MARATHON CITY COUNCIL TALKS BOAT RAMP FEES, CELEBRATES CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRESS

The Marathon City Council’s April 25 workshop revealed a step in the right direction for the city’s code enforcement efforts, with questions still left unanswered about the public messaging and enforcement of newly-enacted beach and boat ramp parking and usage fees.

The Nuts and Bolts of Boat Ramps

Following a discussion of the city’s direction in regard to beautification standards, the council dove into discussion with Public Works Director Carlos Solis regarding the new fees. Since taking effect on April 1, Solis reported total collected revenues of $75,450 – a number that’s come even in the absence of the cameras required to scan license plates and levy fines against violators.

Along with passing on requests from long-term seasonal visitors for monthly or yearly passes, Solis said residents are still confused about parking fee exemptions for Marathon homes held in trusts, LLCs or other similar entities. He also raised questions about charges for local nonprofits frequently traveling to use Marathon’s ramps, as well as commercial operations such as repair shops that use locally-owned vehicles to launch vessels with out-of-town plates for sea trials.

“I think there’s a lot of misconceptions out there about this whole issue of if (a car or home) is in an LLC or a trust,” said councilman Jeff Smith. “I really want to be clear exactly how that database (of exempt plates) is being built and that we message it well so people understand that it’s the plate and the zip code where it’s registered.” 

Smith’s comments were met by a commitment from City Manager George Garrett to clarify the uncertainties with official city messaging.

The council is set to vote at an upcoming meeting on the issue of exempting nonprofits, an idea that drew support from most council members, and local businesses, which saw split opinions in the informal discussion. 

With enforcement cameras set for installation over the next few weeks, questions still remain about fee exemptions if a car and trailer use a ramp with only one of the two registered in Marathon. As most vehicle plates will be obstructed throughout the launch process, the system is likely to focus more on trailer tags in determining fees and fines. 

Solis also informed the council that as video footage of each ramp use is individually reviewed to levy fines, vehicles that briefly drive through the ramps will not be charged for usage, regardless of where they are registered.

As the parking and ramp fees are projected to provide north of $1 million in revenue for the city, Smith, councilman Lynn Landry and Vice Mayor Robyn Still stressed the importance of accurate projections adjusted from actual revenues collected, as well as a need to clearly identify, and solicit public comment on, the intended uses for the funds in the city’s upcoming budget.

Code Enforcement Sees Encouraging Results

In a report to the council, Code Director Ted Lozier said that with increased code enforcement during nights and weekends, aided by two recent hires, the department has conducted 203 investigations of potential violations since January, resulting in 15 code cases and total fines of $60,000. Lozier also noted increased compliance from vacation rental properties with trash can rules along several hot-button roads, including Sombrero Beach Road.

“I drove the entire Sombrero Beach Road this Saturday, through the loop, and I only saw one garbage can,” Mayor Luis Gonzalez confirmed. “So whatever they’re doing, they’re doing good.”

Still also praised the work of Lozier and his staff, adding that efforts in recent months seem to be a solid step toward addressing concerns posed by the community in the council’s vacation rentals workshop earlier this year. She also reiterated the importance of consistent, clear communication from the department to those who report violations about staff’s plan to ensure compliance in each case.

Councilman Kenny Matlock requested the creation of a phone number for residents to call and report code violations in real time. The city currently has an emergency contact number, but it is reserved for more pressing issues like wastewater emergencies.

“We haven’t had that for code, because we haven’t had those people out there before 8 in the morning or 7:45 at night,” said Garrett. “We are now doing that. … We will get a phone for that individual.”

Alex Rickert made the perfectly natural career progression from dolphin trainer to newspaper editor in 2021 after freelancing for Keys Weekly while working full time at Dolphin Research Center. A resident of Marathon since 2015, he fell in love with the Florida Keys community by helping multiple organizations and friends rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Irma. An avid runner, actor, and spearfisherman, he spends as much of his time outside of work on or under the sea having civil disagreements with sharks.