HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-84-21 ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE RENUMBERING SEC. 6-1 OF THE
CODE OF ORDINANCES AS SEC, 6~13,1 WITHOUT
A CHANGE IN CONTENTS; CREATING SEC, 6-1
THRU 6-15 IN ART, I OF CHAPTER 6 PERTAINING
TO GENERAL REGULATIONS OF WATERCRAFT OPERAT-
ING WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY;
PROVIDING A PENALTY CLAUSE; STATING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE AND A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE,
WHEREAS, The Council of tile City of Sebastian has
determined that the regulation of watercraft operating within
the corporate limits of the City is essential in order to
protect the public health, safety and welfare; now,
there fore
BE iT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of
Sebastian, Florida~ as follows:.
SECTION I
That Section 6-10 of the Code of Ordinances, City
of Sebastian~ Florida, is hereby renumbered as Section
6-13.1 of the Code of Ordinances without a change in its
title or contents,
SECTION i I
That the Code of Ordinances, City of Sebastian,
Florida, is hereby amended by adding seventeen new sections,
to be numbered 6-1 through 6-15, which said sections shall
read as follows:
ARTICLE I. GENERAL REGULATIONS
Sec. 6-]_. Defi. nitions.
For the purposes of Chapter 6, the terms and
phrases used herein are defined as follows:
(a) Boat or vessel. Every description of self-propelled
watercraft used or capable of beilng used as means of
transportat.i, on on water, including all types of boats and
all uses thereof. As used herein, the terms boat or vessel
are synonymous with watercraft.
-1-
(b) Commercial boats. Any watercraft used, maintained or
operated for profit.
(c) Commercial fishing boats. Any watercraft engaged in
fishing whereby fish caught are sold for profit, either by the
owner, operator or other person.
(d) Commercial marina. A licensed facility for docking
watercraft and/or providing services to watercraft and the
occupants thereof, including minor servicing and repair to
boats while in or out of the water, and sale of fuel and
supplies. Docks which are accessory to residential uses
where no boat~related services are rendered shall not be
considered marinas.
(e) Floating home. Any waterborne structure designed for
or used primarily as a dwelling which either does not have
an operable motor on board at all times, or which is not
capable of controlled steering for removal from the dock
in the event of a fire or other emergency.
(f) Moor. To secure a vessel or boat by line, cable, or
other device to any boat slip, dock, pier, wharf, dockage
space or docking facility in such manner as to assure the
security of such vessel. Fueling stops are not included in
this definition.
(g) Municipal docks. Any bulkheads, walls, docks, approaches
and appurtenances which the city owns or may construct from
time to time on property owned or acquired for that purpose.
(h) Short~term berths. Any boat slip, pier, dock, wharf
or other dockage space or facility designated at the City of
Sebastian municipal docks for the mooring of a boat for
a period ~ot to exceed twelve (12) continuous hours,
(i) Private watercraft. Any boats and vessels used for
pleasure by the owner or others, where no charge is made
for fishing or riding upon such vessel,
-2-
(j) Sightseeing boats. Any watercraft engaged in trans-
porting the public for hire on the waterways within the city
limits for sightseeing purposes.
Sec. 6-2. Compliance with article.
For the protection of property owners, the general
public, and owners and operators of watercraft in the city,
all watercraft of any type whatsoever, operated on or moored,
docked or anchored at any place in the lakes,canals, rivers,
bays or waters within the corporate limits of city and the
owners, operators, or occupants thereof, shall be governed
by and observe the provisions of this chapter.
Sec. 6-3. Authority of city to regulate waterways.
The city shall have t~e right to regulate the use
of all waterways within the city limits and the conduct of
all persons using same, not in conflict with federal or
state regulations. Ail ordinances of the city regulating
the conduct of persons on land, shall apply to persons using
waterways, insofar as same are applicable.
Sec. 6-4. Evidence of identity of violator.
In any prosecution charging a violation of any
provision of this chapter governing the operation, mooring,
docking or anchoring of watercraft, proof that the particular
watercraft described in the citation or summons was violating
a provision of this chapter, together with proof that the
operator thereof was not present at the time a violation was
observed, or was present and did not identify himself as
the operator, or denied that he was the operator, the person,
corporation or other entity in whose name said watercraft
is registered shall be held prima facie responsible for said
violation.
Sec. 675. Recognition of federal rules and regulations.
All operators of watercraft are hereby charged with
knowledge of and compliance with all now existing or thereafter
-3-
enacted or amended and.regulations of the U.S. Coast Guard,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other Federal Agencies
governing boats, docts, or waterways.
Sec. 6-6. Compliance.with State of Florida Rules and Reg-
ulations governing boats.
Ail operators of watercraft are. hereby charged with
knowledge of and compliance with all rules and regulations
of the State of Florida governing the licensing, operation,
and title certification of Boats, including Chapters 527 and
528, Florida Statutes, as presently constituted or hereafter
revised or amended.
Sec. 6-7. Careless operation of watercraft.
