A public hearing has been scheduled for May 29 on a town proposal to impose a $40 mooring fee on boats.
The vote was 3-2, with Council members Joan Cergol and Mark Cuthbertson voting against the opposed to scheduling the hearing because the Greater Huntington Council of Yacht and Boating Clubs, which was asked about the fee, hadn’t yet officially responded.
The town said the fee is designed to cover the costs of resident-owned vessel wreck removal, pollution mitigation and remediation of other navigational safety hazards; increasing the required insurance limit to $1,000,000 from $500,000 for vessel wreck removal and pollution mitigation for special events requiring the use of a public dock; placing liability for all costs incurred by the Town in removing, storing and disposing of unseaworthy and wrecked vessels on the owner or person responsible for the vessel; requiring a $300,000 liability policy per occurrence for boats with internal fuel tanks covering vessel wreck removal and pollution mitigation; limiting the issuance of transient mooring permits to businesses and organizations owning property in Huntington; increases the minimum fine for violations from $50 to $250.
The Town Board meeting is set for 2 p.m. at Town Hall.