THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 9, 1996 TAG: 9602090509
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Free overnight docking for boat owners is a thing of the past on the waterfront, the Manteo Board of Commissioners has decided, but no one's figured out how to put any teeth into enforcement of the policy.
Commissioner Stuart Wescott's proposal to allow local boaters to dock free of charge three consecutive nights at the old sewer pier was quickly shot down by strong objections from three marina owners at Wednesday night's meeting.
``We don't mind competition, but this could be classified as ruinous competition because it's free,'' Ray Hollowell told the board. His Dough Creek firm operates the Waterfront Marina, which it leases from the town.
The other Manteo marina owners, Harry Schiffman of the Salty Dawg and Glenn Futrell of Pirate's Cove, also voiced their objections to the commission.
``If you're going to do something like that,'' Schiffman said, ``you're going to have to offer free dockage to everyone.''
Before the waterfront was revitalized in the early 1980s, boaters docked or tied up wherever they wanted for as long as they wanted. After the 1939 fire, docks were built by civic groups for the local boatsmen, before visits by outsiders became common. By the time the new waterfront was constructed, the docks were in severe disrepair and seldom used.
``Years ago, everybody knew everybody and everybody knew who's boat it was,'' Wescott said in an interview. ``People are just not as responsible as they used to be. If steps aren't taken, those of us who have things, won't have anything left.''
He added that ``as far as I know,'' there is no local ordinance forbidding overnight docking.
Wescott said there have been numerous complaints over the years from some residents who remember when there was no fee for dockage, and are pushing for public docks.
``This has been tossed around for several years and it's never been finalized,'' he said.
The issue was brought to a head recently over two boats that have been docked for prolonged periods near the sewer tank area. Others have tied up at the boat ramp dock for some length of time.
Tieups are provided at no charge for visiting boats at the Gazebo Pier adjacent to the Waterside Marina for day visits, but overnight visitors must rent slips for a fee.
The marina owners suggested that more signs could do much to alleviate dockage abuse. There is only one sign on the Gazebo Pier in Shallowbag Bay directing boaters to call the dock master on their radios. There are no signs saying that docking overnight is not permitted.
Along with unauthorized overnight docking, unsafe anchorage has become a hazard, Wescott said. Two boats anchored in the cove behind the Washington Reef Boat House have been there for months, and concerns have been raised that they could break loose from their moorings and cause damage.
The commission agreed to investigate anchorage regulation before deciding how the town will address the problem.
Additional discussion with the marina owners will be conducted by Commissioner Curtis Creech, who will report his conclusions to the board next month.
In other business, Manteo Postmaster Vivian Berscak said door-to-door delivery of mail would be too expensive because it requires a change in status from rural to city delivery. Berscak was responding to Commissioner Melvin Jackson's suggestion that such a delivery would be advantageous for older people.
But Berscak said the post office has all along made exceptions for people who are unable to get to the post office to pick up their mail or retrieve mail from street boxes. by CNB