Public Hearing: Proposed Harbor Ordinance
January 30, 2007
Great Cranberry Island Community Center
Call to Order: 1:12 P.M. by Board of Selectmen Chairman Phil Whitney.
Attendance:
Phil Whitney, B.O.S. Chair Jennifer Litteral, Island Institute
David Thomas, Harbor Ordinance Committee Eric Dyer, Island Institute
Ted Spurling, JR, Harbor Ordinance Committee Nanette Hadlock, Deputy Clerk
Sally Rowan, Harbor Ordinance Committee Barbara Meyers & Sophie
Roy Hadlock, Harbor Ordinance Committee Karin Whitney
Rodney Wimer, Harbor Ordinance Committee Wesley Bracy. JR
- In 2006 $11,000.00 of funding was received from the state to research a more reasonable and less bureaucratic approach to forming a harbor ordinance than the last attempt at a new ordinance that was voted down at town meeting.
- Phil Whitney introduces Jennifer Litteral of the Island Institute who was hired to work with the Harbor Ordinance Committee to help write the proposed ordinance. Some of the reasons cited at this meeting for the need to write a new ordinance include:
- the need to address the Cranberry Dock at Manset which has no regulations at this time,
- to take a future look at the situation of more and more boat traffic and moorings in our island harbors,
- the safety of moorings in regard to navigation, rigging and maintenance
It is the belief of the Harbor Ordinance Committee that the current one page ordinance does not cover all the needed issues dealing with our harbors and docks.
- Some suggestions from the public in reference to the draft ordinance include:
- Upgrading the rock weights listed in article 6.9 General Mooring Provisions, as the currently proposed rock weights would seem insufficient for Great Cranberry Harbor. If rock weights are to be considered, it would most likely be Town wide for all harbors.
- In reference to article 6.6 Designation of Mooring Spaces, the harbormaster is designated as regulating existing moorings and approving the location and placement of new moorings. This is not necessarily a denial of placement of existing or new moorings, but so that the harbormaster knows the existence of moorings and their locations.
- To include the banning of tying up to the head of the floats for other than loading and unloading. This is not included in the draft ordinance as written. A change is suggested to add this ommittance under article 4.4 Obstruction of Channels, Launch Ramps, Or Berthing Spaces, and Removal Of Vessels
- Also in reference to article 4.4, concern is voiced in reference to the four hour tie up limit at the Cranberry Dock, it is pointed out that when the Manset Property was purchased by the Town; it was the intention to make it easier for residents of the Cranberry Isles to have more access to the mainland. A four hour tie up does not make it possible for people to commute to work on the mainland for the day. There is also some concern with the amount of float space available in the summer months, due to the amount of boats using the facility, boats with no Cranberry Isles boat stickers using our dock, and the methods used to tie up smaller boats at the dock. Added cleats on the floats may be an easy way to add more space with bow line tie up encouraged. Painting tie up limits on the floats, as well as signs stating the regulations for use, and possibly designated space for commuter use, as well as a longer tie up limit for commuters.
- In reference to article 4.6 Noise, a question arose to what type of noise is involved. Is this article in reference to working boats in our harbors, or not? The Board of Selectmen Chairman and the Harbor Ordinance Committee imply that this is not to include working boats, but to unnecessary noise such as loud music disturbing moored boats close by. Some suggestions to clarify this article are:
a) to do away with the noise article all together
b) to rewrite the article to not include working boats, as we do have working waterfront harbors
- in reference to article 4.5 Unseaworthy Vessels Prohibited In The Harbor, it is suggested to add the word "town" to any harbor in the first sentence of the article. (to read: any town harbor).
- In reference to size of boats tying up at the dinghy floats, this is not addressed in the draft ordinance as written. This issue has been raised previously at Board of Selectmens Meetings, as space to tie up dinghies is limited, and larger boats with motors have been utilizing some of the dinghy space, and banging into the smaller boats. The suggestions to remedy this are to:
a) add a line for size and/or time limit
b) to make accommodations for larger outboards to tie up
c) to make the Cranberry Dock at Manset a separate case to make accommodations for larger boats who commute to the mainland from the islands
- In reference to article 6.4 Inspection Of Moorings, a question is asked who would be qualified to do the inspections. The Harbor Ordinance Committee has a list compiled with area individuals who are suggested, and have been used by residents in the past for this service. The reasoning for this inspection of moorings in the ordinance is the safety of our harbors, and to make mooring owners accountable for the safety of the moorings in our town harbors.
Adjournment: 2:45 P.M.