Palm Beach to Appoint Special Magistrate for Maritime Code Enforcement

Town Council to hire attorney to oversee coastal violations and unpermitted moorings.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 9:59pm

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A serene oil painting depicting a single sailboat moored in a quiet Palm Beach marina, with the boat's reflection rippling in the water and warm sunlight casting long shadows across the scene, conceptually representing the specialized expertise required to enforce coastal regulations.The appointment of a special magistrate aims to address the nuanced legal issues involved in enforcing maritime and coastal regulations in the Town of Palm Beach.Palm Beach Today

The Palm Beach Town Council is set to appoint a special magistrate, attorney Paul J. Nicoletti, to oversee maritime and coastal code enforcement cases. This move aims to address the nuanced statutory and jurisdictional issues that volunteer code enforcement boards may lack familiarity with when it comes to marine and coastal violations.

Why it matters

Palm Beach, a coastal community, has seen an increase in unpermitted moorings and other maritime code violations that require specialized expertise to properly address. Appointing a dedicated special magistrate will help ensure consistent and effective enforcement of these complex coastal regulations.

The details

The Palm Beach Town Council plans to hire attorney Paul J. Nicoletti to serve as a special magistrate overseeing maritime and coastal code enforcement cases. This comes as the town's volunteer code enforcement boards have struggled to handle the nuanced legal and jurisdictional issues involved in these types of violations, which can include unpermitted moorings and other coastal infractions.

  • The Palm Beach Town Council is set to vote on the appointment at their next meeting on April 4, 2026.

The players

Paul J. Nicoletti

An attorney expected to be hired by the Palm Beach Town Council to serve as a special magistrate overseeing maritime and coastal code enforcement cases.

Palm Beach Town Council

The governing body of the Town of Palm Beach, Florida, which is set to appoint a special magistrate to handle maritime and coastal code violations.

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What’s next

The Palm Beach Town Council will vote on the appointment of Paul J. Nicoletti as the special magistrate for maritime and coastal code enforcement at their next meeting on April 4, 2026.

The takeaway

By appointing a dedicated special magistrate with expertise in maritime law and coastal regulations, the Town of Palm Beach is taking a proactive step to ensure more effective and consistent enforcement of code violations in its coastal areas.