[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Oyster Bay Cove as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
General penalty — See Ch. 1, Art. III.
[Adopted 6-18-1991 by L.L. No. 1-1991]
The following regulations are necessary in order to protect and secure navigation, bathing, fishing and other recreational uses, and the natural beauty and healthful, safe, full and proper enjoyment of the waters and ecological resources bounding the Village by the inhabitants of the Village and the community; to secure safety from flood, fire, panic, explosions and other dangers; to protect the inhabitants of the Village from unreasonable odors, smoke, vapor, gas, dust, pollution, garbage, effluents, noise and vibrations; to promote and protect the good order, peace, health, safety, morals and general welfare of the inhabitants of the Village and the community; and to protect and secure the property of the same.
Except when prohibited by reason of laws of the United States, the state, or where otherwise expressly provided herein, the following provisions of this article shall apply to all waters within the Village and to all waters bounding and adjacent to the Village to a distance of 1,500 feet from the shore of the Village.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ANCHOR or ANCHORING
The attachment of, or to attach, a vessel to the ground by means of tackle so designed that, when such attachment is terminated, the tackle in its entirety is removed from the ground and taken under the control of the vessel.
DOCK
A publicly or privately owned structure approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, extending from the shoreline into a body of water used for the purpose of mooring vessels and the receiving and discharging of passengers from vessels.
ENFORCING OFFICERS
The Harbormaster, any Nassau County or Village police officer, or any enforcement officer as defined in § 314-12A of this article.
FLOATS or PIERS
Structures which extend seaward of the high tide line on or above the water to provide access to boats, or for fishing or swimming.
HARBORMASTER
The Harbormaster appointed by the Board of Trustees.
MOOR or MOORING
When used as a verb, the attachment of, or to attach, a vessel to a pier or dock or other structure; or the attachment of, or to attach, a vessel to the ground by means of tackle so designed that, when such attachment is terminated, some portion of the tackle remains attached to the ground and is not taken under the control of the vessel.
MUFFLER
A device for reducing the operating noise level of an internal combustion engine by cooling exhaust gases.
OWNER
The person under whose name the vessel was last registered in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Boating Act of 1958 or the Laws of the State of New York, if requiring registration and, in any other case, the last known owner or the person who claims lawful possession of such vessel by virtue of legal title or equitable interest therein which entitled him to such possession.
PRIVATE MARINA
Bulkheads approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which form a boat basin for the purpose of mooring vessels and receiving and discharging of passengers from vessels.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
The rules and regulations promulgated by the Board of Trustees.
[1]
SKIN DIVING
Any person using any underwater breathing apparatus similar in function to an aqua lung, but shall not include bona fide salvage operations displaying proper signals.
VESSEL
A vessel commonly known as a houseboat, a duck blind, a raft, a jet ski and every vessel or floating craft, except boats normally propelled solely by hand.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Anchoring and Mooring Rules and Regulations are on file in the office of the Village Clerk.
A. 
The Harbormaster shall:
(1) 
Enforce all provisions of this article, and all rules and regulations promulgated hereunder for all moorings.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Anchoring and Mooring Rules and Regulations are on file in the office of the Village Clerk.
(2) 
Cause to be installed buoys, signs and markers.
B. 
The Harbormaster is hereby authorized to issue mooring permits and designate the location and types of mooring upon approval of the Board of Trustees of the written application by the owner, charterer or operator responsible for a vessel. The mooring permit shall not extend beyond the end of the calendar year in which the permit is issued.
Each vessel governed by a mooring permit shall display a current identification as specified by the Harbormaster, and no vessel shall be attached to a mooring, singly or in a raft, unless evidence of the issuance of such permit is displayed.
A. 
No vessel shall anchor or moor in such a manner as to obstruct or render hazardous access to or from a dock or private marina except when such vessel is compelled so to anchor or moor as a result of a temporary disability or emergency arising out of the perils of the sea and then only during such period of emergency or disability.
B. 
No person shall moor any vessel at a mooring detached from and within 1,500 feet of the shore or in such a manner as to obstruct or render hazardous access to or from a dock or private marina unless:
(1) 
Such vessel is compelled so to moor owing to temporary disability and then only during the period of its temporary disability; or
(2) 
Such vessel is compelled so to moor temporarily owing to an emergency arising out of the perils of the sea and then only during such period of emergency; or
(3) 
Such vessel is moored at a mooring the location of which either is approved specifically by the Board of Trustees or is on a mooring plan approved by the Board of Trustees.
C. 
All floats shall be anchored or moored in such a way as to be secure at all times and under all conditions.
A. 
Sanitation. No person shall cast, deposit, dump, discharge, or place, or cause or suffer to be cast, deposited, dumped, discharged or placed, any oil, garbage, or refuse matter of any kind into any waters or on any beach below the high-water mark. Vessels with facilities for living on board shall be equipped with operating sanitation devices meeting all applicable governmental regulations.
B. 
Hazards to navigation. Any vessel (including for the purposes of this section a vessel propelled solely by hand) or any other object, which becomes a menace to navigation, or unseaworthy or sinks, grounds or becomes otherwise disabled, shall be removed by the owner or person in charge thereof on order of any enforcing officer described in § 314-12 of this article. If said vessel or other object is not removed after an order so to remove it, it may be removed by or at the direction of such enforcing officer at the expense of the owner or person in charge of said vessel to be enforced by civil suit, such expense to be in addition to such penalties as may be prescribed or imposed under the Code of the Village of Oyster Bay Cove or the laws of the State of New York.
