Dear Members,
Below are a couple of updates on the dredging for a barge dock across from Hol Chan:
Ambergris Today Newspaper Article
More Concerns Arise of New Barge Sight
More concerns have risen from the Town Council's decision to move the barge docking facilities further south. Strong opinions are now being expressed about the damage to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, both from the dredging as well as the increase in barge traffic to the area that lies almost immediately in front of the marine reserve.
Concerns are that as the boats move or turn the barges there is a large amount of silt generated especially during low tide. Any silt created during the time that the tide is going out would be drawn right through the Hol Chan channel.
Some discussion has expressed the short-sightedness of just moving the barge problem further down the island and now just affecting a new group of people. There are resorts and private homes all along that area, and everyone knows that the front of the island is rapidly developing beyond a commercial barge enterprise. This would have been an excellent time to make use of the three million dollar port that was built years ago.
Unfortunately at the time the port was built, smaller barges were being used, and the companies insist that it cannot serve the purpose for which it was intended without more docking space and dredging. Hopefully these barges will be moved to the marina at the back of the island some day.
Extract from the South Ambergris Neighborhood Watch Meeting:
There has been dredging far to the south across from the Hol Chan cut that is presumed to be for the Caribbean Depot barge landing. Josh stated that Major Jones, head of the Port Authority, sent someone two days before this meeting to investigate these issues of barge problems in the south. Apparently they had no idea of what was happening. However, ONLY the Port Authority has the authority to move barges.
Another issue of the barge traffic hours involves noise ordinances in residential and resort areas.
Suggestions were:
A petition with all signatures from South End people, Chamber member, other NW members, etc.
Letter to Town Board expressing SENW concerns
[email protected]Letter to ALL newspapers including mainland expressing concerns for tourism
[email protected] &
[email protected]Letter to Forestry Department
Letter to Ministry of Natural Resources regarding dredging