While boat owners will soon have new facilities in Powell River, they will also face new rules and regulations as well as higher moorage rates.
City of Powell River staff presented a proposed bylaw at a recent committee-of-the-whole meeting that consolidates all bylaw amendments dealing with rates and regulations. City council has already adopted increased moorage fees for the north harbour and the new rates are included in the proposed bylaw.
Increases to electricity rates have also been added. The proposed rates are about 14 per cent more than the existing rates. For 15-amp service, the rate is rising from $260 annually to $330. For 30-amp service, the rate is increasing from $364.50 a year to $480.
Additionally, staff are recommending that live-aboards be restricted. Currently, there are two live-aboard vessels in the north harbour and staff are recommending those two vessels be grandfathered and no others be allowed. That provision led to some debate and questions. Councillor Debbie Dee asked why the city wouldn’t allow live-aboards.
Tor Birtig, manager of operational services, said staff didn’t see the benefit in allowing live-aboards. “Our feeling was that it was more of a pollution issue, as well as it didn’t provide us with the benefits of security that we had heard in the past.”
Wharfinger Jim Parsons, who attended the meeting, said that the two live-aboards in the north harbour have been “trouble free.”
Another change is the method of calculating the length of a vessel. Staff proposed that the greater of either the vessel or the berth be used.
Other changes include: addition of an indemnification clause protecting the city against all claims and liabilities; moorage restriction for non-seaworthy vessels; addition of a derelict vessel clause to allow the city to impound derelict vessels; changes to impounding rules to allow the city to dispose of an impounded vessel after one month; and deleting the reference to the tidal grid, since that facility has been removed.
As well, staff recommended increasing the short-term moorage rate, used for moorage of less than one year, and the temporary moorage rate, used for vessels that need to tie up for a few days. The increase to the short-term rate is about 25 per cent, while the temporary moorage rate is increasing 138 per cent, from $.42 per foot per day, to $1.
In the south harbour, where construction is expected to be completed by October, staff recommended not increasing rates for commercial vessels, which are already within the average charged at other facilities. But staff proposed that rates for pleasure craft be increased. For an average boat of 30 feet, the rate would rise by 17 per cent, or $19.79 to $135 a month.
Electricity rates would also rise 14 per cent.
Other changes to the south harbour bylaw include establishing regulations for the operations of the facility, similar to the north harbour rules. Vessels staying in the south harbour for one month or more will be required to sign a contract with the city.
