RELATING TO BOATS AND WATERWAYS

Board of County Commissioners · 2026-06-02 · ordinance

This ordinance, File Number 260878, proposed new regulations for overnight anchoring of vessels in Miami-Dade County's incorporated and unincorporated areas. It aimed to create Section 7-40.1 of the Code of Miami-Dade County, Florida, to restrict vessels from anchoring for more than 30 days in any 6-month period between sunset and sunrise, with specific exemptions for governmental entities, construction/dredging vessels on active job sites, and commercial fishing vessels. The ordinance also proposed amending Section 8CC-10 to update the schedule of civil penalties for violations, with penalties ranging from $500 for a first offense to $2,500 for a third or subsequent offense within five years. The matter was introduced on 5/14/2026 and adopted on first reading by the Board of County Commissioners on 6/2/2026. It was scheduled for a public hearing before the Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee on 7/14/2026 but was ultimately withdrawn on that date. The legislative text notes that municipalities may adopt their own stricter regulations. The stated purpose was to address issues like navigational hazards, environmental impacts, and interference with other boaters' use of Biscayne Bay and other waters.