Islamorada, Village of Islands (the “Village”) is a municipality located within the Florida Keys and is comprised of four (4) islands spanning 18 miles. The population is approximately 6,400 and the Village has about 115 full-time employees. As a Florida municipality, the Village must operate within the guidelines of Florida Statutes relating to public records, public meetings, and Sunshine laws. The Village undergoes an annual financial audit pursuant to Florida Statutes. Additionally, the Village must follow the guidelines of its purchasing ordinance when purchasing capital, supplies and services.
The Village is committed to the protection of coastal resources and the marine environment, providing safe water access and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors and maintaining a positive image of the Village and the Florida Keys.
The Fills is an area located within Islamorada in the Florida Keys, along US-1 from Mile Marker 77.670 to Mile Marker 79.673, and connecting Upper Matecumbe and Lower Matecumbe Keys, including Tea Table Key Fill, Indian Key Fill, and Lignumvitae Key Fill. The Fills is approximately 7.38 acres of mostly submerged land that includes the area known as the Indian Key Boat Ramp, identified by Parcel ID Number 0097221, owned by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the State of Florida and leased to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks (“FDEP”).
The Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”) is the owner of the property comprising the remainder of the Fills not including FDEP’s property. The Fills is the area of land on either side of the Overseas Highway, which is the only road that runs through the length of the Florida Keys. During weekends and holidays, the area is filled with visitors who park on either side of the Overseas Highway, litter the road and mangroves, have unauthorized picnic activities, and create a general nuisance for the Village. In lieu of shutting off access to the Fills and to better control public use and activities at the Fills, the Village entered into a lease agreement with FDOT for the limited purpose of directing and managing recreational traffic for public safety purposes. FDOT has authorized the Village to use cones and safety rope/tape to manage the recreational traffic without limiting public access in a discriminatory manner or without limiting public access for any reason other than public safety. FDOT has also authorized the Village to provide safe and traversable pedestrian paths on both sides of Overseas Hwy/SR5/US-1 without limiting or obstructing pedestrian traffic.
The Village also entered into a lease with the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks (“FDEP”) for maintenance of the parking area and boat ramp located on Indian Key Fill.