HPB Minutes 2015-0121 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Shari Blank said basically anyone that lives here that has the City ID can walk the Pier, and City Manager Russo said yes, and noted that we are trying to get all the residents to get the City identification card because that is important. For everything that is free, we want people to have that, and so we are trying to make it a requirement to have City ID. Chair Camaraza said he personally thinks that the ability for anybody to go up and down and use the Pier is an attraction for the City. A return on an investment could be maybe bumping up the new parking garage fee a nickel or dime. Ari Steiger asked if we still had parking in the garage at LaPerla, and City Manager Russo said no. City Attorney Ottinot said it was not working and LaPerla was complaining, and so LaPerla paid the City 5200.000.00. Ari Steiger said that three(3) months is no indication for the Pier, he thinks a year will tell you where you stand. City Manager Russo said he can come back any time to give an update but a year would give us a more precise number. Loretta de Vries said she was at the Pier for lunch the other day and they said if she parked her car at the hotel and brought the receipt from her lunch bill, it would cost her just $10. Chair Camaraza said he wants to know what the position of the Board members are in terms of whether or not we should pursue the idea of making Pier entrance free for the public or keeping it something for the residents so that we know what direction we are going in. Maynard Mast said it is going to take more than a year, the impact on the Pier is going to be dramatically changed once we get the parking across the street. He also thinks the goal should be to make it free for everyone, not just residents, up to a point. If it gets too crowded then you may want to start charging a fee. Ari Steiger said it costs money to maintain it and so you need to get some revenue for maintenance. Chair Camaraza said if we look at the numbers that we are looking at right now, we are negative cash flow of S 10,000.00 a quarter. that is$40,000.00 a year negative cash flow in maintenance of the Pier. Ari Steiger said you have to charge something, and Chair Camaraza said right, you have got to charge something if you are really looking to balance that particular line item but if we are looking at this as an historical icon of the City, then$40,000 is a small price to pay for people to come and enjoy the Pier. City Manager Russo said our expense side is certainly much heavier, it is not because people are just walking up and down the Pier, it is the fishing side. If there are any suggestions prematurely he would have it free for anyone that wants to walk but let's still charge for fishing, that is where the maintenance is. But again, it is still too early to tell, a few more months will give us a better idea. City Attorney Ottinot said that as a procedural matter, with regards to the entrance fee for the Pier, this Board can make a recommendation to the Commission. Loretta de Vries asked what you would or would not charge a fee for other than the fishermen, if you go to the restaurant are you talking about charging a $2.00 fee? City Manager Russo said no, the fee is just for the fishing. Shari Blank said even on the old Pier, there was a fee if you went beyond one particular point, you had to pay to fish and there was a bait station there where you could buy the bait and rent the fishing rods. It really hasn't changed that much, it might be less than what they would be charging now a days but it is still pretty much what it was originally. Chairperson Camaraza asked if we can move to review this in three(3)months once we have one more quarter in? Shari Blank moved to table it for right now and come back and revisit it in a couple of months and Ari Steiger seconded the motion and added to make a recommendation at that time. The motion was approved by a voice vote of 5-0-2 [Natalie Summary Minutes: 2015-0121 HPB Mtg Page 4 of 7