Explanation
This ordinance is to amend Section 921.01-9 of the Columbus City Code and will authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to authorize third party vendors to conduct commercial activity in City of Columbus controlled waterways via written permission rather than bid and contract. This will include the rental of canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and similar vessels.
Background: Currently, in order for the City of Columbus to authorize a vendor to rent hand-powered vessels on City of Columbus controlled waterways, 921.01-9 authorizes the Director of Recreation and Parks to advertise, receive bids, and enter into contract with the selected vendor/s. The Recreation and Parks Department entered in to such a contract in 2017 and 2018 for the Downtown Pool of the Scioto River. Entering into an exclusive contract had drawbacks that we would like to avoid moving forward. Additional qualified vendors questioned why they were not selected, new vendors appeared that were interested in a similar contract, and one vendor was only serving one body of water. We would like to make the attached changes to code to prevent these issues from recurring moving forward, expanding the number of vendors available to residents interested in renting paddlecraft, and ensure that all qualified vendors have the same opportunity to serve the community utilizing public land and water. The Recreation and Parks Department is not prepared with staff, funding, or expertise to conduct paddlecraft concessions on a scale that demand dictates, and therefore would like to increase the presence of qualified, third party vendors in an efficient and inclusive manner. Allowing permission to be issued in a manner similar to a park use permit will expedite the process. Any and all qualified vendors may be granted permission as long as they meet the qualifications. Strict rules, guidelines, and qualifications will be developed to ensure the community receives a high level of service. ...
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