The developer of the Liberty National Golf Course near Liberty State Park in Jersey City hopes to build a marina as part of the exclusive membership-only course. But park advocates say the marina will crowd the public boat launch in the park and interfere with crabbing at the river’s edge.
The plan for the marina has been scaled down to 22 slips from the original 50 that were approved back in 2002. The smaller final site plan of the Liberty National Marina will be considered for approval by the Jersey City Planning Board at their meeting this coming Tuesday.
The developers originally presented a multi-faceted plan that also included residential construction, but the economic downturn caused the developer to develop the golf course first, to scale down the size of the marina, and delay building the housing.
“Everything we do meets or exceeds the requirements of quality.” – Joel Brenner
________
The residential arm of the golf course development company, Fireman Capital Partners, WA Residential Urban Renewal LLC, applied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last month for a permit to build the marina in waters located on the south side of the park. The Army Corps of Engineers issued a public notice in July for comments to gauge the environmental impact of the project.
The public comment period on the marina ended last Monday. The Corps is still studying the application and has not given a date for their final decision.
Concerned about marina
Among those concerned about the project are the Friends of Liberty State Park (FOLSP), the advocacy group for the preservation of the park.
Also supporting the Friends’ stance are various groups locally and statewide, including the downtown-based Historic Paulus Hook Association.
FOLSP opposed the project in a July 15 letter to the Army Corps of Engineers, saying the proposed marina would be too close to the park’s current boat launch and would cut down on the water space needed by those who use the boat launch.
“The safety and maneuverability of the boats will be jeopardized by how close the marina is,” said Sam Pesin, president of the group.
Pesin also wants to see an environmental impact study from the Army Corps.
The FOLSP wants the Army Corps of Engineers to hold a public hearing on the proposed marina, since the public was only made aware in the past month that the project has resurfaced. But Pesin said he doesn’t expect that to happen.
Defending their project
Joel Brenner, a partner with Fireman Capital who is overseeing the marina project defended his employer’s plans last week.
Brenner noted that the current marina proposal is much smaller than the original 50-slip project, and will “finish” the development of the golf course and the surrounding area.
Brenner said that six months ago, WA Residential applied for and received a permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for a waterfront development permit to construct the marina. Next came the July application to the Army Corps of Engineers, required by federal law for any construction near waterways.
Brenner was “taken aback” by the Friends of Liberty State Park’s opposition, and said that the development company will make sure that the marina is built 65 feet from the public boat launch (when only 50 feet is required) so that it does not interfere with any boats coming from the public boat launch.
Brenner also pointed out that the state, which operates the park, would not have approved a permit for the marina if they felt it would interfere with any of its operations.
“Everything we do meets or exceeds the requirements of quality,” Brenner said. “Anything we do is responsive to the environment and to the neighborhood.”
Crabby stuff
Taking issue with the marina project was Sal Larocca, a Bayonne resident who commented last week as he was catching crabs with family and friends near the public boat launch. He said he was worried that the marina might bring more boat traffic and interfere with his crabbing.
“We can’t crab here no more if they build the marina,” Larocca said.
Charles Ivins, a Jersey City Heights resident, who came back from a day of fishing with his nephew on his boat, said he wished there was a public marina for the “average Joe.”
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.