CS/CS/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 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; amending s. 327.4108, 5
F.S.; designating specified sections of Biscayne Bay 6
in Miami-Dade County as grandfathered -in anchoring 7
limitation areas; amending s. 327.4109, F.S.; 8
increasing the prohibited anchoring and mooring 9
distance of vessels and floating structures near 10
public mooring fields; providing an effective date. 11
12
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13
14
Section 1. Paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section 15
327.60, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 16
327.60 Local regulations; limitations. — 17
(2) This chapter and chapter 328 do not prevent the 18
adoption of any ordinance or local regulation relating to 19
operation of vessels, except that a county or municipality may 20
not enact, continue in effect, or enforce any ordinance or local 21
regulation: 22
(f) Regulating the anchoring of vessels outside the marked 23
boundaries of mooring fields permitted as provided in s. 327.40, 24
except for: 25
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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
1. Live-aboard vessels; and 26
2. Commercial vessels, excluding commercial fishin g 27
vessels; and 28
3. Vessels anchored for a period of 1 hour or more between 29
one-half hour after sunset and one -half hour before sunrise for 30
more than 30 days in any 6 -month period within the jurisdiction 31
of a county with a population of 1.5 million or more , excluding 32
any time the vessel is anchored overnight within the boundaries 33
of a marked mooring field or any time the vessel is anchored 34
overnight for the purpose of completing permitted marine 35
construction, installation, or maintenance work; 36
Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 37
327.4108, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 38
327.4108 Anchoring of vessels in anchoring limitation 39
areas.— 40
(1) The following densely populated urban areas, which 41
have narrow state waterways, residential d ocking facilities, and 42
significant recreational boating traffic, are designated as and 43
shall be considered to be grandfathered -in anchoring limitation 44
areas, within which a person may not anchor a vessel at any time 45
during the period between one -half hour after sunset and one -46
half hour before sunrise, except as provided in subsections (4) 47
and (5): 48
(c) The sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami -Dade County 49
lying between: 50
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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
1. Palm Island and State Road A1A. 51
2. Palm Island and Star Island. 52
3. Palm Island and Hibiscus Island. 53
4. Palm Island and Watson Island. 54
5.2. Rivo Alto Island and Di Lido Island. 55
6.3. San Marino Island and Di Lido Island. 56
7.4. San Marino Island and San Marco Island. 57
8.5. San Marco Island and Biscayne Island. 58
9. The Sunset Islan ds. 59
10. Sunset Island I and State Road 112. 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 loa ding 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 services 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
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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 subpar agraph. 79
Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 80