Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-4-6-.06 - Access and Transportation Rules

(1) Aircraft. DNR and the Marine Institute may use the Sapelo Island airstrip and associated facilities for State official business. Other uses of aircraft at Sapelo Island are as follows:

(a) The U.S. Army may also use the airstrip as part of its Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic (MAST) Program housed at Fort Stewart. The MAST Program enables military personnel to provide emergency medical assistance to persons on Sapelo Island.

(b) The Federal Aviation Administration has designated the airstrip for emergency use. DNR allows use of the strip in the event of an aviation emergency, at the pilot's own risk.

(2) Boats.

(a) Ferry Service.

1. DNR provides regularly scheduled ferry service between Sapelo Island and the mainland.

2. Prior written requests and approval by DNR are required for use of the ferry by guests of permanent residents. DNR further reserves the right to provide ferry service to approved guests only as space is available and only in the order of receipt of written requests for such ferry service. Requests for groups of more than ten persons must be submitted two weeks in advance. The Boat Request form should reveal the number of guests but need not reveal their names.

3. Requests for boat runs other than those regularly scheduled must be made to DNR's Wildlife Resources Division Regional Supervisor two weeks in advance and must be approved by the Regional Supervisor.

4. DNR will endeavor to notify all persons filing Boat Request forms of its approval or disapproval of their requests at least twelve hours in advance of the scheduled ferry trip for which the request was made, but cannot guarantee that such advance notice can be given due to factors beyond the control of DNR.

(b) Ferry Fees and Passes.

1. Permanent Residents. Permanent residents and their dependent family members not otherwise provided for in the Institute's pass system or the Department's pass system will pay a fee of $1.00 each way or may purchase a $25.00 per year pass which will entitle them to ride on any scheduled trip.

2. Marine Institute.

(i) Personnel assigned to or employed by the Institute and others as identified below may be provided a non-transferrable ferry pass, or may be covered by a letter of request to the department at the discretion of the Institute.

(I) Institute staff, faculty, students and technicians who are Island residents and their dependent family members.

(II) Scientific personnel not directly employed by the Institute but who are Island residents while carrying out research programs at the Institute and their dependent family members.

(III) Staff and faculty members from the University of Georgia who are required to make official visits to the Institute.

(IV) Faculty, students and technicians, from any institution, who are involved in ongoing research programs at the Institute.

(V) All employees of the Institute who commute daily to and from the facility.

(VI) All University of Georgia students doing course-related work at the Institute, including authorized field trips and their supervisors.

(VII) Repairmen who come to the Institute facility regularly for performing repair work. This category is restricted to those whose names are submitted to the department and listed on the passenger list.

(ii) The following individuals will be required to pay a fee of $5.00 per round trip or oneway trip:

(I) Unofficial guests of the Institute, including personal guests of Institute staff, personnel, students and technicians.

(II) Faculty, students and technicians from any institution, except those individuals covered by paragraph (1)(a).

(III) Institute related groups and individuals on personal (non-official) visits to the Island.

(iii) The Institute will issue passes to the Institute related personnel identified in subparagraph (I) and will provide the department with a list of names to whom these passes are issued. At such times as names are added and/or deleted the Institute will inform the department by letter that a name(s) should be added or deleted and will collect the passes previously issued to individuals whose names are deleted.

(iv) The Institute will follow the policy involving guests, i.e., a "Boat Request" form will be sent to the department office two (2) days in advance of proposed visits for groups of less than ten people and two weeks in advance for groups of ten or more. This procedure will enable the department to keep load limits within U.S. Coast Guard Regulations and will indicate to the boat captain that the visitor(s) has been permitted to ride the boat.

3. Department of Natural Resources.

(i) Department personnel residing on the Island and their dependent family members will be issued a non-transferable ferry pass and will not be required to pay a fee.

(ii) Department personnel who are non-Island residents but who must, from time to time, must, from time to time, travel to the Island for meetings and to carry out work activities, will not be required to pay a fee.

