Orlando, Florida Local News
Several docks deemed ‘structurally unsound’ in Seminole County marina
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Some people living on boats at a marina in Seminole County are being told to evacuate. It comes after several docks were found to be structurally unsound and an “imminent hazard,” according to the Seminole County Fire Department. “It’s debilitating,” said Kirk Eppenstein. “I mean everyone here is in a panic. We don’t know what to do. We don’t have anywhere to go.” Eppenstein has spent the last five years living on his boat, the Lunatica, in Boat Tree Marina. “This is my full-time residence along with about 40 people that live here at the marina. It’s our house. It’s our home,” he said. He says Monday, notices appeared at the end of his dock. They say, “DANGER this building is unsafe and its use or occupancy has been prohibited by the fire official.” It listed docks C, D, and E and said they were deemed structurally inadequate. Eppenstein was under the impression he would be able to stay — until Friday. “We were told that we would probably have to be out on Monday morning,” he said. He says he received a notice from the Marina saying, “It is with much sadness and regret that we must comply with the evacuation order…” “A lot of us don’t have the means to just pick up and go someplace else,” Eppenstein said.WESH reached out to the Marina this week, and they said they have, “been making arrangements where possible to move some of the live a board to other slips but unfortunately some of those vessels are too large to relocate to docks or slips not cited.”Eppenstein said he hasn’t been able to find a slip anywhere close. “The closest one is hours away,” he said. “They have very limited space, and then we may end up having to go as far as Jacksonville. Which we would have to quit our jobs and it would absolutely destroy us.”The Marina said this week that the order requires some of their tenants to vacate their boats and not live aboard, but the boats are welcome to stay until the repairs or replacement are completed. They said, “The situation is unfortunately beyond our control and we are empathetic to our family here at Boat Tree Marina.”The Seminole County Fire Department told us in part, “Our Fire Marshal explored a temporary solution with the Engineering firm to see if there could be temporary shoring fix to the docks, but that solution was ruled out. We are working on other temporary solutions and stand ready to assist.”Eppenstein isn’t sure what he’ll do come Monday. “I might be homeless on Monday,” he said. In the latest notice Eppenstein said he received from the Marina, it said they are also looking for an “Alternative to provide an immediate safety resolution” that could allow people to stay on their boats while the dock is worked on. But that they don’t have an answer if that will ultimately allow people to stay.
Some people living on boats at a marina in Seminole County are being told to evacuate. It comes after several docks were found to be structurally unsound and an “imminent hazard,” according to the Seminole County Fire Department.
“It’s debilitating,” said Kirk Eppenstein. “I mean everyone here is in a panic. We don’t know what to do. We don’t have anywhere to go.”
Eppenstein has spent the last five years living on his boat, the Lunatica, in Boat Tree Marina.
“This is my full-time residence along with about 40 people that live here at the marina. It’s our house. It’s our home,” he said.
He says Monday, notices appeared at the end of his dock. They say, “DANGER this building is unsafe and its use or occupancy has been prohibited by the fire official.” It listed docks C, D, and E and said they were deemed structurally inadequate.
Eppenstein was under the impression he would be able to stay — until Friday.
“We were told that we would probably have to be out on Monday morning,” he said.
He says he received a notice from the Marina saying, “It is with much sadness and regret that we must comply with the evacuation order…”
“A lot of us don’t have the means to just pick up and go someplace else,” Eppenstein said.
WESH reached out to the Marina this week, and they said they have, “been making arrangements where possible to move some of the live a board to other slips but unfortunately some of those vessels are too large to relocate to docks or slips not cited.”
Eppenstein said he hasn’t been able to find a slip anywhere close.
“The closest one is hours away,” he said. “They have very limited space, and then we may end up having to go as far as Jacksonville. Which we would have to quit our jobs and it would absolutely destroy us.”
The Marina said this week that the order requires some of their tenants to vacate their boats and not live aboard, but the boats are welcome to stay until the repairs or replacement are completed. They said, “The situation is unfortunately beyond our control and we are empathetic to our family here at Boat Tree Marina.”
The Seminole County Fire Department told us in part, “Our Fire Marshal explored a temporary solution with the Engineering firm to see if there could be temporary shoring fix to the docks, but that solution was ruled out. We are working on other temporary solutions and stand ready to assist.”
Eppenstein isn’t sure what he’ll do come Monday.
“I might be homeless on Monday,” he said.
In the latest notice Eppenstein said he received from the Marina, it said they are also looking for an “Alternative to provide an immediate safety resolution” that could allow people to stay on their boats while the dock is worked on. But that they don’t have an answer if that will ultimately allow people to stay.
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