Harbor plan dead in water until 2017

By John Howell
Posted 11/29/16

By JOHN HOWELL With 39 miles of coastline and numerous coves - the largest being Warwick Cove - it's no wonder that Warwick is home port to more boats than any other municipality in the state. Yet, Warwick hasn't updated its harbor management plan in 15

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Harbor plan dead in water until 2017

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With 39 miles of coastline and numerous coves – the largest being Warwick Cove – it’s no wonder that Warwick is home port to more boats than any other municipality in the state.

Yet, Warwick hasn’t updated its harbor management plan in 15 years. The plan no longer meets Coastal Resources Management Council and Department of Environmental Management codes and regulations.

The Harbor Management Commission, with the assistance of Sue Cabeceiras in the planning department, has spent countless hours going through the plan, word-by-word, to produce a voluminous document that has met CRMC approval. And while CRMC representative Kevin Cute testified the plan meets the agency’s approval at the Nov. 21 council meeting, council approval of the plan hit the skids once Ward 9 Councilman Steve Merolla and Ward 4 Councilman Joseph Solomon got in an exchange over city mooring fees. The council continued the public hearing and any action until February.

That has Jody King, chair of the Harbor Management Commission, fuming. As it is, King says the plan has been studied long enough and delaying it won’t accomplish anything. A draft of the plan was sent to council members in May.

King thinks the council was so willing to push the plan aside because they hadn’t read it. Indeed, the plan is daunting, but overall, as its executive summary states, the “city remains committed to upgrading the Harbormaster’s office, including the training and replacing outdated equipment. The summary goes on to say the city should have a full complement of harbormasters and that the Harbor Commission with the Planning Department should address how best to improve public facilities, obtain funding for projects, improve and maintain city docks and launching ramps, provide better access to the shoreline and better notification of areas designated as public rights-of-way.

King, a shellfisherman who is on the water every day unless the bay is closed to shellfishing or he can’t get out because of ice or weather, sees first hand what’s happening on the waterfront. He applauds Harbormaster Jeff Baris and his three associates for their immediate response to situations. King thinks the ranks of the harbormaster should be increased along with pay and improved equipment. He made those points to the council and the discussion focused on money.

When Solomon learned that Warwick’s mooring fees at a minimum of $60 were about average compared to other communities, he questioned whether they might be boosted to generate added revenue for the harbormasters.

“Why not put a little more burden of the cost on those using it [harbormaster services]?” Solomon asked.

Merolla wasn’t keen on the idea, pointing out that marinas are already paying property taxes based on their revenues and that providing more moorings would serve to stimulate business not only for marinas but the city overall.

Baris estimated mooring and other fees relating to operations overseen by the Harbormaster generate $70,000. Harbormaster stipends and related expenses amount to less than what’s generated, so, as King pointed out, the rest flows back into the general fund for expenses unrelated to the waterfront.

Solomon was especially concerned about the lack of a Conimicut Point boat ramp, pointing out that at one time one had existed and, despite his persistent inquiries, none has been built to replace it.

In addition to mooring management, the plan addresses the need for channel and cove dredging, public access to the shore, availability of harbor facilities to commercial fishermen, boat ramps, derelict vessel and boat debris, water quality and harbormaster emergency response. King notes Warwick is home to 70 percent of the state’s licensed shellfishermen but is lacking in slip spaces for quahoggers.

The new plan also includes a list of qualifications for harbormasters, their duties and suggests an improvement in compensation.

City Planner William DePasquale said Monday he would be happy to work with the council on efforts to obtain grants for boat ramps as well as provide a comparative overview of mooring fees. He noted the plan meets CRMC requirements.

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  • richardcorrente

    A boat ramp at Conimicut Point would be a great attraction for visitors to Warwick and visitors can and do become residents that pay taxes lowering the tax needs on the rest of us. We could build it for cheap money too.

    Keep pushing this progressive idea Joe.

    It's a win-win.

    Merry Christmas everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    Tuesday, November 29, 2016 Report this