(UPDATE: Feb. 28 @ 3:45 pm) – During Monday’s regular meeting, Kelowna city council heard from staff regarding the proposed fees for commercial users of the city’s boat launches.
Ultimately, council voted unanimously to pass the fees and licence requirements.
City staff anticipate that the new fees will bring in over $100,000 from commercial users who account for approximately 25% of total boat launch usage.
Those commercial users include companies offering valet, dryland boat rentals and boat club services.
City staff proposed an annual maintenance and operating budget of $250,000 for the city’s boat launches.
It is estimated that these new fees for commercial users will account for about 25% of these annual costs.
Counc. DeHart asked city staff if there would be a program put in place to monitor the boat launches when these new fees and regulations come into effect.
City staff confirmed that there would be a program put in place to ensure people are following the rules and that the safety of all users would be protected.
Mayor Basran commended the research city staff conducted and voiced that he believed it would not only provide annual operating costs but would help ensure public safety at the busier boat launches
The new fees are set to come into place this spring.
(Original Story: Feb. 26 @ 4:45 pm) – City staff for Kelowna have announced the proposed fees for commercial users of the city’s boat launches. Staff hope to get over $100,000 from commercial boat launch users.
In the report that will be presented to council on Monday, commercial users account for about 25% of the total boat launch usage.
It was announced earlier this month that new fees and rules were on the way for companies offering valet, dryland boat rentals and boat club services. The new usage fees are set to begin this spring.
The report indicates that there are programs in place permitting approved business, like food trucks, to operate within city parks. The revenue generated from these businesses goes back to the city’s Parks Reserve.
So, city staff are proposing a fee per watercraft instead of a fee per company. The reasoning is that some companies may only have one or two boats, whereas larger companies may have 15 rentals or 130 valet boats.
This takes into consideration that some of the companies with more boats would be utilizing the boat launch more often.
However, staff are proposing a fee of 10% of the per boat fee for valet companies.
“The valet business model is derived from launching a third party’s boat, who could be a resident of Kelowna, and there is no fee for residents launching their own boats,” explains the report.
Additionally, staff are suggesting an increase to the existing fee for commercial tour operators who use the boat launches for dropping off or picking up passengers. Staff argue that this increase will ensure tour operators also contribute to the upkeep of marine facilities.
Earlier this month, city staff estimated that improvements and maintenance to the city’s boat launches (Cook Road, Water Street and Sutherland Bay) would cost between $250,000 to $1.1 million.
Staff propose an annual maintenance and operating budget of $250,000. Over 10 years, the annual contribution to capital renewal is estimated at $115,000.
It is estimated that these new fees for commercial users will account for about 25% of these annual costs.
If council approves the proposed fee schedule, letters will be sent to identified commercial boat launch users who will then be required to obtain an annual license to use the public lands near Kelowna’s boat launches.
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