Tisbury selectmen plan hearing on harbor regulations

Posted April 27, 2006

A public hearing to amend the Tisbury waterways regulations will take place on Tuesday at 5:30 pm, in Tisbury's town hall.

The Tisbury selectmen have held discussions over the last several months with members of the boating public, marine business owners, the Tisbury harbor management committee and the Tashmoo committee. Tuesday night's public hearing addresses several proposed amendments to the waterways regulations that resulted from those discussions.

One amendment which concerns mooring regulation section 2 (b) would allow the harbormaster to give preference to homeowners of property directly abutting waterways and taxed as waterfront, in assigning mooring locations adjacent to the property. Under transfer of the property to a new owner other than next of kin, the mooring permit owner would have to relinquish any mooring obtained through property purchase.

An amendment to mooring regulation section 3 (a) seeks to amend the definition of categories of mooring permits to two, commercial and private (vessel of record). Transient rental moorings under the commercial category would be defined as any period less than 14 days and would require an application to the town.

The hearing also will address mooring permit fees and a proposed increase in transient mooring fees from $30 to $35 a night. A proposed amendment regarding mooring permit fees would require annual renewals to be accompanied by proof of excise tax payment, proof of mooring inspection (every third year), and payment of an annual fee.

The details of the proposed amendments are available at Tisbury town hall in the selectmen's office.