January 17, 2000
Officials
Want Corps of Engineers to Let Boats Dock on Riverfront
SHELDON S. SHAFER, The Courier-Journal
Riverfront officials are taking steps to allow pleasure boaters, for the first time, to dock at the wharf and new harbor at Waterfront Park.
If the Army Corps of Engineers approves tie-ups for private boats, the Waterfront Development Corp. plans to hire a company that would operate a ``water-taxi'' service offering short public excursions up and down the river.
Some pleasure boaters see irony in developing the $58 million Waterfront Park without allowing pleasure craft to tie up at the park.
``As a boater, I am not thrilled about not having access'' to the park, said Liz Byers, past commander of the
Louisville Power Squadron, which promotes boating safety. ``There are so many attractions there, with concerts going on and restaurants. The boating community would like to have access to those things.''
In 1997, the corps approved a permit for some navigational operations related to Waterfront Park.
In it, the corps prohibited docking of pleasure craft at the park primarily out of concern that boats heading toward and away from the park might interfere with passing barge traffic. The barges have to move in toward the Kentucky shore next to the park so they can have a straight shot to enter the McAlpine Locks.
Now, the Waterfront Development Corp., which oversees the park, plans to apply to the corps for a modification of the permit to allow pleasure craft to tie up at the Fourth Street wharf near Joe's Crab Shack and at the park's new harbor just up from the Great Lawn.
Mike Kimmel, the waterfront agency's deputy director, said the agency will propose a combination of measures that it has already discussed at length with both the corps and the U.S. Coast Guard, which advises the corps on local river safety.
The package would include setting out one or more buoys to designate a large area off the Fourth Street wharf just above the Clark Memorial Bridge where boats would not be allowed to anchor.
The no-anchor zone would be a tradeoff, because boats can now anchor in that section of the river. Dozens of boats usually do stop in the middle of the river when there are fireworks, concerts or other big events at Waterfront Park their presence can pose a hazard to passing barges.
As is already the case, boats also would not be allowed to drop anchor in the river's navigational channel.
Another part of the proposed new arrangement would be creation of a ``safe-anchor area'' for pleasure boats just upriver from the buoy - next to the Great Lawn and out of the navigational channel.
Boaters could stop there to enjoy the river or to take in what's going on at the park.
Also part of the package would be increased monitoring of boat traffic by the county police river patrol, especially during large waterfront events. County spokesman Troy Riggs said the county police ``are going to help out'' and has committed to the increased patrols, if private boat docking is allowed.
Facilities are already in place along the 700-foot-long wharf for pleasure boats to tie up. Under the plan, the boats would be able to tie up only parallel to the wharf and only one vessel deep. Kimmel said the area has room for as many as 40 boats.
There are now no facilities for boats to tie up at the new harbor, but the waterfront agency has budgeted $150,000 to install gates, ramps, piers and docking facilities to accommodate boats there. The facilities should be in place around midyear.
The harbor docking facilities will be about 300 feet long and accommodate about 25 boats, Kimmel said.
Kimmel said that under the existing corps permit, only the police river patrol, the waterfront agency's maintenance boat and ``professionally piloted commercial vessels'' would be able to dock at the harbor, if docking facilities were available.
Kimmel said the modified permit probably would allow pleasure craft to dock at the wharf and harbor only from May to October, or during peak boating season. The privileges could be removed temporarily, if the river rises to a dangerous level or during periods of heavy commercial traffic.
If pleasure boats do get permission to dock, the waterfront agency would have the ability to contract with a vendor to provide the water-taxi service. Kimmel said the service probably won't be operating for a year or more. He said the agency will have to seek competitive bids to provide the service and negotiate a deal.
Dan Evans, a corps regulatory chief, said that if the waterfront agency is able to convince the corps that all elements of the safety package will work, then the corps probably will ``look favorably'' on modifying the permit to allow boats to dock at the park.
He said the corps is required to allow the public to comment on the proposed permit modification. If there is enough public concern, the corps could hold a public hearing. He said the corps probably will make a decision on the permit modification by late spring.
Aldermen Steve Magre and Barbara Gregg have been monitoring the negotiations between the riverfront agency and the corps on the question of allowing private boats to use the park.
Magre said the lack of boat access to the park ``has been very disappointing.'' Allowing them to dock ``is something we would like to see happen.''