Sailor Keddy goes to City Hall
The concept of trying to control the waters off of certain areas of desirable coastline is nothing new. Sarasota is no exception. Before 2009, the local municipalities could make ordinances to limit the amount of time a boat could spend anchored in the limits of their fine city. That all changed when the Florida legislature deemed those ordinances unconstitutional. They also changed the definition of a liveaboard to one who uses a vessel strictly for a home, and a cruiser as someone who may reside on their boat, but also navigates. The difference being that a cruisers boat can move under its own power where a liveaboard can't. Under the current laws, it is legal to cruise and illegal to liveaboard. This is fine by me, it keeps boats that shouldn't be inhabited out of the water. There is also a law on the books that allows cities to create and maintain mooring fields. Again, no problems there. What I do have an issue with, and what there was a meeting about tonight at the Sara