Town of Gibraltar Asks for Jury Trial

The Town of Gibraltar has asked the courts to order Alibi Marina to remove Pier 4 (at left) or discontinue its practice of docking transient boats on the east side of the dock. The town argues that those boats infringe on its riparian rights and limit the use of the town dock (at right) for pontoon-boat rentals and tour boats. Photo by Myles Dannhausen Jr.

The Town of Gibraltar  requested a jury trial in its lawsuit against North Point Marina, owners of Alibi Dock. At an Aug. 9 hearing Judge David Weber set the trial to begin Oct. 4, 2022. 

The town filed suit April 8, alleging that Alibi is using its easterly pier, known as Pier 4, for transient boat docking in a manner that inhibits the town’s access to its own dock that runs parallel to the pier. 

The suit alleges that Alibi frequently uses Pier 4 to dock larger transient boats that are wide enough to infringe on the town’s riparian rights. The town argues that the practice makes it difficult for operators of pontoon and tour-boat rentals to use the town dock – an allegation that North Point denies.

North Point denies that its use of Pier 4 for transient boat docking infringes on the town dock. Alibi operators also said the marina has never received a challenge from the DNR regarding the practice, and the DNR has declined to get involved in the matter.