- July 5, 2025
Loading
Noise issues stemming from the Jewfish Key sandbar and the surrounding waters continue to be a problem for some north-end residents.
North end communities like the Village and Land’s End can hear — and can sometimes feel — the impacts of crowds of boaters flocking to the sandbar during busy weekends and holidays.
Jim Haft, who lives in Land’s End near the water, said the sandbar has grown a reputation for being a popular party spot for boaters in the region. This past Memorial Day weekend, Haft said boats packed the sandbar, some with high-wattage sound systems.
“There were hundreds of boats out there,” Haft said. “It only takes a couple of those guys with these 6000-watt sound systems…it will literally rattle the windows in your house.”
While Haft acknowledges the Longboat Key Police Department's efforts to boost its marine patrol unit and enforce these types of ordinances, he said the issues still persist.
“The marine police have done a pretty good job, there’s a lot more (marine patrol officers) and they’re out there a lot,” Haft said. “When they’re there, it’s working. But they can’t be there all the time.”
Haft guessed most of the boaters do not realize the town has an ordinance prohibiting excessive noise. That’s why he and others with the Longboat Key North community group suggested additional signage on the sandbar.
Interim Chief of Police Frank Rubino understands the residents’ concerns and acknowledges that the number of boats that convene on the sandbar has increased.
“It gets really crowded. There are more boats than there were two or three years ago,” Rubino said.
Maureen Merrigan, co-chair of Longboat Key North, guessed it also has to do with the advancing technology of boats that allow people to travel to the sandbar from places further away, like St. Petersburg and Tampa.
“You have these high-powered boats, and they can go anywhere,” Merrigan said.
Rubino acknowledged the signage suggestion, but said it’s not as simple as going out and putting new signs in the water.
“There are quite a few agencies we would need to go through,” Rubino said. “And it’s a very lengthy procedure.”
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, any municipality, county or other government that wants to install a waterway marker — whether it’s for safety, regulations or information — must apply for a Florida Uniform Waterway Marker (FUWM) permit through the FWC.
“The FUWM Permit is contingent upon the permit holder receiving authorization from the submerged landowner, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG),” the FWC website states.
Despite the possible obstacles, Rubino said he is hoping to discuss the possibilities with north-end representatives. He said this could include waterway signage or possibly signage on neighboring docks.