Staff presented updated design work for the harbor, including two alternatives for a public boat launch and related parking, and asked for board direction. After review, participants endorsed the option that moves the launch out of a congested parking area to an alternate corner of the harbor to preserve parking and improve trailer maneuverability. Staff said the new location will require an easement from National Grid and additional coordination with the utility’s real-estate and gas-line teams.

The board was briefed on several related items being advanced under Canal Corporation / NYPA grant components: a boat launch, a temporary stone parking lot to be paved later, a walking trail, and steam-crane restoration. Staff said the steam crane’s asbestos report found widespread asbestos-containing materials; they are consulting abatement specialists to determine whether to encapsulate or remove materials. Because of the asbestos findings, staff recommended packaging the crane work with the rest of the spring construction rather than advancing it independently this fall.

Staff also raised schedule and permitting concerns tied to other development parcels discussed in the meeting: a wetland permit connected with a separate site has a permit window that staff said may expire in January 2026 if fill work is not completed this calendar year. On the 17-building redevelopment (a separate parcel discussed during project updates), board members debated whether to set a firm deadline for the developer, identified in the discussion as Sal, to deliver required materials; multiple members recommended issuing a firm date (participants suggested November 1 or December 1) after which the board would put the work out to bid if the developer did not meet requirements.

On parking and use: staff and members discussed temporarily restricting the launch to nonmotorized craft until the canal locks are reopened, citing limited maneuvering room and current conditions that make the harbor more like a pond. Staff said construction of the chosen design would target the 2026 construction season, with permitting and easement work to occur beforehand.

Signage and interim treatment: members asked about a permanent, monumental harbor sign funded through the Canal Corp/NYPA grant and when designs will be available. Staff said design renderings will be prepared for board review and that permanent signage work is scheduled in the next construction season. Several members proposed a low-cost interim treatment — painted plywood or a temporary mural — to improve the harbor’s appearance until the permanent sign is installed; staff cautioned that grant timelines and budget constraints limit ad hoc spending but said they would prepare design options for the board.

Why it matters: the decisions and direction will shape the harbor’s public access, parking capacity and utility coordination, and they affect grant timelines and construction sequencing for multiple grant-funded components.

Discussion versus direction and action: the board provided direction by endorsing the alternate boat-launch location and asked staff to pursue an easement with National Grid and to refine designs. No formal roll-call vote was recorded on the boat-launch endorsement; the record shows board consensus and staff direction to continue detailed design work and utility coordination.

Next steps: staff will continue easement discussions with National Grid, prepare refined renderings for board review, consult asbestos abatement specialists on the steam crane, and track the wetland permit deadline tied to a separate parcel’s development.