Intent is to ensure boaters paying to use city ramps
SOMERS POINT — Boat owners, both residential and commercial, criticized City Council’s changes to rules for parking trailers but were told they need not worry — the police would come only if a neighbor called.
“We don’t have manpower out enforcing this unless a resident calls and complains,” Councilman Kirk Gerety said. “We are not looking for things to issue citations on, but putting an instrument in place so if a resident calls, we can deal with it.”
Some were unclear about the exact changes being considered while others were opposed to what had been intended as a way to ensure people bought permits to use the city’s boat ramps at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park and off Bay Avenue alongside the Route 52 bridge.
On April 10, City Council held the second reading of two ordinances that would limit where boat trailers and other trailers could be parked with and without a boat ramp permit.
Council also adopted a resolution setting a fee for use of the boat ramps of $75 for military veterans and city residents and $150 for non-residents. A commercial permit is $500 for four decals.
The gates will no longer be in operation.
The first ordinance simply eliminates the seasonal boat ramp permit in favor of one good for the calendar year, adds the Route 52 ramp to the regulations and allows council to set a fee schedule.
The second regulates parking of any type of trailer on streets, alleys and rights of way and creates a permitting system that “will allow a visual method of identification of those users who have paid for such use” of the ramps, such as decals.
The determination was made “based on the historical fact that many of the users of the city’s boat ramps often times park on the streets, alleys and/or rights of way in the areas” near the ramps, the ordinance states.
“City Council now believes that it is appropriate to limit boat trailer parking in certain areas …. to ensure that users of the boat ramps have paid for the use,” the ordinance states.
It states no boat, boat trailer or trailer of any type exceeding 22 feet can be parked on a street, alley or right of way at any time.
It also would prohibit boat trailers of any size without a boat ramp permit to be parked in any lot or on any property owned or maintained by the city, or on any of the following streets: Broadway, Bay Avenue, George Street, Annie Avenue and Somers Avenue.
Violators would be subject to a fine of $175 to $500.
Melody Lapatina of Pennsylvania Avenue, who said she has lived in Somers Point for 28 years, complained that she could have a boat and trailer in front of her house for only two days. She said she cannot clean and wax it in that time, putting her in jeopardy of getting a citation.
Likewise, Wendy Vacca of Sunny Avenue was concerned about her son parking his boat on the street for the weekend.
However, Solicitor Tom Smith pointed out that no changes are being made to that part of the ordinance. Boat trailers of 22 feet or less can be parked on the street for only two days.
Curtis Dilks of Smith’s Marina said trailers are parked in front of his business all day every day, noting he was concerned that he now would be ticketed for something that has been going on for years.
“Unless somebody calls the police and complains, there will be no problem,” Smith said. “Police are not out looking for people. I highly doubt an officer would write a ticket.”
Resident Gene Dobley said boats and trailers are part of a waterfront community.
“It’s in our DNA, that’s partly why I moved here,” he said. “We shouldn’t be doing this; I think we are going way overboard.”
Chris Sabatini of Somers Point Marina said he agreed with Dobley.
“For a boating community, it’s not very inviting and just asking for trouble,” he said.
Both ordinances passed 6-0. Councilwoman Janice Johnston, who was part of the committee that recommended the city buy key fob-operated gates to replace an attendant as a way of collecting fees, said on advice of counsel she would abstain from voting on each ordinance and a resolution setting the fees.
The city spent $152,000 to purchase the gates and install them, as well as a fee to have the system video-monitored.
“I think getting rid of them is irresponsible; they’re not paid for yet,” she said in a phone interview with the Sentinel.
“This ordinance does not solve the problem. The sticker idea is great but you’re going to buy it at City Hall Monday through Friday however long we’re open. What happens to the fisherman that comes down on Saturday morning at 4 o’clock in the morning and doesn’t have a sticker for his vehicle. Parkmobile would be the solution to that — it doesn’t cost us anything,” she said. “If it doesn’t fix it, why even do it? It doesn’t make sense to do something that doesn’t fix it.”
Bill Collins asked about a day pass. Council President Charlie Haberkorn told him the city is selling only annual permits but could make changes via resolution in the future.
“We are looking at different methods for someone that wants to come down, didn’t contact us through phone or email where we could get them a permit, but it is only going to be one permit and it’s going to be on an annual basis whether you use it for one day or 365 days,” Haberkorn said.
Collins said he liked that it was a year-long permit and that the fee scheduled could be changed.
“We wanted to build some flexibility into it so that how we did it,” Haberkorn said.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
