Stuart / Martin County Draft Anchoring Ordinance Meeting Tuesday, Nov. 8
Boaters, Marine and Tourism Interests Urged to Attend

Posted Friday, November 4, 2011

 
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STUART, Fla. November 3, 2011 - Next week on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 9:00am the Board of County Commissioners will hold a hearing at the Martin County Commission Chambers at 2401 S.E. Monterey Road in Stuart to discuss the regulation of vessel anchoring in City of Stuart and Martin County waters. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is urging area boaters, cruisers and sailors, as well as those who benefit from boater spending, to attend this meeting to have their voices heard.

In 2009, the Florida Legislature directed the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to establish a pilot program to explore options for regulating the anchoring or mooring of vessels outside of permitted mooring fields. The City of Stuart/Martin County partnership was selected as one of the five communities to participate in the Anchoring and Mooring Pilot Program. Other participants include Monroe County/Marathon/Key West, the City of St. Augustine, the City of St. Petersburg and the City of Sarasota.

Tuesday's agenda will detail the background and purpose of the Program, the local activities completed to date, and also present a draft anchoring ordinance to be considered by the FWC.

To download the meeting agenda item and view the draft ordinance developed by the City of Stuart and Martin County staff, go to: ftp://ftp.martin.fl.us/pub/outgoing/slawton/AnchoringandMooring.pdf

For more background information on anchoring laws in Florida, see the new BoatUS information sheet at www.BoatUS.com/gov/florida.