BoatUS News: Another Setback in Florida Anchoring Issue
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NEWS From BoatUS
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: D. Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com
Despite Anti-Anchoring Vote, BoatUS Optimistic For Uniform Anchoring Solution for Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 7, 2016 – Despite a second setback today on the Florida anchoring issue, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) says it’s looking forward to the results of the state’s on-going Pilot Anchoring program this fall. The Florida Senate voted this morning to pass Florida House Bill 1051 – which was accepted in the House on Friday – that carves out special “no anchoring” ordinances on waters adjacent to privileged groups of homeowners.
“Even after hearing from thousands of Florida boaters requesting they not approve this legislation, the Florida Senate has just decided to treat a few areas differently than the rest of the state when it comes to public access to the waterways,” said BoatUS President Margaret Bonds Podlich. “Despite today’s vote, we remain committed to seeing the Pilot Program through to completion. We want to work with all communities so that responsible cruising boaters are welcome in their waters.”
The Florida Mooring and Anchoring Pilot Program, created through legislation in 2009, allowed five localities to experiment with anchoring ordinances to find practical recommendations to develop a uniform statewide anchoring solution. At the same time, it limited other local governments from enacting general anchoring restrictions. Originally scheduled to end in 2014, the Pilot Program was extended until 2017, with recommendations due from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission to the legislature this fall.
Florida HB 1051 prohibits anchoring from a half hour after sunset until a half hour before sunrise on the Middle River N.E. 21st Court and the Intracoastal Waterway in Broward County; Sunset Lake in Miami-Dade County, and sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County between Rivo Alto Island and Di Lido Island, San Marino Island and San Marco Island, and San Marco Island and Biscayne Island.
The bill contains a provision that will remove these anchoring restrictions once statewide anchoring regulations are enacted.
About Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS):
Celebrating 50 years in 2016, BoatUS is the nation’s largest organization of recreational boaters with over a half million members. We are the boat owners’ voice on Capitol Hill and fight for their rights. We help ensure a roadside breakdown doesn’t end a boating or fishing trip before it begins, and on the water, we bring boaters safely back to the launch ramp or dock when their boat won’t, day or night. The BoatUS Insurance Program gives boat owners the specialized coverage and superior service they need, and we help keep boaters safe and our waters clean with assistance from the non-profit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. Visit BoatUS.com.
Comments from Cruisers (1)
We were promised in 2009 that when the Pilot Program came into effect, we WOULD NOT SEE local rules outside of the Pilot Program areas. One of your writers here said we were being decieved even then. So, as we can see, we were lied to then, and we are not being very bright if we allow this to happen again.
Let’s recognize the reality of this situation. There are people in Florida who absolutely DO NOT WANT and will not accept, boats anchoring near their properties. We know who they are and that they are behind this.
However, they do not own these waters and to give them any rights over us is illegal, unconstitutional and against the Public Trust Doctrine which dictates in part how the water is to be used.
It is time to stop being politically ‘nice’ with these people, including the politicians who imply we are pedophiles and bums – it is time to act, to put these people in their proper places by taking appropriate action — politically, and via civil disobedience where necessary.
For the record, I know of no cruisers who are pedophiles – but do know of two who are or were members of the Florida legislature. Maybe we should be demanding that they not be permitted to live on the water, in order to protect ourselves from them. (sarcasm meter pinged!)