Chapter 5: Sustain and Expand the Estuary-related Economy
The relatively calm, protected waters and abundant natural resources of the estuary provide the basis for water-related economic activities that have evolved from harvesting of salt hay for livestock, harvesting of oysters, fishing and boat building to recreational boating and sport fishing, commercial fishing and shellfish harvesting, waterborne transport and tourism. Changes in the nature of estuary-related businesses (1) reflected the pervasive influences of burgeoning population and market demand in New York City coupled with transportation improvements and expanding recreational use of the estuary [Technical report: Historical Development Patterns (1997)].
Today, the estuary is home to the largest concentrations of commercial and recreational vessels, marinas and other water-dependent businesses in the State of New York. It supports, in whole or in part, about 3,000 water-dependent and water-enhanced business establishments employing nearly 30,000 people. The economic contribution of these businesses varies among towns in the Reserve with Hempstead receiving the largest share and Oyster Bay the smallest [Technical reports: Embayment Use Study (1999); South Shore Estuary Reserve: Value of Economic Impacts and Sectors with a Perspective on Uses (1997)].
| Today, the estuary is home to the largest concentrations of commercial and recreational vessels, marinas and other water-dependent businesses in the State of New York. |
The amount of estuary shoreline suitable for establishing new water-dependent uses or expanding existing ones is limited. At the same time, some existing water-dependent businesses are gradually being displaced by more economically competitive non-water-dependent uses. This is of particular concern in maritime centers where water-dependent uses are concentrated and embody much of the estuary-related cultural heritage that supports local tourism.
Certain traditional water-dependent businesses such as shellfish harvesting and fishing are closely tied to the health of the estuarine ecosystem--an ecosystem that has been subjected to significant direct and indirect impacts from development in the Reserve this century. The viability of such businesses will depend, in part, on the success of measures recommended in other chapters of this plan to mitigate the impacts of past development and avoid or minimize impacts from new development.
Historically, water-dependent businesses gravitated to locations along the shoreline of the estuary where water access and navigable depths were especially well-suited to their function. Today, still tending to be clustered along coves and channels, around the mouths of tributaries or near inlets, these businesses include: marinas; boatyards; support facilities for commercial fishing vessels; petroleum terminals; ferry services; marine construction businesses; and marine fueling facilities. Waterfront property, however, has also attracted non-water-dependent uses, and only a limited amount of shoreline remains that is suitable and available for expanding existing water-dependent uses, establishing new ones or re-establishing former, more traditional ones. West of the Connetquot River, the estuary shoreline was substantially developed by the 1970s except for public parkland and the remaining tidal wetlands (2).
Although the extent of shoreline development gradually diminishes east of the Connetquot River, shallowness and tidal wetlands limit the suitability of shoreline parcels for water-dependent businesses to those embayment areas in which they are presently located. Thus, other shore lands not already committed to non-water-dependent uses are often publicly owned, have significant physical constraints or are subject to regulatory controls protecting high quality natural resources.
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For the owner of a water-dependent business, ceasing business operation and selling the shoreline property may yield an attractive financial return. This may be particularly true for water-dependent businesses affected by decline in finfish or shellfish stocks, seasonal variation in demand, public perception of health concerns regarding seafood products or constraints such as harvest limits, enforcement of fishing or shellfishing restrictions or permit requirements for in-water structures. Local government officials have expressed concerns about displacement of water-dependent businesses by non-water-dependent uses and the need to address issues such as dredging and installation of in-water structures critical to many water-dependent uses [Technical report: Embayment Use Study (1999)].
Zoning regulations in some municipalities only make provision for water-dependent businesses to the extent that their waterfronts have a business or industrial district. Additional emphasis could be given to facilitate the siting of water-dependent uses and deter their displacement by non-water-dependent uses [Technical report: Zoning for Water Dependent Uses (1999)].
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Maritime centers are areas with concentrations of water-dependent businesses that are often supported by water-enhanced businesses and may be linked to or situated near a business district. Many of these centers embody a maritime heritage and community character uniquely associated with the estuary. Six major and fourteen secondary maritime centers have been identified to date. Major maritime centers encompass an array of water-dependent businesses covering a large geographical area, offer substantial opportunities for public access to the estuary and serve as tourist destination points. Secondary maritime centers support less diverse mixes of water-dependent businesses, cover smaller geographic areas and are more likely to serve primarily local residents. The major and secondary maritime centers are listed below, by town.
