Marina Dock Age, February/March 2001

There’s More to the Story
by Ron Stone

In the last issue of Marina Dock Age, I told you why marinas make news, and looked for patterns in the forces shaping that news. Because of magazine space limits, coupled with the inevitability of late breaking stories, I could not hope to cover everything in one article. This article is a followup, because there is certainly more to the story of why recreational boating facilities are newsworthy.

DOWNSIZING MARINA PROJECTS

Between the developer’s original vision and actual construction or expansion, there is often a difference in the size of a marina. Many projects have had to be downsized: sometimes because there was no other way of gaining the necessary federal, state, and for local government approvals than to strike an accommodation with environmental protectionists who fear negative impacts on the environment; sometimes because there was no other way of appeasing local private property owners, who fear that a marina in their midst will depreciate property values and disturb their peace and quiet; and sometimes because of overruns on estimated construction costs.

The following stories are fairly representative:

Gloucester Daily Times, MA, Feb. 25, 2000:

The neighbors at Pigeon Cove object to the building of a 80-slip marina on an abandoned factory site, contending that a commercial business in their midst would spoil the historic character of the harbor. Although a previous site owner’s plans envisioned a bigger marina, which was blocked by litigation by abutting residential property owners, the neighbors are still not satisfied that the project has been scaled down enough.

St. Ignace News, Ml, Jan. 13, 2000:

The state Department of Natural Resources wants to build a 122-slip marina at Mission Point on Mackinac Island. It’s needed to help fill a need for transient dockage in the area. The city and a community preservation group vigorously oppose further development of the island’s scenic shoreline and the prospect of increased boat traffic. Alternatively, they suggest expanding berth space within the existing harbor at Haldimand Bay, or building off the Straits Transit Dock, between the existing marina and the east breakwall. Either alternative allows for only 53 additional slips, versus the 122 proposed by the state. The DNR maintains that those alternative locations are already congested. Unless the opposing forces can effect a compromise, there may be no marina development at all.

Coastal Observer, SC, Aug. 24, 2000:

Getting clearance to build Willbrook Marina, off the Waccamaw River on Pawley’s Island, took 10 years of negotiating with environmental interests. When first proposed, plans called for a 42-acre complex with 200 boat slips and 200 housing units. The project was reduced to an 11-acre complex with 50 to 60 wet slips and a 288-boat dry stack storage building. In exchange for a permit to dredge 1.1 acres of wetlands in order to connect the boat basin to the river, the developer agreed to plant 1,000 pickerel weeds, a native Low Country aquatic plant. He also agreed to allow public use of the facility’s boat ramp for a day fee of $5. Continue »