(iii) All department personnel will follow the policy and will submit a "Boat Request" form for any invited guest(s) two (2) days prior to the proposed visit for groups of less than ten people and two weeks in advance for groups of ten or more.

4. U.S. Postal Service. U.S. Postal Service employees will be transported in accordance with the provisions of the Postal Service's contract with the department.

5. School Children. Children who reside on the Island while attending elementary and high schools on the mainland will be provided one (1) round-trip per school day to and from the Island to attend school under the contract between the department and McIntosh County Board of Education. In addition, all McIntosh County school groups visiting the Island for educational purposes will be issued a pass to ride the ferry.

6. Repairmen, Employees of Contractors and Field Trip Participants.

(i) Repairmen and employees of contractors who commute to department facilities on a regular basis for performing work will be placed on the passenger list and issued a pass to ride the ferry.

(ii) Repairmen and employees of contractors who are engaged by permanent residents will pay a fee of $5.00 per round trip or one-way trip.

(iii) Participants in field trips to the refuge portion of the Island will pay a fee of $5.00 per round trip or one-way trip.

7. Guests of Permanent Residents. All guests of permanent residents will pay a fee of $5.00 per round trip or one-way trip. In addition, a "Boat Request" form for groups of less than ten invited guests must be sent by the host to the department office two (2) days in advance of a proposed visit; forms for groups of ten or more invited guests must be sent two weeks in advance. The Boat Request form should reveal the number of guests but need not reveal their names. This procedure will enable the department to keep load limits within U.S. Coast Guard Regulations and will indicate to the boat captain that the visitor(s) are to be permitted to ride the ferry for the $5.00 rate.

8. Children. Children under six (6) years of age may ride free regardless of their category as a passenger or the category of an accompanying adult.

9. Other Visitors.

(i) Participants in regularly scheduled DNR tours, R. J. Reynolds Mansion conference participants, hunters, users of the Cabretta campground, and all other visitors must purchase round-trip tickets at the Mcintosh County Chamber of Commerce or at a DNR facility at a cost of $15.00 for adults and $10 for children to be eligible to ride the ferry, except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph 9.

(ii) Participants in unscheduled DNR tours and organized youth groups using the Cabretta campground shall pay the same fee as participants in regularly scheduled DNR tours and other users of the Cabretta campground; however, the fee may be waived by DNR's Wildlife Resources Division Regional Supervisor for temporary official visitors.

(c) Passenger Priority. U.S. Coast Guard regulations limit the number of passengers that may be transported on the boat(s) operated by the department as ferries to Sapelo Island. To insure the maximum availability of space for key personnel while simultaneously complying with Coast Guard limitations, the priority system outlined below is hereby established. This system will be applied by the Boat Captain at any time passenger demand exceeds rated passenger capacity of the boat in service.

1. Priority No. 1. The persons identified below will be issued a "Priority No. 1" pass and will be entitled to first consideration whenever an overload situation becomes evident.

(i) All permanent residents and their dependent family members.

(ii) Institute and department personnel residing off the Island who require daily transportation to and from their work area.

(iii) Repair and service technicians going to and from the Institute or department facilities for the purpose of performing repair or service work.

2. Priority No. 2. The following persons will be issued a "Priority No. 2" pass and may board the vessel after all Priority No. 1 passengers have embarked.

(i) State employees other than those covered by Priority No. 1, who must visit the Island for official business.

(ii) Staff and faculty members from the University of Georgia who are required to make official visits to the Institute.

(iii) University of Georgia students visiting the Institute on official business or an authorized field trip.

3. Priority No. 3. All guests and visitors, including repair and service technicians not otherwise covered.

(d) Barge Operations.

1. The department operates barges to transport heavy freight, motor vehicles, bulk fuel and other cargo between the mainland and Sapelo Island for use of the department and the Institute.

2. The department offers transportation without charge for household goods and motor vehicles belonging to Marine Institute and DNR employees while living on Sapelo Island.

