Draft Port of Rochester & Genesee River Harbor Management Plan
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2016 Draft Port of Rochester & Genesee River Harbor Management Plan This report was prepared with funding provided by the New York State Department of State under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund. Photos provided by NYS DOS and City of Rochester Port of Rochester-Genesee River Harbor Management Plan City of Rochester, New York Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 1 1.1 PURPOSE & BENEFIT OF THE HARBOR MANAGEMENT PLAN ........................................................... 1 1.2 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY FOR LOCAL HARBOR MANAGEMENT......................................................... 2 1.2.1 The HMP as a Component of the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program ................. 2 1.3 HARBOR MANAGEMENT AREA ................................................................................................. 3 1.3.1 Harbor Management Area ............................................................................................ 3 1.3.2 Port of Rochester and Rochester Harbor Designations ................................................. 6 1.3.3 Port Redevelopment Project .......................................................................................... 6 1.3.4 HMA Historical Context ................................................................................................. 7 1.4 PUBLIC & STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH DURING HMP PREPARATION ................................................ 15 1.4.1 Project Advisory Committee Meetings ........................................................................ 15 1.4.2 Stakeholder Meetings ................................................................................................. 16 1.4.3 Public Informational Meetings .................................................................................... 16 2.0 HMA INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS ..................................................... 17 2.1 DEMOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW .................................................................................................... 17 2.2 ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION OVERVIEW ............................................................................... 17 2.2.1 Roadways .................................................................................................................... 17 2.2.2 Parking ........................................................................................................................ 18 2.2.3 Public Transportation .................................................................................................. 20 2.2.4 Bicycle/Pedestrian Access ........................................................................................... 20 2.2.5 Water Access ............................................................................................................... 20 2.3 HARBOR SERVICES ............................................................................................................... 21 2.3.1 Services available along the waterfront ...................................................................... 21 2.3.2 Additional services available within 1/2 mile of the HMA .......................................... 22 2.4 LAND USE & ZONING ........................................................................................................... 22 2.4.1 Existing Land Use Patterns .......................................................................................... 22 2.4.2 Land Use Planning in the HMA .................................................................................... 25 2.4.3 Zoning Regulations ...................................................................................................... 28 2.5 LAND OWNERSHIP ............................................................................................................... 31 2.5.1 Public Lands ................................................................................................................. 31 2.5.2 Land Under Water ....................................................................................................... 33 2.6 RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AND PUBLIC ACCESS .......................................................................... 33 2.6.1 Parks ............................................................................................................................ 33 2.6.2 Multi-Use Trails ........................................................................................................... 35 2.6.3 Piers & Overlooks ........................................................................................................ 39 2.7 WATER SURFACE USE ........................................................................................................... 39 2.7.1 Recreational Boating ................................................................................................... 40 2.7.2 Commercial Boating .................................................................................................... 42 2.7.3 Public Safety/Environmental Protection/Maintenance Vessels .................................. 45 2.7.4 Marinas and Waterside Boat Storage ......................................................................... 45 2.7.5 Fishing ......................................................................................................................... 48 2.7.6 Swimming .................................................................................................................... 49 2.7.7 On-Water Commercial Activities ................................................................................. 49 2.7.8 Water Surface Use Regulations ................................................................................... 51 2.8 NAVIGATION SYSTEM, WATER DEPTHS & DREDGING.................................................................. 51 Port of Rochester-Genesee River Harbor Management Plan City of Rochester, New York 2.8.1 The Navigation Channel .............................................................................................. 51 2.8.2 Water Depth Requirements by Use Type .................................................................... 54 2.8.3 International Joint Commission ................................................................................... 54 2.8.4 Great Lakes Navigation System ................................................................................... 56 2.8.5 Critical Harbor of Refuge ............................................................................................. 57 2.8.6 Dredging ...................................................................................................................... 58 2.8.7 Navigation Hazards ..................................................................................................... 63 2.9 NATURAL RESOURCES ........................................................................................................... 65 2.9.1 Land ............................................................................................................................. 65 2.9.2 Water Quality .............................................................................................................. 70 2.9.3 Floodplains/Floodways ................................................................................................ 77 2.9.4 Wetlands ..................................................................................................................... 80 2.9.5 Wildlife ........................................................................................................................ 83 2.9.6 Fish Stocking ................................................................................................................ 84 2.9.7 Threatened & Endangered Species .............................................................................. 85 2.9.8 Aesthetic and Scenic Visual Resources ........................................................................ 85 2.10 HISTORICAL RESOURCES ........................................................................................................ 89 2.10.1 Hojack Swing Bridge Removal and Mitigation ............................................................ 89 2.10.2 Other Historic Resources ............................................................................................. 90 2.11 PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE ...................................................................................................... 90 2.11.1 Utilities ........................................................................................................................ 90 2.11.2 Navigation Channel, Channel Protection & Shoreline Structures ................................ 92 2.11.3 Colonel Patrick O'Rorke Memorial Bridge ................................................................... 93 2.11.4 Navigation Lighting ..................................................................................................... 94 2.12 CURRENT HARBOR MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................... 94 2.12.1 Dockage and Boat Launch Operations ........................................................................ 94 2.12.2 Port Terminal Building Management .......................................................................... 95 2.12.3 Dredging/Harbor Maintenance .................................................................................... 95 2.12.4 Public Marina