The 2012 Evacuation study resulted in allocating building permits in the keys with Marathon receiving 300 permits being issued at a rate of 30 per year. Marathon has completed the allocation of building permits called ROGOs allocated by 2024. Monroe county manages the evacuation based on two evacuation categories. The first category is transitory or non-resident that must evacuate the keys within 48 to 24 hours before arrival of the hurricane. There we no additional permits for this category covering such places as hotels, campgrounds and vacation renters. The second category is for residents that are required to evacuate within 24 to 0 hours before a hurricane arrives.
In 2025 the Florida legislature decided it would be acceptable to increase the resident time for evacuation to 24.5 hours which allows the allocation of another 900 building permits for the keys over 10 years. The allocation to the municipal governments and unincorporated Monroe County will be done over the next 6 months. These are restricted to open non environmental restricted lots for single houses with a preference for local residences, work force and affordable housing. The Marathon Weekly for July 3rd has a detailed explanation.
In case you wonder why so many houses are still being built, Marathon also has a third category of permits available called TBRs or Transferable Building Permits. These are from owners that have lost their homes and decided not to rebuild and other circumstances. Marathon City Building Department has 115 TBRs under management that are for sale at approximately $250,000 from private owners.
Citizens are concerned about the health and safety hazards of getting trapped in traffic while trying to evacuate. All residents should get a reentry permit to get back into the Keys after any hurricane evacuation order. The following information is from the Monroe County Emergency Management Website - https://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/897/Evacuation-Information.
New Reentry Stickers Available for Monroe County Residents
Monroe County residents may now obtain one sticker for each registered vehicle by providing proof of residency at a Monroe County Tax Collector’s office. Proof of residency includes a Florida Driver’s License and vehicle registration, or a property bill with an out-of-county vehicle registration for out-of-county residents who own a home in Monroe County. These stickers make reentry easier if checkpoints are required to assure safe re-entry into the Keys following a destructive storm that causes a public safety issue.
Where to get reentry stickers
- Tax Collector Locations: - Marathon - 3015 Overseas Hwy
Emergency Numbers
- For all immediate emergencies, dial 911
- Monroe County Information Hotline: 1-800-955-5504 (Activated for Emergencies)
- State of Florida Emergency Information: 1-800-342-3557
- Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
Law Enforcement
- Monroe County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency: 305-289-2371
- Marathon Substation, District 4 & 5, Middle Key: 305-289-2430
Official Weather Information
- National Weather Service Key West: 305-294-1122
- National Hurricane Center
Tree Trimming Information
- Keeping your yard prepared before and during hurricane season, which runs June 1 through Nov. 30, is important. Clearing coconuts from palms and trimming foliage can help prevent the loss of native and nonnative trees in the event of a storm and protect your and your neighbor’s property from additional flying hazards.
Boat Preparation
A storm can bring dangerous risks to securing a boat. It is best to know the ropes before a storm threatens Monroe County. It is important to know how to properly tie down a boat in the water or on land to prevent damage to property. If able, it is always best to evacuate early with your boat if an evacuation is called.
Additional Resources
Marathon’s current position on building a sewage sludge concentration facility in Area 6 on Coco Plum subdivision is no hold until at least 2028 due to the requirement to complete the deep well project. The current sludge concentration evaluation is 5 years old so we will ask for another study in the council meetings at the appropriate time before implementation of this project.
The walking path along Coco Plum Drive will be extended. Lighting will be installed along the entire path. The Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) within the Capital Plan currently shows this being built by 2030. View Report
Residents have observed illegal dumping in our canal(s). Our water is one of our most treasured assets that makes our community special. We are organizing our information and approach to stopping the polluters.
A parking lot was built recently across the street from Coco Plum Beach. This lot took over a natural habitat, displacing natural ecosystems. This project was not on members’ radars. We need to show up for meetings more consistently so projects on Coco Plum don’t get approved and built without our input.
