HB 481 2025
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hb481-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to anchoring limitation areas; 2
amending s. 327.60, F.S.; restricting local regulation 3
of vessels outside the marked boundaries of mooring 4
fields in certain counties and areas of critical state 5
concern; amending s. 327.4108, F.S.; designating 6
specified sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami -Dade 7
County as grandfathered -in anchoring limitation areas; 8
amending s. 327.4109, F.S.; increasing the prohibited 9
anchoring and mooring distance of vessels and floating 10
structures near public mooring fields; providing an 11
effective date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
15
Section 1. Paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section 16
327.60, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 17
327.60 Local regulations; limitations. — 18
(2) This chapter and chapter 328 do not prevent the 19
adoption of any ordinance or local regulation relating to 20
operation of vessels, except that a county or municipality may 21
not enact, continue in effect, or enforce any ordinance or local 22
regulation: 23
(f) Regulating the anchoring of vessels outside the marked 24
boundaries of mooring fields permitted as provided in s. 327.40 25
HB 481 2025
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hb481-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
in counties with populations of 1.5 million or greater or i n 26
areas of critical state concern , except for: 27
1. Live-aboard vessels; and 28
2. Commercial vessels, excluding commercial fishing 29
vessels; and 30
3. Any vessel that remains anchored overnight for a period 31
of at least 4 hours any time between one -half hour after sunset 32
and one-half hour before sunrise within the jurisdiction of a 33
county for more than 30 days in a 6 -month period, excluding any 34
time the vessel is anchored overnight within the boundaries of a 35
marked mooring field or any time the vessel is ancho red 36
overnight for the purpose of completing permitted marine 37
construction, installation, or maintenance work; 38
Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 39
327.4108, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 40
327.4108 Anchoring of vessels in ancho ring limitation 41
areas.— 42
(1) The following densely populated urban areas, which 43
have narrow state waterways, residential docking facilities, and 44
significant recreational boating traffic, are designated as and 45
shall be considered to be grandfathered -in anchoring limitation 46
areas, within which a person may not anchor a vessel at any time 47
during the period between one -half hour after sunset and one -48
half hour before sunrise, except as provided in subsections (4) 49
and (5): 50
HB 481 2025
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(c) The sections of Biscayne Bay in M iami-Dade County 51
lying between: 52
1. Palm Island and State Road A1A. 53
2. Palm Island and Star Island. 54
3. Palm Island and Hibiscus Island. 55
4. Palm Island and Watson Island. 56
5.2. Rivo Alto Island and Di Lido Island. 57
6.3. San Marino Island and Di Lido Island. 58
7.4. San Marino Island and San Marco Island. 59
8.5. San Marco Island and Biscayne Island. 60
Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 61
327.4109, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 62
327.4109 Anchoring or mooring prohibited; exceptions; 63
penalties.— 64
(1)(a) The owner or operator of a vessel or floating 65
structure may not anchor or moor such that the nearest approach 66
of the anchored or moored vessel or floating structure is: 67
1. Within 150 feet of any public or private marina, boat 68
ramp, boatyard, or other public vessel launching or loading 69
facility; 70
2. Within 500 feet of a superyacht repair facility. For 71
purposes of this subparagraph, the term "superyacht repair 72
facility" means a facility that servic es or repairs a yacht with 73
a water line of 120 feet or more in length; or 74
3. Within 300 100 feet outward from the marked boundary of 75
HB 481 2025
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
a public mooring field or a lesser distance if approved by the 76
commission upon request of a local government within which the 77
mooring field is located. The commission may adopt rules to 78
implement this subparagraph. 79
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 80