The proposed work consists of the construction of a new marina facility with wet slips and associated amenities. The marina is to be situated on the east side of Clouter Creek which flows into the Cooper River. The marina is intended to serve residents of Berkeley and surrounding counties. The marine elements include a fixed walkway that extends from the uplands to a fixed pierhead and a mix of fixed boat lifts and floating dock wet slips which will provide approximately 110 boat slips. The fixed walkway is proposed for entry into the marina from uplands across the marsh. The walkway is proposed to be 10 feet wide and approximately 1,065 feet long with handrails on each side. The access pier will extend waterward in a direct line until it reaches a 30 foot by 40 foot covered pierhead. The pierhead will serve as a place for marina patrons to rest out of the sun‐ or pop‐up rainstorms and to store marina carts and trash receptacles. The pierhead then opens to the fixed boat lift portion of the marina. This portion consists of 4 dock trees that have boat lifts and fixed finger piers on each side. The boat lifts will accommodate vessels up to 30 feet in length and the boats can be accessed by 3 foot wide by 30 foot long finger piers. A 30 foot by 30 foot marina satellite office is proposed along the fixed pier. The satellite office will house an office for the dock master and dock hands and will be used to store emergency equipment. Floating docks are proposed on both the northern and southern ends of the marina. The floating docks will serve larger vessels up to 40 feet in length. The floating dock sections will be accessed from the fixed piers by ADA compliant gangways. The upland portion of the marina will consist of two buildings and marina parking. The buildings will house a ship store, marina manager’s office, restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities. Parking for the marina will consist of approximately 73 spaces near the marina access.
No fuel will be provided at the proposed marina. A sewage pump-out system will be provided at the marina for a small fee. The pump out will either be a fixed system in a central location on the docks or offered by a portable pump out boat. The marina location is proposed in depths of water that do not require dredging for marina construction. The marina was placed in an area of the creek bend to avoid accretion and prevent annual dredging events. The upland shoreline is protected by a dense marsh system and does not require stabilization at this time.
As stated by the applicant, several measures have been implemented in the planning and design of the project to avoid and minimize impacts to Waters of the United States, including:
- Lifts for smaller vessels that typically do not contain onboard heads reduces potential for in‐water
- sewage spillage.
- No dredging is required due existing water depths.
- No fueling services will be provided onsite to prevent accidental spillage.
- Construction activities will follow standard sturgeon and manatee guidelines and the contractor
- will be instructed to follow Best Management Practices during construction.
- Boat lifts are proposed in leu of floating jet docks to reduce shading.
The applicant offered no compensatory mitigation for impacts associated with the project. The project purpose is vessel mooring and public recreational access to the adjacent navigable waterbody.