Key Largo Sunset Point Park Closed Until New Management Plan is Approved, Parking Changes

KEY LARGO, FL – The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners took steps on Monday to address complaints surrounding the overuse of Sunset Point Park in Key Largo. The Board approved a resolution to prohibit parking on county rights-of-way in the Bay Harbor and Sunset Point subdivisions surrounding the park that takes effect immediately. The Board also closed the area between Bay Harbor Drive and the waterline while alternatives are investigated for safe usage of the park following its eventual reopening.

South Bay Harbor and North Bay Harbor drives in the Bay Harbor subdivision and Sunset Road and Sunset Court in the Sunset Point subdivision are located in a residential neighborhood that contains a small county-owned park. The changes were implemented at the request of dozens of neighborhood residents who have been experiencing quality of life issues due to a large number of park users and limited space. Park users frequently exceeded the limited parking for the neighborhood park by parking vehicles and boat trailers on the shoulder of the narrow neighborhood roads, which causes traffic problems, safety issues, and difficulty for residents entering and leaving driveways.

The roads in the Bay Harbor and Sunset Point subdivisions are now designated as a no parking, standing, or stopping area. “No Parking” signage is being posted that will include the noncriminal civil penalty set at $200.

At the Bay Drive park, the Sheriff and his deputies are authorized to issue trespass warnings and can arrest any person who is found at the park. The Board asked the Sheriff also to consider providing enhanced law enforcement during the first weeks. The area will remain closed until an alternative management plan for the area is approved at a future board meeting. The Board closed the area immediately to prevent the huge crowds that were expected to overwhelm the facility and surrounding neighborhood during the July 4 weekend.