[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of
the City of North Tonawanda 4-4-2000.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed
former Ch. 20, Boat Docks, adopted 9-20-1988, as amended.
A.
This chapter shall apply and pertain to the Tonawandas'
Gateway Harbor docking facilities between the City of Tonawanda and
City of North Tonawanda on the Erie Barge Canal Corridor and Ellicott
Creek.
B.
All boats entering this corridor immediately come
under the jurisdiction of the Tonawandas' Gateway Harbor Boat Dock
Rules and Regulations, all federal and New York State pleasure craft
navigation laws, as well as boating rules and regulations, including
all health and sanitary laws and regulations, governing waterways.
A Harbor Master shall be appointed by the Mayor
to provide general supervision of the docking area.
A.
The park is open from May 1 to October 30 from 6:00
a.m. until 11:00 p.m. weekdays and weekends from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00
midnight. Boaters with permits have the right to enter and exit their
boat while they are docked. All boaters and their guests that are
staying on their boats overnight must stay within the immediate area
of their boat after the above designated hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00
a.m., unless leaving the park area. Special permission may be obtained,
at the discretion of the Mayor, for an exception to this section to
allow particular events or programs.
B.
No dogs, except on leash.
C.
No damaging of City property.
D.
No glass containers.
E.
Disorderly conduct and excessive noise are prohibited.
F.
Firearms and fireworks are prohibited.
G.
Garbage must be disposed of in receptacles provided.
H.
No public gatherings, or community activities, without
permit.
I.
No food or merchandise vending without permit.
J.
Boaters must have a permit for overnight dock usage.
K.
No skateboarding, rollerblading or biking except on
designated pathways.
A.
Upon docking, or at such time as the Harbor Master
is on duty, boaters are required to report directly to the Harbor
Master to register and pay the required overnight docking fee. Day
use is good until dusk without a fee. The Harbor Master can also be
contacted by VHF radio, Channel 13.
B.
Overnight docking fee schedule is as follows, per
night:
[Amended 5-18-2005]
|
Overnight Fees
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
With Electric and Water
|
Without Electric and Water
| ||
|
Type or Length of Boat
(feet)
|
Fee
|
Type or Length of Boat
(feet)
|
Fee
|
|
Commercial
|
$35
|
Commercial
|
$35
|
|
25 and under
|
$15
|
25 and under
|
$10
|
|
26 to 40
|
$20
|
26 to 40
|
$15
|
|
41 and over
|
$25
|
41 and over
|
$20
|
|
Daily Fees
Daily Until 10:00 p.m. With or Without Electric
| |
|---|---|
|
Type or Length of Boat
(feet)
|
Fee
|
|
Commercial
|
$25
|
|
25 and under
|
$5
|
|
26 to 40
|
$10
|
|
41 and over
|
$15
|
C.
Check-out time is 11:00 a.m. local time for overnight
boaters and their guests.
D.
Boats must be present at time of registration.
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this
chapter for the owner/operator of any boat, vessel or other conveyance
to dock, moor or anchor overnight at any public dock located within
the Gateway Harbor Park without a paid permit from the Harbor Master.
There is a maximum of five days per stay. Boaters may not return until
after seven consecutive days have passed.
A.
The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to issue
a special events permit to any owner/operator of any boat, vessel
or other conveyance for docking use, at no fee, and for a period of
time to be determined by the Mayor.
B.
The Harbor Master or his/her designee is hereby authorized
and directed to not issue docking permits when an event is being held
in the corridor where safety is a factor in the running of the event.
Commercial use of the public docking facilities
is prohibited without authorization of the Mayor.
A.
The rules and restrictions prescribed in this chapter
shall not apply to boats, vessels or other conveyances which are in
distress or forced to dock due to an emergency. However, immediate
notification of said distress or emergency shall be given as soon
as practicable to the Police Department of either community. The notified
Police Department will inform the other police agency of such emergency
if it is in its jurisdiction.
B.
In the event that the distressed vessel remains at
the public docking facilities for more than 48 hours, the owner/operator
shall be in violation of this chapter.
A.
It shall be unlawful for the owner/operator of any
boat, vessel or other conveyance using the public docking facilities
to discharge into the Erie Barge Canal/Ellicott Creek or by the shore
area the contents of any septic holding tanks, garbage, oil, sludge,
refuse matter, sewer or waste matter of any kind. Garbage and refuse
matter must be deposited in receptacles provided for this purpose.
