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 in the incorporated and unincorporated areas. It creates Section 7-40.1 of the Code of Miami-Dade County, Florida, adopting overnight anchoring regulations, providing exemptions, and providing for enforcement by civil penalty and other remedies. It also amends Section 8CC-10 of the Code, updating the schedule of civil penalties. The ordinance was introduced on 7/9/2026, and on 7/14/2026 the Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee forwarded it to the Board of County Commissioners with a favorable recommendation following a public hearing. The agenda date for the Board meeting is 10/20/2026. The ordinance would make it unlawful for any vessel to be anchored for a period of 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 overnight within a marked mooring field or for permitted marine construction. 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. Civil penalties are set at $500.00 for a first offense, $1,000.00 for a second offense within five years, and $2,500.00 for a third or subsequent offense within five years. The prime sponsor is Vicki L. Lopez. The status is Second Reading. Public comment included opposition from individuals who lived aboard vessels, who stated the ordinance would amount to a ban and could render them homeless, and support from municipal officials from North Bay Village, Miami Beach, and Bal Harbour, who emphasized the need for a countywide ordinance to address derelict and 'squatter' vessels. Commissioner Regalado remained unsupportive and requested her district, including Coconut Grove, be exempted. Commissioner McGhee expressed concern about the perception of directing enforcement against individuals who live aboard vessels. The ordinance is a substitute to file number 260878.