FL S1946

Designates five specific densely populated urban waterway areas (Middle River in Broward County, Sunset Lake in Miami-Dade County, and three sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County) as grandfathered-in anchoring limitation areas where vessels cannot anchor between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise.

Authorizes counties (except Monroe County) to establish new anchoring limitation areas adjacent to urban residential areas, limited to no more than 10 percent of the county's navigable-in-fact waterways, with each area not exceeding 100 acres and clearly marked with signs and buoys identifying anchoring time limits.

Allows vessels to anchor in county-established anchoring limitation areas for a maximum of 45 consecutive days in any 6-month period and requires counties to provide 30 days' notice to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before introducing an ordinance.

Designates Monroe County as an anchoring limitation area with a maximum 90-day anchoring limit in the same location, contingent on Monroe County establishing at least 250 public moorings within 1 mile of Key West Bight City Dock and 50 moorings in the Key West Garrison Bight Mooring Field.

Establishes enforcement provisions allowing law enforcement to issue citations and remove vessels for violations, with vessels receiving more than three violations within 12 months declared public nuisances; violations are noncriminal infractions with penalties of $50 for first offense, $100 for second offense, and $250 for subsequent offenses.