Advocating for our Waterways

By Jerry Joseph, Vice Mayor

(Thursday, May 11, 2023) – On April 1, 2023, it was my pleasure to ride marine patrol with Sgt. Rob Ostrov on a six-hour tour of Sunny Isles Beach Intracoastal waters. My goal was to determine how I could better serve our residents through discussions with our marine Sgt. Ostrov and better understand, through him, what steps could be taken to further safeguard the manatees. We see wake issues due to the time of year changes from IDLE to no restriction on speed in the Intracoastal from the Lehman Causeway Bridge to 163rd Street.

The cities of Hallandale and Hollywood have worked through the Florida Wildlife Commission to have YEAR-ROUND IDLE SPEED ZONES along their entire Intracoastal. Our sea walls, docks and backyards belonging to Sunny Isles Beach residential, condo and commercial waterfront properties will be less abused and better for wear with these restrictions. I will also work with FWC for better signage highlighting the IDLE speed requirement and for the lowering of music when passing residential properties.

I will advocate for an additional marine patrol officer so that Sunny Isles Beach has seven day a week waterfront presence, and with the addition of our second marine vessel due by November 2023, this vision is quite possible.

Contact Vice Mayor Jerry Joseph at seat1@sibfl.net or 305.792.1754.