RELATING TO BOATS AND WATERWAYS

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

Miami-Dade County File Number 260878, an ordinance relating to boats and waterways, was withdrawn. The ordinance proposed creating Section 7-40.1 of the Code of Miami-Dade County to adopt overnight anchoring regulations, providing exemptions for governmental, construction/dredging, and commercial fishing vessels. It also proposed amending Section 8CC-10 to update civil penalties for violations. The proposed regulations would prohibit vessels from anchoring for more than 30 days in any 6-month period between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise, with specific exemptions. Enforcement was to be by civil penalty under Chapter 8CC and remedies under Section 1-5. The ordinance was adopted on first reading by the Board of County Commissioners on 6/2/2026 and was scheduled for a public hearing before the Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee on 7/14/2026, where it was ultimately withdrawn. The stated purpose was to address issues of navigation, public safety, and environmental impact caused by proliferation of anchored vessels in Biscayne Bay and other county waters. The ordinance was introduced on 5/14/2026.