Moorings plan raises questions

moorings plan raises questions



By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 02/29/08

Residents and boaters aired concerns Thursday about the city's proposed Harbor Management Plan, with many questioning the need and cost of the planned 227 moorings.

"With a cost of $500,000 just to install the moorings, how do you anticipate paying for that year in, year out," asked Jay Bliss, a boater and member of the St. Augustine Port, Waterway and Beach District, who believes the city should have fewer moorings.

Jim Piggott, city director of general services, said the city would pay for the mooring fields through grants and revenue.

The Harbor Management Plan would put 227 moorings in St. Augustine Waterways. The mooring fields would be located north and south of the Bridge of Lions and in Salt Run.

The Thursday meeting was the city's fourth on the plan, this time with a panel of local experts to answer the public's questions.

Panelists included representatives from the Camachee Cove Yacht Club, who also managed mooring fields in New Hampshire, the St. Augustine Police Department and the city attorney.

Boater Maurice Levor also said the moorings are not needed. He said, if the city is trying to get rid of derelict boats that don't properly dispose of waste and lack registration, then staff should enforce regulations already in place.

"Why do we need to spend millions of dollars on mooring fields?" Levor asked. "It seems you guys are trying to make money and increase density."

Steve Fricke, with the St. Augustine Police Department, said addressing derelict boats is a tricky issue, but the city has one of the most successful programs in the state. In the last three years, the Police Department has removed 39 vessels, Fricke said.

If a boat is abandoned and has no registration but is still floating, he added, then it is technically still sea worthy, and therefore not derelict.

Some asked why officers couldn't tow boats for not being registered.

"We don't tow cars that don't have registration," he said. "That's a regulatory infraction."

Guy Van Doren, also a boater, wanted to know if all vessels will have to use the mooring fields or will they be allowed to anchor if they are only in the city for 72 hours.

Piggott said that Florida law states, if there are mooring fields in an area, boaters must use them.

The city owns the bottomlands of St. Augustine's waterways. Richard Ornstein asked if that allows the city to prohibit derelict boaters from anchoring, especially in Salt Run.

Salt Run residents have said they do not want a mooring field in their area.

City Attorney Ron Brown said federal laws governing waterways trump city regulations.

"Boaters have a right to navigation," Brown said. "We own the land, but not the water."

City staff will use the public's comment to sharpen the proposed Harbor plan. Piggott hopes to take the plan to the City Commission in roughly three months for approval.

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