Just in time for summer boating season in Marathon, the city is tightening up one of its ordinances that relates to the ramp in the neighborhood behind the airport. The ramp at the corner of Aviation Boulevard and Harbor Drive is frequently congested with trucks towing boat trailers, lined up to use the ramp, and often block neighborhood traffic.
On Tuesday, July 13, the City of Marathon is going to add a few words to an ordinance it passed last year prohibiting the launch of boats that are 26 feet or longer. Specifically, the ramp cannot be used to launch any vessel transported on a trailer of three axles or more.
“Short of going out there with a tape measure, it might be hard to know exactly how long a boat is,” said City of Marathon attorney Steve Williams. “So, by adding the six or seven words, we can tell if a boat is too big to be there.”
During lobster mini-season, Marathon’s three boat ramps are well used. The one at the top of Marathon, near Key Colony Beach, often requires a lane of Overseas Highway to be closed with cones in order to accommodate the line of trucks and trailers waiting to unload, or pickup, a boat. The 33rd Street ramp also accommodates a lot of truck and boat trailer traffic.
Enforcement of the three-axle trailer requirement at Harbor Drive is vague: “Enforcement shall be carried out using protocols acceptable to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office with potential assistance from citizen volunteers.” Also, violating this policy could mean a $50 fine.
Gonzalez, Thompson for the win?
Mayor Luis Gonzalez and “Lynny” Del Gaizo-Thompson have both filed for the Nov. 11, 2021 election in the City of Marathon. The qualifying process for the candidates runs Aug. 3-10, 2021. If no other candidate files before then, there will be no election and both candidates will be elected to office — Gonzalez as an incumbent, and Thompson filling the seat of Marathon Councilman Mark Senmartin who has reached term limits set by the city charter.
