RELATING TO BOATS AND WATERWAYS

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

This legislative item, File Number 260878, proposed an ordinance to create Section 7-40.1 of the Code of Miami-Dade County, Florida, establishing overnight anchoring regulations for vessels in Biscayne Bay and other county waters. The ordinance aimed 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. Enforcement was to be by civil penalty under Chapter 8CC, with penalties ranging from $500 for a first offense to $2,500 for a third or subsequent offense within five years. The ordinance was adopted on first reading by the Board of County Commissioners on June 2, 2026, and was scheduled for a public hearing before the Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee on July 14, 2026. However, the item was ultimately withdrawn by the Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee on July 14, 2026. The legislative text indicates the ordinance was intended to address navigational hazards, environmental impacts, and quality of life concerns arising from prolonged vessel anchoring.