The city of Miami Beach is working on legislation to ban kitesurfing.
According to the Miami Beach Kiteboarders Foundation (MBKF), local authorities, in conjunction with ocean rescuers, are trying to push all riders to 76th Street and 84th Street.
"They want to force all kiteboarders to ride in one small location, at the edge of the City, far away from our homes, which will, in fact, create a safety hazard," the organization explains.
MBKF says that the city commissioners want to move all kiteboarding activity to 84th Street, which also happens to be a dog beach.
"This is not feasible or safe. It is creating a bigger danger, not a solution. There is a simpler answer that only involves the adoption of three rules," underlines MBKF.
Instead of banning kiteboarding in the central Miami Beach spots, the kiteboarding group asks the City to enforce three simple guidelines that will protect swimmers, beachgoers, and sports enthusiasts.
They are:
- Do not fly your kite over the beach unless you're launching or landing;
- Ride your kite at least 200 feet from shore;
- Stay at least 50 feet away from swimmers;