City commissioners have directed staff to draft an ordinance that would ban launching jet skis and other motorized watercraft from the Dunedin Causeway shoreline. The move comes after an extended storm-related closure that officials say has given seagrass and native wildlife a chance to rebound along sections of the shore. Commissioners reached consensus at a June 2 work session, and public hearings could be scheduled as soon as July.
City Manager Jennifer Bramley told commissioners that committee members and residents have reported environmental gains while the county keeps the causeway closed to launches, and she asked staff to work with the city attorney on draft language, according to the Tampa Bay Beacons. Bramley said any ordinance would need two public hearings and legal notices before it could take effect. She also noted that Pinellas County began storm-related repairs in April and expects the work to wrap up by December.
Officials warned that shoreline launching tears up seagrass beds and increases risks for swimmers, kayakers and paddleboarders. “It could take 10 years for boat scarring to recover in a seagrass bed,” Parks and Recreation Director Tony Mulkey told the commission, according to the Tampa Bay Beacons. The city also cited Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office data showing roughly 80 jet ski related incidents from January 2022 through April 2026, including unauthorized launches, operating in swim zones, speeding and wake complaints.
What the ban would and would not do
The proposal targets how boats get into the water, not whether they can be there at all. The ordinance as described would bar only the launching of motorized craft from the causeway shoreline. It would not ban operating boats or personal watercraft in the Intracoastal Waterway or St. Joseph Sound, which fall under state jurisdiction, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times.
In practice, that means boaters could still use the surrounding waters, but they would have to rely on established ramps and marina infrastructure instead of driving straight off the sand. City staff told commissioners they plan to direct users to official ramps that have paved launches and parking and are also exploring whether residency restrictions at the marina are legally viable.
Enforcement, alternatives and local context
The causeway has long been managed with designated use areas that separate non-motorized and motorized craft, and city planning documents have emphasized seagrass protection and slow zones, according to the City of Dunedin and its Waterfront Task Force report. City pages and the task force note that parts of the south shoreline have no paved ramps, which officials say makes shoreline launching especially damaging to sensitive bottom habitats.
Staff say that while the ordinance is drafted and enforcement rules are built out, they will keep encouraging people to use nearby public ramps and rental concessions instead of slipping vessels into the water from the sand.
Commissioners framed the move as a conservation and safety measure rather than a blanket crackdown on boats and personal watercraft, and several members said it would nudge operators toward safer, built-for-purpose ramps. If the commission approves the ordinance through the usual two-reading process, staff will return with it for public hearings and legal advertising. The county has said it will keep the area closed to launches until the city can adopt and enforce a ban, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Officials expect hearings as soon as July and say that enforcement details will be front and center at those meetings.
