City considering sites for dock rental pilot program
Published 10:00 pm Wednesday, December 27, 2017
As the new year approaches, the city is looking to undertake a pilot program that would provide rental spaces for lake-goers looking to use a dock but not install or maintain it.
According to city civil and environmental engineer Philip Wacholz at Tuesday’s Albert Lea City Council work session, four locations are being considered as possible spaces for the pilot program’s first two rental docks: a location on Wedge Street on the Edgewater Bay side, one at Edgewater Park, one near the Brookside Channel and one near the City Beach.
Wacholz said none of the locations will take away any current shore rental spaces.
“We’re viewing it as a pilot project to try to get a study to see how popular it will be,” Wacholz said.
Wacholz said the program could easily be expanded, but he recommended the pilot program start with two docks and four total rental spaces.
“The dock equipment that we’re looking at could be easily incorporated into other designs,” he said.
The 36-foot long floating dock set would cost $12,000, with staff pay to install the dock putting the total cost between $12,000 and $15,000.
Wacholz said for the dock equipment to be delivered on time, the equipment would need to be ordered within a month. The company, MIN-Corps, has a three-month wait, and Wacholz said the ideal delivery time is May.
Third Ward Councilor Jason Howland noted the shallow depth of the Brookside Channel as a concern for having a dock in the area. Wacholz said the team evaluating dock sites did not look at lake depth.
“I think that’s probably not ideal, depth-wise,” Howland said.
Mayor Vern Rasmussen recommended the two public areas — Edgewater Park and City Beach — over the more residential ones — Wedge Street and Brookside Channel.
As the City Council considered the Edgewater Park location, 2nd Ward Councilor Larry Baker questioned how the dock and planned upcoming dredge might interact. Wacholz said the team would look at the shoreline setback in the Edgewater Bay areas, and to put the dock within that area to avoid conflict.
The city would need to decide between seasonal and monthly rentals, with dock use peaking in June, July and August. Wacholz said he prefers the full-season rental option, which would bear a price tag upward of $1,000.
Adams said compared to the city pool and transfer station, he saw the rental dock system putting itself in the black with ease.
“This is a utility that will essentially pay itself back pretty easily,” City Manager Chad Adams said. “…This is an area that would pay for itself and then some.”
Then, Adams said, there could be the potential for revenue from the rental dock to pay for water quality projects.
“Let’s try it out, and if it doesn’t work, we move on,” Howland said. “I have a feeling that it probably will, though.”