ORDINANCE RE: SLOW-NO-WAKE ZONE IN STONINGTON HARBOR
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT, PROVIDING FOR A SLOW-NO-WAKE ZONE IN STONINGTON HARBOR.
WHEREAS, the body of water commonly known as Stonington Harbor is located within the territorial limits of the Town of Stonington (hereinafter “Town”); and
WHEREAS, General Statute §15-136 provides that the Town, by ordinance, may make local regulations respecting the operation of vessels on any body of water within the Town’s territorial limits; and
WHEREAS, the Town desires to protect the health, safety and welfare of its boating citizens and guests by regulating the operation and speed of vessels within Stonington Harbor .
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY ORDAINED BY THE LEGAL VOTERS OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON IN LAWFUL TOWN MEETING DULY ASSEMBLED THAT:
Section 1. The ordinances of the Town of Stonington be amended by adding a section to read as follows:
(A) There shall be a Slow-No-Wake zone established within Stonington Harbor. Said Slow-No-Wake zone shall be within that area of the harbor that is bounded to the north by the railroad causeway; bounded east and west by land; and bounded south by a line beginning at fixed red navigation aid #8, thence running in a southwesterly direction to green navigation buoy #7, thence running south to fixed green navigation aid #5, thence running along the breakwater in a westerly direction, thence running west from the westernmost point of the breakwater to the southernmost point of Wamphassuc Point.
(B) No person shall operate a vessel under mechanical propulsion in excess of Slow-No-Wake within the Slow-No-Wake zone described in subsection (A) of this ordinance, except for the purpose of aiding a mariner in distress. For purposes of this ordinance, “Slow-No-Wake” shall mean that a vessel shall not produce more than a minimum wake, and shall not attain speeds greater than six (6) miles per hour over the ground unless a higher minimum speed is necessary to maintain steerageway when traveling with a strong current. In no case shall the wake produced by~a vessel be such that it creates a danger of injury to persons, or will damage vessels or structures of any kind.
Section 2. That all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed.
Section 3. If any provision of this ordinance or the application thereof is held to be invalid such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of any other part of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provisions of applications; and to this end the provisions of this ordinance and the various applications thereof are declared to be severable.
This Ordinance shall become effective following: (1) approval by Town Meeting; (2) fifteen (15) days after publication in a newspaper having a substantial circulation within the Town of Stonington; and (3) sixty (60) days after submission of this Ordinance to the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, provided the Commissioner does not disapprove of said Ordinance within said sixty (60) days.
Adopted – March 21, 2011
Effective – April 9, 2011
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