§ 74-1. Findings and purpose.

A. 

The Town of Brookhaven's shoreline bounds the waters of the Port Jefferson Harbor Complex (hereinafter referred to as the "Harbor Complex"). The Harbor Complex is an attractive place to live or visit due to the harbor's excellent conditions to moor, anchor, and operate vessels, the bustling commercial waterfront area, and the high quality of the harbor's beaches, wetlands, habitats, surface waters, and coastal landscape. The Harbor Complex contains a regionally significant commercial port and wildlife resources and habitats of local, state, and federal significance.

B. 

The authority to regulate the surface waters of the Harbor Complex is held by five separate municipalities. This circumstance of multiple jurisdictions necessitates a coordinated, intermunicipal approach to insure adequate management of the Harbor Complex.

C. 

In recognition of the need for a coordinated, intermunicipal approach to manage the Harbor Complex, the Town of Brookhaven joined with the Villages of Belle Terre, Old Field, Poquott and Port Jefferson to prepare and adopt the Port Jefferson Harbor Complex Harbor Management Plan (hereinafter referred to as the "Harbor Management Plan"). Consistent with the recommendations of the Harbor Management Plan, the Town of Brookhaven declares that the purpose of this chapter is to implement the intermunicipal agreement between the Town of Brookhaven and the Villages of Belle Terre, Port Jefferson, Old Field and Poquott and the intermunicipal agreement between the Town of Brookhaven and the Village of Poquott and to establish uniform definitions, standards, requirements, and procedures for safe operation of vessels, and mooring and anchorage of vessels within the waters of the Harbor Complex. The intent of this chapter is to insure that the Harbor Complex remains an attractive place to live and visit, and to insure its continued economic and environmental vitality for current and future generations by:

(1) 

Minimizing user conflicts through efficient use and equitable allocation of the waters of the Harbor Complex for a variety of commercial, industrial, and recreational uses;

(2) 

Enhancing public and vessel safety;

(3) 

Improving conditions for navigation for all user groups by insuring safe and unencumbered navigation for all vessel types and sizes;

(4) 

Protecting and enhancing high-quality natural resource values by minimizing impacts from uses on natural resources and water quality;

(5) 

Insuring access to and protecting marketable shellfish resources;

(6) 

Better protecting privately owned shoreline property.