Florida Senate - 2025                                     SB 866
       
       
        
       By Senator Martin
       
       
       
       
       
       33-01108-25                                            2025866__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to anchoring limitation areas;
    3         amending s. 327.60, F.S.; restricting local regulation
    4         of vessels outside the marked boundaries of mooring
    5         fields in certain counties and areas of critical state
    6         concern; revising exceptions; amending s. 327.4108,
    7         F.S.; designating specified sections of Biscayne Bay
    8         in Miami-Dade County as grandfathered-in anchoring
    9         limitation areas; amending s. 327.4109, F.S.;
   10         increasing the prohibited anchoring and mooring
   11         distance of vessels and floating structures near
   12         public mooring fields; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section
   17  327.60, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   18         327.60 Local regulations; limitations.—
   19         (2) This chapter and chapter 328 do not prevent the
   20  adoption of any ordinance or local regulation relating to
   21  operation of vessels, except that a county or municipality may
   22  not enact, continue in effect, or enforce any ordinance or local
   23  regulation:
   24         (f) Regulating the anchoring of vessels outside the marked
   25  boundaries of mooring fields permitted as provided in s. 327.40
   26  in counties with populations of 1.5 million or greater or in
   27  areas of critical state concern, except for:
   28         1. Live-aboard vessels; and
   29         2. Commercial vessels, excluding commercial fishing
   30  vessels; and
   31         3. Any vessel that remains anchored overnight for a period
   32  of at least 4 hours any time between one-half hour after sunset
   33  and one-half hour before sunrise within the jurisdiction of a
   34  county for more than 30 days in a 6-month period, excluding any
   35  time the vessel is anchored overnight within the boundaries of a
   36  marked mooring field or any time the vessel is anchored
   37  overnight for the purpose of completing permitted marine
   38  construction, installation, or maintenance work;
   39         Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
   40  327.4108, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   41         327.4108 Anchoring of vessels in anchoring limitation
   42  areas.—
   43         (1) The following densely populated urban areas, which have
   44  narrow state waterways, residential docking facilities, and
   45  significant recreational boating traffic, are designated as and
   46  shall be considered to be grandfathered-in anchoring limitation
   47  areas, within which a person may not anchor a vessel at any time
   48  during the period between one-half hour after sunset and one
   49  half hour before sunrise, except as provided in subsections (4)
   50  and (5):
   51         (c) The sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County lying
   52  between:
   53         1. Palm Island and State Road A1A.
   54         2. Palm Island and Star Island.
   55         3. Palm Island and Hibiscus Island.
   56         4. Palm Island and Watson Island.
   57         5.2. Rivo Alto Island and Di Lido Island.
   58         6.3. San Marino Island and Di Lido Island.
   59         7.4. San Marino Island and San Marco Island.
   60         8.5. San Marco Island and Biscayne Island.
   61         Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
   62  327.4109, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   63         327.4109 Anchoring or mooring prohibited; exceptions;
   64  penalties.—
   65         (1)(a) The owner or operator of a vessel or floating
   66  structure may not anchor or moor such that the nearest approach
   67  of the anchored or moored vessel or floating structure is:
   68         1. Within 150 feet of any public or private marina, boat
   69  ramp, boatyard, or other public vessel launching or loading
   70  facility;
   71         2. Within 500 feet of a superyacht repair facility. For
   72  purposes of this subparagraph, the term “superyacht repair
   73  facility” means a facility that services or repairs a yacht with
   74  a water line of 120 feet or more in length; or
   75         3. Within 300 100 feet outward from the marked boundary of
   76  a public mooring field or a lesser distance if approved by the
   77  commission upon request of a local government within which the
   78  mooring field is located. The commission may adopt rules to
   79  implement this subparagraph.
   80         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.