City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: MARCH 1, 2022
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER \s\
DOCKET TITLE:
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Public Hearing and Consideration of License Amendment No. 1 between the City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Seaport Foundation for the Docking of a Second Seaport Center in the City Marina.
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ISSUE: Consideration of License Amendment No. 1 between the City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Seaport Foundation for the Docking of a Second Seaport Center in the City Marina.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council, after the public hearing, approve this proposed License Amendment and authorize the City Manager to execute the attached License Amendment No. 1 with the Alexandria Seaport Foundation.
BACKGROUND: The Alexandria Seaport Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which was established in 1982 to honor the City’s maritime heritage and culture. In 1993, The Alexandria Seaport Foundation shifted its focus to serving at-risk youth through adult mentoring, project-based learning and the building of wooden boats.
The Alexandria Seaport Foundation has operated the Maritime Heritage Center in the City Marina since January 1, 1999. The Seaport Foundation has offered classes and workshops for youth and adults on ship building and related maritime activities, and featured programs on the City’s maritime history.
Through the programs offered at the center, the Alexandria Seaport Foundation has worked with more than 100 City youth including at-risk youth from the Court Services Unit Day Reporting Program. Since opening the Maritime Heritage Center, seven boats have been built by youth programs. Three of these boats were built by youth apprentices and volunteers. The other four boats were built by the Applied Technology Summer Camp which is held for middle school students, and these boats were used for environmental science programs. When the building of the boats was completed, some were sold to benefit youth programs, and others were used to teach sailing to youth.
DISCUSSION: In the summer of 2018, the Alexandria Seaport Foundation performed a thorough Community Needs Assessment which resulted in the decision to lower the age served in the Apprentice Program from 18 to 22 to 16 to 22. Lowering the minimum age for the Apprentice Program resulted in the program operating at full capacity with a growing waiting list and an influx of young people applying from 1oca1 high schools and alternative schools.
The addition of a second educational seaport center will provide the needed space to meet the increased demand to serve the City’s disengaged and most vulnerable youth and will expand opportunities to increase awareness of the City's maritime heritage and traditional wooden boat building by hosting youth and adult boat building and woodworking classes and sponsoring educational guest speakers for the public's enjoyment.
With approval of the proposed amendment, the Alexandria Seaport Foundation would engage in a capital campaign to raise the funding needed for the construction of the second maritime center. The Alexandria Seaport Foundation will be required to obtain all appropriate City, State and Federal permits and approvals before placement of the second center. At its January 20, 2022 meeting, the Alexandria Waterfront Commission unanimously endorsed the placement of a second Seaport Center in the City Marina (Attachment 2).
It addition, the Alexandria Seaport Foundation would coordinate all activities with City staff to ensure the additional center would not impact and limit ongoing flood mitigation planning. City Council approved a five-year license agreement with the Alexandria Seaport Foundation in December 2021 from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025 (Attachment 3).
FISCAL IMPACT: The Alexandria Seaport Foundation will be responsible for all capital costs for the construction and if necessary, upgrades and improvements to the City Marina, including associated utility and operating costs.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. License Amendment
2. Alexandria Waterfront Commission Endorsement
3. Current Agreement
4. Proposed location of Second Seaport Center
STAFF:
Debra Collins, Deputy City Manager
James Spengler, Director, Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities
Jack Browand, Deputy Director, Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities
Karen Snow, Senior Assistant City Attorney