starfishkiller
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2005
- RO Number
- 16333
- Messages
- 285
Folks:
Sorry for the long post. I just found out about this issue with the NJDEP and it will effect all of us who own boats and or waterfront property in the garden state.
The public comment period will end this Friday, 2/15, so quick action is needed.
For those who live in other states, you'll find this unbelievable.
The NJDEP is about to pass a
rule that will require all marinas to deed restrict a 10' walkway along their
entire waterfront for public access. This must be kept open to anyone
24/7/365.
In addition 2 parking spaces and bathroom access will be required. Since a marina no longer can have gates and fences blocking access, insurance rates for the marina will go way up. Remember, this access is year-round so the risk of someone slipping at night on ice is real.
Naturally boaters will have the costs passed on through higher slip and storage rates. Boater's own insurance will go up as you are more open to theft and vandalism.
How comfortable will you feel allowing your wife or children using the showers or bathrooms knowing some creep could have access?
The 10' walkway must be open all year, so some winter land storage space will be lost. This will force prices up to compensate.
Finally, for some marinas, this will be the last straw. They would rather sell out to the many waiting developers than to give up their property to the state. Less access for boaters.
Despite efforts by the NJ Marine Trades association and numerous newspaper editorials against it, the NJDEP seems unswayed in their
crusade.
The public comment period ends February 15, 2008. If you own a boat in NJ, even if you don't keep it in a marina this will affect you.
Write a letter opposing the planned rule to:
Gary J Brower, Esq
Office of Legal Affairs
Attn: DEP Docket Number 26-07-11/663
Department of Environmental Protection
401 East State Street, Floor 4
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
For more information, you can go to www.mtanj.org, click on "about MTA/NJ" and then click on "Govt Affairs". There is a link
to the NJDEP site where you can read the whole proposed rule.
This is a real serious problem that can only hurt the boating industry.
One more thing. Just because you don't have your boat at a marina you still need to act. There was a meeting at the AC boat show on 2/7/08 between the Marine Trades Associaton of New Jersey and the NJDEP. My brother in law attended and said someone asked if that
meant individual single family homes, they said YES eventually that is the goal.
I am scared to death that I will be forced to let the public have access to the bulkhead in my backyard. This is just plain crazy. Something needs to be done asap.
In addition to sending a letter to the NJDEP directly, also Send letters apposing this rule to your state legislators. Be sure to reference the docket number in the letters to your state legistlators. You can find your state legistlators at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/Default.asp .
Thanks
eric
Sorry for the long post. I just found out about this issue with the NJDEP and it will effect all of us who own boats and or waterfront property in the garden state.
The public comment period will end this Friday, 2/15, so quick action is needed.
For those who live in other states, you'll find this unbelievable.
The NJDEP is about to pass a
rule that will require all marinas to deed restrict a 10' walkway along their
entire waterfront for public access. This must be kept open to anyone
24/7/365.
In addition 2 parking spaces and bathroom access will be required. Since a marina no longer can have gates and fences blocking access, insurance rates for the marina will go way up. Remember, this access is year-round so the risk of someone slipping at night on ice is real.
Naturally boaters will have the costs passed on through higher slip and storage rates. Boater's own insurance will go up as you are more open to theft and vandalism.
How comfortable will you feel allowing your wife or children using the showers or bathrooms knowing some creep could have access?
The 10' walkway must be open all year, so some winter land storage space will be lost. This will force prices up to compensate.
Finally, for some marinas, this will be the last straw. They would rather sell out to the many waiting developers than to give up their property to the state. Less access for boaters.
Despite efforts by the NJ Marine Trades association and numerous newspaper editorials against it, the NJDEP seems unswayed in their
crusade.
The public comment period ends February 15, 2008. If you own a boat in NJ, even if you don't keep it in a marina this will affect you.
Write a letter opposing the planned rule to:
Gary J Brower, Esq
Office of Legal Affairs
Attn: DEP Docket Number 26-07-11/663
Department of Environmental Protection
401 East State Street, Floor 4
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
For more information, you can go to www.mtanj.org, click on "about MTA/NJ" and then click on "Govt Affairs". There is a link
to the NJDEP site where you can read the whole proposed rule.
This is a real serious problem that can only hurt the boating industry.
One more thing. Just because you don't have your boat at a marina you still need to act. There was a meeting at the AC boat show on 2/7/08 between the Marine Trades Associaton of New Jersey and the NJDEP. My brother in law attended and said someone asked if that
meant individual single family homes, they said YES eventually that is the goal.
I am scared to death that I will be forced to let the public have access to the bulkhead in my backyard. This is just plain crazy. Something needs to be done asap.
In addition to sending a letter to the NJDEP directly, also Send letters apposing this rule to your state legislators. Be sure to reference the docket number in the letters to your state legistlators. You can find your state legistlators at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/Default.asp .
Thanks
eric