Our company has the pier rights next to the oceanfront barge operation in the beginning of South Beach in the Twin Dolphins parcels. The side results of the barge traffic are the formation of a new spit of land, about 15' from the seawall and the appearance of a concrete barrier fence with wired hurricane inserts running all the way down to very near the waters edge. I am curious as to the application of the Queens right to have passage here????? Clearly, the situation is such that the company that runs the barges has a different set of information that I do. Our development plans have had to include 31' of beachfront, which is considerably set back, by about 28' from the front edge of this commercial fencing. I sure could use that portion of land, as anyone would want to... A big issue is the trashy way the landing has been structured. What an eyesore; wires, concrete, plastic trash, garbage, pallets, basically a bunch of crap lining the landing area for the barges.
Further, there are childeren operating the deckhandling of lines and gangplanks. Now, I am all for family business ethics, but would have to look closely at the charges applied versus those paid to a ten year old deck hand. Much less, what is the labor law?
Additionally, there are time when I go to the property and find a barge tied off next to the pier and using the landing as if it were part of the operation. I wonder if there has been a contemplation of payment for this commercial use of a pier...No one has approached our company with compensation to date.
Business is business, permits allow usage, and good fences make good neghbors, but I will have a tough time marketing a product to an upscale clientele with this situation continuing as it is.

That's my two cents on the deal.

Jack Burnett
South Beach Vistas