[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Fairhaven 4-29-2013. Amendments noted where applicable.
The Town of Fairhaven, MA, through the office of the Harbormaster and the duly appointed agents of the Town of Fairhaven acting as the Harbormaster and/or the Assistant Harbormaster, prohibit the mooring of any vessel that is, after the determination of the Harbormaster, a houseboat to be placed on a mooring within the waters of Fairhaven, MA.
Houseboats, as determined by the Harbormaster as described above, are not permitted to be at a mooring in the Town of Fairhaven. The disposal of human waste is not allowed within the waters of Fairhaven. Porta potties, and/or any other device onboard are not considered adequate to properly hold and allow for proper disposal of human waste. The Town does not have the ability or system that can accurately track disposal of human waste brought ashore for proper disposal.
Vessels considered to be houseboats are vessels that, as determined by the Harbormaster, are of the design that indicates they are not suitable to be used to navigate the seas most likely encountered in the area waters due to weather conditions. Because of this, they are at a mooring, and the design of such allows for humans to live or sleep aboard. As opposed to recreational vessels that can traverse the local seas in normal weather conditions and have adequate pump-out systems for human waste, houseboats at moorings cannot be pumped out by the Town of Fairhaven's CVA boats while at moorings per the grant the Town operates under. This presents the problem of human waste disposal.
Vessels that are determined to be houseboats by the Harbormaster and moor in violation of this regulation are subject to the following: After reasonable attempts to contact the owner by telephone or U.S. Mail over a three-day period, it may be removed at the direction of the Harbormaster at the cost of the owner. Cost will include all towing and storage charges that may be incurred to do so. All charges are payable to the tow company which will hold the vessel until payments are made.
This regulation is applicable to both privately and commercially owned moorings.