§ 8-10-5-22 — Application of section; annual watercraft fee; watercraft fee decal

(a) This section applies to a city that:
(1) creates; or
(2) participates in the creation of;
a port authority created under this chapter that includes a channel that
is ordinarily navigable to Lake Michigan.
(b) The fiscal body of a city described in subsection (a) may impose
an annual docking fee upon each watercraft that is docked for more
than twenty-nine (29) days during a year in waters that are under the
jurisdiction of a port authority under this chapter.
(c) An annual docking fee imposed under this section shall be:
(1) not more than seventy-five cents ($0.75) per foot for
watercraft of thirty (30) feet or less; and
(2) not more than one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50) per foot for
watercraft over thirty (30) feet.
(d) A marina, dock, or port:
(1) located on waters that are under the jurisdiction of a port
authority created by a city under this chapter; and
(2) where a watercraft is docked;
shall collect the annual docking fee imposed on the watercraft under
this section. Not later than the fifteenth day of each month, each
marina, dock, or port shall remit to the city fiscal officer the amount of
fees collected under this section during the immediately preceding
month.
(e) Annual docking fees imposed under this section by a city
described in subsection (a) shall be deposited in the cumulative
channel maintenance fund established under section 17 of this chapter.
(f) Upon collecting an annual docking fee imposed on a watercraft
under this section, a marina, dock, or port shall issue to the owner of
the watercraft a decal that indicates the year for which the fee under
this section has been paid.
(g) The decal issued under subsection (f) must be displayed on the
watercraft during the year for which the decal is issued. A watercraft
that displays a valid annual docking fee decal under this subsection is
not subject to:
(1) annual docking fees imposed at other marinas, docks, or ports
under this section; and
(2) marina launch fees imposed under section 23 of this chapter.
(h) The general assembly finds that in port authorities that include
a channel that is ordinarily navigable to Lake Michigan there exist
unique problems related to necessary dredging and cleaning of
channels used by boats that operate on the Great Lakes. These unique
problems may be alleviated by the authorization of a docking fee under
this section.

Legislative History

As added by P.L.60-1992, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.170-2002, SEC.64; P.L.34-2004, SEC.2.