Active cruisers needed to take FL anchoring survey this week

[sea_casper]

I received This email today;
"[FONT=arial,helvetica]November 25, 2014

Dear BoatU.S. Member,

Florida is once again considering a change in their anchoring regulations. Whether you live in Florida or just want to cruise there someday, now is a critical time to share your views on this topic with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).


Please click on the link below to take FWC’s survey. We recognize it’s long, but we’d like to make sure that active, responsible cruising boaters help the state understand what works and what doesn’t when it comes to anchoring laws in the Sunshine State:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AnchoringSurvey

Background:

In 2009, the Florida Legislature enacted legislation that stopped local governments from placing inconsistent and often onerous restrictions on anchoring. During the 2014 Florida legislative session there were strong attempts to repeal part of this prohibition. While these changes were defeated, there will likely be new legislation introduced in the spring that would grant local governments the authority to regulate anchoring in their municipalities. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is now asking for comments on possible changes to Florida’s anchoring laws. It is important to take the FWC survey to register your opinions on anchoring restrictions to help influence what could be allowed by the state legislature. [FONT=arial,helvetica]...."[/FONT]
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[Tim R.]

Did mine a couple days ago.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

Re: Active cruisers needed to take FL anchoring survey this

thanks for posting!

fwiw, Lake Sylvia in FLL is on the no-anchor list...

-this is one of the few places to stop (free) in ft lauderdale. (just south of bahia mar, near the pier 66)

please help!

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Re: Active cruisers needed to take FL anchoring survey this

Personally, I don't see a problem with the stated intent:

"any regulatory authority granted to local governments (cities and counties) related to the anchoring of boats would be limited and only apply in certain authorized situations."

Not to debate this here but resting all control at the state rather than local level (for anything) removes the ability to use local knowledge and expertise in making such decisions.

Existing and proposed legislation already precluded local governments from creating frivolous unjustified prohibitions on anchoring.

 

[centerline]

Re: Active cruisers needed to take FL anchoring survey this

to put it into a paragragh that anyone can understand.....

i dont live there, but if it ever passes, it will eventually affect me...

certain florida counties want to ban anchoring out... to eliminate the "riffraff" livaboards that dont pay dockage or mooring fees....
some counties want to cater to the rich and affluent and get rid of the people that are not and barely getting by on what little income they may have, and also the people who just choose to live "affordably" on their boat..no matter if they are hard working tax paying citizens...

thankfully the state believes all boaters should have a right to anchor anywhere they want within reasonable areas (out of traffic lanes).... but some counties want to control and ban that right.

very understandably, there are pros and cons to the issue, but if they ever pass the law in florida that the counties control the waterways instead of the state, it will be picked up on across the nation and we will begin to lose our rights to anchor wherever we want in all bodies of water.

i would like to see all waters remain in control of the state and the basic rights of boaters to be preserved no matter what county or state they choose to reside in.

 

[Sailm8]

Re: Active cruisers needed to take FL anchoring survey this

Don,

My concern is that local authority is too easily influenced by high roller developers and local good ol boys to be trusted. It's a no win either way.

 

[Benny17441]

Re: Active cruisers needed to take FL anchoring survey this

I gather the FWC does not have the budget to oversee and enforce restrictions and wants to farm out the obligations entrusted to them by the legislature. They need to procure an appropriate budget to carry out their mandate. I'm opposed to the local government handling this as their main concern is to serve the majority of their constituents and boaters clearly fall in a minority. Yes, developers and water front property owners would have a very sympathetic ear in local officials. This would lead to unreasonable restrictions for boaters and the whole cycle of appealing to the Federal Government would start again. No reason to punish all boaters for the actions of a few. Enforce current regulations against derelicts, illegal dumpers, noise makers, etc and the problems between boaters and land owners will likely go away by themselves. STOP PASSING THE BUCK!

 

[gettinthere]

Yes, local control means kicking out everyone who anchors for free. Miami, Ft Laud, Marco, Stuart and others have already tried various methods to ban anchoring.
There are a lot of cruisers like me who cannot afford $3/ft or more every night.

These proceedings are being watched by municipalities around the country and anchoring bans will be coming to a nice spot near you.

 

[frankies56]

Re: Active cruisers needed to take FL anchoring survey this

I agree with sailm8. on this matter when I lived in ft laud the restricted anchoring. and when I move to st augustine the city move all the anchoring past city limits about 3 miles from the city quite a ride on a dinghy. again this is by those rich and afuent people that dont like boaters

 

[centerline]

I gather the FWC does not have the budget to oversee and enforce restrictions and wants to farm out the obligations entrusted to them by the legislature. They need to procure an appropriate budget to carry out their mandate. I'm opposed to the local government handling this as their main concern is to serve the majority of their constituents and boaters clearly fall in a minority. Yes, developers and water front property owners would have a very sympathetic ear in local officials. This would lead to unreasonable restrictions for boaters and the whole cycle of appealing to the Federal Government would start again. No reason to punish all boaters for the actions of a few. Enforce current regulations against derelicts, illegal dumpers, noise makers, etc and the problems between boaters and land owners will likely go away by themselves. STOP PASSING THE BUCK!

FWC does NOT want to farm out the responsibility... the counties are LOBBYING to pass legislation to take over the jurisdiction from FWC... its a selfish move on the part of the counties to MAKE laws to ban anchoring... it has nothing to do with the lack of enforcement, because the county sheriff and water patrols have every right to enforce the laws that are on the books now, but they choose not to at this time as it is an attempt to try and get some momentum behind their stratagy for takeover..

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Don,

My concern is that local authority is too easily influenced by high roller developers and local good ol boys to be trusted. It's a no win either way.

Which is the stated reason for changing the stature. However, another unintended consequence to this is simply changing the mailing address to which developers send their bribes.

Developers will always have influence over such actions.

 

[Terry in Naples]

This survey looks ominous. Like the writing is on the wall. I am for less government across the board.

 

[RIVERCRUISER]

Re: Active cruisers needed to take FL anchoring survey this

Took the survey. Difficult to choose answers that reflect my feelings when the questions and answer choices are slanted to get the answer they want.

Fully used the comment areas...

 

[justsomeguy]

Re: Active cruisers needed to take FL anchoring survey this

Online surveys are easily manipulated. I.e., hacked.

Call me paranoid.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Online surveys are easily manipulated. I.e., hacked. Call me paranoid.

mmhmm..

 

[jibes138]

Online surveys are easily manipulated. I.e., hacked. Call me paranoid.

how many times can you take the survey?

 

[justsomeguy]

how many times can you take the survey?

I don't know.

 

[jibes138]

I don't know.

will you report back when you find out? Also see if non-citizens can take the survey.

 

[justsomeguy]

will you report back when you find out? Also see if non-citizens can take the survey.

No, and no.

 

[centerline]

will you report back when you find out? Also see if non-citizens can take the survey.

anyone can take the survey, but im sure the survey is set up so if you never visit there as a boater (as the questions would indicate) your survey would automatically be kicked out....

make sure you are a boater when you visit and you can take the survey...and should!!!