Miami Beach Cracks Down On Illegal Water Sports
MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) – South Florida is known for its beautiful beaches and water sports but now Miami Beach has started to enforce a decades-old ordinance that bans surfing and other beach sports on all public beaches except for a small three block stretch of the water.
Surfers, paddle boarders and others who love beach-side sports plan to protest at Miami Beach City Hall on Wednesday.
They're protesting the old ordinance which doesn't allow the use of surf, paddle, or kite boards north of 3rd Street.
The only public beach where these activities are allowed is the southern tip north of Government Cut.
Breaking the law can bring a $500 fine or 30 days in jail.
According to CBS4 News partner The Miami Herald, the city recently began receiving complaints about kite surfing and paddle boarding on the beach. After researching the city's ordinances, legal staff found laws that banned surfing, paddle boarding, skiing, windsurfing, and other water sports from all public beaches except for The Jetty Beach and The First Street Tower.
Ocean Rescue, code enforcement and police were told to start enforcing the ordinance last month.
So far, nobody has been fined or arrested. Those found breaking the law have simply been told to relocate south of Third Street.
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