South Shore Estuary Reserve Maritime Centers
Hempstead: Major: Village of Freeport
Secondary: areas in Oceanside, Point Lookout, Merrick and Seaford
Babylon: Major: Village of Babylon
Secondary: Villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville and West Babylon area
Islip: Major: Hamlets of Bay Shore and Sayville
Secondary: Captree Boat Basin, along Orowock Creek and West Sayville areas
Brookhaven: Major: Village of Patchogue
Secondary: areas of Center Moriches and East Moriches
Southampton: Major: Shinnecock Canal area near the Hamlet of Hampton Bays
Secondary: along Seatuck Cove and at the Shinnecock Inlet
Displacement of a maritime center's water-dependent businesses can reduce the diversity of its estuary-related activities and erode its maritime character and unique sense of place. These consequences may, in turn, affect the center's quality of life for local residents and attractiveness of the waterfront to visitors. In this way, displacement of water-dependent businesses can also affect water-enhanced businesses such as restaurants and other businesses that depend on tourist expenditures [Technical report: Maritime Centers of the South Shore Estuary Reserve (1999)].
The economic value contributed by estuary-related businesses is readily apparent, as are the role of maritime centers and the need to manage development impacts that affect the estuary's health. This section presents recommendations that collectively reflect those presented in the relevant technical reports. The recommendations below aim to strengthen and protect estuary-related business by supporting water-dependent businesses and enhancing maritime centers.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT WATER-DEPENDENT BUSINESSES
1. Promote public/private efforts to enhance the economic viability of water-dependent businesses.
The Council should foster the development and maintenance of a shoreline parcel database for water-dependent and water-enhanced uses with information on: current land use and zoning; existing land-based and in-water infrastructure; suitability for water-dependent use; availability for development or redevelopment; and other pertinent data. The database should be made available to State, county, and municipal agencies for use in preparing or amending comprehensive land use plans and zoning regulations, and in formulating waterfront redevelopment and revitalization strategies. With periodic updating, the database would allow the Council and various government agencies to monitor local and regional trends in establishing, expanding and retaining water-dependent businesses. It would also represent a potential source of information for preparing boating guides and other tourism promotion materials.
An analysis of regional market trends should be undertaken to determine the potential for attracting and establishing new water-dependent businesses. A market trends analysis would also help existing water-dependent businesses in tailoring their operations and investing in site improvements to meet consumer demand more effectively.
The Council should sponsor an annual workshop for maritime business owners and operators. Workshop sessions could focus on resource issues affecting the viability of businesses that depend on the estuary and explore solutions with local government officials and State and federal resource managers.
The Council should promote and support programs that provide technical marine trade skills to youths and adults.
To the maximum extent practicable, municipalities along the estuary's shoreline should exercise their authority to provide for the establishment and retention of businesses which depend on access to the estuary. As part of establishing a vision for the waterfront, local comprehensive land use plans can identify areas particularly well-suited for water-dependent businesses and set forth policies giving such businesses appropriate support. Based on such plans, existing zoning regulations can be amended to establish waterfront districts where water-dependent businesses and appropriate accessory use are allowed as permitted uses. Water-enhanced businesses and public water-dependent uses might be allowed to the extent that they enhance the economic viability of water-dependent businesses.
When preparing redevelopment plans and revitalization programs for their waterfronts, municipalities should give priority to establishing and expanding water-dependent businesses on vacant and or deteriorated shoreline parcels that have suitable land and water access. Strategies for public infrastructure improvements should consider the extent to which such improvements will benefit water-dependent businesses, especially regarding maintenance of in-water structures, appropriate dredging maintenance, and navigation safety. Public improvements or public uses planned in a waterfront area having water-dependent businesses should be designed and undertaken in a manner that complements those businesses. As part of implementing municipal waterfront redevelopment and revitalization strategies, local development corporations could acquire and improve suitable shoreline parcels for siting or expanding traditional water-dependent businesses.
