State Environmental Board to hear appeal of Rockland marina in June

Board of Environmental Protection to hear appeal by area residents.
 BY STEPHEN BETTS REPORTER: COURIER-GAZETTE   (BDN Story)

ROCKLAND — The Maine Board of Environmental Protection is expected to hear in June the appeal of Rockland area residents who oppose the expansion by Safe Harbor Marinas.

“Due to the board’s current work load, they are looking at sometime in June to hear the appeal. A specific date is to be determined,” a DEP spokesman said March 2.

The appeal was filed Jan. 7 by 16 area residents.

DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim signed in December an approval of a Natural Resources Protection Act permit for the expanded marina. The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry’s submerged land division issued findings and gave preliminary approval for the expansion. Final approval of that awaited the end of the public response period on Jan. 7.

Filing the letter of appeal were: Steve Cartwright of Tenants Harbor, Nadine and Larry Bangerter of Rockland, Ken Wexler of Owls Head, Constance Hayes of Rockland, Rebecca Glaser of Rockport, Eileen Fitzgerald of Rockland, Kyle MacKenzie Swan of Rockland, Laurence Coe of Rockland, Ron Huber of Penobscot Bay Watch, Judy Pasqualge of Rockland, Virginia Noble of Rockland, Avis Turner of Rockland, Anne “Pinny” Beebe-Center of Rockland, Susan Beebe of Rockland, Isabella Feracci of Rockland, and Paul Rosen of Owls Head.

The appeal details each of the appellants concerns about the expansion. One concern listed is no approval should be granted until a signed agreement is reached to guarantee the public’s right to use the boardwalk that crosses Safe Harbor’s property.

Another concern was that the expansion would block the public’s view of the harbor with “large and mega yachts serving rich people.”

The project includes dredging an area of 138,000 square feet. The expansion of the float system includes four 150-foot long fingers to the east of the main pier; a 90-foot finger to the west; and a 115-foot long and a 172-foot string of floats to the west.

Safe Harbor agreed to pay for the cost of moving 16 moorings that have to be relocated by the proposed marina expansion. They will also help the city assign the moorings close to where they are currently located.

City officials said at their Nov. 1 meeting the city attorney and Safe Harbor have been working on coming up with an agreement to ensure public access to the boardwalk. The boardwalk was built by MBNA when they opened the waterfront office complex in 2001. Rockland Harbor Park LLC, led by local developer Stuart Smith, purchased the property in 2007.

Safe Harbor also agreed to allow limited access to the pier at the marina, improve public access to Sandy Beach and help with a public bathroom to replace the portable toilets at the city-owned beach.

The original, more expansive plan, was submitted back in 2018 by Yachting Solutions. Safe Harbors has yet to file any formal plans to the city for changes on the land side of its property, although it showed a few city officials a potential plan earlier this year.        

                                                                              Courtesy Courier Gazette