Dunedin city commissioners have directed staff to begin drafting an ordinance to permanently ban launching jet skis and other motorized watercraft from the Dunedin Causeway, following nearly two years of restricted access that officials say has allowed seagrass and marine life to recover.
Commissioners reached consensus on the move during a June 2 work session, instructing staff to work with the city attorney on the ordinance language. City Manager Jennifer Bramley said that adopting the ordinance would still require two public hearings before it takes effect.
The causeway’s south side has been closed to motorized watercraft launches since sustaining damage from Hurricane Milton. Prior to the storm, boaters and jet ski operators had launched directly from the shoreline there for years. Pinellas County is still conducting repairs to the causeway.
City officials said the closure has produced clear environmental benefits. Seagrass acts as natural erosion control and helps buffer storm surge, in addition to providing oxygen and habitat for marine wildlife, according to Thomas Frazer, dean of the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science. Frazer noted that shoreline launching in shallow water can cut through sediment and damage seagrass beds, which may take years to recover.
City officials cited similar concerns. Shoreline launches can cause bank scouring, bottom disturbance, prop scarring, and jet-wash damage that can take a decade or more to heal, according to city staff.
Safety was also raised as a factor. Theresa Smalling, the city’s director of human resources and risk management, said the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office logged roughly 80 jet-ski-related incidents at the causeway between January 2022 and April 2026, including unauthorized launches, operation in swim zones and no-motor areas, speeding, and unsafe conduct near other recreational users. Fire Chief Michael Handoga said the area’s heavy use by swimmers, kayakers, and paddleboarders raises ongoing safety concerns when mixed with high-speed motorized launches.
Commissioner Steven Sandbergen and Commissioner Jeff Gow both voiced support for the proposed ban, with Gow pointing to the need to protect seagrass and oyster beds. One commissioner described the move as being about public use, resource preservation, safety and quality of life rather than opposition to jet skis themselves, adding that the causeway’s infrastructure was not built to support motorized craft launches.
Not all residents are on board. Nearby resident Kelli Snow said she doubts the ban would be popular, and some in the community have expressed concern about losing recreational access and potential effects on tourism. Paddleboarder Chloe Dallas noted that launching directly from the causeway has long offered boaters easy, convenient access to the water.
Under the proposal, boaters would be directed to use public or private boat ramps elsewhere in the area instead. Public hearings on the ordinance could come before the city commission as early as July. Bramley said Pinellas County has committed to keeping the causeway closed to motorized launches until the city adopts and can enforce the permanent ban.
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