Ideal conditions during two recent holidays brought many boaters to a shallow sandy patch not far from Sunset Drive in Islamorada. For residents whose properties look out at a beach and the oceanside, the proliferation in party vessels brought everything from trash and unleashed dogs to loud music and other unruly behavior.
“You’re literally held hostage in your house where you can’t go out. And that’s a terrible feeling to come to,” Sunset Drive resident Hugh Casiano told council members at a recent Islamorada Village Council meeting.
Before commenters relayed their positions on the situation during the July 9 meeting, Pete Frezza, village environmental resources manager, presented a potential buoy layout for a section of nearshore water near the Sunset Drive beach. Complaints were first heard during a June meeting, when residents Roland Moore and Chuck Mcwhirter explained the issues while showing a picture of boats anchored in shallow waters near the beach. Council members subsequently tasked staff to come up with recommendations on the possible creation of a vessel-exclusion and swim zone.
Florida law allows boating-restricted areas, including restrictions of vessel speeds, on waters so long as it isn’t established for private use or shoreline protection. Frezza showed a proposal for a vessel-exclusion and swim zone 300 feet from the mean high water line. The idea is similar to one a previous council approved in 2020 off Port Antigua and White Marlin Beach.
“The way we justified the Port Antigua and White Marlin beach swim zone was for public safety, a swimming issue,” Frezza told council members, adding the village cannot create ordinance for a zone due to people being loud and disturbing residents.
For residents, the move resulted in less trash, noise and boater trespassing on private property. The new zone has also allowed the environment to recover at Port Antigua and White Marlin Beach.
“It’s come back five times over,” said Port Antigua resident Dave Petkovich. “When I’m out in the water, we see turtles on 20% of our rides. The seagrass and the amount of species coming in there is just amazing.”
Vessel zones like the one on Port Antigua and White Marlin beach also exclude paddleboards and kayaks.
Sunset Drive resident Hugh Casiano told council members the issues are progressively worsening on his property and along the beach. Casiano said he moved to the Keys
from Arizona three years ago and is raising kids ages 5 and 9.
Not all were in favor of closing off a section of beach and nearshore water off Sunset Drive. Brad Daughtery said the picture of boats lining the shore isn’t indicative of what’s happening in the area “99.9% of the time.”
“I don’t think it’s right for our community legislative body to be denying the public access to waters they’ve been going to since time immortal,” Daughtery told council members.
Frezza said a potential vessel-exclusion and swim zone off Sunset Drive beach could push boats further north to another shallow section.
“We may have boats anchoring near Sea Oats Beach and along the highway, creating another potential issue like we have on the 18-Mile Stretch,” he said.
Frezza also expressed possible challenges installing buoys into the hard surface on the oceanside, which could affect benthic resources like seagrass and coral.
“Permitting agencies are always looking for alternatives. This would be a significant permitting challenge,” Frezza said. “Five agencies would have to review this. It is sovereign, submerged land, so we’d need state land lease as well.”
Costs could range between $80,000 to $100,000 to establish a vessel-exclusion zone off Sunset Drive. The council didn’t make a decision at the July 9 meeting. Public input and more council discussion are expected before any review of an ordinance for a new vessel-exclusion and swim zone.