B.
No head (toilet) shall be dumped except in the designated
on-shore dumping station. Dumping or cleaning of portable toilets
in the support facility rest rooms is prohibited.
A.
It shall be unlawful for the owner/operator of any
boat, vessel or other conveyance using the docking facilities to use
the electrical power located at said docking facilities for any other
purpose than for his/her boat.
B.
Use of electrical power is limited to one thirty-amp,
one-hundred-ten-volt service outlet per boat berth. For boating safety,
all electrical outlets shall have ground fault interrupters (GFI)
installed.
All persons causing injury or damage to other
persons or boats within this corridor shall be liable therefor. Any
violations of boat dock rules and/or regulations, disorder or indecorous
conduct by a patron, his crew or guests that might injure a person,
cause damage to property or harm the reputation of either City is
cause for immediate removal of the boat in question from the corridor.
The Mayor, Harbor Master, designated representative, or a supervising
police officer reserves the right to reject any request for a berth
and to terminate without prior notice or refund any monies paid, when
in the opinion of the Harbor Master or his/her designated representative,
a question of safety or public interest is involved or whenever any
rules and regulations have been violated.
Overnight berth renters are not permitted to
exchange assigned boat slips without prior approval of the Harbor
Master, who reserves the option of reassigning boat slips as the need
arises. Normally, boat slips will not be reassigned unless all persons
involved agree to the change.
Only pleasure boats in good condition, under
their own power, shall be accepted for dockage. Conditions aboard
any boat, vessel or other conveyance, which in the opinion of the
Harbor Master constitute a hazard, menace, or a danger to public safety,
must be corrected immediately upon notification by the Harbor Master.
Berths are to be accessible at all times in
case of fire, explosion, or other emergencies. Social gatherings will
be permitted by the docking area if an adequate pathway is provided
for emergencies. In an emergency, the City involved does not accept
any responsibility for articles in the dock area that must be moved
to provide for a pathway.
Boat slip renters shall use discretion in operating
engines, generators, radios and television sets so as to not create
a disturbance. Quiet hours are in effect between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00
a.m. local time each day.
Although the Cities of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda
jointly provide a Harbor Master, it does not guarantee twenty-four-hour
protection. The Cities of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda are not responsible
for lost, stolen, or damaged properties.
Dogs must be on a leash no more than six feet
long and controlled at all times to insure peace and privacy of other
boaters and occupants in the corridor. No pet shall be allowed to
remain in the park or corridor area unless the owner can furnish proof
of a current rabies inoculation when requested by Park personnel.
The "Pooper Scooper" law is in effect, and dog owners are expected
to clean up after their pet.
Ground fires are not allowed in the entire corridor
area.
[Amended 7-7-2015]
Boats entering the corridor may dock at any
numbered slip that is unoccupied or not reserved for police boats.
Rafting off another boat is not permitted unless given permission
by both the boat owner of the rented slip and the Harbor Master. At
all times, rafting of boats shall be in compliance with New York State
Canal Rules and Regulations. All fees are applicable to the rafted
boat.
A.
Boats registered overnight are allowed one vehicle
at no additional charge when the vehicle is registered at the same
time as the boat and both are listed on the boat docking receipt and
permit.
B.
Vehicles remaining overnight must be parked in designated
parking areas. When full, the parking area behind the Tonawanda Towers
is designated as the "overflow" parking area. Recreational vehicles
and camper trailers are not permitted overnight.
C.
Each vehicle remaining overnight must have displayed
from its rear-view mirror a special tag issued by the Harbor Master
that indicates the vehicle license plate number, date(s), and boat
berth at which the vehicle occupant(s) is/are staying. Vehicles not
displaying a special tag from their rear-view mirror are subject to
ticketing by the City of Tonawanda Police Department.
D.
Vehicles of boat guests over the one vehicle allotted
must pay for a $4 overnight parking permit for their vehicle from
the Harbor Master. If a boat docking patron expects overnight guests
to arrive after the Harbor Master is scheduled to leave, permits should
be purchased in advance. However, no refunds will be issued. Overnight
parking permits expire at 11:00 a.m. local time the following morning.
Vendors will not be allowed to sell any items
within the Gateway Harbor Corridor without the written permission
of the Mayor of the City affected.
Any violation by a person, firm or corporation
of any provision of this chapter shall be subject to a fine not to
exceed $250 for each offense or imprisonment for no more than 15 days
for each offense, or both.
