No fees for day docks at The Bay park

Use of federal funds to build the day docks means the city cannot charge boaters, but a time limit remains in effect.

By Andrew Warfield
| 5:15 a.m. May 21, 2026

A floating day dock has been built along the refurbished south seawall in the 10th Street boat basin as part of The Bay park Phase 2.

Sarasota
News

On second reading at its May 18 meeting, the Sarasota City Commission approved via consent agenda the program for use restrictions at the new day docks on the south side of the Centennial Park boat launch basin at The Bay.

Boaters may tie up their craft for a daily maximum of five hours, but since being approved on first reading by the commission on Dec. 1, 2025, a $2 per hour fee has been removed from the ordinance per direction of the city attorney’s office.

Fees may not be enforced because the day dock construction was partially funded by federal dollars. By law, fees may not be applied for at least 20 years.

author

Andrew Warfield

Andrew Warfield is the Sarasota Observer city reporter. He is a four-decade veteran of print media. A Florida native, he has spent most of his career in the Carolinas as a writer and editor, nearly a decade as co-founder and editor of a community newspaper in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.