Bainbridge Island Harbor Commission

Executive Summary to 
(DRAFT) EAGLE HARBOR ANCHORING AND MOORING PLAN

I.	EXECUTIVE sUMMARY

The Bainbridge Island Harbor Commission was tasked by the Harbor Management Plan with developing an Anchoring and Mooring Plan for Eagle Harbor.  The Commission has considered a number of factors in developing the Recommended Actions which are the main functional part of this Plan.  Included in those considerations are the character of Bainbridge Island and Eagle Harbor, the history and geography of the harbor, the historical uses of the harbor, its flora and fauna, safety, environmental responsibility, and the interests of the residents of Bainbridge Island and the citizens of the State of Washington.

The Anchoring and Mooring Recommended Actions, and information on potential Financing Options are attached to this Summary.  The complete Draft Plan can be viewed on the City’s web site, or at City Hall.
	
II.	Introduction and Objectives

	This EAGLE HARBOR ANCHORING AND MOORING PLAN has been prepared by the Bainbridge Island Harbor Commission for submission to the citizens, elected officials and administrators of the City of Bainbridge Island, WA for their consideration and approval. The actions proposed in this document are in furtherance of and in accordance with the City of Bainbridge Island's Harbor Management Plan and the Shoreline Management Master Program as well as several related governmental ordinances, policies and regulations as further cited. 
	The objectives of this plan are as follows:
•	Designation, organization, and implementation of moorage and anchorage areas within Eagle Harbor where authorized parties will be permitted to secure vessels to permanently affixed mooring buoys and transient vessels will be permitted to anchor.
•	Establishment and implementation of a regulatory and administrative process that will provide for the orderly use and maintenance of these anchoring and moorage areas.
•	Protection and Maintenance of Natural Resources and conditions in the harbor to the maximum extent possible through better organization and management of harbor uses.
•	Preservation of multiple uses and public access through clear designation of anchoring and mooring areas.
At the direction of the City Council, the Harbor Commission further proposes that this anchoring and mooring plan be implemented on a trial basis and that it be evaluated three years after its adoption to determine if established goals are being met and furtherance of the plan is warranted. 
It should also be noted that, in addition to taking guidance from established municipal policies in the preparation of this plan, the Harbor Commission has given serious and due consideration to input and comments received from the general public, affected waterfront property owners, marina owners and other commercial operators, WSDOT ferry operation officials and a host of Federal, State and County agencies.  In particular, the Harbor Commission has received detailed input from and worked closely with the Washington Department of Natural Resources in the development of this Plan, 
III.	Anchoring and Mooring Recommended Actions:

Anchoring and mooring in Eagle Harbor will only be allowed in designated areas.  
A.	Entrance
a)	Wing Point
Anchoring and mooring is permitted north of the navigation channel and east of the Ferry Terminal.  A specifically designated anchoring and mooring area may be delineated for this area in the future.

b)	Wyckoff area
No anchoring or mooring is permitted south of the navigation channel and Ferry Terminal over the Wyckoff EPA cap.  Buoys mark this area.  Planning and negotiation should begin for the establishment of additional mooring facilities over the EPA cap using techniques that do not disturb the integrity of the cap.  This area would be particularly appropriate for mooring of barges and other commercial vessels.  For instance, 4-5 buoys between Wyckoff and the existing marinas on the south side would provide moorage for larger vessels without resulting in the re-suspension of contaminated sediments or otherwise interfering with the cap.
B.	Main Harbor
1.	Boundaries.
•	All future transient and permanent anchoring and mooring in the Main Harbor will be limited to designated areas.
•	A central anchoring and mooring area will be established, bounded on the north by the navigation channel.  
•	The southern boundary should be approximately 150 feet from the currently existing permanent structures on the south side of the harbor.  Particular attention needs to be paid to the effect in practice of this boundary on necessary access by waterfront property owners.  If unreasonable burdens result, this boundary may need to be adjusted. 
•	 The eastern boundary will be established in cooperation with the Washington State Ferry System so as to maximize the size of the area while avoiding unreasonable interference with access to the ferry maintenance facility.  Through discussions in 2000, the Harbor Commission and WSF have mutually agreed upon a tentative eastern boundary of the proposed area. 
•	An additional area for temporary mooring only will be established in front of the Waterfront Park, to the east of the City dock.
2.	Anchoring.
•	Temporary anchoring will be permitted within the central anchoring and mooring area so long as it does not interfere with established mooring buoys or vessels attached to them. 
•	Anchoring vessels may be subject to fees established by the City.		
3.	Temporary Mooring. 
•	Temporary mooring will be permitted using moorings provided by the City of Bainbridge Island.  
•	Use of such moorings will be subject to fees and other regulations as may be adopted by [the City] [the Harbor Commission].

