Economic woes could close Timber Island marina

Dockside Marina on Timber Island could close its doors as early as June 1, but it would be the economy, and not the landlord, who is to blame.

David Allen, who has operated the business for the last five years, said a combination of factors led to his decision to close. Despite rumors to the contrary, Allen and his wife, Gail, both said The St. Joe Company, from whom they lease the marina, tried hard to help them keep the business open.

“I am no fan of big business, but they have been more than fair and made it clear they want to keep the property open,” Allen said.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Allen said that he had spoken to Eric Pfeufer, who owns Marine Systems in Carrabelle, a Caterpillar engine dealer, and that a deal is in the works to keep the marina open.

“He told me he has reached a verbal agreement with the St. Joe company to keep the marina open. I’m waiting on a call from St. Joe,” said Allen. “They have not signed anything yet, though.”

The Allens said there is no truth to the rumor St. Joe forced Dockside to close as revenge against the county for rescinding zoning changes previously granted to St. Joe land on St. James Island.

In 2005, the commissioners rezoned, from agricultural to mixed-use residential, four parcels of St. Joe land in the eastern part of the county. The company proposed to develop the St. James Island parcels and were allowed as many as 7,400 houses to be built, but since that time development has stalled.

Two of the future land use maps, which encompassed 1,704 acres west of U.S. 98, and a 2,500-acre tract along the Ochlocknee Bay, were rescinded in April 2009.  Those two land use maps would have allowed about 1,000 additional homes to be built in the county, but were never officially adopted into the comprehensive plan because of legal action taken by Don and Pamela Ashley, who live on St. James Island.

In mid-December, after listening to dueling land use lawyers present conflicting opinions as to the risks involved, county commissioners voted 4-1 to shut the door entirely on St. Joe’s plans for two additional mixed use projects. Chairman Smokey Parrish was the lone vote in opposition, contending that the risk of a law suit threatened by St. Joe could prove too costly.

Rumors have persisted that St. Joe ordered the Allens, and others with boats stored at Dockside, to remove their property immediately or forfeit it.

David Allen insisted there has been no ultimatum or sweeping change in policy on the part of St. Joe. He said he initially had a two-year lease on the marina, with an automatic renewal each year. He said both he and St. Joe had the right to cancel the agreement, which he ultimately decided to do.

“Rumors about this are running rampant,” he said. “Even with a longer lease, I could not have justified spending $250 to $500 to really spruce the place up with business the way it is now,” he said.

Allen said his business has been off 20 percent for the last four or five months and he had no reason to believe things would improve in the foreseeable future. He said the poor economy was only part of the problem. He believes fishing regulations also had a major adverse effect on the marina.

“”People aren’t using their boats. Many are trying to sell their boats. There are no new boats being sold, now,” he said.

Carrabelle shrimper Jim Lycette echoed Allen’s dire assessment. In a telephone interview, he called the marina a “casualty of regulatory enforcement.” He said people won’t rent a charter boat to catch two snapper, the current limit imposed by the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council. He also said that the Florida Marine Patrol sometimes stops a sport boat twice in a single day to check for illegal fish.

“It’s not their fault. They are just enforcing the laws on the books,” he said. “But the laws are based on bad information.”

“When fishermen call down to book a charter they ask about three things now, the weather, the fishing and Marine Patrol activity,” he said.

“I don’t believe people realize how important that marina is to the local economy,” Lycette said. “That’s the only lift that will take a big boat out of the water between Panama City and Tarpon Springs. Times are hard for the local seafood industry. We can’t take another body blow. I think the city and the county need to get together with the St. Joe Company and see what they can do to keep Dockside open.”

Allen said the boat lift has been sold to a firm in St. Mary’s, Ga. and is scheduled for delivery on May 1. He said anyone needing to use the lift must make arrangements to do so before the last week in April. Allen said Pfeufer has indicated he is looking into plans to acquire another lift.

Allen said he is trying to sell as much of his equipment and inventory as possible. There will be a closing sale at Dockside on Friday, April 23.

Allen said another he has received a job offer in Chattanooga, Tenn., and he and his wife will relocate there.

“We love doing this and maybe one day we’ll be back. I think everyone who works here will be all right.  We want to thank the community. We have received nothing but support from our neighbors but we don’t foresee things getting better in the near future,” Allen said.

To inquire about the sale or the marina, call 697-3337.