WATERCRAFT PARKING

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Section 3.13. SRO, Special Residential Overlay District

The Special Residential Overlay District is established to provide control to land subdivided within the City through the approval and recording of several plats of subdivision entitled “Punta Gorda Isles,” Sections 1 through 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 24, 26 and 27.

(l) Storage of Vehicles and Watercraft. Except as otherwise provided herein, it shall be unlawful for any person to park, store, keep, maintain, or permit to be parked, stored, kept or maintained on the property of a single or multiple family residence, or on a vacant lot in a residential area, any watercraft, boat or empty boat trailer. Any watercraft, boat, empty boat trailer, or a boat and/or watercraft on a trailer may be parked entirely within the confines of a garage or carport, or as permitted below:

(1) Watercraft may be stored entirely on the dock, but not the seawall, of the premises.

(2) Watercraft may be stored on a lift or davits, or in the water.

(3) Small watercraft such as kayaks or canoes may be placed on a roof rack on a vehicle parked in the driveway overnight; however, watercraft may not be left on the vehicles for more than two (2) consecutive days.

(4) A residence may have a single watercraft kept or parked on the premises, on the paved driveway, or within the public right-of-way off of the paved roadway between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

(5)  No watercraft shall be kept or parked on the premises, nor within a public right-of-way between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., unless parked entirely within the confines of a garage or carport, or upon obtaining a permit without charge from the City. Upon obtaining a permit the watercraft may be parked on the driveway of any premises or in the right-of-way, off of the paved roadway for up to two nights (7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) on no more than four (4) occasions per calendar year. The issued permit shall specify the date and time that the permit will expire. Permits may not be combined to allow a watercraft to remain on the driveway of any premises or in the right-of-way for more than two consecutive days. Upon the expiration, the watercraft must be removed from the property and right-of-way. No new permit shall be issued sooner than two days from the expiration of a prior permit. The permit shall be affixed to the watercraft in a conspicuous place on the street side thereof. No vehicle shall encroach upon or block a public sidewalk or paved roadway.

Residents or visiting non-residents may obtain a parking permit by phone or by the internet from the City Code Compliance Division, or on weekends or evenings, by calling the Police Department and providing a description of the watercraft and location thereof. If the Police find a resident or visitor in violation of this ordinance, they shall forward a report to the Code Compliance Division for follow-up on the next regular work day. The Code Compliance Division shall then make contact with the resident and inform them of the regulations. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to vehicles parked on the premises of churches, clinics, schools, public libraries, public buildings, public and club swimming pools, private clubs, golf courses, utilities, and parks and recreational areas, while the persons transported thereby are attending or participating in activities or being treated or served on those premises, nor to business trucks or trailers permitted to be parked at any time in a space prepared or designated on said premises, if such vehicles are used or operated by or for the operation of the places or institutions designated, except that such vehicles cannot be used primarily for personal transportation.