St. Petersburg Considers Motorized Vessel Ban for Coquina Key Park Lagoon
City leaders are weighing a motorized-craft ban inside the Coquina Key Park lagoon to protect paddlers, swimmers, and the fragile mangrove shoreline — here's what it means for locals.
Robby Thurston
The Mangrove Dispatch
As Pinellas County continues to grapple with balancing public access and environmental protection across its waterways, city leaders in St. Petersburg are officially evaluating a potential motorized vessel ban inside the lagoon at Coquina Key Park. The proposed restriction aims to address growing safety concerns, shoreline erosion, and the preservation of calm paddling corridors in local neighborhood basins.
Why Coquina Key Park lagoon is under review
Located on the southern side of Coquina Key, the park's enclosed lagoon serves as a popular sheltered spot for neighborhood residents, kayakers, and recreational paddleboarding enthusiasts.
- The conflict: over recent months, local paddlers and residents have raised concerns over high-speed motorized watercraft and jet skis cutting through the narrow, protected confines of the lagoon
- Safety & environment: because the lagoon is compact and heavily used by non-motorized recreationists, mixing high-horsepower watercraft with swimmers, children, and paddleboard users has created mounting friction. Excessive wakes also threaten the fragile mangrove edges and shallow shorelines
What a ban means for local paddlers
If the city moves forward with the ordinance, Coquina Key Park lagoon would join a growing list of localized municipal protections across Pinellas County designed to carve out safe, human-powered sanctuaries.
- Safer waters: a total exclusion of motorized craft would transform the lagoon into a pristine, wake-free zone — making it an ideal, stress-free spot for beginners learning to use an iSUP or families out for a morning paddle
- Access restored: non-motorized watercraft like kayaks and paddleboards would retain full access, letting locals explore the pocket without dodging gas-powered engines
"A wake-free lagoon turns a contested pocket of water back into what it was built for — kids, families, and paddlers sharing a calm stretch of shoreline."
What's next
City committees are reviewing feedback from neighborhood associations, local boaters, and paddle sports advocates. As discussions move through the municipal pipeline, The Mangrove Dispatch will continue tracking the timeline, public hearings, and final City Council votes.
If you live in the Coquina Key area or frequently paddle the southern basin, make sure your voice is heard at upcoming public comment sessions.
