive serves as the main entrance to the town and politicizing its name would alienate visitors and residents alike.

‘We want everybody comes to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea to get away from their daily life their problems the things that bother them,’ she said.

‘We don’t want any political drive. We just want nice names like Sea Grape and Elmar and beautiful non-controversial entrances to our town.’

Furth has gathered a group of community members who are outraged by the possibility. And she’s found that most residents she talks to oppose it, no matter their political affiliation.

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea sits on the Intracoastal Waterway, north of Fort Lauderdale. The population is just 6,000 people and 40% of them are registered Republican.

Though Furth believes President Donald J. Trump Drive will alienate potential visitors, supporters think it will draw them in.

The idea was initially proposed by Broward Republican Chairman Chris Marino who wrote in a letter to the commissioners that adding Trump’s name would be ‘a symbolic landmark that could attract visitors.’

He said that it will ‘show that every voice matters, and to celebrate our community together.’

Mayor Malkoon stated that any ‘boycotts’ done by locals or democratic visitors would probably be easily offset by Trump voters attracted by the new name.

Gary Koenig, who Furth said is a Trump voter himself, lives on the corner of Sea Grape Drive and told the Daily Mail even he thinks the change is a bad idea.

‘This is political in nature and should never be with this commission. We should be unbiased about everything,’ he said.

He has lived in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea since 1987 and says it doesn’t matter who you voted for, the street names should remain unchanged.

He said: ‘I don’t want anybody’s name out there. I like Sea Grape Drive. That’s fine. I’m happy with it.’

Koenig added said he can think of others that have done far more for the town than Trump.

‘My roommate struggled for 20 years to get our sidewalks put on Sea Grape and she finally got them put on after 20 years of badgering this commission,’ he said. ‘Her name should go on there before anybody else.

‘Donald Trump has done nothing for us, give me a break.’

Furth, meanwhile, said she’s called other residents of Sea Grape Drive and they hadn’t even heard about it.

She said: ‘They were all shocked and confused because the town had never sent them a notice which we think is highly highly unusual.’

Mayor Edmund Malkoon told Sun Sentinel that this the most contentious issue that’s come up since he’d been in office.

Some people are excited about it and have taken to social media to show their support.

Lee Ann McNabb wrote: ‘Fantastic idea! As a long term LBTS resident I support this fully!

‘Obama has a street in Broward. Trump is a two term president that was overwhelmingly voted in by the American people. He has a place here in Broward just like Obama does.

‘Not one political party owns the country. Sorry to everyone but he is still your president.’

To McNabb’s point, there are dozens of streets named after presidents in Broward County, where Lauderdale-by-the-Sea resides, but this would be a first for the town itself.

Richard DeNapoli, who was elected to the town’s commission in 2024, sponsored Marino’s idea.

In a statement to the Sun Sentential, he defended the plan: ‘The President hails from Florida and has a lot of supporters in Town, given his very large victories here on the ballot every time he’s run;

‘There is a local nexus in that the local party headquarters has been in Town, at the corner where the sign is requested, for many years; there is a long history in South Florida of recognizing living, incumbent, and former Presidents.’

The turnout at the upcoming commission meeting is expected to be massive as local hash out whether the name change really is what’s best for the town.

Daily Mail reached out to the Republican commissioners and the mayor for comment.