§ 8-148. Unsightly or badly deteriorated boats prohibited.

(a)

No boat or watercraft of any kind which is found to be of unsightly appearance or in badly deteriorated condition or which is likely to cause damage to private or public property or which may be a menace to navigation, shall be permitted to moor or tie up at municipal docks or in any waterways within the city, except that such boats may moor at licensed marine facilities for the purpose of repair. No boat or watercraft of any kind which is incapable of self-propulsion, except for barges, floating businesses or small vessels that are designed for human propulsion, shall be permitted to dock, moor or tie up at any municipal dock.

(b)

It shall further be unlawful for any person to abandon any boat or watercraft in the public waterways within the corporate limits of the city or to moor the same in a manner as to cause such watercraft to be or become a menace to navigation.

(c)

In the event any boat or watercraft shall be declared in violation of this section so as to be a menace to navigation, the city shall have the immediate right to have the vessel removed and impounded at the nearest licensed marine facility. All costs for towing and storage will be assessed to the owner on the city-approved rate scale. If the boat is unclaimed after ninety (90) days, it will be sold with the proceeds paying for charges incurred and the remainder going to the city. Failure to act on the part of the owner waives all liability of the city from damage resulting from towing and storage.

(d)

In the event any boat or watercraft shall be declared in violation of any other provision of this section, the supervisor of marine facilities shall notify the owner or authorized person in writing and shall also post a notice upon the boat and give him a thirty-day period to correct the violation. If the violation is not corrected within thirty (30) days, the city shall have the right to have the vessel removed and impounded at the nearest licensed marine facility. All costs for towing and storage will be assessed to the owner on the city-approved rate scale. If the boat is unclaimed after ninety (90) days, it will be sold with the proceeds paying for charges incurred and the remainder going to the city. Failure to act on the part of the owner waives all liability of the city from damage resulting from towing and storage.

(Code 1953, § 11-18; Ord. No. C-68-23, § 2, 6-4-68; Ord. No. C-70-78, § 1, 11-3-70; Ord. No. C-91-69, § 8, 10-15-91)

State law reference

Anchoring boats so as to interfere with navigation, F.S. § 327.44.