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Story by Steve Morrell
Tampa Bay Marina, one of the oldest marinas in Tampa, FL, is fighting for it's survival ever since a local resident began to complain about barges and tugboats that are docked at the marina. The marina, started in the 40's was the first marina on the East side of Old Tampa Bay near the Howard Frankland Bridge. It was started by Howard Frankland. It is also now the last in the area as all others have closed. The marina has 75 slips, most of which are for sailboats (about 85 percent).
A local resident ,(Ralph Hughes), who built and moved into his home about two years ago is trying to shut the marina down because of barges and tugboats that are docked at the marina. The resident, who has a house on a nearby canal, can see the barges and tugboats across the street and across another lot (which is on the water across from the marina) from his home. The marina is obviously in an industrial area on all sides except the residential side. Some of the barges and tugboats are owned by the marina owner and some by a company doing repair work on the Howard Frankland Bridge. The barges owned by the construction company are expected to be there till early 2009 while the bridge is being repaired.
According to the assistant marina manager, Allison Thatcher, who is the granddaughter of the man who bought the marina from Howard Frankland in 1960, the resident is complaining about the barges, claiming that they would be dangerous in a hurricane, but actually he is complaining that he has to look at them although his home, completed about two years ago, was built at least 50 years after the marina was built. Thatcher also says the resident is now trying to shut the marina down claimimg a legal technicality. The resident has now banded together with Beach Park Homeowners association in his neighborhood to fight to close the marina. The marina had the backing of the city, which stated the marina was legal, but the variance board moved in favor of the homeowners. Now the case goes to city council.
Local government has backed the marina, not only because it believes the marina owners have legal rights, but it also knows that marinas have been closing and slips in the area have been disappearing. But the complaining resident and the HOA have money and lawyers.
Thatcher is asking residents in the area to support the marinas interests when the case comes up in front of the city council by showing up in person at the meeting on August 7th, @ 1:30 pm.
To contact Thatcher, E-mail her at, allison-imperial@tampabay.rr.com , or call her office at (813)514-9975, or her cell at (813)601-5007.
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