Parks board asks council to lower boating-only fees
Posted on Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The Fayetteville City Council is being asked to lower the user fees on boats without motors on the city’s lakes to encourage more boating on the lakes.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on Monday agreed to forward to the City Council for final approval its proposal to create a new category of nonfishing boat fees in 2009.
The recommendation would lower the cost for nonmotorized boats from $ 6 to $ 3 daily and from $ 50 to $ 20 annually. The proposed new annual permit fee is for the user, not the boat, so it can be used with more than one watercraft.
The current, higher charges — which include both boating and fishing — will remain in effect. The new fee is being recommended because many owners of small boats, like kayaks, do not fish, but are currently having to pay for it anyway, officials said.
This fee would apply to all of the city’s lakes where boating is permitted — Lake Fayetteville, Lake Sequoyah and Wilson Lake. Any type of nonmotorized boat, including sailboats, would qualify for the lower charge.
The city’s parks department has fielded many calls in the past year from people upset that the user fees are too expensive to justify getting out their kayaks and canoes, one official said.
Board members were told by the city’s staff that the lower fees are expected to encourage more boating on the lakes and could likely increase revenues.
The board’s proposed fees for 2009 do not include any other increases or changes to the current fee structure.
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