New marina planned for Rhode Island
BRISTOL, R.I. – Permission to build a new 39-slip marina in Rhode Island’s Bristol Harbor was granted earlier this week despite objections from area residents worried it would cause further congestion in the area, the Barrington Times reported in a story yesterday.
The Coastal Resources Management Council’s 17-member board granted approval of the project, with the stipulation that the developer may not increase the number of slips, according to the newspaper.
More than a dozen Bristol residents and town officials made the commute to the Narragansett Bay Commission building in Providence to protest the marina. However, many came not to prevent the marina’s construction, but to minimize the area it would occupy in Bristol Harbor, the newspaper reported.
The marina would allow for boats up to 60 feet in length, leaving some in town concerned with navigation issues and boater safety in the crowded harbor.
According to Bristol’s harbor management plan, the harbor can handle up to 500 boats. Residents testified that the town already has 491, and that 39 additional boats would exceed the harbor’s capacity, the Times reported.
But the CMRC unanimously approved the project, the parameters of which include:
– 39 slips (44 originally)
– 12 x 40-foot pier
– 4 floating docks
– 19 finger floats
– 215 feet into harbor
– 276 feet from nearest Bristol mooring
– 7,785-square-foot public boardwalk
– 60-foot boats or less
– 40 parking spaces (26 originally).
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