4. Enhance the economic viability of traditional estuary-related businesses.
Municipalities should explore the use of tax relief, public/private partnerships and other techniques to attract and retain traditional water-dependent businesses such as boat building and repair. This kind of support will be particularly helpful for small businesses, such as commercial clam harvesting, that are uniquely dependent upon the estuary's resources. A municipality could make winter boat storage space available to baymen at existing shoreline parks having adequate boat launch capability. Also, a municipality could offer incentives for existing non-water-dependent commercial establishments along the shore to make affordable dock space available to baymen.
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5. Assist municipal efforts to support water-dependent businesses.
The Council should promote the provision of technical assistance by State and county agencies to help communities in their efforts to establish, expand and retain water-dependent businesses through comprehensive land use plans, zoning amendments, waterfront redevelopment plans and revitalization programs.
6. Address navigation and related infrastructure needs of water-dependent businesses.
The Council should coordinate development and implementation of a dredging and dredged material management plan for addressing the navigation needs of water-dependent uses while protecting the estuarine ecosystem.
The Council should promote public/private efforts to explore the potential for increasing the number of ferry routes and landings and providing additional linkages with rail and other pubic transportation facilities. Investigations of potential ferry routes should include connections between Freeport and Jones Beach, Babylon and Robert Moses State Park, and the Brookhaven mainland and Great Gun Beach.
State investment in navigation and related infrastructure improvements for the estuary should be commensurate with the proportion of water-dependent businesses concentrated in this region.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENHANCE MARITIME CENTERS
7. Promote maritime centers as the most viable locations for concentrations of water-dependent businesses.
Maritime centers exist because of the water access they offered in the past and continue to offer today for water-dependent businesses. These centers should be maintained and strengthened for this traditional role. New waterfront development and redevelopment should not diminish a maritime center's ability to support water-dependent businesses and compatible water-enhanced businesses.
8. Encourage and support waterfront redevelopment and revitalization in maritime centers.
Maritime center communities with blighted, obsolete or underutilized waterfront areas should prepare and implement waterfront redevelopment and revitalization strategies that support water-dependent businesses in conjunction with protection and enhancement of traditional maritime character. In major maritime centers, the enhancement of traditional maritime character will improve the community's ability to attract tourists; in minor maritime centers, the enhancement will improve the quality of life for local residents.
Individually or jointly, maritime center communities and other municipalities with substantial numbers of water-dependent uses should prepare harbor management plans to address: protection of natural resource values; shoreline management; in-water structures; navigation safety; harbor infrastructure needs; and other embayment issues affecting the viability of water-dependent uses.
10. Showcase maritime centers in tourism promotion activities for the region.
In promotion activities for tourism within the Reserve, the Council should highlight maritime centers along the estuary and the traditional water-dependent businesses which embody much of the region's maritime history and culture. In partnership with local water-dependent businesses and organizations committed to the preservation and enhancement of estuary culture and traditions (e.g., Long Island Maritime Museum, Long Island Marine Education Center, Long Island Traditions), maritime centers should organize and hold waterfront festivals featuring activities, techniques or equipment related to clamming, boat building, bay houses and other maritime traditions.
In addition to emphasizing maritime centers and traditional water-dependent businesses, promotion of tourism in the Reserve would necessarily reflect the considerable recreation opportunities offered by the estuary, both through businesses that thrive on demand for recreational fishing and boating and at public access and recreation facilities. The Council should sponsor preparation of coastal guides for identifying tourism opportunities and encouraging appropriate use of the estuary as it relates to recreational boating, fishing and public enjoyment.
________________________Endnote 1. Estuary-related businesses include both water-dependent and water-enhanced commercial uses. Water-dependent uses are uses that can only be conducted on, in, over or adjacent to the water; each involves, as an
integral part of the use, direct access to and use of the water. Water-enhanced uses do not require a waterfront
location to function, but are often essential to the efficient functioning of water-dependent uses and can be
essential to their economic viability. Water-enhanced uses increase the public's enjoyment of the waterfront.
Endnote 2. 1977 Existing Land Use map, Suffolk County Regional Planning Board.