The boat trailer park in the Town of Osoyoos was opened with the intent of providing visitors with a place to park their trailer, free of charge, when they came to town on vacation.
Unfortunately, there have been some issues with local residents using the facility, located on Main Street on hotel row, using the facility for storage of their own boats and trailers.
After a brief discussion Monday, members of Town of Osoyoos council now face the task of making a decision on whether to maintain the status quo or amending the current off-street parking bylaw and having hotel and motel owners issue permits, free of charge, to their guests who need boat trailer parking.
Janette Van Vianen, the town’s director of corporate services, told councillors when the boat trailer park closed late last summer, a few trailers were left in the park that were owned by local residents.
This has led to some complaints to the town and does contravene the original intent of opening the boat trailer park, which was to provide visitors a safe and secure place to bring their boat trailers during peak tourist season, she said.
The costs to pay for rent for the boat trailer park comes from the longstanding hotel/motel tax and visitors staying in Osoyoos should be given preference to use the parking lot, she said.
“Since the boat trailer park opened, there have been issues with local residents using the facility for storage of their own boats and trailers,” she said. “This is not the intent of the lot and has caused some issues with respect to overflowing during the summer and inability to get these boats and trailers moved before the closing date of the lot.”
Since tourists are already paying through the hotel tax, it doesn’t seem fair to hit them again when they park their boat trailers, she said.
“The users we are trying to target are the local residents,” she said. “There are some cases of condo owners who do not have the available parking on their property for boat trailers and this has caused some concern as to where they can park.”
Staff is proposing a revision to the existing off-street parking bylaw which would allow hotel and motel owners to issue free permits to guests with boats and trailers. This would include the name of the hotel or motel, date of departure and a “zap strap” to be attached to the trailer.
This would allow the town’s bylaw enforcement officers to ensure those using the park are visitors and not locals, she said.
“A nominal cost would be involved, but what is saved in bylaw enforcement time would more than pay for itself,” she said. “It is also proposed that the bylaw allow for non-resident condo owners or visitors staying at private residences to be able to attend the town office and apply for a permit and pay a fee. The fee being suggested is $15 per week.
“It is not the town’s intention to compete with already existing storage facilities in the industrial park. It is also being suggested the town not allow residents to park at all at the local boat trailer park and they be redirected to the storage facilities in the industrial park.”
Coun. C.J. Rhodes said he doesn’t support any changes to the current bylaw because only one or two local residents abused the spirit of opening the trailer park and introducing all these changes and administrative commitments simply isn’t necessary.
“I don’t consider the fact we had one or two people down there that shouldn’t be to be an indication of a big problem,” he said. “This park is such a great amenity to this town and I like it the way it is and I say leave it alone.”
Mayor Stu Wells said Osoyoos “is seen as a fun place to visit” and introducing tags and permits might take away from that image.
Chief administrative officer Barry Romanko said the boat trailer park was opened with the intention of providing free parking for visitors and not for local residents to use the space.
There are numerous condo owners who spend a few weeks here each year who park their boat trailers in the park in May and keep it there until the close of season, which was also never the intent, he said.
Romanko said he will prepare another report that will give councillors the option to amend the current bylaw or maintain the status quo relating to the boat trailer park before council makes any final decision.
Councillors made it clear this is an important issue and they will be making a final decision very soon.