Area covered in man's Marina Park ban unclear

A critic of the waterfront development said he can’t access any city shores after being banned from the overpass on Marina Park Drive Monday.

Jon Hutt was indefinitely banned from Marina Park after receiving a trespassing notice in January. While he wrote the city to clarify what the park boundaries were last March, Hutt said he received no reply. Not believing he was doing anything wrong, Hutt began using the overpass to access waterfront property North of the overpass.

On Monday, while speaking with construction workers, Hutt said he was confronted by construction supervisor Gary Wood and told that the overpass is considered part of the park. Hutt said Wood then threatened to call the police because Hutt was in violation of the notice.

"Denying me the right to cross the overpass means I can no longer access basically any waterfront property owned by the city between Current River and Mission Marsh I guess," Hutt said.

He added that he had no problems using the overpass since April.

"It’s frustrating because I don’t feel I’ve done anything wrong," Hutt said. "They’re continuously taking away what little piece of waterfront I have left."

While she couldn’t speak to the specific issue, waterfront manager Katherin Dugmore said the city solicitor is looking into where the boundaries of the park are. Dugmore said Hutt would be notified when the solicitor makes a decision.

"In the meantime it would be advisable that they not (use the overpass). Having said that the trespass notice provides the city with the discretion of enforcing it in the interest of public health and safety. I see no reason why the city would choose to enforce the notice in that particular location because there’s no construction ongoing there," Dugmore said.

Dugmore said the notice involves the entire park because construction sites may change constantly as the waterfront is developed. Once construction is complete, trespass notices will likely be lifted.

"Once construction is complete and that’s no longer an issue the requirement for that notice would cease," Dugmore said.

Until then, Hutt has contacted Coun. Larry Hebert to look into his ban from using the overpass. Hutt said he thinks he’s being harassed because he has been making sure the city is doing things correctly from proper signage at the park to using safety gear while on construction sites at the park.

"I continuously hound them for things that they’re doing wrong," Hutt said. "I’m trying to get them to do it right is basically what it is and they don’t like that."