Mooring Field

Miami Beach is a popular destination for boaters and there is a high demand for local anchorage close to South Beach. The feasibility of establishing a regulated mooring field has been explored to provide boaters the opportunity to anchor. A mooring field is a managed mooring system affixed to the bottom of a waterway and follows an approved management plan.  Miami Beach currently does not have a regulated mooring field, this would be a new public amenity.

The City conducted a preliminary analysis and public outreach to establish a framework for the implementation of a mooring field. During this process, the community expressed interest in having the mooring field in South Beach. In Spring 2022, City staff and their selected consultants held meetings with the regulatory agencies to obtain feedback on the boundaries and necessary items to consider during the permitting process. City staff presented this item at the May 27, 2022 Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee meeting and received direction from Committee to move forward and proceed with the design and permitting of proposed boundaries (from approximately 5 Street to Maurice Gibb Park) and update FY 2023 budget requests to reflect additional monetary needs. The City’s Capital budget increase request was approved by City Commission on September 28, 2022. The City staff has worked within the procurement process to develop a scope within allowable guidelines. The City is negotiating the proposal. It is important to note, a management document will be developed during the design and permitting phase.