HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-25-0403City of Miami
Resolution R-25-0403
Legislation
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 18190 Final Action Date: 9/25/2025
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S),
URGING MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TO UPDATE THE MANATEE PROTECTION
PLAN TO SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZE ALL WATER TAXI STOPS IN THE CITY
OF MIAMI, ATTACHED HERETO AS EXHIBIT "A," ADOPTED ON MARCH 22,
2024, BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, AND TO INCLUDE A PROCESS TO
AUTHORIZE ADDITIONAL WATER TAXI STOPS, INCLUDING STOPS
THROUGHOUT THE CITY; AND DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT
A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ("COUNTY") BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AND THE COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT.
SPONSOR(S): Commissioner Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner Ralph "Rafael"
Rosado
WHEREAS, water taxis provide an environmentally friendly and efficient mode of
transportation that can help alleviate traffic congestion on roadways and bridges throughout
Miami -Dade County; and
WHEREAS, Palm Beach County and Broward County have successfully implemented
water taxi services that operate in harmony with manatee protection efforts, demonstrating that
such services can coexist with environmental safeguards; and
WHEREAS, Miami -Dade County's ("County") current Manatee Protection Plan ("MPP")
lacks a clear and reasonable process for authorizing water taxi stops and, in practice, has
discouraged the development of a waterborne transportation network; and
WHEREAS, on March 22, 2024, the Board of Directors of the Miami Downtown
Development Authority adopted Resolution No. 007/2024, identifying specific water taxi stops
within the City of Miami ("City"), as set forth in Exhibit A to this Resolution; and
WHEREAS, the City seeks to expand water taxi service to include stops throughout its
jurisdiction, in order to better serve residents, workers, and visitors; and
WHEREAS, the inclusion of appropriate idle and no -wake zones, along with increased
fines for violations, can ensure the safe implementation and operation of water taxi services
while continuing to protect manatee populations; and
WHEREAS, updating the MPP to authorize the identified stops and establish a
transparent process for future authorizations is essential to advancing multimodal transportation
options and regional mobility goals;
City of Miami Page 1 of 2 File ID: 18190 (Revision:) Printed On: 10/21/2025
File ID: 18190 Enactment Number: R-25-0403
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The City Commission urges the County to update the MPP to authorize water
taxi stops in the City, identified in the attached and incorporated Exhibit "A," and formulate a
transparent process to authorize further water taxi stops throughout the City.
Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to forward a copy of this Resolution to Mayor
Danielle Levine Cava, all County Commissioners of Miami -Dade County, and the Director of the
Department of Environmental Resources Management.
Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
rge . Wyy ng III, City ttor' -y 9/16/2025
City of Miami Page 2 of 2 File ID: 18190 (Revision:) Printed on: 10/21/2025