The Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park and Recreation District (BIMPRD) owns a sailing float that is located in Eagle Harbor, to the east of the City's Waterfront Dock. The float is used to store BIMPRD sailboats and provide a training platform for the BIMPRD community programs. The sailing float has been in this location for more than 20 years, however, it was not represented in the City's current lease with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for Eagle Harbor.

As part of the project to replace the City Dock, the City and DNR have developed a new lease for the area of Eagle Harbor around the City Dock.  One element of the planning for the new lease was a coordinated discussion with DNR and BIMPRD to discuss the long-term plans for the sailing float. The City would prefer that the sailing float move to a location further east of the current site, in order to allow for the additional activity related to the new dock, as well as to accommodate potential future expansion of the dock. The City would also prefer for BIMPRD to enter into an independent lease with DNR for the sailing float, so that DNR and BIMPRD can work directly on any issues related to the sailing float.

BIMPRD is willing to move the sailing float to a location further east and to pursue a separate lease with DNR. Doing so will require BIMPRD to seek permits from the City and other regulatory agencies. In order to obtain the appropriate permits, the sailing float will require extensive repairs or replacement. The permitting process will also take significant time to complete.

Because this relocation will require significant expense and regulatory review, and because the City desires to allow BIMPRD to continue to provide community programs without interruption, the City intends to provide a sublease to BIMPRD for the existing sailing float in its current location for a limited period of time.

The proposed sublease would be for a term of five years, which is sufficient term to allow BIMPRD to complete the planning and permitting necessary to relocate the sailing float to a new location and to execute an independent lease with DNR for that location.

It is important to develop this Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in conjunction with the City's new lease with DNR because the new DNR lease identifies the sailing float as an improvement within the City's lease area and requires the City to assume responsibility for the structure and its compliance with DNR lease terms. The MOA is intended to articulate the goals and intent of the planned sublease for the sailing float, and to establish mutual agreement between the City and BIMPRD regarding key elements of the planned sublease in conjunction with the City's execution of its new lease with DNR.

Additional information related to the goals of the MOA, and by extension the plans for the sublease for the sailing float, are provided in the draft agreement (attached for review).