Photo by Spencer Rogers 



Residents must pipe all wastewater ashore 



such local ordinances are an attempt to regulate people who 

 use the water as a place to live as opposed to those who use 

 the water for recreation. 



When challenged in court, ordinances regulating floating 

 homes have generally been upheld, says Clark. A New Jer- 

 sey township went so far as to outlaw floating homes. That 

 ordinance was recently upheld by a U.S. District Court. 



Clark thinks other counties may follow New Hanover's 

 lead. With the increased interest in floating homes, local 

 governments are questioning their ability to provide ser- 

 vices such as police and fire protection, water and sewer 

 facilities, and garbage collection — all services provided 

 through the monies collected from real property taxes. 

 (Clark is preparing a Blueprint on floating homes to be 

 published early next year.) 



New Hanover County Commissioner Karen Gottovi 

 doesn't think taxpayers realize that floating home owners 

 don't pay real property taxes. To some, it sounds like a free 

 ride. But floating home owners claim they indirectly pay 

 property taxes. They pay a rental fee to the marina which, 

 in turn, pays property taxes. 



So far, Gottovi says public sentiment is in favor of the or- 

 dinance. She predicts New Hanover County won't be alone 

 for long in its regulation of floating homes. "I see a potential 

 problem particularly in the Pamlico and Albemarle and in 

 Morehead. It's a problem people are going to have to face." 



In New Hanover County, the brunt of the controversy 

 over floating homes came to bear on Masonboro Boat Yard 

 in Wilmington. Steve Lee, office manager at the marina, 

 says the boat yard received a lot of attention because there 

 were already floating homes at its docks. 



"Because the boat yard did not want to see floating 

 homes prohibited, we worked with the New Hanover 

 County planning board. We talked with them about the 

 practical aspects of siting and sewage disposal. And they 

 came up with an ordinance we could live with and the 

 county could live with," says Lee. 



At the time, seven floating homes were docked at the 

 marina. Of those, three were on the boat yard's sewage 

 system, two had no on-board toilet facilities and two had 

 Coast Guard marine sanitation devices. 



According to the ordinance, the latter four floating home 

 owners have until April 2, 1985, to comply with the new 

 standards. As of now, there have been no permits issued for 

 floating homes or for floating home marinas. But by the 

 April deadline, all existing floating homes must have made 

 arrangements to pipe all their wastewater ashore. 



— Nancy Davis 



Photo by Doug Yoder 



Walter Clark 



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