Miami pushes to shrink derelict vessel removal period

Miami is proposing an ordinance to clear the derelict vessels clogging the city’s waterways by shortening the notification time required before removal to just 21 days.

On March 14, the Miami City Commission unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance amending the notice requirements and procedures for removing derelict vessels. If it passes on a second reading, the measure will see the period between notice and removal cut from 45 to 21 days.

As it stands, the part of Miami’s city code titled “Ships, Vessels, and Waterways” provides for the removal of a derelict vessel without prior notice if it is determined to constitute a hazard to navigation or public safety. Where no immediate hazard exists, a law enforcement officer must affix a notice at least 45 days before removing or relocating it.

The updated ordinance would see that time cut to only 21 days between notice and removal. Owners or other interested parties still would have the right to a hearing to challenge the determination. Those deemed legally responsible for the vessel being in the waterways in a derelict condition would be liable for removal, destruction and disposal costs.

According to the legislation, the city is concerned about the hazardous impacts to safe navigation and recreational use created by abandoned boats. The city says the derelict vessels are “sources of degradation of the aesthetic value of Miami’s waters and shoreline.”

Since 2019, 158 derelict and abandoned vessels have been removed from Biscayne Bay. More than half were within what Miami-Dade County calls “hot spots,” areas known for their high number of derelict and abandoned vessels.

In 2021, the legislature amended state statutes to provide that a municipality may give only 21 days’ notice before removing a derelict vessel.

Vessels become derelict typically through the owners’ neglect, inability to pay costly maintenance and slip fees, or damage during severe storms. The debris is difficult and expensive to remove, so stranded boats often sit for long periods.

The city commission also voted to apply for a grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) for its Waterways Assistance Program for $37,500 to support removals. The city would have to match the grant, bringing the total project to $75,000.

According to background documents and a Miami Police Department report, the FIND grant would support the removal of six derelict vessels off Watson Island, including one floating and five submerged boats that have been marked “ready to be removed” as of December 2023. The estimated cost for removal is $8,000 to $15,000 per vessel.