FOR YOUR ENLIGHTENMENT
LOCATION & OVERVIEW
Community called Portofino, is located in Ocean City Maryland within several hundred feet of Maryland/Delaware line. Portofino has a large tract of marsh behind it, and this marsh is on a narrow strait known as the Fenwick Ditch Canal. The marsh is the main filtering marshland dividing the canal. The canal itself is less than a mile long and crosses Maryland and Delaware. On each side of the canal enters the Assawoman Bay and Little Assawoman Bay. These Bays feed to other Maryland & Delaware Bays & Tributaries, as well as the Atlantic Ocean through the Indian River Inlet and Ocean City Inlet.
The community of Portofino was established in 1998, comprised of 32 units, 10 of which were considered waterfront, 2 that had waterfront side views. Permitting approved 12 boat slips, with a long pier across marsh(200+ ft) and then an approx 150ft of boat docks along the outer edge of marsh. In order to increase property values, enhance the community and enjoyment, they are attempting to expand the marina along marsh edge and running parallel to this narrow canal.
If this project is approved, in any form, it will deny the rightful use of a cove by water enthusiasts situated at current end to boat docks, further damage the environment, the enjoyment of birds, threaten aquatic life, compromise marsh grasses(by shading & excess pollution at marsh edge), boater safety will be a primary concern for other regulators, as well as many other issues not covered.
Approval of this project in any form, will create precedent setting law, as the case and process is going to be widely shared and understood. To extend greater leniency for projects approved more than a decade ago, will inspire others with projects done to attempt to increase there development along the water, creating much more red tape. It may also create precedent setting law affecting a persons rightful use of a waterway. If allowed to block a cove to elongate a previously permitted marina over a decade ago, how many other coves can be blocked by such development. Does the financial benefit for a couple justify blocking off the rightful use of a cove for all?
If you sit out here and see how the birds use and enjoy the marsh, along with the food chain and the interaction amongst species, you will understand the dramatic effect this further development would have on them. We have to protect aquatic life(fish), and habitat because they do not have a voice to protect themselves from threats to their life.
Boater safety is a question and many regulating bodies will need to take action before this becomes permanent and becomes equivalent to a juggernaut traffic jam along water, creating many unnecessary accidents. Someone had been killed this passed summer along this canal in a boating accident.
posted by Daphne at 8:25 AM
|
0 comments