4.	Long-term Mooring.
•	Long-term mooring will be permitted subject to fees and other regulations as may be adopted by the City.   
•	Long-term mooring by occupied and unoccupied vessels will be subject to such fees and regulations. 
•	In establishing fees for long-term mooring, the cost of near-by marina moorage, the burden on City provided services, and such other costs and considerations as may bear on the determination of fair fees may be considered.  Fees will be expected to differ for occupied and unoccupied vessels
•	Regulations applicable to long-term mooring will include health and safety regulations (see below), as well as limitations on the size and number of vessels or other floating structures which may be secured to a single buoy, and such other regulations as are appropriate.   Regulations adopted pursuant to this Plan shall be consistent with the policies of the Harbor Management Plan and the Shoreline Master Program.

5.	Mooring ownership.
•	Mooring buoys may be placed and managed by the City.  
•	Subject to fees and other regulations as may be adopted, private individuals may place mooring buoys for their own use.  
•	Ownership of abandoned mooring buoys shall revert to the City.  

6.	Mooring design and maintenance requirements.
All mooring buoys and associated ground tackle placed in Eagle Harbor subsequent to the adoption of this Plan will be conform to design and maintenance requirements established by the City.  The approved design will minimize adverse environmental impacts such as scouring of the bottom.  

7.	Anchoring and mooring allocation.
It is recognized that the area available under this plan for anchoring and mooring in Eagle Harbor is limited:
•	Proposed Area: Approximately 950,000 square feet.
•	Proposed Capacity: Approximately 125 vessels. 

It is also recognized that all citizens of Bainbridge Island, surrounding communities, and the State have legitimate claims to use of available resources.  Finally, it is recognized that the City of Bainbridge Island has a special interest in how this limited resource is allocated to further its goals of diversity, economic development and recreational opportunity for its citizens:

•	Existing City owned linear moorage already occupies part of the above area, but offers high-density transient moorage.
•	All mooring buoys placed in the Main Harbor will be placed according to a matrix approved by the Harbor Commission.
•	Up to 50% of the area may be used for placement of mooring buoys which will be used for the long-term mooring of vessels owned by citizens of Bainbridge Island, to be allocated approximately 20% for vessels occupied as a residence, and 30% for unoccupied vessels 
•	This section does not affect the rights of waterfront property owners to establish mooring buoys in accordance with existing law.  However, all such buoys will conform to the design requirements of this plan, and will be subject to such fees and regulations as may be established by the City.

8.	Commercial use.
•	An area approximately 600 feet by 50 feet will be reserved for commercial vessels adjacent to the western boundary of the Washington State Ferries maintenance facility.

9.	Health and safety.
•	All vessels anchored or moored in Eagle Harbor will comply with all federal, state and local health and safety requirements as a condition to their moorage agreement.
•	Vessels occupied as a residence and not located in shore-based marina will conform to such additional regulations as may be established by the City.  Such regulations will include a requirement of a verifiable means to insure that there is no pollution discharge.
•	All vessel owners entering a moorage agreement with the City will show proof of ownership of the vessel moored.

10.	City-provided facilities.
Existing City Services:
•	Free, 24 hours pump-out and porta-potty dump station (some tide limitations.)
•	Dinghy moorage
•	Garbage Collection
•	Daytime restroom facilities
•	24 hour porta-potty

Proposed City Services:
•	Potable water at the City dock 
•	Recycling 
•	Improved Dinghy moorage
•	Additional sanitation facilities.
•	Shower Facilities. 
•	Bilge water pump out facilities.
•	Hazardous material disposal.
•	Harbormaster office.

11.	Administration and Enforcement.
This plan will be administered by the Harbormaster, and enforced by the Harbormaster and such other authorities as have jurisdiction.  The Harbormaster, in concert with other City authorities, will develop a Harbor Operations/Procedures Manual to describe such administration.  Violation of any regulations adopted in furtherance of this plan will be strictly enforced.  

