Canals are a lovely part of our Village scenery, but they need our help to stay that way. While motorboats are allowed on Palmetto Bay’s canals, they must adhere to rules and regulations just like vehicles on a road. Motorized vessels traveling at excessive speeds are a danger to people and wildlife, and they also erode shoreline property and can damage bulkheads, seawalls, docks, and piers.
In the past, there has been some confusion regarding speed zones in the C-100 canal. The Miami-Dade County Commission has recently clarified the matter, with Section 7-26 (j) of the Code of Miami-Dade County stating:
“No person shall operate a motorboat, or permit, allow, or suffer a motorboat to be operated, in the Slow Speed, Minimum Wake Zones of the C-100 Canal East Waterways at any speed greater than slow speed, minimum wake.
The Slow Speed, Minimum Wake Zones of the C-100 Canal East Waterways are hereby established to be all waters except those identified in exhibit 1 as Vessel Exclusion Zones or Normal Speed Zones.”
According to the ordinance and its accompanying map, the entire C-100 waterway is designated as a Slow Speed, Minimum Wake Zone. The only areas designated as Normal Speed Zones are Tanglewood Lake on the south side of SW 136 Street, within Palmetto Bay’s boundaries, and Lake Sheldon on the north side of SW 136 Street, within Pinecrest’s boundaries.
Let’s all do our part to preserve Palmetto Bay’s natural resources for generations to come! Respecting and protecting our canals is everyone's responsibility!
