A plan to build a private marina in Sheepshead Bay has some residents worried that their waterways will be clogged with sand.
The Breakers condominium complex at 3128 Emmons Ave. has submitted a plan to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation seeking the creation of 23 new boat slips for residents of the 75-unit gated community located near Ford Street.
The state says the proposed new marina will not have a significant impact on the environment.
But boaters and other waterfront watchdogs are afraid that creating the new marina could upset Sheepshead Bay’s narrow navigation lanes.
Charlie Coudouzos, longtime member of the Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club located at 3076 Emmons Ave., says sailing in Sheepshead Bay used to be a breeze, but isn’t any longer thanks to increasingly clogged channels.
“If they disturb the sand it’ll hurt the rest of the bay,” he said. “I used to sail my boat with no problem. Now you can’t sail a boat with any kind of draft because they keep running aground.”
A spokesperson for Wilk Realty, managers of The Breakers complex, could not be reached for comment.
Members of Kingsborough Community College‘s Maritime Technology program have grown increasingly concerned with shrinking navigation lanes, but the college says it is withholding judgement on the proposed marina until copies of the plan have been reviewed.
Community Board 15 Chairperson Theresa Scavo worries that the new boat slips could also have ramifications on land in the form of increased automobile traffic.
The new marina is supposed to be exclusive to residents of the Breakers, but Scavo fears they might become available to anyone who wants to buy one.
“Just because you have an apartment on the water doesn’t mean you’re going to have a boat,” she said.
