It keeps out the riffraff ;-)
About the dock moratorium, not! its been an urban myth for years on the island , no moratorium, myth going around for twenty years plus..I just recently got one and the docks are going up with regularity always have been, but you can hear that dock moratorium fable any time you want.
When I decided to be North of San Pedro (across the river on the Island) in 1986 the decision was and still is based on the obvious problems that San Pedro would be having, over crowded, crime, poverty, etc. The North is quiet , peaceful and not crowded.. I attribute most of it to the fact its not easily accessible.
Property on the beach North of Portofino is exactly where I live and its considerably cheaper than South Ambergris Caye.
http://www.owninbelize.com/listing-beachfront-property-south-ambergris-caye-76.htmland the lots described here on the South end for a quarter million US dollars are tiny!