3. Permanent residents may be granted the privilege of using the state-owned docks for a private barge to transport building materials, building equipment, preconstructed homes and motor vehicles (except ATVs) to the Island. All persons transporting such items must complete a DNR permit application for use of state-owned docks to unload the building materials, building equipment, preconstructed homes or motor vehicles and receive approval of the request prior to transporting the cargo to the Island.

(i) All persons utilizing the state-owned docks for transporting such items to the Island must also complete an affidavit disclosing what specific building materials, building equipment, motor vehicle or preconstructed home they propose to bring to the Island. In the case of motor vehicles, the affidavit must state whether or not the motor vehicle will be utilized for personal use or as a rental vehicle to be rented to paying guests. In the case of preconstructed homes or building materials, the destination lot and the existence of ownership or the source of the person's right to use that particular lot must be disclosed. Copies of a current McIntosh County building permit, if applicable, and a septic tank certification must be attached to the affidavit. A letter from the McIntosh County Building and Zoning Inspector shall also be attached to the affidavit stating that he or she has personally inspected the destination lot and that the proposed building structure or proposed use conforms in all respects to the provisions of the McIntosh County zoning ordinance and other applicable regulations. A letter from the designated representative of the McIntosh County Board of Health shall also be attached to the affidavit stating that he or she has personally inspected the destination lot and that the proposed building structure or proposed use conforms in all respects to the provisions of the McIntosh County ordinance adopting and enacting a Code of Enforcement of Rules and Regulations of the McIntosh County Board of Health. A mobile home must be titled in the name of the person causing it to be transported to the Island and must be currently state registered.

(ii) Permanent residents may be granted the privilege of utilizing the state's docking facilities to possess on the Island no more than three (3) motor vehicles per household for personal use at any given time. Prior to scheduling the transport of an additional personal use vehicle to the Island, persons who already possess three personal use motor vehicles on the Island must remove one of the personal use vehicles already possessed from the Island.

(iii) Motor vehicles which are transported to the Island to be rented to guests for pay must be properly insured and display a current Georgia license plate.

(iv) All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) may not be transported to the Island except in the conduct of State official business.

4. A permanent resident may deliver a non-functioning motor vehicle to the Department's designated holding lot for transport back to the mainland, together with his or her agreement that the Department may, at its convenience and expense, transport the non-functioning motor vehicle to the mainland and dispose of it. Until transported by the Department to the mainland, permanent residents will be allowed to salvage parts from a non-functioning motor vehicle on the holding lot with the permission of the person who delivered the non-functioning motor Vehicle to the holding lot.

5. DNR may authorize persons under contract with the State to remove timber from Sapelo Island using a barge. These persons may bring to the Island vehicles and equipment which are necessary for the timber harvesting operations but those vehicles and equipment must be removed upon completion of the timber harvesting contract unless a subsequent contract has been awarded to the same person. Persons under contract with the State to remove timber may also contract with permanent residents to utilize their equipment to perform such work as the digging of holes for septic tank installation and the removal of stumps, provided that such work is done at a time which does not conflict with the duties of the timber person with regard to the State timber removal.

6. Private barge operators, including the State's timber barge operator, who transport building materials, pre-constructed homes, automobiles or other goods and equipment to or from the Island for persons other than DNR or the Institute, shall pay a docking fee of $50.00 for use of the state-owned docks.

(e) Docking and Use of Small Boats. DNR and the Marine Institute operate research vessels, patrol boats and other small watercraft for State official business, docking these vessels at designated Island and mainland locations. These docks are identified on maps located in the office of the Island manager which maps are incorporated herein by reference. Other authorized docking and uses of small watercraft at Sapelo Island are as follows:

1. Permanent residents may operate small boats to and from the Island. They and their guests must use the Foundation dock located in Barn Creek immediately behind the former post office but only for the purposes authorized by this Chapter.

2. Participants in the managed hunts on Sapelo Island may use the Moses Hammock dock during their stay but only for the purposes authorized by this Chapter.

