To the editor:

Boaters in Bristol look forward to availability of new boat slips that are part of the Town’s marina expansion project. A large number of boaters have been on a Harbormaster waiting list for these slips for many, many years.

My understanding is that as part of the Robin Rug “Yarn Mill” project, developer Brady Sullivan will receive use rights for up to 15 of these new slips through a previously negotiated marine rights contract between the long-time owner of the Robin Rug property and the Town.

From my reading of this deed, Brady Sullivan will be able to lease and/or license these Town-owned slips as Brady Sullivan sees fit, rather than ensuring that boaters on the Town’s waiting list have priority access to these assets.

Because Brady Sullivan’s current development proposal does not meet the 10 percent “public/institutional use requirement” associated with the project, should not the developer be asked to convey its rights to these slips back to the Town so that additional local boaters on the Harbormaster’s waiting list have fair access to them?

I urge the Planning Board to incorporate the conveyance of these rights to the Town as a condition to any approval of this major land development project, and welcome discussion on this point at the Board’s public meeting Thursday, April 14 at Town Hall.

Gary Warner
Hope Street