Public Hearing
HARBOR COMMITTEE
Judge Welsh
Hearing Room
Time: 4:30 pm
Members
Present: Kerry Adams, Alice
Brock, Heather Bruce, Ann
Colbourn, and Gerard Irmer.
Members
Absent: Mel Cote (excused absence)
Advisory
Staff: Maxine
Notaro, and Doug Taylor
Rex McKinsey
(arrived 4:55 p.m.)
The
meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.m.
Heather
Bruce asked to have the quote “future generations” removed. So done.
Motion: Kerry Adams made a motion to accept the
minutes of the July 6th meeting as amended; Alice Brock seconded it
and it was approved 5-0-0.
Vaughn
Cabral, an owner of Fishermen’s Pier, has 200
parking spots on his pier and would like to have Harbor Committee’s (HC)
support for them. He considers them
vital to Provincetown’s economic health.
Downtown shops, whale watch boats, downtown restaurants all rely on the
readily available parking. The issue
will be discussed by the BoS on August 22nd and the deadline for the
Army Corps of Engineers (AcoE) to receive letters either in support or
non-support is August 26th.
Please note that the 26th is the last day the AcoE will
accept comments.
The
next issue Mr. Cabral raised was concerning the Provincia, a large barge type, non-motored vessel, which is moored
at the end of his pier. The Town wants
him to move it and the only place to move it is where the gas dock is now. He continued that if we do that then it will
be the end of the gas dock. We have 50
slips, 110 moorings, and Flyer has many moorings. It is projected to cost at least $500,000 to relocate the gas
dock on the new pier. The gas dock was
put in back in 1977. (Our tanks are at
the very foot of the wharf – right behind the fish market.)
Mr.
Cabral said he was looking for support to keep the parking places and keep the
gas dock. He further stated that the
Provincia acts as a floating breakwater which protects certain sections of the
harbor. He feels that his family has
earned support since they have contributed to many charitable functions of the
town – and even now welcomes anyone and everyone down to the pier to look over
anything they want.
At the end of his presentation Alice Brock asked some
pointed questions, i.e., “how many parking spaces” “do you charge” “did you
create the parking without a permit” etc.
Mr. Cabral said that in 1987 he was issued a permit to
dredge and build a 100 unit marina. In
the five years it took to obtain the permit they lost all the financial backing
they had been promised.
Doug
Taylor said that a lot of the uses on this wharf are considered grandfathered.
Alice
asked if it had up-to-date drainage which would be a requirement for parking on
the waterfront? Vaughn replied that
there is more oil spilled from boats than from cars. He cited a huge spill in the harbor from New Bedford fishing boat
that pumped its bilge into the harbor within the past week.
Heather
Bruce, asked, “When did you start doing public parking for money?” and her questions went on in that vein.
New Business:
Review 2005 Amendments to
the Harbor Plan status
Heather
has something to say regarding the amendments.
Jim McGowan went to the State House in Boston and they told him to write
a letter to the Secretary Office of Environmental Affairs. It should read, according to Heather, “our
new plan has been with the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) for over 90 days.
Motion: Kerry Adams made a motion for the Chair to send a letter to the Secretary’s Office of Environmental Affairs; Heather Bruce seconded the motion and it was approved 5-0-0.
Doug
Taylor informed the group that the DPW has called a halt to the job. Doug has been visiting it and making it safe
every morning; it needs help due to vandalism. Doug Taylor would like a member of the HC to attend ConCom
meetings. ConCom and HC have related
concerns. Alice Brock reluctantly agreed
to attend the ConCom if no one else can.
Ann
Colbourn said that the condition of the Atlantic Avenue landing has been
disappointing in that it’s been that way all summer. If the HC is all about access – then Atlantic Avenue is not
fulfilling our mission. She also
strongly recommended that the proposed stairs not stay.
Doug
said the landing was a series of snafus which should have been mediated early
on. There is a movement to work on
beach nourishment and the steps will be
there until beach nourishment takes place.
Kerry
Adams said we’re supposed to be about access and this would be a good location
for a boat ramp suitable for small boats.
