By By BETTY MITCHELL GRAY
betty@wdnweb.com
Staff Writer
Saying they and the public need to know more about the project, the members of the Washington City Council Monday delayed approval of a lease agreement between the city and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission regarding the commission maintaining the boat ramp at Havens Gardens.
But after the city’s top parks and recreation official said the money for the project might disappear next year, Washington Mayor Archie Jennings proposed a special meeting of the council with a representative of the state agency to discuss the proposal.
“We need to get some more information out to the public,” Jennings said.
The action by the city council came after two people said local citizens did not have enough information about the proposal.
“I want the council to give the public the ability to come in and make comment about this lease agreement,” said Scott Campbell during the council’s public comment period.
Bill Sykes, who helped the city develop its harbor plan, was concerned about the number of parking spaces that would be available to those without boat trailers under the commission lease plan.
“It’s a very well utilized parking lot,” he said during the public comment period.
The city has been negotiating that issue with the commission for two years.
Philip Mobley, director of Parks and Recreation for the city, warned the council members that if the city did not act soon on the lease, money for improvements to the area may no longer be available.
“Dollars are leaving those areas very soon,” he said.
Jennings said the council would arrange a meeting with a representative of the commission as soon as possible and advertise that meeting to the public.
The Washington Recreation Advisory Committee supports the agreement with the commission, according to information presented to the council about the lease.
The agreement, as presented, would require the commission to do the following:
• Provide design development for repairs and improvements to the public boat landing, including the parking area.
• Obtain all regulatory permits required for the repairs and improvements.
• Construct all improvements and make all repairs to the boat landing and its adjacent docks.
• Maintain the landing as a free, public boating-access area with no closure of the site, except for repairs or emergency situations.
The agreement requires the city to do the following:
• Provide free public boat access, including vehicle and trailer parking, 24 hours a day, seven days a week with no closure, except for repairs or emergency situations.
Either party may end its involvement in the agreement by written notice to the other party at least 120 days in advance of the date on which termination is to take effect. When the termination takes effect, the city will reimburse the commission a prorated amount of the improvements to the site based on a 25-year amortization.
In a related matter, the council gave the go-ahead to a plan to install a kayak dock next to one of the Havens Gardens boat ramps.
The council voted unanimously to allow the city manager to sign an authorized agent consent agreement as owner of the Havens Gardens boat ramp to amend the major Coastal Area Management Act permit for Havens Gardens. The permit amendment is needed to install the kayak dock.
Monica Ferrari, who represents the Safe Launch Kayak Dock Initiative, said the group has been formed to raise private funds to build the kayak dock.