BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A proposal for a new dry boat storage facility in downtown Brunswick is stirring debate among residents and business owners. The Brunswick City Commission deferred a decision Wednesday on a height waiver that would allow the project to move forward.
The proposal comes from the owner of Brunswick Landing Marina, who wants to build a 65-foot-tall dry boat storage facility inside the marina. Under the city’s zoning rules, the height cap for buildings in the mixed-use historic district is 45 feet, meaning the owner needs a 20-foot waiver to proceed.
“It’s a waiver of that limitation that would allow us to go an additional 20 feet,” said Daren Pietsch, President of Torras Properties, which manages the marina.
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If approved, the facility would be Brunswick’s first dry boat storage, holding about 180 boats in a 285-foot-long structure near the marina’s 17 docks. Pietsch said the added height is necessary to make the building functional and meet growing demand for storage along the coast.
“And that way they don’t have to trailer their boat. They have it here already. They’re in downtown Brunswick,” Pietsch said.
Renderings of the proposed facility show an open structure with a roof but no walls, allowing boats to be stacked four high.
Supporters argue the project could provide an economic boost and expand amenities at Georgia’s largest saltwater marina, which is home to nearly 400 boats.
“Waiving the height requirement will help attract new boaters. It’ll be good for the boaters who were here,” said Jack, a local boater.
“There is really a demand for dry storage and safe storage for boats in this area,” said Paige Edwards of the Mainland Planning Commission.
Opponents, however, said the structure’s size would block scenic views and increase noise and traffic downtown.
“We’re gonna have to listen to like forklift engines, backup alarms, boats getting knocked around inside the rails there,” said one local business owner.
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Nearby businesses also worry the project could disrupt daily operations and cause damage if boats shift during storms.
“Noise is a factor. Other offices there are going to be affected for a long time,” said another business owner.
“There’s gonna be noise, lighting, traffic, complex, elevated risk to nearby citizens,” added another.
Pietsch said the design takes those concerns into account.
“But you’re not gonna have to worry about, you know, that the wind resistance because the wind tends to blow through instead of just being blocked by the building,” Pietsch said.
“We’re certainly sensitive to it, but we feel that this is gonna be an attractive building that people are gonna appreciate, and you’re still able to see through it,” he added.
The site sits about 20 feet from the riverfront plaza, close to local shops. The city commission deferred a vote on the proposal until December 3. If approved, construction could take two to three years and cost roughly $7 million.
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