News
FH Council Wants To Reduce Restrictions On Boat Storage
By Ryan Fennell
Fair Haven - There is already an ordinance restricting boat storage on private property in Fair Haven. The mayor and council are exploring ways to lessen the restrictions placed on personal boat storage by this existing ordinance.
The current ordinance that has "been on the books for years" according to Mayor Michael Halfacre, restricts the storing of boats in front or side yards including driveways from May 1st through November 1st. The ordinance also restricts any kind of motorized boat from being stored on personal property.
Some confusion surfaced at Monday night's council meeting among boat owners and residents about the existence and origin of this ordinance. Many claim to have never heard of such an ordinance and have lived in Fair Haven their entire lives.
The reason for the confusion is that beginning last year the ordinance was being enforced which caused Halfacre to question its restrictions. Halfacre stressed to the community that the council is now trying to lessen the restrictions that the ordinance imposes.
"I'm probably the only person in town who would benefit the most from the ordinance but as a boater, and I make my living by it, I urge extreme caution on this," Jim Cerruti, owner of Fair Haven Yacht Works and Fair Haven resident, said. "I'm against any type of boat ordinance in a waterfront community" Halfacre stressed to those in attendance once again that there is already an ordinance in town restricting boat storage and the council would like to ease those restrictions.
"So we are clear," Halfacre said. "There is a boat ordinance that has been on the books for years and years, and we're trying to come up with a way to lessen the restrictions of that ordinance. As a result, there are people who think the ordinance shouldn't be changed at all, people who think it should be scrapped entirely, and people who would like to see it strengthened. What we are trying to do is draft something that is livable by all sides."
Councilman Jerome Koch, a supporter of the existing ordinance, was not in attendance at Monday's meeting. Koch was also absent from the previous meeting at which this boat ordinance was first discussed.
Koch requested that no action be taken in his absence. Halfacre relayed that request to the council and residents.
However, after many of the boat owners and residents opposed to the boat ordinance had left the meeting, Councilman Jon Peters made a motion to introduce the revised ordinance. Councilman John Lehnert seconded the motion and the introduction of the revised ordinance went to a vote.
Halfacre then read a statement from Koch regarding his position on the ordinance.
"The ordinance we are considering changing exists for a reason. That reason is to protect the streetscape," Koch said in his statement. "All of our sister towns on the river have similar ordinances designed to protect their streetscapes. I feel the main defect of the existing ordinance is that it, for no logical reason, exempts homes on the river from its prohibitions. This should be corrected. For the purposes of this discussion I would define streetscape as that of front and side yards visible from the street on or off driveways. This should, in my opinion, be defined in the ordinance."
"According to the mayor he supports allowing boats in driveways for all seasons," Koch's statement continued. "This opens the door to greater storage of boats and takes a bad proposal and makes it worse. The proposed ordinance would effectively increase street parking in summer and winter, as room would have to be made for parking boats. If we allow parking boats in driveways and streetscape and not allow all recreational vehicles and trailers the same privilege it would be discriminatory and would not stand up to challenge. The bottom line is the right to the entire town to an uncluttered, eyesore free streetscape trumps the needs and convenience of a few boaters."
The council voted 4-1 to introduce the proposed ordinance.
The proposed ordinance would allow small boats under 21 feet or two boats with the combined length of 40 feet to be parked in a driveway of a lot in a residential zone. All boats must be properly registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles and must be the property of the resident owner or resident renter of the home. No boats would be allowed in the front or side yards with the exception of a driveway. The ordinance would not apply to corner lot homes.
The public hearing on this ordinance is scheduled for November 24th during the Borough's regular Mayor and Council meeting.
