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Looking to improve and expand Porpoise Bay government wharf, Sechelt council has increased user fees and launched a process to look at expanding Sechelt’s water lot lease — and thus, potentially, the size of the wharf.
In April, council first considered a Porpoise Bay government wharf business plan, prepared by Sea Force Consultants Inc., which looked at ways the wharf might generate new revenue. Council asked staff to put together an in-house report on the consultant’s business plan. At that time, it also voted to increase parking fees at the wharf to $3 from $2 per car and to $6 for a car and trailer.
At its committee meeting July 14, council considered the staff report and passed recommendations to increase existing fees and add some new fees for wharf users — decisions it ratified at council on Wednesday night, July 21.
By council decision, moorage for recreational and other non-commercial vessels will be increased by $0.50 per foot per month for a total of $4.50 per foot per month. Council also voted to add a $10 per month general harbour amenity fee — covering garbage pickup — for vessels moored longer than 30 days. As well, council ratified a committee motion to institute a $5 boat launch fee; however; not before Coun. Fred Taylor amended it to exempt canoes and kayaks.
Councillors further asked staff to launch request for proposals (RFP) in order to canvas for submissions from businesses interested in obtaining exclusive assigned moorage in the harbour.
Beyond the revenue-generating measures, council also voted to spend up to $10,000 from the District’s wharf reserve to launch the process to expand the wharf’s water lot lease with the federal government — a process which, should it go through, would allow Sechelt to build out the dock and add more fingers.
In a phone interview this week, Sechelt Mayor Darren Inkster said council’s decisions fit into a broader plan for the wharf.
“The vision for that wharf area down there is to make it more usable and accessible to not only our community, but the tourist community,” he said.
He added that wharf user fees, which go into a fund specifically targeted at wharf improvements, will help bring that plan about.
“Fee increases make it so that we can generate more revenue from the dock down there and then re-invest more revenue back into the dock,” he said. “So we can take the money that we earn and spend it on the expansion of the water lease and also build more fingers.”
Regarding the potential expansion of the wharf, he said boat usage of the bay has increased over the past 10 years, and space is getting tighter.
“I think there’s a space squeeze now,” he said. “I haven’t heard that we need to build 10 spaces immediately, but the better it looks down there, the more work that’s done by us and neighbouring businesses, the more that will be used.”
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0It might be wiser for council to get a better hold on running the Porpoise Bay wharf as it is before they consider expansion. As it is the grid is not regulated and an old fishing boat has been on it, leaving it unusable for others. They must be making a good amount of money on that boat if it is paying the going rate of twenty to twenty-five dollars a day for the past four months. Boats are often blocking the dumping station so those hoping to use it are out of luck. Not too encouraging for those wanting to comply to ports regulations. There is no day use space, we've watched visitors try to squeeze in between permanently docked boats and then give up and anchor out in the harbor. Sure, it's a great way to make money, but it has to be regulated consistently and it has to be fair to all not just the select few who don't seem to be paying or taking responsibility for their boats.
Posted on July 26, 2010 @ 8:55 am PST | Report post to Editor | 4336037