Title
Ordinance to Amend and Reenact the City Code of the City of Hampton, Virginia by Amending Chapter 7, Boats, Beaches and Waterways, Article 1 Entitled, "In General," Sec. 7-7 Relating to Removal or Repair of Dangerous or Obstructing Structures or Vessels, Sec. 7-10 Relating to Mooring of Vessels and Sunset Creek Boat Ramp and Gosnold's Hope Park Boat Ramp, and Sec. 7-26 Relating to No Wake Zones, and to Article III Entitled "Beach Regulations," Sec. 7-49 Relating to Dogs on Beaches During the Summer
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
**NO CHANGES REFLECTED IN THE PROPOSED UPDATES TO THE CITY CODE CONFLICT WITH VIRGINIA STATE CODE STATUTES**
To amend Chapter 7 of the City Code of the City Hampton, Virginia
Discussion:
As summer season is back in swing, the Hampton Police Division ("HPD") has identified several ordinances that could be improved in Chapter 7 of the Hampton City Code, which regulates boats, beaches and waterways. Below is a description of these changes:
1) In the past few years, the City has experienced an uptick in the amount of abandoned and/or hazardous boats in the waters of the City. Currently, the City Ordinance requires the City to provide the owner of the vessel (if the owner of the vessel can be determined) with 30 days to remove the vessel before it can take action. This time period is very long, particularly if the vessel is an ongoing hazard, for example if it is leaking fluids or sinking. Virginia Code ยง15.2-909, which authorizes this code section, only requires the notice to be for a "reasonable" period. Therefore, HPD is requesting that the time period be reduced to ten days.
2) Along the same lines, last year a boat was abandoned at the Sunset Creek boat ramp. Both this ramp and the Gosnold's Hope Park boat ramp are intended to be used only for putting boats into and out of the water, not for parking boats. Therefore, HPD proposes placing a time limit of one hour on the use of those ramps.
3) Currently, the ordinance r...
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