Less Dock Space Due to Government Policy

[zamber]

Regions that are having less availability of dock space is purely because of government policy. It is much easier legally in more places to convert a boatyard to a mansion than a mansion to a boatyard. I saw a number of times commercial docks turned into high end housing, not the other way around. A wealthy homeowner in most places cannot build a big dock to collect dock rent from 100 boats.

The "They do not make waterfront land anymore" is a myth, see the pictures below. What is really happening is the law won't let people build waterfronts anymore. An artificial harbor should be built in the Channel Islands, but it is not permitted. The Channel Islands is basically wasteland, much less ecologically valuable than the desert being built-on, on the mainland.

There is a bay in California. The wealthy homeowners have been using the city for years to try and kick out sailboats that anchor long-term in the bay. Because of their influence and money, they got the Federal government to transfer their environmental authority to the city, which promptly used the pretext of protecting the environment to get rid of the poor live-aboard people.

[rslifkin]

In many areas, policy is far from the only issue. Plenty of other uses for the waterfront land are just more profitable for the land owner than running a marina or boatyard in areas where waterfront is in limited supply and high demand. It's both unfortunate and hard to fix.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by zamber

Regions that are having less availability of dock space is purely because of government policy. It is much easier legally in more places to convert a boatyard to a mansion than a mansion to a boatyard. I saw a number of times commercial docks turned into high end housing, not the other way around. A wealthy homeowner in most places cannot build a big dock to collect dock rent from 100 boats.

The "They do not make waterfront land anymore" is a myth, see the pictures below. What is really happening is the law won't let people build waterfronts anymore. An artificial harbor should be built in the Channel Islands, but it is not permitted. The Channel Islands is basically wasteland, much less ecologically valuable than the desert being built-on, on the mainland.

There is a bay in California. The wealthy homeowners have been using the city for years to try and kick out sailboats that anchor long-term in the bay. Because of their influence and money, they got the Federal government to transfer their environmental authority to the city, which promptly used the pretext of protecting the environment to get rid of the poor live-aboard people.

The Channel Islands are wasteland? Are you talking about the same Channel Islands off the coast of California I am thinking about? If you truly believe that, then all I can say is thank goodness the vast majority of California residents would quite strongly disagree with you and CA is still a democracy!

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by zamber

they got the Federal government to transfer their environmental authority to the city, which promptly used the pretext of protecting the environment to get rid of the poor live-aboard people.

Imagine the horror of protecting the environment rather than "poor" liveaboard people.



Are they "getting rid of" just the poor ones or everyone?

[japawil]

[P3sailor]

Could it be that some of the issues of "less dock space" is due to the increasingly number of catamarans which take up considerably more "dock space"???

[larsfforsberg]

My family has owned a boat yard in the US for 80 years. They are not legally allowed to change the boat yard into condos or houses. It must stay a boat yard forever - a boat yard that does not make money. The taxes are so high and the insurance requirements so onerous, that they don't make any money. Yes, government regulation sucks. If they were able to sell it to a developer, they would be rich. It's a strange world.

[uncle stinkybob]

Originally Posted by larsfforsberg

My family has owned a boat yard in the US for 80 years. They are not legally allowed to change the boat yard into condos or houses. It must stay a boat yard forever - a boat yard that does not make money. The taxes are so high and the insurance requirements so onerous, that they don't make any money. Yes, government regulation sucks. If they were able to sell it to a developer, they would be rich. It's a strange world.

What country would that boat yard be in?

[Ms J-37]

The thing about "Government Policy" is that it's organic and it changes.

[ccannan]

Originally Posted by uncle stinkybob

What country would that boat yard be in?

Um.... he wrote his family boatyard is in the US.

[uncle stinkybob]

Originally Posted by ccannan

Um.... he wrote his family boatyard is in the US.

Thanks, missed it. What does "um" in this context?

[Cadence]

Out of curiosity, what would make a piece of property not be able to used for another purpose or sold if it were a marina/boat yard? Reference post#7

[Bill Seal]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Out of curiosity, what would make a piece of property not be able to used for another purpose or sold if it were a marina/boat yard? Reference post#7

Zoning laws
Deed of gift.
Probably others

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Bill Seal

Zoning laws
Deed of gift.
Probably others

Deed of gift I can buy. The solution to that is bankruptcy.

[donahue62]

Originally Posted by uncle stinkybob

Thanks, missed it. What does "um" in this context?

I think that’s like Duh.