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Advisory board presses for clarity as city revises marina fees and adds dynamic pricing
Summary
The Waterfront Advisory Board reviewed a revised marina master fee schedule and pressed staff and OASIS on how dynamic pricing would affect transient dockage, commercial landings and long-term slip holders; staff pledged revised numbers and legal review before the commission's next reading.
The Waterfront Advisory Board on Aug. 25 scrutinized a revised marina master fee schedule that would introduce dynamic pricing for transient dockage while aiming to keep long-term slip-holder contract rates stable. Jeremiah Glisson, deputy city manager, said the fee proposal before the City Commission had been adjusted by staff from higher ceilings proposed by marina operator OASIS and that legal review is under way to ensure grant assurances are met.
"That was reflected what went to the commission," Glisson said, describing staff moves to lower some of the ceilings after OASIS' initial request. He said the dynamic pricing language would allow the marina general manager to implement higher rates at peak demand but not to raise rates for tenants with existing contracts.
Board members pressed for specifics on long-term dockage and a market comparison with nearby marinas, citing grant conditions that require rates be reasonably comparable with surrounding facilities. "I do have a problem with increasing the long term package without doing any comparison," one board member said, asking for data used to set the proposed rates.
Glisson said the transient ceiling originally presented was about $7 per foot and staff reduced that to avoid "sticker shock," explaining the revised draft represented roughly a 30% increase over the previous ceiling in some transient categories while staff would revise long-term numbers downward to respect contracts. He promised updated rates would be circulated to the advisory board before the commission's second reading (the commission's second reading was noted as possible on Sept. 16) and that changes would not take effect until the ordinance process is complete; staff aimed for an Oct. 1 start but said that date was not final.
The board also sought clarity on a new commercial landing fee that staff said had been charged in practice but had not previously appeared on the fee schedule. Members asked whether charter operators or companies using a single slip for multiple boats would be affected. Glisson said contracts and operational practices are under legal review and that staff would follow up by email with specific impacts and enforcement history.
New Marina General Manager Chris Ferguson, six days on the job, told the board he supports clarifying pricing rules: "I'll give you just a little background on myself...and I can assure you that we will be delivering the answers that you're asking for on a number of these items." Ferguson also described financial strengths—total revenue and net fuel revenue ahead of budget—and identified credit-card processing fees as a major expense the marina will seek to reduce.
Next steps: staff will continue negotiations with OASIS, deliver updated fee proposals to the advisory board before the commission's next reading and provide follow-up on contract impacts for commercial users and long-term slip-holders.
