Progress for Chestertown’s marina redesign concept may be between a rock and hard place.
According to a presentation made by Mayor Chris Cerino during Monday’s council meeting, the Fish Whistle Restaurant and Scott’s Point Condominiums have announced concern over how the marina project could affect their properties.
Scott’s Point Condominiums lodged concern over several points in the marina dock construction which abuts their property line, but also would like the town to remove plans for building a boardwalk across their property.
Aplan to build the boardwalk was put in motion in 2005, as detailed by the video presentation, but agreements were not finalized with Scott’s Point owners so that a walkway plan was not included into condo buyer’s agreements.
Fighting this, Cerino said, would not be a prudent goal, and instead presented an alternative route for the walking path.
Because the marina plan calls for a reconstruction of the bulkheads and raising of the land elevation in the area that includes the Fish Whistle, Managing Member of 98 Cannon Street Properties LL (Fish Whistle) Matthew Weir requested additional time from the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) before any permits are approved.
Fish Whistle property is abutted on three sides by town property.
Cerino describes three options he is offering the Fish Whistle, including raising the grade of the bulkheads and land in partnership with Fish Whistle, raise the grade of the bulkheads and engineer a flood water escape system or replace the bulkheads at current height and build an elevated boardwalk around the area.
Cerino ended the presentation with a description of the funds in place, and sought to get the marina project underway. With $392,000 ready to go, Cerino stated that “whichever set of neighbors comes to the table first with their solutions is probably where we are going to allocate that money.”
Marty Stetson says
I voted against taking the walkway out of the plan. I understand the condo owners concern but I look at the benefit that would come to everyone. One of the big selling points for the town purchasing the marina was the public would have a clear path around the waterfront all the way pass the armory. I am sure we could have made it very difficult for those using it to access the condo property. It is hard for me to believe they did not know this was in the works when they bought the condos. It was in the plan when thy were given the OK by the Planning Commission. Where were they when we had our open, public sessions at the marina about the marina and what the town was going to do? No one said anything about the walkway being taken out at either meeting. If they didn’t know they should take it up with their realtor, certainly they knew.
Jenn Baker says
I’m disappointed by this as well. A true waterfront walkway would have been a tremendous asset, beautiful communal outdoor space for residents and tourists, and would most likely drive higher utilization of the park.
To get from the park to the waterfront path you have to walk down the middle of the street along the homes on Water past the entrance to the condos. Sometimes with cars behind you. So basically the foot traffic pattern would stay much as it is today. The new proposal will still require foot traffic along the condos and homes (and now) along Water St – which means that the concerns outlined still hold true (noise, stranger danger, trash, etc.)
Could another option be to keep the planned walkway as designed today, and when it hits the property line along the far left side of the marina (along the SP condo border), leverage the current design and turn it into a slightly wider walking path? In that solution we could add landscaping to create a natural privacy wall so that condo owners are not looking at cars (“visual buffer”), pedestrians would not have to walk across the parking lot, and we could create more spaces along the walkway for public art (connection to our A&E designation). Once the pedestrian gets to Water St, a sidewalk will guide them safely from the marina past the condo driveway into the back-side of the park. We could then market the transition as we think about our tourism aspirations (Chestertown’s connection to water, art, and nature) as the traveler makes the journey from one end of the walkway to the other.
On the current revised plan – my gut is that people will just do what we all do today, once you get to the end you create your own walkway…down the middle of a hot steamy asphalt and gravel parking lot. Not scenic. Not safe.
Jenn – 103 S. Queen
Joe Diamond says
I don’t have any skin in this game but I was surprised the town got into the marina business,
But I have been in and out of a few marinas. I do not see several things that are common to marina use. The major one might be dshown as a line from slip owner parking to each boat. Many times boats transport “crew” who arrive in several vehicles. Where is the parking for each slip? Wilmer Park? That boardwalk would be a route. Patrons would need access to it at all hours.
Beyond the boardwalk, how does the security work? The last thing slip owners want is unknown tourists walking past their boats. Some owners rarely go out on the water while they entertain & hang out on their boats all the time. Will town police be involved in securing boats when owners are absent?
Most marinas work hard to control who enters their private property……this is a public venue. How does that work?
Joe
Joe Lill says
…Sounds more like white caps than speed bumps.
joe diamond says
There are some of each here. The white caps could get worse but will go away. The walkway is probably that way. Mayor Cerino is correct that while the walkway would be nice it is a small detail. My opinion is that the absence of it will screw a small portion of the users of the marina. And I think Councilman Stetson is also correct that it is such a small detail it should just be done. Again, this is one of your whitecaps.
Speed bumps could be the funding or the permits. They are a pain to put up with but they only slow things down and cost money. There is one really large speed bump…….this one is a wreck-your-car speed bump! It is also called a tort. If the town changes the grade around the Fish Whistle so flooding damages that property as a result of the town’s actions lawyers will feast on the carcass.
Order more popcorn…………this will be fun to watch.