The borough assembly adopted changes Tuesday night to the harbor's liveaboard fee policy to make it easier for collection.
The assembly earlier had backed away from a plan to increase the liveaboard fee, from $85 a month to about $117 a month. Instead, the assembly decided to rework the fee schedule and definitions of who needs to pay the fee.
Under the ordinance, which passed unanimously, a liveaboard vessel is defined as "any vessel utilizing the harbor as a primary residence for one or more persons." Anyone who uses their vessel as a dwelling for 60 or more calendar days, and pays an annual moorage fee, will be required to pay the residential user fee of $85 a month. This fee is equivalent to Petersburg, but less than Juneau's $92 monthly fee and more expensive than Ketchikan's $39.86.
"The owner of the vessel is responsible for immediately notifying the Harbor Department Office when their vessel is being occupied and used, rented or leased as a place of residence. Once a vessel is used as a residence, the harbor department will continue to assess the residence user fee until the owner of the vessel gives written notice to the harbor department that the vessel is no longer used for a residence," the ordinance reads.
"The City and Borough of Wrangell may seek to collect outstanding residential user fees against any known owner, master, managing agent, registered residential user, other responsible party or the vessel itself."
Reader Comments(0)