The next meeting of MHMC is March 4. It is critical to get write to them to make our voices heard. My observation is that they sometimes are not well versed on the proposals they are voting on and may not be knowledgable about the actual Mystic Harbor Management Plan. They are making very important, precedent setting, decisions that will affect everybody in Stonington. They need to hear from well informed residents and to realize there are many people watching.

Sending a general E-mail to the MHMC may not be sufficient, since they have had issues with distributing material to all members. There aren't that many members so a single E-mail can be written and then pasted into emails to individual members. An E-mail doesn't need to be long or all inclusive. A few sentences, with factual information can be powerful. A list of the key issues for the MHMC to consider is here.

Once built, neither the MHMC nor DEEP can control the type or size of floating craft that will be berthed. This decision is left entirely to the dock owner regardless of the effect on the environment and impact on the public use of the water. The dock size is intended to physically limit the boat size, Both the MHMC and DEEP address the dock size (details here):

MHMC -  "The scale of the proposed facility should be the minimum necessary to secure a legitimate water-related function"

DEEP - "The placement of your private dock in Public Trust waters is limited to the minimum encroachment which provides "reasonable" access to the water."

What does this mean for the dock proposal on 28 Schoolhouse? The proposal includes two slips.

One side ranges from 29' to 24.6" and the "smaller" one is 25' to 21.5.  These are by no means "minimum" by any measure. At its widest point, the larger slip could fit the Charles Morgan! A 50' x 20' houseboat would be a comfortable fit. The other slip could accommodate a 50' Sport Fisherman. The huge 60' yachts in the Mystic River are frequently berthed in slips that are narrower than either of the two proposed slips. There are only two explanations. First, the engineering firm has made a horrible mistake and designed the slips far wider than necessary. Second, the property owner is planning to put two huge boats in a sensitive ecosystem, that is shallow and easily damaged. 

Based on the dock design, input from our experts, and statements by the Property owner and his team, our best guess is that the dock will be used for a 35-40' Sport Fisherman, that is almost 2 stories high, and a 50' x 20' floating boathouse/entertainment center. Absurd, diabolical, monstrosity, and calamity would be appropriate descriptors. This would be completely out of step with how most people envision Masons Island. Once the dock is built, all of this would be legal and impossible to stop. Would somebody actually do this? The property owner will likely be the first resident in CT charged by DEEP for wetland law violations in over a year. The fact that he committed these violations at separate times, on separate sites, represents an extraordinary lack of concern for the state's natural resources. 

Please Write. A list of the key issues for the MHMC to consider is here.