Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Council amends mooring fee schedule: resident increase reversed, nonresident rates raised
Loading...
Summary
After debate and amendments, the council passed an ordinance changing private mooring permit fees: resident rate set at $0.63 per required mooring pound (minimum $157.50); nonresident rate set at $1.46 per pound (minimum $400). The change is revenue‑neutral and shifts costs toward nonresidents.
The council considered a second‑reading ordinance adjusting mooring fees and, after a series of amendments and recorded voice/hand votes, adopted revised mooring fees that freeze the resident per‑pound charge while raising nonresident fees.
Councilor Carlin offered an amendment to keep the resident per‑pound fee at $0.63 (versus the proposed $0.69) and raise the nonresident per‑pound fee to $1.46; that amendment was seconded and adopted. A second amendment adjusted the minimum fees to reflect the per‑pound change, setting a resident minimum not less than $157.50 and a nonresident minimum of $400. Council supporters said the changes are revenue‑neutral and designed to shift cost burden away from Newport residents toward nonresidents.
Harbormaster Steve Land described the fee context: residential mooring fees in Newport have been low for many years and dockage costs elsewhere are much higher; dinghy permit fees remain intentionally modest at $100. Councilors discussed fairness, revenue neutrality, and the difference between city moorings and private dockage.
Following the amendments the council voted to adopt the ordinance as amended.
