Closing rocks boat owners -- Bucks County Courier Times
Boaters were in a state of utter disbelief Thursday after the management at Three Seasons Marina in Croydon told them they had just five days to remove at least 525 watercraft from the premises.
"I don't believe it," said Jerry Palvino of Montgomery County, standing beside his 28-foot speedboat "Lil' Pal." "I have a contract for winter storage. My boat is going to stay right here.''
A sign appeared outside the Three Seasons marina warning of "permanent closure" and the company's finance manager, Herb Shaven, said his staff was "feverishly" trying to notify all boaters that the complex would shut its gates Monday.
The marina is closing because the owners agreed to sell the property to developer T.H. Properties in 2004. Under that agreement, T.H. Properties has until Oct. 31 to purchase the marina.
"At any time, [T.H. Properties] had the opportunity to pull out of the agreement," Shaven said. "But we got a call from them on Monday letting us know that they were intending to close on the deal."
The developer wants to build townhouses and apartments on the 34-acre tract near Fifth Avenue and State Road, according to a zoning change approved by the Bristol Township Council in 2004.
Shaven said Three Seasons will issue refunds to renters and he apologized for any inconvenience. He said the company continued to lease space at the marina because "we're just doing what we could to survive and, unfortunately, now this has happened. We're telling everyone to pull out.''
Yet many boaters at the marina Thursday afternoon said they were completely unaware that they had to be out.
Palvino said he came down to the marina to prepare his boat for winter. Neil Royson of Philadelphia said he was there to pick up fishing rods.
"I'm not going to do anything," Royson said. "I have a contract, and they have to honor that contract."
Other marinas in Lower Bucks said they probably could offer enough space to handle the Three Seasons' clientele. Snug Harbor Marina owner Roland Reuther said he could accept about 75 boats, depending on their size. Diane Baum said her D&S Marina in Tullytown might be able to harbor 40 to 60 boats.
The Courier Times was unsuccessful Thursday in reaching a representative of T.H. Properties who could comment on the project. T.H. Approval Specialist Chris Lash said he could not discuss plans for Three Seasons Marina because he's not in charge of the project.
The developer will need land development and subdivision approvals before any construction could begin.
The township has issued no building or demolition permits, said building and planning Director Glen Kucher.
"They're still in the earliest stages of preliminary approval," he added.
