Creation of a swim zone to mitigate issues at a popular Islamorada sandbar will be heard again during the village council’s meeting on Thursday, July 16. The ordinance that would create a 300-foot vessel exclusion and swim zone from the mean water line off Port Antigua and White Marlin Beach shoreline enters second reading.
Some residents who live inside the community who support the move say it’s a good first step, so long as there’s increased enforcement. Other homeowners, however, say the ordinance would affect quality of life for residents and their beach that’s private.
Following the reading and hearing of more than 100 comments, council members unanimously approved the first reading of the ordinance at a June meeting, to move the proposed swim zone forward in a bid to move boaters back from the White Marlin sandbar. Talks over the issues of trespassing and trashing from party boaters date back to 2014. Options were presented to mitigate the problems, but no consensus was reached.
Last February, concerns were raised again over escalating boat traffic and activity in the area. That led council members to direct staff to engage in further discussion with Port Antigua residents on a possible vessel exclusion/swim area.
David Webb is the president of the Port Antigua Property Owners Association, which comprises about 300 homeowners. Webb, who moved into the community around the time the first attempt failed in 2014, said the boat traffic has become “absurd” and some behavior “obscene.”
“If behavior they’re exhibiting was occurring in the parking lot of Walmart, they would be in Stock Island (detention facility) in 15 minutes,” Webb said.
While the majority of the community rejects the status quo, responses from residents on a solution varied. Port Antigua resident Lee Ramirez said the village’s solution isn’t one the area desires. A survey issued to full- and part-time homeowners in September 2019 asked if they would support approaching the village to create a 300-foot no-motor zone at the beach, which would ban all motorized vessels from the beach. Of the responses, 91 said “yes” and 99 said “no.”
In another survey in April 2020, residents were polled to see if they’d support having the entire sandbar off Port Antigua designated as a swim area, with no anchor or vessels from shore to 300 feet out. Sixty-seven responded with “yes” while 100 said “no.” They were also asked if they’d support another option of a no anchor/no vessel, swim area buffer covering the sandbar, but only allowing paddleboards and kayaks from the waterline to the sandbar. A total of 119 respondents said “yes” while 55 said “no.”
Rick Hoskins has been a homeowner at Port Antigua for three years. Hoskins said making the area a swim zone would essentially make the area publicly accessible when it’s a gated beach area. He said he would like to see the noise ordinance enforced and people forced to leave when they walk up to the beach.
“People will still anchor out and wade in,” he said. “Residents shouldn’t be subjected to loud noise and trespassing, but there are already laws in place to address those nuisances.”
Hoskins initiated a petition on change.org to stop the ban on all sandbar boating. More than 1,900 have signed the petition. Hoskins said there could be legal action on the way if the ordinance is passed.
If passed, Webb said the ordinance would be just the first step in confronting the issues at the sandbar. He said it’s the association’s intention to hire off-duty sheriff’s deputies during times of increased activity such as weekends and holidays. Hoskins said a group of 50 families and he support hiring private security as “off-duty cops don’t have the authority to bump them off the beach.”
Vice Mayor Ken Davis said there are numerous reasons to enact the ordinance, between the impacts to the environment and the disrespect and disregard among those out on the sandbar.
“All they (sandbar goers) want to do is party their butts off and have a great time and make the lives of Port Antigua residents hell,” he said.
The ordinance doesn’t require any prior approval by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), as Florida statute gives the village the authority to create certain boating restricted areas, including vessel exclusion/swim areas. Regulatory permits would be needed from FWC, U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers, however, for installation of waterway markers and signs.
Estimated cost for signs and markers is around $7,500, according to the village. Annual upkeep is about $2,500. Costs for additional enforcement by Monroe County sheriffs is unknown. Village Attorney Roget Bryan said staff will conduct a proper survey of the area to determine the number of buoys required for the zone.
Boaters who violate the ordinance and pilot their vessels into the swim zone could be cited with penalties up to $250.
The village council meeting is set for Thursday, July 16 at 5:30 p.m. It will be live-streamed on Comcast, for Islamorada residents only, on Channel 77, and streamed live on the village website and via Zoom. Among the other notable topics are a resolution to determine the proposed millage rate for fiscal year 2020-21, a discussion by Mayor Mike Forster regarding curfew during lobster mini-season and potentially shutting down parks and beaches to nonresidents. There will also be discussion on snorkeling and diving regulations during mini-season by Bryan.
