RELATING TO BOATS AND WATERWAYS

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

This ordinance, File Number 260878, proposed the creation of Section 7-40.1 of the Code of Miami-Dade County, Florida, to regulate overnight anchoring of vessels in Biscayne Bay and other waters. 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 for governmental vessels, 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 However, the matter was ultimately withdrawn by the Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee on July 14, 2026. The stated purpose was to address navigational hazards, environmental impacts, and quality of life concerns arising from proliferation of anchored vessels.