Alice
Brock asked why the engineers responsible for this fiasco aren’t asked for
proper design completion? Sandy Turner
oversaw the project and felt that it was the most used pedestrian access. That’s why it happened first.
Rex
McKinsey said the committee had previously identified Atlantic Avenue and felt
that the concrete ramp is not a good solution.
Rex’ suggestion is beach nourishment.
He further suggested that the HC should have a quick fix NOW.
Doug
wondered if the HC has the teeth to review any solution that the DPW comes up
with. Alice said we were not even
invited to meet about the catch basins.
Board of Health meeting
results
Their
next meeting will be on September 1st (not the 14th as
announced at the meeting today). HC
members have yet to attend a BoH meeting to voice their concerns.
Jerry
said that this is becoming a can of worms.
We all voted for it and wanted a small, unobtrusive sign. The state is coming out with different
regulations on the signs. He sent a
letter in November and got the criteria from them. Jerry was given two
different criteria. Jerry went thru the
DPW and their sign co. can’t handle the request. Bottom line: the HC is
out of the sign business and it’s up to the individual Chapter 91 licensees to
deal with the state and their requirements. The state puts the onus on the
property owner.
A memo from Chief Meyer to the Harbor Committee Chair asked
for an opinion on dogs on the beach east of Howland Street. It was decided that Jerry Irmer would draft
a reply to Chief Meyer suggesting that our legal counsel be consulted on this.
This
memo launched Heather into her opinion that dogs are being blamed for harbor
pollution.
Rex
McKinsey wondered if any of the HC has any comments on the Flagship
property. They will inquire about
Chapter 91 license for Misha Richter.
Maxine
cautioned the HC to keep the Schofield line in mind – if they’re not on it then
it doesn’t trigger a Chapter 91 license.
Ann
Colbourn was recused.
Kerry
Adams said he hasn’t had a chance to review this thoroughly but he thinks it is
one of the most important businesses in Town and we shouldn’t do anything to
harm it.
Jerry
said he doesn’t have a problem with the
parking spaces – but the barge – he feels it’s an unsightly structure. That boat is a wind break – but he doesn’t
think it offers that much protection. Vaughn
is there every year replacing pilings; it will cost the town a pile of money to
maintain this facility. We are in dire
need of floats and there is no protection on the west side of the pier. We definitely need that facility and it
could end up as condos.
Heather
Bruce said she has issues with parking and the profits that go with it. There’s some sort of DEP regulation that
would prevent parking. Jerry said that
theoretically he could apply for parking and it might be grandfathered. Chapter 91 license goes with the
property. Heather, continuing, said
that she can’t believe the Provincia
was allowed in the 1st place.
It shouldn’t be allowed to be out there – it’s oversized.
Alice
said that he’s got 200 spaces out there and he charges. In the harbor plan there is to be no parking
allowed on the harbor. These are two
local boys – Santos and Cabral. And
they had a Building Inspector who was also a local boy (Warren Alexander). It should be contested. Private parking should not be allowed!
At
this point the discussion grew louder and louder for quite a bit of time. The fifth try at a motion was finally made
as follows:
Motion: Alice Brock made a motion stating that the
Harbor Committee does not support unpermitted non-maritime parking on Fishermen’s
Pier. Heather Bruce 2nd the
motion and the vote was 2-2-0 - so
motion doesn’t carry.
Motion: Alice Brock made a motion stating that the
HC does not support the permanent mooring of the Provincia at Fisherman’s
Wharf. Heather Bruce 2nd the
motion. The vote was 3 in favor – 1
opposed (Kerry Adams)
Reasons
for the above motion are: It obstructs
the environmental flow of the harbor.
Aesthetically it is out of proportion for anything in the harbor.
Kerry
felt that the Provincia is the Cabral’s property and they should do what they
want with it.
Motion
to adjourn happened abruptly at 6:45 p.m.
Next meetings: September 14
and 28 at 4:30pm.
Respectfully
submitted,
Approved by ____________________________on ______________, 2005.