City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER
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City Council Public Hearing and Consideration of an Amendment to the Water Taxi License Agreement between the City of Alexandria and the Potomac Riverboat Company.
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ISSUE: City Council Public Hearing and consideration of an amendment to the Water Taxi License Agreement between the City of Alexandria and the Potomac Riverboat Company.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council hold a public hearing and authorize the City Manager to amend the Water Taxi License Agreement between the City of Alexandria and the Potomac Riverboat Company.
BACKGROUND: The current License Agreement between the Potomac Riverboat Company, LLC (PRC) and the City of Alexandria was authorized to allow the PRC to operate three water taxi vessels, the “Commander Jacques,” “Lady Josephine,” or “Miss Sophie,” from the City Marina, with the permanent docking of one vessel overnight. The current agreement allows the City Manager to add additional routes through a request in writing from PRC but is limited to using the three vessels named above. For the PRC to add an additional vessel, the license will need an amendment (Attachment 1).
DISCUSSION: The PRC and the City of Alexandria wish to amend the current License Agreement (Attachment 2) to allow the PRC to operate one additional vessel, Potomac Taxi, to allow for the addition of Water Taxi Service pursuant to Section 7.e. beginning October 1, 2017 and ending December 31, 2017 between Old Town Alexandria and the Wharf, Washington, DC.
The new service would not add additional overnight docking vessels in the City Marina and would increase the use of the water taxi dock by one vessel each hour. PRC would coordinate water taxi schedules so that there is only one water taxi at the City dock and the PRC would continue to work closely with parking vendors in Old Town and offer incentives to encourage parking garage use.
The Waterfront Commission endorsed the addition of this water taxi service at its June 20, 2017 meeting (Attachment 3). The new service would increase visitors arriving from Washington, DC via the Wharf to the City of Alexandria providing a boost to the retail and restaurant community consistent with the Waterfront Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT: The PRC will be assessed a monthly fee of $285 per month, $855 total, for the license rights to add one additional vessel to provide the new water taxi service.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Amendment to Current License Agreement
2. Current License Agreement City of Alexandria and the Potomac Riverboat Company
3. Waterfront Commission Endorsement
4. Proposed New Water Taxi
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
James Spengler, Director, Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities
Jack Browand, Division Chief, Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities
Karen Snow, Assistant City Attorney