The Greenport village board discussed the unfolding future uses of Mitchell Park at its work session on Monday.
At least one Greenport village trustee discussed revving up the process regarding whether or not to allow mass public assembly permits at Mitchell Park — and another addressed the issue of boaters’ use of the facility
To start, Trustee Dave Murray said Mitchell Park Marina manager Jeff Goubeaud attended the work session to discuss some groups of boaters who’d asked to put up tents in the park.
“We’re going to decide what we’re going to do with the marina,” he said. “I feel, if you’re going in as a group, the park is there for the marina to prosper. We want to accommodate these groups,” he said, adding that $15,000 could be lost “if we do not accept these groups.”
Deputy Mayor George Hubbard asked if the groups could refuse to dock at the marina without a tent.
Murray confirmed that at least two groups would refuse to tie up without use of tents.
Hubbard asked if the tents had to be as large as they were last year. Goubeaud said the marina has had boaters erect tents as large as 20′ x 30’or 40′ x 100′. Hubbard asked if smaller tents could be accommodated by the Camera Obscura.
Murray said that parcel has drainage issues.
Hubbard said the goal would be to find a section of the park that would not block the public’s ability to enjoy the facility; a limit to the time could be erected could also be imposed, he said. “Some tents go up and seem to stay up longer than they need to,” he said. Hubbard said the spot chosen could be advertised as a reception area for those looking to rent slip space.
Trustee Julia Robins said that should be fine, as mass public assembly permits hadn’t been needed in the past for mariners hoping to use the park. Hubbard said that in the past, the permits were given, mostly to ensure the boating events didn’t conflict with other events such as Shakespeare in the Park.
“We just need to know they won’t overlap on the calendar,” Hubbard said.
Trustee Mary Bess Phillips said the original concept of the marina was to generate income with an eye toward paying off village debt. “That’s an important component that needs to keep moving forward,” she said, adding that it’s important to keep tents from depriving the public use of the park.
Compromise is key, she said, adding maybe the village could buy a tent and rent it out to boaters.
Later in the meeting, Hubbard — who was running the work session in the absence of Greenport Village Mayor David Nyce, who is on vacation until early February — Hubbard said the board has had public comment periods on the issue of mass public assembly permits, with a moratorium on issuing such permits in place since June.
“We’ve gone round and round in circles for a long time,” he said. To “streamline the process,” Hubbard said he’d like to give “homework” to the trustees, asking them to make lists of what they think could work in the park. Once all the ideas are compiled, he’d like to bring them back to the public “as guidelines” moving forward.
The public, he said, would then be invited to weigh in. “But at least then, we’d have something to work with”. The goal would be for the trustees to bring bak their ideas within the next week and to bring those thoughts to the public by next month.
Phillips said the park is open to the public but fees and maintenance are necessary so the park can be cared for in such a way that people will still want to visit.
Hubbard said he did not want another public comment period without some ideas or concepts to share.
