Readers Write: Yacht Club endorses town, village waterfront efforts

The Island Now

To: North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi BosworthNorth Shore Yacht Club strongly endorses the efforts of the town and the Village of Manorhaven to preserve the Manhasset Bay waterfront.

More than 55 of our members reside in the town. At our Board meeting last night, we discussed the presentation given on July 25 and we offer the following:

As boat owners and as a yacht club, we are particularly y aware of the decreasing number of marine tradesmen working on Manhasset Bay.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for us to purchase needed goods and services necessary for us to maintain our vessels.

Not too many years ago there were boat builders, new boat dealers, chandleries and many of the support personnel required by boat owners.

Today, aside from West Marine, there is no place on the peninsula to purchase marine supplies and equipment.

Particular emphasis should be placed on attracting and catering to facilities and activities which will support and attract growth of nautical activities on Manhasset Bay.

This need not require that the sole use of a particular parcel be dedicated to nautical activities but rather that at least some portion’ of the prope11y be utilized in furtherance of that goal.

Providing water views from the public thoroughfare in front of the waterfront parcel is not achieved solely by limiting the height or bulk of new construction.

Rather a combination of lot density, meaningful view corridors (as opposed to narrow alleys) following a flexible formula or set of guidelines, and subject to meaningful oversight by the Planning Board and Building Department, will result in more meaningful visual access to the bay.

Public access in the general sense is a worthwhile goal and is very important to us. However, it must’, be a legitimate right to access, available 10 all and known to all.

Merely, providing for such access in a legal document without giving the general public actual and continuing notice of the existence of such access is a token for the sole benefit of the property owner and does nothing for the residents of the town.

Such is the case with the Knickerbocker property, which does not have any signage to advise people that they have the right to access the waterfront.

Our membership consists of more than 50 member units residing within the town limits. We strongly encourage the Town Council to adopt significant zoning changes for the W-C District as a first step in protecting Manhasset Bay as a maritime resource which will attract tourism and new commercial ventures, while at the same time making it possible for residents of the Town to access and enjoy this valuable asset.

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