3. Members of the general public may use boats in the tidal waters surrounding Sapelo Island. They may anchor boats off the beach for access to the beach below the high water mark during daylight hours. They may not beach or dock their boats on state-owned property without specific permission from the Island manager.

4. Any uses of state-owned docks other than as specified above will be only as specifically approved by DNR or the Marine Institute, whichever agency has responsibility for managing the dock in question.

(3) Motor Vehicles. DNR and the Marine Institute operate motor vehicles for State official business on Sapelo Island; however, due to the remoteness of Sapelo Island and its fragile environment, there is a need to limit the use of motor vehicles on the state-owned roads on the Island. Uses of non-state owned motor vehicles on the Island over the state-owned road system are authorized only as follows:

(a) A permanent resident may operate motor vehicles owned or rented by the permanent resident on the state-owned road system of Sapelo Island for the uses of the Island permitted him or her by this Chapter.

(b) Rented motor vehicles may be used on the open portions of the state-owned roads but only if the persons who own or control the motor vehicles have entered into a concession agreement with DNR which sets forth the terms and conditions of such use.

(c) The invited guests and the guests for pay of permanent residents may not use the State-owned roads in rented vehicles unless either engaged in one of the activities enumerated in subparagraphs (b) or paragraph (2) of Rule 391-4-6-.05 or accompanied by their host or a member of the host's family.

(d) Any motor vehicles utilized for transportation of guests for pay, whether accompanied or unaccompanied by their host or a member of the family of the host, must be titled in the name of the person renting the motor vehicle to the user, be properly insured, be currently state registered and display a current state license plate.

(e) Non-state owned all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) may not be used on the state-owned roads except in the conduct of State official business.

(f) No person may operate any motor vehicle on, over, or across the dynamic dune fields, sand dunes, or beaches, as those terms are defined in O.C.G.A. 12-5-232, of Sapelo Island, except as authorized by the State of Georgia' Shore Protection Committee, except that individual disability vehicles, emergency vehicles, and governmental vehicles utilized for beach maintenance or research may operate within the dynamic dune fields, sand dunes, and beaches without authorization from the Shore Protection Committee as long as those vehicles operate across existing cross-overs, paths, or drives.

(g) As authorized by contract, persons harvesting timber for DNR may bring to the Island motor vehicles necessary for their operations. Such vehicles shall be removed from the Island immediately if they become unserviceable and upon expiration or termination of the contract unless a subsequent contract has been awarded to the same person. Such vehicles shall be used only in furtherance of the contract for the harvesting of timber or as authorized by subparagraph (1)(d)(5) of this Rule and shall not be rented or loaned to other persons.

(h) Employees of DNR and the Marine Institute, their dependent family members, and their invited guests may with prior authorization by DNR operate privately owned vehicles on the open portions of the state-owned road system.

(i) The privilege of operating motor vehicles within the Reynolds WMA, the SINERR, and the Natural Area, is subject to restriction without prior notice and the Regional Supervisor of the Department's Wildlife Resources Division may close the state-owned roads on Sapelo Island to such travel.

(4) Pets. Pets are not permitted within the dynamic dune fields and sand dunes, as those terms are defined in O.C.G.A. Section 12-5-232, of Sapelo Island at any time. Pets are permitted on the beaches, as that term is defined in O.C.G.A. Section 12-5-232, below the ordinary high-water mark. In order to protect sea turtles, beach-nesting and colonial-nesting birds, and other wildlife during critical periods such as nesting and hatching, DNR's Island Manager may post signs prohibiting pets on the beaches or segments of the beaches below the ordinary high-water mark during certain months of the year or during certain hours of the day. The prohibitions contained in this subsection do not apply to guide animals assisting disabled persons.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-4-6-.06

O.C.G.A. Secs. 12-2-5, 12-2-24, 12-3-9.

Original Rule entitled "Access and Transportation" adopted. F. Jan. 25, 1996; eff. Feb. 14, 1996. Amended: F. Jan. 23, 2013; eff. Feb. 12, 2013.