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Village of Northport, NY
Suffolk County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Northport 6-5-1984 by L.L. No. 4-1984 (Ch. 80 of the 1966 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Appearance tickets — See Ch. 9.
Fees — See Ch. 147.
Beach regulations — See Ch. 207.
Waterways — See Ch. 302.
The following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section for the purpose of this chapter:
DOCKMASTER
A person appointed annually by the Mayor, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, having the authority to enforce the provisions of this chapter and to issue appearance tickets pursuant to § 9-2 of the Code of the Village of Northport. The Dockmaster(s) shall have such duties and be paid such a salary as the Board of Trustees determines from time to time.
PERMIT
A preprinted document, issued by the Dockmaster, bearing the date of issuance and fee, if any, charged by the Dockmaster pursuant to this chapter.
PLEASURE CRAFT
Any boat, vessel or watercraft used and designated for pleasure, not including any boat, vessel or watercraft used or designated or in any way engaged in commerce, industry, business or trade, including but not limited to clamming, fishing or other shellfish or fish taking, or transportation and rental uses.
RAFTING
The act of securing a vessel to another vessel when the other vessel is secured to a dock, pier, bulkhead or float.
A. 
Prohibited use. No person shall cause, suffer or permit any boat, vessel or watercraft other than pleasure craft, as defined herein, to tie to, moor to or lie alongside of any dock, pier, bulkhead or float owned or maintained by the Village of Northport, at any time.
B. 
Permitted use April 1 to October 31. Pleasure craft may tie to, moor to or lie alongside of any dock, pier, bulkhead and/or float owned and/or maintained by the Village of Northport, subject to the following, during the period of April 1 to and including October 31:
(1) 
Daytime limits. A pleasure craft may tie to, moor to or lie alongside of any dock, pier or bulkhead during the period from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by L.L. No. 3-2002; 7-16-2002 by L.L. No. 11-2002; 5-20-2003 by L.L. No. 7-2003]
(2) 
Nighttime limits.
(a) 
A pleasure craft may tie to, moor to or lie alongside of any dock, pier or bulkhead between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., prevailing time, provided that a fee in the amount as provided in Chapter 147, Fees, (as determined by the Dockmaster) has been paid; and provided, further, that in the event such pleasure craft is removed prior to 11:00 p.m. (and permit returned to the Dockmaster prior to departure) 50% of the aforesaid fee paid shall be refunded. Upon payment of said fee to the Dockmaster, the owner/operator of the pleasure craft shall attach the permit issued by the Dockmaster to the vessel on a prominently visible space. The owner/operator shall, at the time of payment of a fee and issuance of a permit, present his/her name, home and business address and telephone numbers to the Dockmaster and, upon demand, appropriate documents for the purposes of identification.
[Amended 4-7-1992 by L.L. No. 2-1992; 7-13-1993 by L.L. No. 4-1993; 8-17-1999 by L.L. No. 12-1999]
(b) 
In addition to the foregoing, no pleasure craft shall tie to, moor to or lie alongside of any dock, pier or bulkhead for more than two consecutive nights, nor for more than two nonconsecutive nights out of each 14 days.
(3) 
Rafting. No more than one pleasure craft shall be permitted to raft to another pleasure craft that is tied to, moored to or lying alongside of any dock, pier, bulkhead or float. The owner/operator of such rafted pleasure craft shall obtain the permission of the owner/operator of the vessel that it is to be rafted to and the permission of the Dockmaster prior to rafting. Further, such rafted pleasure craft shall pay the appropriate fee [set forth in Subsection B(2) above] and shall likewise display the permit issued in the manner described in Subsection B(2) above.
[Amended 10-2-1984 by L.L. No. 9-1984]
(4) 
Tie-up floats. A pleasure craft 12 feet and under may tie to, moor or lie alongside of any tie-up float not designated as a transient or landing float, provided that a permit has first been obtained from the Village Clerk reserving a tie-up place thereat for the season of May 15 to October 15. The fee shall be as set forth in Chapter 147, Fees, for the floats designated for pleasure craft 12 feet in length and under.
[Amended 8-17-1999 by L.L. No. 12-1999]
(5) 
Landing float. A pleasure craft may tie to, moor to or lie alongside of any landing float only for the period of time necessary to take on or let off passengers, not to exceed 15 minutes.
(6) 
Transient floats. A pleasure craft may tie to, moor to or lie alongside of any float designated as a transient float for no more than two consecutive hours.
[Amended 10-2-1984 by L.L. No. 9-1984]
(7) 
Restrictions. The owner or operator of a pleasure craft that ties to, moors to or lies alongside any dock, pier, bulkhead, tie-up float, landing float or transient float or a pleasure craft primarily rafted to another pleasure craft which is tied to, moored to or lying alongside of any dock, pier, bulkhead, tie-up float, landing float or transient float shall be prohibited from:
[Added 11-6-1984 by L.L. No. 10-1984]
(a) 
Using and/or operating any exposed grill or brazier, either gas-ignited, flame- or electrically ignited.
(b) 
Engaging in any activities involving or relating to storage, handling and use of flammable liquids which shall be defined as set forth in the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, which has been adopted by the Incorporated Village of Northport.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 106, Building Construction.
