In the next few years our marinas may well be gone and our nautical way of life forever changed.
When Village of Manorhaven residents initiated a Waterfront building moratorium nearly two years ago, they requested that village trustees commission a comprehensive analysis showing how future development on the waterfront would impact our community.
Residents wanted to understand how more high density housing would change our traffic, parking, schools, sewers, marine industries and access to the waterfront. That is not what they got.
Instead, when the draft report from Cameron Engineering was opened last month it hyped a sweeping zoning change, benefiting a few developers by allowing condos to replace marinas along the shoreline.
The report did not answer the questions the community asked, and instead opened a pathway to future density the community does not want.
Looking ahead, under the proposed new zoning recommendations, residents predict that in a few short years, the historic maritime character of Manhasset Bay will disappear. The activities on the harbor as we use it today will be gone.
The ‘unsightly unprofitable’ marinas will be replaced by ‘beautiful expensive condos’, leaving boaters no place to call home.
When the marinas are gone where will Port Washington boaters store their boats for the winter? Who will fix their engines or step their masts? Who will service the tour boats and visiting yachts?
Please come to the public hearing at Manorhaven Village Hall on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. to speak out and reject this bleak vision for our community.
Tell the village trustees to ensure the report is re-written to address the serious issues facing the community such as over-crowing, burdens to our infrastructure and the protection of our waterfront heritage.
A rezoning and redevelopment proposal is not what residents want or need. If adopted as currently written the report will change not only Manorhaven, but the entire Manhasset Bay community as well.
Caroline S. DuBois
Acting Secretary, Manorhaven Action Committee
