As many Loopers use Miami as a port of departure, I thought that this message was important. Bob Wilkins True Grit Pearson True North 38 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date-----Original Message----- > >From: SSCA Office Manager [mailto:office@s...] > >Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 3:05 PM > >To: office@s... > >Subject: URGENT FROM THE SSCA BOD > > > >Miami Beach 72-hour Anchoring Ordinance > > > >On April 20, 2005 cruising sailors suffered another blow to their anchoring > >rights when the Mayor and City Commissioners of Miami Beach, Florida > >unanimously passed a bill prohibiting anchoring within city limits for > >periods longer than 72 hours. The last hurdle before the bill becomes law > >is a second public reading that will take place on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 > >at a public hearing in Commission Chambers at Miami Beach City Hall. > >Miami Beach has become a favorite staging and provisioning location for a > >large percentage of the estimated 100,000 boaters bound for the Bahamas, in > >addition to boats headed for the Caribbean and Florida Keys each year. > >Businesses in Miami Beach that serve the cruising community were not > >consulted regarding the economic impact of the action. However, one > >commissioner was somehow able to determine that "the amount of money spent > >[by these boaters] was miniscule." > >For cruising boats crossing the often turbulent Gulf Stream, concerns are > >larger than where to provision. While another commissioner claimed with > >authority that "72 hours was sufficient" time to wait for weather, those of > >us who have made the crossing know that small craft warnings are often > >posted for weeks at a time during the winter months, making the passage > >dangerous for many. This extremely brief window will undoubtedly create a > >situation that will force captains to decide between harassment and fines or > >subjecting their boats and crews to seas neither were meant to handle. > >Fortunately, there is an exception to the 72-hour limit during periods when > >hurricane warnings are in effect or when members of the crew are sick. > >The reason most often cited by the eight or so residents who spoke in favor > >of the restriction was the visual intrusion associated with vessels anchored > >near their expensive waterfront homes. Also cited were theft, trespass, and > >pollution. Dr. Morris Sunshine, Chairman of the Miami Beach Marine > >Authority, an advisory group on marine matters, testified before > >Commissioners that the Commander of the Miami Beach Marine Patrol was > >questioned by the Authority and could not cite a single case of theft > >attributable to the cruising community. The Commissioners ignored Dr. > >Sunshine's request to firmly instruct the City Manager to start planning to > >install a mooring field and to designate a legal anchoring area. > >In contrast to cities like Vero Beach, Florida where forward- looking leaders > >implemented well-thought-out plans that cleaned up derelict boats from the > >harbor, accommodated seasonal boaters, and brought revenue to the city and > >local businesses, the Miami Beach leadership's plan is to spend $1.75 > >million over the next two years to enforce a legally questionable ordinance > >that chases legitimate boaters and their business away while leaving the > >real problems behind. > >After last year's hurricane season, the Florida Legislature is being > >pressured to allow marina operators to force boat owners out of the marinas > >during major storms. Therefore, it makes far more sense to spend money to > >provide a harbor with safe, heavy-duty moorings that will protect residents' > >boats during hurricanes in the summer, and accommodate transient boats year > >round. The City can then prohibit anchoring elsewhere, protecting the > >seabed and eliminating derelict boats, if it so chooses. It's ironic that a > >city that spends millions each year to attract tourists, and hosts the > >largest boat show in the U.S., is trying to pass a law that will chase a > >large and responsible group of boaters out of local waters. > >This ordinance is full of holes and could be defeated by a coalition of > >boaters who are losing their rights, local businesses whose profits will > >suffer, and residents who will bear the $1.75 million enforcement price tag > >that benefits a handful of Miami Beach's wealthiest residents. Local > >regulators rely on the assumption that sailors have little interest in > >waging political/legal battles; so in addition to local action, we must also > >address this issue through the state legislature and courts. > >The marine industry is one of Florida's largest - it's time for businesses > >to realize that they must persuade lawmakers in Tallahassee to protect > >boaters' right of access to safe haven before there are no boaters left to > >buy their products. The two primary marine trade associations that may be > >able to achieve a workable solution to this situation are listed below. > >WHAT YOU CAN DO > >Write or e-mail the people or associations below. Tell them about your > >boating habits - where you cruise, how much you spend, what your safety > >issues are, that you're a member of SSCA and what clean wake cruising means. > >You will also find links to other representatives of the marine industry and > >to your Florida legislators on the Seven Seas Cruising Association website, > >www.SSCA.org. Tell anybody you think might be affected - other boaters, > >merchants, local law enforcement agencies, community leaders - and direct > >them to the same resources. > >. Visit www.SSCA.org for links to representatives of the marine industry as > >well as information about the organization itself. > >. Attend the May 18 meeting at Miami Beach City Hall, 1700 Convention Center > >Drive, Miami Beach FL, 33139 > >. Follow movement of the bill at www.miamibeachfl.gov. > >. Find your legislators at www.myFlorida.com. > >. Email or write to: > >Mayor David Dermer: mayordermer@m... > >City Staff Attorney Gary Held: garyheld@m... > >City Manager Jorge Gonzalez: jorgegonzalez@m... > >Commissioners: > >Matti Bower: matti@m... > >Jose Smith: jose@m... > >Saul Gross: saul@m... > >Richard Steinberg: richard@m... > >Simon Cruz: simon@m... > >Luis Garcia: luis@m... > >. National Marine Manufactures Association (NMMA), Thom Dammrich, President > >200 Randolph Drive, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL 60601-6528 > >(312) 946-6200, (312) 946-0401-fax; www.nmma.org and www.discoverboating.com > >The NMMA sponsors the annual Miami Boat Show, held simultaneously in three > >venues in Miami Beach and two venues in Miami. Relocating even one of the > >sites out of Miami Beach and into Miami would send a significant economic > >message. > >. Marine Industries Association of South Florida, 2312 S Andrews Blvd, Ft > >Lauderdale, FL 33316 > >(954) 524-2733, www.miasf.org > >MIASF is a marine trade association lobby group. > > > > > >Richard Blackford > >Vice President, at the direction of the SSCA Board of Directors