Rockport mooring moratorium to expire

ROCKPORT – A two-year moratorium on new moorings in Rockport Harbor is expected to expire at the end of next month.

Town Manager Robert Peabody said Tuesday the town’s harbor committee voted recently to recommend to selectmen that the moratorium lapse. The moratorium was enacted two years ago, then renewed a year ago. The town was concerned about the impact on parking near the harbor and other congestion issues.

The harbor committee also recommended that 40 new moorings be allowed over the next four years, with 10 to be added each year. The slow growth will allow the committee to assess the impact on parking.

Selectmen are not expected to take action on the committee’s recommendation, but will rather let the moratorium expire, Peabody said.

The town has approximately 283 moorings. When individual mooring permits expired and were not renewed, they were filled by those on a waiting list.