What You Need to Know

Artificial lighting, especially at night, can disrupt local wildlife, particularly sea turtles and other nocturnal or migrating animals. In Florida, it's crucial to minimize light pollution to protect these species.

Wildlife-Friendly Lighting

Sea turtles and other wildlife are especially sensitive to artificial lights. Bright lights can disorient hatchlings and nesting mothers, leading them away from the ocean. To help:

1. Close Blinds or Curtains: To reduce light pollution, turn off lights, and close blinds or curtains in your beachfront properties during the nesting season (March 1 - October 31) between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
2. Use Turtle-Friendly Lighting: Install turtle-friendly lighting fixtures or retrofit existing ones with shields to direct light away from the beach. Turtle-safe lighting is a small change that makes a big difference. FWC Certified Wildlife Lighting
3. Share the Message: Educate your family, friends, and guests about the importance of sea turtle conservation and proper lighting practices. The more people understand, the more we can protect our sea turtle neighbors.

Local Regulations:

City of Satellite Beach Ordinance: Ordinance: Chapter 26, Article X– Sea Turtle Nesting & Lighting Regulations

Brevard County Ordinance: Chapter 46, Article III – Marine Turtle Protection

Key Rules:

• No visible lights on the beach at night during nesting season – this includes white, amber, and red lights.

• Shield or turn off outdoor lighting so it cannot be seen from the beach.

• Close blinds or curtains on ocean-facing windows at night.

• No flashlights, flash photography, or fires on the beach during nesting season.

The City’s Sea Turtle Lighting Program includes public education and lighting surveys, with funding for the 2025–2026 program year provided by the Sea Turtle Grants Program.

Protecting Gopher Tortoises in Satellite Beach

Satellite Beach is home to many gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus), a threatened species under Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regulations, Rule 68A-27.004. As a keystone species, gopher tortoises dig burrows that provide shelter for themselves and dozens of other wildlife species, making them vital to the ecosystem.

The City takes the management and protection of gopher tortoises seriously, particularly on Samsons Island and at Desoto Sports Park. Staff work to maintain suitable habitats through invasive plant management, habitat restoration, and ongoing monitoring, ensuring these areas remain safe, healthy, and sustainable for the long-term survival of gopher tortoises.

By protecting gopher tortoises, the City supports biodiversity, ecosystem health, and resilient natural spaces for residents and wildlife alike.

Staff at the City of Satellite Beach are working diligently to restore and maintain our natural lands. City will continue its invasive species management and native habitat restoration program across key areas, including the beach shorelines, Samsons Island, Sports Park, and other City-owned natural lands.

The program focuses on removing invasive plants that threaten native ecosystems and replanting with Florida-native species to restore healthy habitats for wildlife, including gopher tortoises, shorebirds, and other coastal species. These efforts help protect biodiversity, improve dune resilience against erosion, and create a more sustainable ecosystem for residents and wildlife alike.

Collaboration with other agencies, like FWC, are ongoing for projects around the City.

Stormwater

Annual Fertilizer Ban 

It is against the law to apply fertilizer to your lawn in the City of Satellite Beach from June 1 to September 30.

This regulation was enacted in order to keep harmful nutrients found in fertilizer from washing off lawns into storm drains and eventually into the Indian River Lagoon during rainy summer months. Penalties include a fine of $200 for violating this ordinance. 

Low Impact Development (LID)

MRC LID Information

What is LID?
Low Impact Development (LID) refers to systems and practices that use or mimic natural processes to manage stormwater. LID helps filter, absorb, and use rainwater, protecting water quality and supporting healthy aquatic habitats. The goal is to replicate natural processes rather than letting stormwater run off untreated.

Ways to use LID at home:

• Install rain gardens

• Use rain barrels to capture runoff

• Create detention basins

• Plant bioswales

• Use pervious pavers

• Plant trees

Lagoon Friendly Lawn

MRC LFL

The Lagoon Friendly Lawn Program recognizes residents who help prevent algal blooms and fish kills by reducing nutrient pollution and stormwater runoff while restoring ecosystem functions with native plants.

Tips to minimize nutrient pollution:

• Reduce lawn/turf area

• Avoid fertilizer (go fertilizer-free)

• Plant native plants

• Direct drain spouts to permeable surfaces

• Wash cars at commercial car washes, not driveways

• Pick up pet waste

• Use sustainable mulch

Ecotour Guest Registration Portal

Samsons Island Nature Park