Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council Phil Kamlarz, City Manager. William Rogers, Director, Parks Recreation & Waterfront

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1 Office of the City Manager To: From: Submitted by: Subject: ACTION CALENDER Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council Phil Kamlarz, City Manager William Rogers, Director, Parks Recreation & Waterfront Fees: Marina Fee Increase - Small Boat Launch Ramp RECOMMENDATION: Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion, adopt a Resolution approving a fee increase to launch and recover boats from the Berkeley Marina Small Boat Launch Ramp from $5.00 to $ FISCAL IMPACTS OF THE RECOMMENDATION Revenue from the new Launch Ramp Fee will be deposited in the Marina Enterprise Fund Budget Code The current fee to use the Berkeley Marina Launch Ramp is $5.00, which includes the following: use of the ramp to launch and recover a boat carried on a trailer, all day parking in the lot adjacent to the ramp for the boater s vehicle and trailer, use of the restrooms and fish-cleaning station, dumpsters for disposal of fish carcasses and trash, and limited wash down facilities for boats, trailers and outboard motors. The Marina Launch Ramp is used approximately 5,000 times per year by boaters (mostly fishermen) from all over Northern California. Usage is consistent as evidenced by annual revenue based on the same $5.00 fee: FY 2005 = $25,972 FY 2006 = $24,195 FY 2007 = $23,513 FY 2008 = $24,172 FY 2009 projected = $25,422 The fee increase is projected to generate an additional $12,078 in FY 2009 (prorated amount based on effective date) and an additional $25,000 (annual revenue of about $50,000) for FY 2010 and subsequent years. Over 10 years, the fee increase will contribute an additional $250,000 to support operations and capital improvements to the ramp Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA Tel: (510) TDD: (510) Fax: (510) manager@ci.berkeley.ca.us Website:

2 Marina Fee Increase Small Boat Launch CONSENT CALENDAR As described in the table below, total annual expenses related to the operation of the Marina Launch Ramp are $94,376 and anticipated revenue (based on the proposed fee increase) are projected at $50,000, which represents 53% of annual expenses. Boat Launch Ramp Annual Operations Budget Item Cost Personnel Expenses $29,276 Non-Personnel Expense $3,350 Repairs/Improvements $61,750 Total Annual Expenses $94,376 Anticipated Revenue $50,000 Annual Net Gain / (Loss) ($44,376) CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS The Berkeley Marina Launch Ramp is one of several around the Central Bay; other ramps nearby are located in Richmond, Emeryville, and Oakland. The Berkeley Ramp offers significant advantages over other nearby ramps both in terms of shore-side amenities and proximity to the Berkeley Flats fishing grounds. The Berkeley Marina has the additional advantage of offering live bait for sale for much of the year. Other ramps offering similar services charge between $10.00 and $20.00 for comparable services and facilities. City Current fee Emeryville No fee Richmond $10.00 South San Francisco $10.00 Sausalito $20.00 San Rafael $20.00 Although the nearest ramp at Emeryville is free, it offers no additional services or facilities and requires the boater to traverse a long channel at low speed before entering the Bay. Fishermen then must drive their boats 3 miles to Berkeley to purchase live bait, before setting off for the fishing grounds. Since most fishermen launch at sunrise, the additional time necessary to get live bait makes launching at Berkeley a much more attractive and cost-effective option. BACKGROUND The Berkeley Marina Small Boat Launch Ramp has been priced at $5.00 since at least the early 1980 s. Although amenities have been added over the years, such as the wash down facility and the fish cleaning stations, the fees have remained unchanged. On October 10, 2008, the Waterfront Commission passed the following motion: Recommend that the Marina Launch Ramp fee increase to $10.00 effective January 14, 2009; M/S/C (Kamen/McGrath): Unanimous.

3 Marina Fee Increase Small Boat Launch CONSENT CALENDAR RATIONAL FOR RECOMENDATION The cost to operate the launch ramp has increased significantly over the past 25 years, and entails the following costs: staff costs to operate, police, clean and manage the ramp and restrooms, fresh water for wash down and fish cleaning; and waste disposal fees and maintenance services for all of the facilities and parking lots. Within the next several years, the ramp will need to be resurfaced and the docks replaced. The increase in fees will provide funds not only to operate the ramp but will contribute to the Marina Fund to support future capital improvements. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS CONSIDERED None CONTACT PERSON John Mann, Waterfront Manager, Attachments: 1: Resolution 2: Notice of Public Hearing

4 RESOLUTION NO. N.S. FEE INCREASE AT THE BERKELEY MARINA SMALL BOAT LAUNCH RAMP WHEREAS, the current fee to use the Berkeley Marina Launch Ramp is $5.00 which includes the use of the ramp to launch and recover a boat carried on a trailer, all day parking in the lot adjacent to the ramp for the boater s vehicle and trailer, use of the restrooms and fish cleaning station, dumpsters for disposal of fish carcasses and trash, and limited wash down facilities for boats, trailers and outboard motors; and WHEREAS, the cost to operate the launch ramp has increased significantly over the past 25 years, and entails the following costs: staff costs to operate, police, clean and manage the ramp and restrooms, fresh water for wash down and fish cleaning; and waste disposal fees and maintenance services for all of the facilities and parking lots; and WHEREAS, within the next several years, the ramp will need to be resurfaced and the docks replaced. The increase in fees will provide funds not only to operate the ramp but will contribute to the Marina Fund to support future capital improvements; and WHEREAS, the fee increase is projected to generate an additional $12,078 in FY 2009 (prorated amount based on effective date) and an additional $25,000 (annual revenue of about $50,000) for FY 2010 and subsequent years. Over 10 years, the fee increase will contribute an additional $250,000 to support operations and capital improvements to the ramp.; and WHEREAS, the Waterfront Commission passed the following motion at the meeting of October 10, 2008: Recommend that the Marina Launch Ramp fee increase to $10.00 effective January 14, 2009; M/S/C (Kamen/McGrath/Unanimous). NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Berkeley that the following rate is hereby fixed and established for the Berkeley Marina Small Boat Launch Ramp: $10.00 effective January

5 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL Attachment 2 INCREASE FOR SMALL BOAT LAUNCH RAMP FEE AT THE BERKELEY MARINA The Department of Parks Recreation & Waterfront is proposing to increase the Small Boat Launch Ramp Fee at the Berkeley Marina effective January 14, 2009, as summarized below. The hearing will be held on, JANUARY 13, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. In the City Council Chambers, 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Small Boat Launch Ramp Fee: Current Proposed Fee Fee $5.00 $10.00 A copy of the agenda material for this hearing will be available on the City s website at as of Thursday, January 8, 2009 Written comments should be mailed or delivered directly to the City Clerk, 2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704, in order to ensure delivery to all Councilmembers and inclusion in the agenda packet. Comments received no later than Monday, January 5, 2009 will be included in Council agenda packets. Comments received thereafter will be submitted to Council as supplemental communications at the meeting. For further information, call Deanna Despain, Asst. City Clerk, FAX: (510) TDD: (510) For further information, please contact John Mann, Waterfront Manager, Marina Division, Parks Recreation & Waterfront Department, at Published: January 2 nd and 9 th The Berkeley Voice Per Gov. Code 6062A ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I hereby certify that the Notice for this Public Hearing of the Berkeley City Council was posted at the display case located near the walkway in front of Council Chambers, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, as well as on the City s website, on January 8, 2009.