Washington’s City Council wants more time to review — and for city staff to modify — proposed waterfront lease agreements between the city and several entities.

Council members made it clear they prefer two- to three-year leases instead of the five-year leases proposed by city staff. Councilman Doug Mercer said has reservation about waiving rental fees for use of the city-owned docks and boat slips, especially waiving those fees for five years. He also expressed concern that the proposed agreements did not include a penalty if one or more of the entities defaulted on the terms of the agreements.

Mercer said that during the summer months, during the busies part of the boating season, the Little Washington Sailing School used most of one of the city’s docks

“I think there should be some fee for that period of time,” he said.

City Manager Bobby Roberson said the proposed agreements were brought before the council so “there should be some dialogue” about the issue. “If we don’t move forward (with the proposed agreements), I think we need to make some decision about it,” he said.

“I think the key component you have before you is how much you’re going to charge these individuals for renting the slips, if you’re going to charge them at all,” Roberson said.

Council member William Pitt said the proposed five-year leases worry him because they would encumber future councils. Pitt said he would like to know if nearby waterfront communities are using five-year leases in similar circumstances.

John Rodman, the city’s community and cultural resources director, said modifying the agreements to reflect the council’s desires would easily be accomplished by the council’s next meeting.

Under the proposed agreements initially presented to the council, the sailing school would continue to pay an annual $1 fee to use a section of the city docks, specifically the entire Dock J. The proposed agreement allows the sailing school to attach two 20-foot-by-40-foot floating docks to Dock F by using mooring lines and pilings. The sailing school uses 14-foot long, center console Avon sailboats.

The $182 monthly rent for the North Carolina Estuarium to use city docking space for its River Roving vessel would be waived under the proposed changes to its lease. The vessel may not be refueled at the waterfront docks without the prior consent of the city and approval of the city fire marshal. If such refueling is allowed, the boat owner must submit a spill prevention and containment plan to the city prior to the refueling and receive approval from the city.

As for Sea Tow IBX, the proposed changes assign slip No. 1 at Dock F to the Sea Tow IBX vessel. For providing services to the city docks, Sea Tow IBX is exempt from paying $182 monthly rent to the city. If Sea Tow IBX does not provide the specified services, the city may relocate its vessel to another boat slip.

Under the proposed agreement, Sea Tow IBX would remove debris from the waterfront docks within a reasonable time after receiving such a request from the city or after becoming aware of the need for such removal, and provide reasonable assistance (upon request by the city) to vessels with which the city has existing docking agreements.

The proposed changes would waive the $238 monthly rental fee for the RV/Stanley Riggs, a research vessel owned by East Carolina University and sometimes docked on the city’s waterfront.

The refueling clause that applies to the Estuarium’s River Roving vessel applies to the RV/Stanley Riggs and the Sea Tow IBX vessel.