C.	Inner harbor.
1.	Anchoring.
Temporary anchoring is permitted in this area so long as it does not interfere with established mooring buoys or vessels attached to them, and does not interfere with the safe conduct of water-skiing during months the designated area is operative.  No anchoring is permitted in the Aquatic Conservancy Area.  Some anchoring occurs on privately owned tidelands.
IV.	
FINANCING OPTIONS
Following is a summary of potential user fees, local revenue sources and grant funds that could be used to generate revenue for harbor-related work.  The types of user fees listed below and our estimate of the associated revenue are, at this stage, merely ideas and wild guesses on how to fund much-needed work in Bainbridge Island harbors.  Activities for which this revenue is needed include the purchase of navigation buoys to mark the channel in Eagle Harbor, the operation of portable pump-outs, and the regulation and collection of moorage fees. 

A.	User Fees
Leaseholder Excise Tax							        		           $ 3,841
32% of the leaseholder tax paid to DNR (which is 12.84% of the total lease payment) is returned to local jurisdictions to cover the cost of services.  In 1998, the City of Bainbridge Island received $3,841.

Mooring Buoy Leases						        	                                 $ 12,500
There are approximately 250 mooring buoys in Bainbridge Island waters.  Only five are currently permitted. $50/year for each buoy would pay for one person working quarter time to register, monitor and enforce mooring buoy regulations.  Actual fees charged would depend on a number of factors, including administrative expense and shoreside impact of moored boats.

Moorage fees									                       $ 35,000
Fees collected from the City Dock, the linear moorage system and the four mooring balls attached to the linear moorage system in 1999 was $16,000.  It is estimated that summer months generate approximately $2,000/mo.  If it were legal to collect such fees under the terms of the City’s lease from DNR, the City could probably continue to collect annualized revenue of $16,000.  Additional fees will be generated from long term, transient and commercial moorage in Eagle Harbor.  A portion of this income would probably go to the State.  

Lease Payments from Resident Anchored out Liveaboards			       	         $ 18,750
If 25 Resident Anchored out Liveaboards were to pay an average of $125/mo. for moorage and City services, the revenue generated would be $3,150/mo.  Assuming 50% occupancy, we could expect annual revenue of $22,500.  A portion of this income might go to the DNR, which would reduce expected income.  

TOTAL OF ESTIMATED USER FEES					                      $70,091

B.	Grants and other outside sources
Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission
Contact:  Dona Wolfe, (360) 902-8511
Public funding for pump-outs, new or replacement, stationary or portable, mobile skiffs with pump-outs, dump stations, etc.  Funds can pay for up to 75% of facility construction and installation costs.  

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, “Small Navigation Projects”
Contact:  Lester Soule, (206) 764-3699
Cost sharing available for recreational navigation, mooring buoys aids to navigation.  Cost share is usually 50%.  Cities are eligible.

Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation, “Boating Facilities”
Contact:  Eric Johnson, (360) 902-3015
Funds available for shoreline and upland acquisition, including transient vessel moorage.  $8 million available for the 1999-2001 biennium.

Department of Natural Resources, Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA)
These funds are largely used for acquisition and public access though funds can also be directed toward restoration.  Bainbridge Island just got a big chunk for acquisition of the Blakely Harbor property.

Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team
There may be funds available for establishing “No Discharge Zones.”  This idea is currently being explored.

Department of Ecology, State Revolving Fund
Contact:  Brian Howard (360) 407-6510
Cities can apply for low-interest loans.  If the money is paid back within five years, no interest is charged.  Cities are being encouraged to apply because so few jurisdictions are applying for low interest loans through the State Revolving Fund that the State is having to forego access to millions of dollars from the Federal Government for this program.

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
Projects to enhance Bainbridge Island harbors with a salmon protection spin might qualify for funds.

The complete “Eagle Harbor Anchoring and Mooring Plan” is available:
City Website:  http://www.ci-bainbridge-isl.wa.us
City Hall Self-Help Library- City Hall, 280 Madison Ave. N, Bainbridge Island.
Bainbridge Library

Contact:  Tami Allen, 206.780-3733, or email tallen@ci.bainbridge-isl.wa.us