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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-07-09 Harbor Committee Minutes City of Bangor Harbor Committee Minutes Meeting: Wednesday July 9, 2008 City Harbormaster’s Office Office Committee Members in Attendance: Daniel Cassidy; Robert Woods; Richard Reinhardt City Staff: Jerry Ledwith, Harbormaster; Jim Ring, City Engineer Guests: Councilor Peter D’Erico; Councilor Geoffrey Gratwick I June Minutes were accepted. II Permitted use of the upper river. 1. Background: i. The original limits of the Penobscot River Navigation Project (PRNP) designates a navigable channel approximately 450 feet wide up to the Chamberlain Bridge. In this area, no structures, including dock or moorings, are permitted. ii. In 1990 the City devoted significant effort to obtain a permit (ME-BANG-891203-R-90) to allow moorings and docks predicated on the upper river no longer being a site of commercial traffic. That document states that “ … in the event that the areas involved are needed to support navigation activities in the authorized project, this permit shall become invalid…” The presence of the cruise boats is interpreted as returning this area of the river to commercial uses, and thus invalidating this modification. 2. The Problem: i. Allowing Cruise Boats is interpreted as having changed the use of the river, and if cruise boats use the upper river docks, then the Army Corps would revert to the old system, i.e., eliminating any docks or moorings within the channel. Since the old channel is 450 feet wide, there is hardly any usable space on either side of the river. ii. It is the Committee’s opinion that this action would seriously limit citizen use of the river, and its appeal as a home port and port-of-call for visiting craft. iii. Current docks touch the channel limits, and there is only a small segment of the opposite side of the river for possible mooring space. To limit encroachment of the channel, a cumbersome (and expensive) multi-point mooring system would need to be installed and maintained, as opposed to the usual simpler, less costly single point moorings. Only a small number of boats could be accommodated. 3. Possible approaches discussed include: i. The city (which owns the waterfront and docks) limit cruise boat access to the Larger Vessel docks only, thus making it logical that the area of the river closest to the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge could still be governed by the 1990 permit, whereas from some point closer to the heavy vessel docks, the old restrictions would apply. ii. It can be argued that for safety reasons, commercial traffic should be kept a distance from the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge anyways. iii. The Council should be involved in any decisions. iv. The City of Brewer, who shares the Harbor, should be involved with discussions. v. Following development of a reasonable proposal, the Army Corps would be approached for their endorsement. It seems a reasonable solution could be approached that meets the goal of the community for more varied use of the river, and the Army Corps responsibility for safety of commercial traffic. To help the committee develop an approach on this issue, Norman Heitman, the city attorney, will be asked to review the permit (ME-BANG-891203) and any other pertinent documents the city has. He will be invited to the August Harbor Committee meeting. Linda Johns, or her designee will be asked to attend from Brewer. III Points East Flotilla  The group of 6 vessels concluded a two week cruise of the Maine Rivers with a their final stop in Bangor. Vessels’ home ports included Connecticut, RI and Mass. Feedback was favorable. The exception was their strong feeling that shower was below standard.  Following adjournment, the committee inspected the single available shower and found it to be dirty, and the building to be dingy and in poor repair. A limited cost option would be to create a shower facility in the Harbormasters Building. The space and plumbing already exist. An on-demand hot water heater would be necessary and limit energy costs. IV Harbor Safety/Security Problem: There has been vandalism on the heavy vessel docks. Children are often seen on the docks, at significant risk if they fall in with water depths and current. Other muncipalities usually limit access to docks and have safety restrictions. The Committee is unanimously in favor of the following, for which the Committee respectfully requests the Council’s endorsement:  The immediate posting of “no skateboarding” signs on the Heavy Vessel Docks  A rope or chain across the gangway to the Heavy Vessel Dock to limit casual access  Signage on the Upper River dingy/small vessel dock stating: “Boat Owners and Guests Only All Children under the age of 12 must wear an approved personal floatation device and be under adult supervision at all times Fishing allowed No swimming off docks” V Eventual Small Boat access in Dunnett Cove Although the committee has discussed this, such access (limited to hand-carried/hand-powered craft) would need to await the tar remediation project, yet it is probably time to have those working on the plans for the park to consider how this access might be incorporated into their plans. Jim Ring will consider how we should approach this. VI Harbor Surveys The survey developed last winter has yet to be distriubute.  Surveys will be sent to all boat owners who have visited thus far this year, and current and former seasonal dock boat owners for the last few years.  Surveys will also be given to all visiting boaters and collected by the Harbormaster.  Surveys will be reviewed at the next meeting. VI Vending Machines at the Shower Building and Harbormaster’s office These use city energy, bring in no revenue and, in the case of the Harbormaster’s office, throw off excessive heat. These should be removed.