A living legend in the world of marina design and deservedly awarded the Golden Cleat Lifetime Achievement Award in Vilamoura at the 2023 ICOMIA World Marinas Conference, Daniel S. Natchez refers to himself as a maverick who has yet to grow up. 

“There are so many ways in which people can help others.” he declares, a staunch believer in collaboration. Added to a creative mind that has “never adhered to the norm”, he brings this mentality to marina design where he has learned that meeting regulatory resistance with innovative, site-specific, blended solutions that often can potentially generate a net-positive environmental solution, invariably delivers the desired approvals. 

Re-Defining "Development": A Four-Pillar Approach

Dan fully acknowledges that the term "development" carries negative connotations today, and attributes this to the work of “purely profit-motivated developers”. In a radical departure from this model, his office works with a core philosophy, the four pillars of which are smartly conveyed to new prospective clients upon walking through the door:

• Is it functional?
• Does it generate environmental or ecological benefit – or at least have a neutral environmental impact?
• Is it cost-effective?
• Once all these are met: will the marina have aesthetic appeal?

Know thine enemy!

The crucial first step is then to study the site’s attributes and challenges, and research regulatory conditions and what he refers to as the “cause du jour”. Dredging, as an example, is an enormously polarising issue but needs to be appreciated in context. If, for example, a shallow silted area is highly contaminated where storms and other natural activities stir up the bottom sediments, increasing the level of health risk to living marine environments as well as those enjoying swimming, boating and fishing in those waters. Removing the contaminated material and relocating it safely, can therefore contribute to delivering positive environmental impact. 

Living shorelines are often favoured by some, without always considering the unique context of each location, such as the impacts of major storms and the consequential damage both to the marina and marine life. An effective alternative might take the form of a riprap revetment using autochthonous vegetation above the erosion level. 

The Economic and Intrinsic Value of Environmental Enhancement

Dan emphasises the direct financial benefits of environmentally sound design: "What developers often fail to recognise is that the more environmentally beneficial and beautiful you can make it, the higher the rate of acceptance and so the more you can charge." Effectively: the greener the vision, the greater the gain.

A functional, environmental and aesthetically attractive venue can translate to increased asset value, heightening desirability, permitting premium pricing, improving reputation and brand image and generating greater amenity value. Clean water, thriving marine life, sustainable practices and aesthetic appeal can be collectively more desirable to customers, leading to longer stays and better experiences. Another benefit might be an indirect revenue boost via increased spending at local businesses such as waterfront hospitality and accommodation services. Dan is also a major advocate of increased accessibility and has been including considerations for people with mobility issues for decades, whilst a principle contributing author of the US ADA regulations for recreational boating in addition to PIANC’s international guidance.  

If managed properly, and Dan offers examples of vegetated buffers to collect polluted stormwater, effective nozzles to reduce dripping hoses, and automatic sensor alarms to detect leaks, there’s room for potentially reduced operational costs, greater resiliency and reduced risk. 

He describes an extension project in a family-run marina in New England, where permissions had been consistently denied due to the presence of protected marsh grasses. The project focussed on extending and dredging beyond the marshes, installing 5-foot-high boardwalks for the public and boaters to transit the grasses without causing disturbance. Prior to this, Dan and his team studied 30 years of aerial photographs and established that the marshes were subject to significant erosion due to the impact of energetic river flow. They then proceeded to stabilise the destruction of the marsh by installing subaquatic bulkheads or riprap a few metres around the base to steady it. As a result, the marshes flourished, bring welcome wildlife back to the site. 

His advice for those entering the world of design and development is to think outside the box and find ways to build that deliver integrated benefits for the locality.  "Dan also highlights numerous low-cost, high benefit approaches that can be implemented. These include motion-detector light switches, timed outdoor lighting to reduce intensity or turn off lights during certain night hours (while maintaining safety), and efficient hose bibs that ensure a complete shut-off when not in use."

It’s not always obvious, however, and not every client shares their perspective: 

"I turn down more requests for assistance than we take on. Our views are not always compatible. People are human, if you approach them on a meaningful basis you can get through the process without getting bruised or causing anyone indigestion. And we’ve never been refused regulatory approval anywhere in the world."