C. 
Permitted use November 1 to March 30. Pleasure craft may not tie to, moor to or lie alongside of any dock, pier, bulkhead and/or float owned and/or maintained by the Village of Northport during the period of November 1 to and including March 30, except in cases of emergency with the approval of the Harbor Master or Chief of Police of the Village of Northport, but in no case for more than two consecutive hours. A permit shall be issued for such use by the Chief of Police and/or Harbor Master, which shall be displayed in a prominently visible space on the vessel.
D. 
Liability. The tying, mooring or lying alongside of any pleasure craft to a dock, pier, bulkhead and/or float owned and/or maintained by the Village of Northport, notwithstanding the payment of a fee and/or the issuance of a permit, shall be at the sole risk of the owner/operator of the vessel. This subsection of this chapter shall be printed, in bold letters, on each permit issued under this chapter.
E. 
Dinghy racks. No person shall cause, suffer or permit any boat, vessel or craft to be stored in a dinghy rack space located in the Village Park or at the James Street Pocket Park, unless a permit has been issued for such use by the Village Clerk upon payment of an annual fee as set forth in Chapter 147, Fees. Permits granting use of a dinghy rack space shall be issued annually for each calendar year. No person shall cause, suffer or permit any boat, vessel or craft to be stored at the James Street Pocket Park except in the dinghy racks provided by permit. Storage at the James Street Pocket Park dinghy racks shall be limited to residents only, with use of only one dinghy storage location per resident household, and may be used by the permittee throughout the calendar year. The dinghy rack space located in the Village Park shall only be available for use between April 1 and October 31 of each year.
[Amended 7-6-1999 by L.L. No. 9-1999; 8-17-1999 by L.L. No. 12-1999; 6-13-2000 by L.L. No. 12-2000]
F. 
Removal. In the event that a boat, vessel or watercraft is tied to a dock, pier, bulkhead or float owned or maintained by the Village of Northport in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, said boat, vessel or watercraft may be removed by order of the Chief of Police or his designated representative, at the owner's cost and expense, to a private mooring if the owner thereof fails to remove said boat, vessel or watercraft after due notice is given. The Chief of Police may request the assistance of the Harbor Master of the Village of Northport and agencies of another municipality, the State of New York or the United States Government.
G. 
In the event a vessel is disabled, the vessel may remain at such public dock or float for a period not to exceed 24 hours with the permission of the Harbor Master or Chief of Police of the Village of Northport.
[Added 10-18-2016 by L.L. No. 6-2016]
H. 
In addition to the penalties provided herein for a violation of any of the provisions of this article, the Harbor Master or the Northport Police Department may cause a vessel which is tied or made fast to a public dock or float in excess of 24 hours to be removed, stored and/or secured at the expense of the owner or person in charge of such vessel.
[Added 10-18-2016 by L.L. No. 6-2016]
I. 
In the event a vessel is disabled and the owner of the vessel claims "Safe Harbor" status, it shall be the discretion of the Harbor Master or Chief of Police to determine whether said vessel shall be permitted to remain at such public dock or float longer than the twenty-four-hour period allowed under § 123-2G.
[Added 10-18-2016 by L.L. No. 6-2016]
[Added 5-20-1986 by L.L. No. 7-1986]
A. 
Effective March 1, 1987, those residents of the Town of Huntington who have been permittees during the year 1986-1987 under § 123-2B(4) and E hereof may renew their permit for an additional year upon payment of the fee described in the applicable section, i.e., § 123-2B(4) or E, under which the subject permit has been issued. Said fee shall be paid during the week prior to and including March 1, 1987. Thereafter, said permit may be renewed for an additional year(s) upon payment of the said permit fee to the Village Clerk during the week prior to, and including, March 1 of the renewal year.
B. 
Any unissued permits for tie-up float space or dinghy rack space shall be made available on a random selection basis, first to residents of the Town of Huntington and thereafter to nonresidents of the Town of Huntington. The Village Clerk shall publish, during the week following March 7 of each year, notice of availability. On a date selected by the Village Clerk, within one week of the date of public notice, the Village Clerk will accept applications for said vacant space. The Village Clerk shall segregate applications from Town of Huntington residents from those of nonresidents. If the number of applications from Town of Huntington residents equals the number of available spaces, permits will be thereupon issued to the applicants by the Village Clerk. If the number of applications from Town of Huntington residents exceeds the number of available spaces, permits will be issued based upon a random selection process to be employed by the Village Clerk. If the number of applications from Town of Huntington residents is less than the number of available spaces, permits shall first be issued to all Town of Huntington applicants. The remaining available spaces shall thereupon be issued, on a random selection process to be employed by the Village Clerk, to nonresidents of the Town of Huntington.
[Amended 8-17-1999 by L.L. No. 12-1999]
Each violation of this chapter or of any regulation, order or rule promulgated thereunder shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding $250 or imprisonment for a term not to exceed 15 days, or both such fine and imprisonment, for each offense, and each day a violation continues shall be a separate offense. Further, the Village may also enforce obedience to this chapter by injunction or by any other available remedy.