Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis park board cuts power to two houseboats off Nicollet Island
Minneapolis park board cuts energy to 2 houseboats off Nicollet Island
There are two houseboats moored off Nicollet Island, and so they have been warned that they needed to go away by Thursday or enforcement motion could be taken. Nevertheless, in an interview with FOX 9, one of many homeowners stated the houseboat is his dwelling and he’d like to remain.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – There are two houseboats moored off Nicollet Island, and so they have been warned that they needed to go away by Thursday or enforcement motion could be taken. Nevertheless, in an interview with FOX 9, one of many homeowners stated the houseboat is his dwelling and he’d like to remain.
Cory Parkos is the primary to confess that life on a houseboat is available in waves.
“It is a totally different way of life,” Parkos stated. “There’s occasions when it is a daydream. There’s occasions when it is a nightmare – once you acquired excessive water … and you do not know if you are going to make it via the evening.”
However regardless of these nights, Parkos fortunately calls his houseboat his dwelling. He’s moored the boat on the Mississippi River off Nicollet Island for 15 years and rented close by earlier than that.
“There’s been boats right here for in all probability 40 years, and I have been part of them for the final 20,” he stated.
However his future there’s wanting murky. On Thursday morning, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board lower the facility to his boat and the houseboat subsequent door, and gave them citations.
On July 28, the board despatched the houseboat homeowners letters saying they’d till Sept. 1 to go away the island. The letter additionally stated if the homeowners don’t take away the houseboats, the board will together with some other private belongings, and that houseboat homeowners might be liable for all charges associated to elimination and storage.
Captain Cory Parkos and his houseboat at Nicollet Island. (FOX 9)
The board despatched FOX 9 an announcement saying partly, “The MPRB has an ordinance that prohibits anybody from mooring any boats within the Mississippi River abutting or adjoining any park or parkway. The MPRB doesn’t have any settlement or permits with the homeowners of the 2 houseboats moored at Nicollet Island.”
Parkos is best often called “Captain Cory” via his native enterprise, Minneapolis Water Taxi. Not solely is the houseboat his dwelling deal with, however Parkos additionally retains his water taxis moored to the houseboat.
He stated the board has supplied Growth Island as a substitute for the water taxis however not the boat itself.
“In the event that they kick me out, the Hennepin County sheriff says ‘you gotta go,’ then I will go. However within the meantime, we’ll see what the ultimate resolution is,” he stated.
Two houseboats stay at Nicollet Island after Thursday’s deadline. (FOX 9)
Parkos remains to be weighing whether or not to take authorized motion. However he stated his greater concern is for the way forward for the piece of land off West Island Avenue the place he is moored and whether or not the general public will proceed to have entry to the land.
“We’ll have to seek out out what the precise authorized standing is of this stunning quay is as a result of we do not wish to destroy it,” Parkos stated.
Right here’s extra of the board’s assertion to FOX 9:
“For a number of months, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has been responding to houseboats which have been moored on MPRB property on the river with out having permits from the MPRB to take action. On July 28, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board despatched letters to houseboat homeowners advising them they should unmoor their boats and take away them from Nicollet Island by September 1, 2022. Houseboat homeowners have been knowledgeable that in the event that they failed to take action, enforcement motion could be taken by the MPRB starting right now, together with elimination of energy.”