A boat anchored at Lake Wyman, Boca Raton, FL. (Photo: Boca Daily News)
Boca Raton city council members unanimously adopted an ordinance that will limit anchoring on waterways within the city limits, enabling officials to take advantage of a state statute that allows cities to tackle the plague of abandoned vessels that have left in waterways across Florida.
The ordinance establishes a new rule limiting nighttime anchoring on waterways to no more than 30 nights within any rolling 6-month period. The measure is intended to deter “long-term or repeated nighttime anchoring that can clutter waterways, create navigational and safety hazards, and contribute to the proliferation of derelict or abandoned vessels,” a memorandum from city staff said, recommending its adoption. To support the new rule, the ordinance updates existing sections of the city code to align with state law and strengthen related provisions governing “live-aboard” vessels and commercial activity on waterways…