A. 
No person shall operate or drive any vessel (except vessels being exclusively propelled by wind and sail) at a greater speed than five miles per hour when within 500 feet of the shore or within a mooring area designated by the Board of Trustees.
B. 
No person shall operate or drive any vessel propelled other than by hand within 100 feet of any life lines or bathing float.
C. 
Every person operating or driving a vessel and every person riding water skis, a surfboard or similar device shall at all times operate the same in a manner (including, without limitation, the throwing of its wake) so as not to disturb or endanger the property of another or the life or limb of any persons, or so as to interfere with the free and proper use of the water by others.
D. 
No person shall operate or drive any vessel while in an intoxicated condition or while impaired by being under the influence of drugs.
E. 
No person shall operate or drive a vessel propelled wholly or partly by an internal combustion engine operated by gas, gasoline, naphtha, diesel oil or other substance without having the exhaust from the engine run through a muffler or so controlled by the introduction of water into the exhaust pipe or line as to muffle the noise of exhaust in a reasonable manner.
A. 
No person shall operate, drive, moor or anchor any dredge or any vessel in connection with, or in the pursuit of, any business operated for profit (except as otherwise may be specifically permitted by Chapter 320, Zoning, and except those vessels and persons engaged in the cultivation or harvesting of shellfish) within the waters to which this article is applicable without having first obtained a written permit from the Board of Trustees.
B. 
Upon receipt of any such application the Board of Trustees may in its discretion call a hearing open to the public for the consideration thereof and may at such hearing take such testimony and receive such exhibits from such witnesses as it may deem necessary or advisable to assist in its determination with respect to the application.
C. 
The Board of Trustees may grant such a permit, permanently or temporarily, if it finds affirmatively that the proposed operation and business protect and secure the inhabitants of the Village and the community from unreasonable odors, smoke, vapor, gas, dust, noise and vibrations; that they protect and secure the property of the Village and its inhabitants from damage and injury; that they are consistent with and protect the good order, peace, health, safety, morals and general welfare of the inhabitants of the Village and the community; that they do not create problems relating to obstructions to navigation; and that they do not spoil or threaten to spoil the natural beauty and healthful, safe, full and proper enjoyment of the waters by the inhabitants of the Village and the community. If the Board of Trustees shall determine to grant such permit, it shall state therein such restrictions and conditions (including, without limitation, time limits and duration of the stay when a vessel is used or occupied as living or sleeping quarters and other limits and restrictions as to hours, days, months, extent and area of operation) as it may deem necessary to protect and secure all of the same.
A. 
Aquatic events. Anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Board of Trustees may in its discretion issue special permits for aquatic events, boat races or other similar events under proper supervision in limited areas for limited periods, after prior approval by the United States Coast Guard.
B. 
Skin diving.
(1) 
No skin diving shall be undertaken in any waters where the same may interfere with reasonable and proper operation of vessels.
(2) 
No person shall engage in skin diving without a person of at least 16 years of age other than the skin diver in a position as lookout.
(3) 
No person shall use, operate or discharge under water any spear, spear gun or similar weapon or apparatus in all waters bounding the Village for a distance of 1,500 feet from the Village shoreline.
A. 
No person shall operate a vessel for towing a person on water skis, a surfboard or similar device unless there is in such vessel a person other than the operator who is at least 10 years old, or has been awarded a boat safety certificate by the State of New York, in a position to observe the progress of the person being towed.
B. 
No person shall ride on water skis, a surfboard or similar device or use or operate a vessel to tow a person thereon between the period from sunset to one hour after sunrise.
A. 
Enforcement officers. Any member of the Board of Trustees, any duly authorized officer or agent of the Board of Trustees, the Harbormaster, or any of his duly appointed deputies, any police officer or Bay Constable, and any member of the Marine Division of the Nassau County Police Department, (each of whom is hereinafter referred to as "such enforcing officer"), is hereby empowered to enforce the provisions of this article.
B. 
Authority and enforcement officers.
(1) 
Every person in charge of or who owns charters or is operating a vessel shall at all times obey the lawful orders of any such enforcing officer. For the purposes of this subsection, "vessel" shall include a vessel propelled solely by hand.
(2) 
Any vessel or float anchored or moored or attached to another vessel, in violation of any part of this article, shall be removed or detached, as the case may be, by the owner, charterer or person in charge thereof on order of any such enforcing officer. If any such vessel or float is not removed after an order so to remove it, the same may be removed by or at the expense of the owner, charterer or person in charge of said vessel or float to be enforced by civil suit, such expense to be in addition to such penalties as may be prescribed by or imposed under the Code of the Village of Oyster Bay Cove or the laws of the State of New York.
(3) 
Any such enforcing officer shall have the right to stop any vessel, to board, enter upon and inspect any vessel for any of the following purposes:
(a) 
To determine whether such vessel is subject to the provisions of this article;
(b) 
To ensure compliance therewith;
(c) 
To enforce the same; and
(d) 
To issue summons or other process for any violation thereof.
The Board of Trustees is authorized by resolution to promulgate rules, regulations and mooring fees and such other administrative fees as it may determine are necessary and proper for the administration and enforcement of this article.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Anchoring and Mooring Rules and Regulations are on file in the office of the Village Clerk.
All vessels operating within the waters regulated pursuant to this article shall comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the state and federal governments.