anchor-outs have significantly harmed the ecosystem

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Akafred

This is absolute crap! ...
... A few years ago I recall the concern was alleged crime increase and at the time they also brought up the so called damage to the eel grass which was shown to be a false representation of facts as there was aerial photographic proof showing an increase in eel grass coverage in Richardson bay. At the time they were also claiming the the anchor out’s were polluting the bay. Again this was proven incorrect based on multiple water studies...

Could you direct us to any supporting evidence for those claims? Otherwise, I'll take your first sentence as a descriptive title for rest of the contribution.

[Nineteen]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Problem is too many people, everywhere.

+1 - the place is full!

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Nineteen

+1 - the place is full!

Exactly why some of us feel so strongly that the cruising life may be the last vestige of personal freedom & independence. Nobody objects to anchoring bans/moorings when there is a legitimate environmental concern, like sensitive coral. But when it may be a pretext for another agenda, it becomes a threat to our lifestyles and an appropriate degree of pushback is justifiable.

[GordMay]

[QUOTE=Exile;2897005]

Originally Posted by Montanan

As stated, I got it. Along with the pros & cons of moorings vs. anchorages as also already discussed and as most cruisers have personally experienced. If you can only see upsides to moorings than you're ignoring the downsides of saving some eelgrass.

What are the downsides of saving some eelgrass?

[a64pilot]

[QUOTE=GordMay;2897083]

Originally Posted by Exile

What are the downsides of saving some eelgrass?

Dozens of people made homeless?

[Don C L]

So I haven't been to Richardson Bay in quite a while but I wondered, how many people really do live there full time, on boats that are not going anywere? Didn't find the answer, but found these:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/...n-13360822.php
https://www.marinij.com/2019/01/21/e...ss-population/
https://us10.campaign-archive.com/?u...95b#waterfront
which if it was already posted, sorry I missed it.

[Don C L]

Ah, found it in third article:

According to a census taken this month, 16 individuals are currently living anchored-out in Sausalito waters.

(April 2019)

[izzyforreal]

I think San Francisco has more pressing problems to deal with than a few boats anchored in the harbor.

[a64pilot]

16 people that’s it?
What is that a dozen boats maybe?

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Ah, found it in third article:

According to a census taken this month, 16 individuals are currently living anchored-out in Sausalito waters.

(April 2019)

Don that is specific to the City of Sausalito waters which had about 75 boats at anchor back in November, along its inner near shore waters, in the coves, somewhat making it challenging to access to the marinas. Most of the City's waters are the deeper, dredged water called the Sausalito Channel navigation waters which generally does not have anchored boats.
The bulk of the boats at anchor in Richardson Bay are just to the east of the Sausalito City Channel water boundary, in the shallower anchorage which water is under Marin County's jurisdiction. The City has been removing unoccupied boats since November and it is down to about 45 in their jurisdiction.

It is illegal under the Eight Amendment of the US Constitution to evict someone from public lands if they don't have a shelter to go to which is why Sausalito is not forcing the anchor outers out of their occupied boats.

Last year there were about 240 boats in all anchored out in Richardson Bay up from about 70 in the 1980's and early 1990's. The number increased greatly during the Great Recession that began in 2008.

About 85% of the boats anchored have been determined to be static based on 17 GIS surveys taken over many months, that is to say, they don't raise anchor and come to shore or leave.

[Exile]

[QUOTE=GordMay;2897083]

Originally Posted by Exile

What are the downsides of saving some eelgrass?

Seriously? Not trying to be flip, but have you been following along? Reasonable minds can certainly disagree about priorities, but certainly the downsides to closing the anchorage (or turning it into moorings) for the sake of the adversely affected eelgrass has been adequately explored, no? Or am I missing your question?

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Montanan

It is illegal under the Eight Amendment of the US Constitution to evict someone from public lands if they don't have a shelter to go to which is why Sausalito is not forcing the anchor outers out of their occupied boats.

Nothing to do with the Eighth Amendment, which applies only to post-conviction punishment for those convicted of crimes. Maybe a "taking" under the 5th & 14th Amends if the boat is confiscated, or possibly a due process violation if notice requirements weren't followed, but not sure if an otherwise lawful eviction from public lands gives rise to a federal constitutional violation.

Last year there were about 240 boats in all anchored out in Richardson Bay up from about 70 in the 1980's and early 1990's. The number increased greatly during the Great Recession that began in 2008.

And presumably the number also increased after other anchorages in the Bay were closed.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Exile

And presumably the number also increased after other anchorages in the Bay were closed.

Yes. As well as closures of shipyards where the boats could be stored ashore. There has been a migration to and a concentration into Richardson Bay.

[Montanan]

"In July 2017, the Sausalito Police Department began using a Geographic Information System (GIS) called ArcGIS to track boats anchored or moored in Sausalito waters. Since that time, a total of nine surveys have been conducted by the department's new marine survey team, which consists of two part-time employees. As of February 3, 2018, there were 64 boats in Sausalito waters. That number represents a decline from a high of 77 boats in the fall of 2017, according to data cited by Lt. Bill Fraass at a presentation to the City Council on February 27. The number does not include boats on the far side of the channel into the bay; those waters are administered by the Richardson's Bay Regional Association.

ArcGIS also allows the Sausalito Police to track vessels by name, movement, condition, registration, owner information, and contacts with law enforcement. As of February 3, 55% of the vessels anchored or moored in Sausalito waters were currently registered or federally documented."

The image below shows with orange dots the GI position of the illegally anchored boats in Sausalito City waters. They are crowding between Sausalito's deep water navigation channel and the entry to the marinas, making it a bit of a challenge to access and depart the marinas. Most of the anchored out boats are located to the East of the navigation channel in the waters under Marin County jurisdiction, which is towards the top of the picture below. The feint purple line denotes the boundary of the City of Sausalito waters.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Yes. As well as closures of shipyards where the boats could be stored ashore. There has been a migration to and a concentration into Richardson Bay.

And if I've been following along correctly, at least a couple of these anchorage closures were due to the building of expensive condos and their residents lobbying for them. So in that respect, it's a classic "not in my backyard" problem, i.e. people are in favor of accommodating the homeless & poor so long as they don't have to "see" it. But of course this only compounds the problem elsewhere.