Section 19-1030. OBSTRUCTING DOCKS, CHANNELS, OR OTHER VESSELS

 

1030.1No person shall operate, or cause to be operated, any vessel in a manner that obstructs, hinders, or impedes the movement or progress of any other vessel when that other vessel is turning, docking, or getting underway from or to any dock or anchorage.

 

1030.2No person owning, operating, or otherwise in charge or control of any vessel occupying any dock or slip at any wharf or pier under the District’s jurisdiction, shall place, or cause to be placed, or allow to remain, on the wharf or pier adjacent to that dock or slip any box, barrel, metal container, lumber, crate, basket, bucket, tub, keg, carton, bottle, garbage, paper, rubbish, or any other material of any kind whatsoever.

 

1030.3Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the use of any wharf or pier for a period not to exceed two (2) hours during business hours for the customary and necessary handling of goods, wares, and merchandise in transit from a vessel to a location elsewhere than on the wharf or pier.

 

1030.4The permissible use of a wharf or pier under § 1030.3 shall not be construed as authorizing the use of space on a wharf or pier for storage purposes, or for the crating or uncrating, boxing or unboxing, or packing or unpacking of goods and materials being shipped or received.

 

1030.5The owner, operator, or other person in charge or control of a vessel may place one well-constructed and well-maintained box on that portion of the wharf or pier immediately adjacent to the dock or slip occupied by the vessel for the purpose of storing non-flammable gear and other non-flammable property pertaining to the vessel.

 

1030.6The box allowed under § 1030.5 shall occupy not more than twelve square feet of space on the wharf or pier, and shall be no more than thirty-six inches (36”) in width.

 

1030.7The box allowed under § 1030.5 shall not be placed on or over the outside edge of the wharf or pier, shall not extend toward the center of the wharf or pier more than one-fourth (1/4) of the full width of the wharf or pier so as to leave a clear passageway of at least two feet (2 ft.) in width, shall be equipped with an adequate locking device, and shall be placed at a height of two inches (2 in.) above the floor level of the wharf or pier.

 

1030.8No person owning, operating, or otherwise in charge or control of any vessel shall sink, beach, or abandon the vessel in District of Columbia waters, or upon any shore adjacent to those waters, except in case of an emergency.

 

1030.9In the case of an emergency, the person sinking, beaching, or abandoning a vessel shall notify the Harbor Master immediately, and shall remove the vessel within five (5) days, unless the Harbor Master grants, in writing, that person an extension of time to remove the vessel.

 

1030.10When no emergency exists, or when the Harbor Master is not notified immediately, each day that a vessel remains sunken, beached, or abandoned in District of Columbia waters or upon any shore adjacent to the District of Columbia waters shall constitute a separate offense.

 

1030.11In the case of an emergency, each day that a vessel remains sunken, beached, or abandoned in District of Columbia waters, or upon any shore adjacent to those waters, after the fifth day following that sinking, beaching, or abandonment, or after the expiration of any extension of time pursuant to this section, shall constitute a separate offense.

 

1030.12The Harbor Master is authorized to remove any sunken, beached, or abandoned vessel that is not removed by the owner, operator, or person otherwise in charge or control of the vessel within the time specified by this section, or that creates an obstruction or other hazardous condition irrespective of the time allowed in this section for the removal of the vessel.

 

1030.13The Harbor Master’s exercise of, or failure to exercise, authority to remove a vessel under § 1030.12 shall not constitute a waiver of any violation of this section.

 

1030.14If the Harbor Master exercises authority to remove a vessel, the owner, operator, or other person in charge or control of the vessel shall be liable for the costs of removing the vessel, in addition to any other penalties imposed by this chapter.

 

1030.15No operator or person otherwise in charge or control of any vessel shall tie the vessel to any seawall or bridge in District of Columbia waters, except in the case of an emergency.

 

1030.16No vessel shall be tied to any buoy, structure, or aid to navigation maintained by the Coast Guard or the District, or to any privately maintained buoy, structure, or aid to navigation.

 

1030.17No person owning or in charge or control of a vessel within the jurisdiction of the District shall moor the vessel or extend a line or lines from the vessel in a manner that interferes with the use of or obstructs the passage to any dock or slip of any wharf or pier.

 

1030.18Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as applying to that part of the District of Columbia water frontage lying south of Maine Avenue, between Eleventh and Twelfth Streets, S.W., including the buildings and wharves on that frontage.

 

1030.19Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as amending, superseding, or in any way changing 24 DCMR § 405.

 

1030.20Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as amending, superseding, or in any way changing 21 DCMR § 503.6.

 

source

Article 29 §§ 16 and 21 of the Police Regulations of the District of Columbia (January 1983).