(a) No watercraft shall be operated upon any water-
way in the city at a rate of speed which causes waves or wakes
to damage docks, wharves, seawalls, boats, or other personal
property contained in boats moored or tied to docks or wharves
along such waterways.
(b) A person is guilty of careless operation of a
watercraft who operates any watercraft or through operation
of same allows the manipulation of any water skis, aquaplane,
or similar device in disregard for the safety of persons or
property, or without due regard for the safety of persons or
property, or without due regard, caution, and circumspection,
or at a speed on in a manner as to endanger or may endanger,
damage, or injure life, limb, or property.
Sec. 6,8. Speed Restrictions; Water Skiing and similar
activiti? p'~-6hibited in certain areas.
(a) It shall be unlawful for the operator of any
watercraft to operate the same at a speed greater that "slow
down minimum wake" as defined by Florida Law, at all times
said boat is within one' hundred and fi.fty (150) feet of a
bridge, dock, pier, wharf, mooring or. launching area, or is
within a lagoon, bay estuary, canal or lake, or is at a place
in the Sebastian River or Indian River which has a distance
from shore to shore which is three hundred feet or less.
(b) Water skiing, aquaplaning or similar activities are
-4-
prohibited utilizing any watercraft wlthin a three hundred (300)
feet of any bridge, dock, pi&r, wharf, morring or launching area,
or upon any lagoon, bay estuary, canal or lake within the corporate
limits of the city.
SEC. 6-9 Health and sanitation r61es; disorderly conduct~
etc.~ on watercraft.
All persons on board any watercraft located upon any waterway
within the city limits shall comply with all health and sanitary
rules or regulations of the city, and all ordinances of the city
relating to the conduct of persons, including acts contrary to
health, safety, morals, or public peace, and including ordinances
prohiniting disorderly conduct or loud or boisterous noises which
disturb the peace.
SEC 6-10. Excessive noise.
No operation or owner of a watercraft shall cause or allow
excessive noise in the operation or use of watercraft or equip-
ment thereon, including blowers, machinery, motors, horns, etc.,
on board any watercraft in violation of Chapter 15 of the Code
of Ordinances of the City of Sebastian.
SEC. 6-11. Refuse Disposal.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to dump or throw, or
cause to be dumped or thrown any waste material, refuse, trash,
petroleum product, or other debris into any waterway of the City
of Sebastian.
(b) All trash, garbage, and other debris accumulated aboard any
watercraft moored or docked in the City Limits of the City shall
be removed from the watercraft and disposed of on land in a proper
recepticle to dispose of the items.
-5-
(c) No one shall throw, drop or leave fish,
garbage, trash, refuses bait or other debris on docks,
walls, parkways, parks, Or other premises within the city
except in proper receptacles provided for same.
Sec. 6-12. Equipment for excrement, waste, refuse.
No person shall use or maintain living quarters
on any motor boat, yacht, houseboat, floating home or any
other type of watercraft on any of the waters within the
city limits of the City of Sebastian, unless the same shall
be equipped with a holding tank and/or chlorinator-maserator
or other equipment sufficient for the purpose of containing
all excrement, waste and refuse from such craft, and the
same sha~l be disposed of in accordance with the rules and
regulations heretofore or hereafter established for the
disposal of same, but in no event shall any part thereof
be released into any of the waters within said city.
Sec. 6~13. Permission required to dock or to mak~ fast to
~er vessel.
No person shall moor a boat to a private sea wall or
dock or beach if upon private property within the city without
the permission of the owner thereo'f.
Sec. 6-14. Using as place of business.
No watercraft moored or docked on any of the
publicly dedicated waterways in the city shall be used as a
place where any sales or services of any type whatsoever are
conducted; provided, however, that this shall not apply to
sales and services usually rendered by charter fishing boats
or sightseeing boats licensed by the city.
Sec. 6-14..1.. Repairing boats.
Only minor repairs and/or maintenance of watercraft
in residential areas is permitted and only when such repairs
or maintenance is performed by the person who is both the
owner (or tenant) of the real property and owner of the
watercraft, or at his direction.
Sec. 6-15. Penalty for violation.
Any person~ firm or corporation violating any of
the provisions of this Article, upon conviction thereof,
shall be punished as provided in section 1-10 of this Code.
SECTION III.
This Ordinance shall take effect immediately
upon becoming law.
SECTION IV.
If any section~ subsection~ sentence, clause,
phrase or work of this ordinance is for any reason held
unconstitutional or invalid, for any reason, such ruling
shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of any
of the remaining portions of this ordinance.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance was
finally passed by the City Council of the City of Sebastian,
Florida, on the /~ day of /~~ , 1984.
Ma~, City of Sebas~
I HEREBY CERTIFY that Notice of Public Hearing
of the foregoing Ordinance was given in accordance with
Section 166.041 of the Florida Statutes~ that said public
hearing ~as held in the City Hall of the City of Sebastian,
Florida,'at ~:oo ~. , on the /~/-~ day of
~ , 1984, and that the foregoing Ordinance
was duly passed and adopted by the City Council of the City
of' Sebastian, Florida, on 'the /~ day of ~~ ,
1984.
City Clerk
-7-