Cold Spring board considers fee increases
Cold Spring’s Village Board on Wednesday (July 5) denied Seastreak’s request to dock its tourist boats in August after Mayor Kathleen Foley questioned whether the added revenue was worth the impact on the village and its residents.
The New Jersey-based company had requested additional cruises on August weekends as well as from early September through mid-November.
The board had previously denied Seastreak’s request for Labor Day weekend. Trustee Cathryn Fadde also pointed out that there has been little response to August cruises in the past.
Foley said she will meet soon with West Point officials to discuss possible dockings by boats from the U.S. Military Academy in late August and early September. West Point’s boat carries a maximum of 150 passengers. The village limits Seastreak to a maximum of 400 passengers per trip.
The board also discussed docking fees. Trustee Eliza Starbuck said current fees are $8 per linear foot for boats that drop passengers at Cold Spring’s dock and then leave, and $12 for boats that remain docked. Seastreak has traditionally kept its boats at the dock on some cruises while docking at West Point for others.
Docking fees have not increased since 2017, said Starbuck. Based on inflation, this year’s rates should be $10.24 per linear foot for drop-offs and $13.50 for boats remaining at the dock, she said.
No decision was made on fee increases, pending information on rates currently charged at other municipally owned docks along the Hudson River.
Seastreak has also faced complaints from residents that views of the river and Highlands are spoiled when large boats remain at the dock for prolonged periods.
Village resident Walter Ulmer urged on Wednesday that the board consider Seastreak’s environmental impact on the village.
“The carbon footprint of that vessel is incredible,” he said. “We can’t control autos or trains, but if we have a water emergency, would it be worthwhile to curtail the Seastreak?”
I’m curious: What do the business owners in the Main Street and surrounding area say?
Fascinating: The Cold Spring Village Board turned away summer tourist dollars. I’m sure the small businesses in Cold Spring will make up for it during those busy winter months.
Peekskill is rebuilding its pier to accommodate large vessels — hopefully our community welcomes visitors with open arms. [via Instagram]
If there was ever a topic to create a flow chart illustrating the the split personality of Cold Spring: what about the small businesses / residents can’t enjoy the village because of the tourists / the incoming revenue is needed / those people come off the boat only buy coffee and ice cream & make trash everywhere / this is a beautiful area & people who don’t live here have a right to enjoy it / the Village Board is only out for tourist money and doesn’t care about the real Cold Spring, the residents / the Village Board never considers what the small business owners want.
The article about a wide angle of public parking in Beacon, a comment was along the lines of “Bring people here on a boat, like Cold Spring, instead of cars.”
No, no, no, you got it all wrong — nobody is saying people from The City can’t come here, just not so many of them. “Nobody” is pining for the good old days when for some weird coincidence a “certain type” of person just was never around here. HEY! Don’t imply anything nasty about this town, why did you move here if it’s so distasteful?
Everybody is welcomed, we have mountains and views and good restaurants. But don’t park on my block, it never used to be so full of cars. Well, I am personally surrounded by “old Springers” “Originals” “Real Cold Springers” and guess what folks? Between two homes is a brigade of three trucks and two SUVs so wide a firetruck couldn’t get down the street if it had to. But that’s OK because, well, most families have more than one car. But now there is too many so nobody should come here. Way-la! Snake eating its tail.