RELATING TO BOATS AND WATERWAYS

Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee · 2026-07-14 · ordinance

Miami-Dade County legislative item File Number 261278 is an ordinance relating to boats and waterways, creating Section 7-40.1 of the Code of Miami-Dade County, Florida, to adopt overnight anchoring regulations. The ordinance makes it unlawful for any vessel to be anchored for 1 hour or more between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise for more than 30 days in any 6-month period, excluding time anchored within a marked mooring field or for permitted marine construction, installation, or maintenance work. Exemptions include vessels owned or operated by a governmental entity, construction or dredging vessels on an active job site, and commercial fishing vessels actively engaged in commercial fishing. Enforcement is by civil penalty under chapter 8CC and remedies under section 1-5, with a courtesy warning notice required before penalty issuance. The ordinance amends Section 8CC-10 to add civil penalties for violations of Section 7-40.1: $500 for first offense, $1,000 for second offense within five years, and $2,500 for third or subsequent offense within five years. The ordinance applies to both incorporated and unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County. It was introduced on 7/9/2026, and the Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee forwarded it to the BCC with a favorable recommendation following a public hearing on 7/14/2026. The agenda date is 10/20/2026, agenda item number 7. The prime sponsor is Vicki L. Lopez. The ordinance is a substitute to file number 260878. The effective date is ten days after enactment unless vetoed by the County Mayor. No specific street address, parcel, acreage, or project size is stated. No public comment sentiment is stated in the document.