Berwick waterfront Land O’Lakes lease approved

Land O’ Lakes’ logistics coordinator is set to begin leasing waterfront property for grain and salt barges as of July 1 and continue to lease the property for at least two years, Port of Morgan City Executive Director Raymond “Mac” Wade said.
On Tuesday, the Berwick Town Council approved an ordinance to lease waterfront parcels 1, 4 and 5, totaling 342 feet to D & S Marine Transport.
D & S Marine Transport is the logistics coordinator for Land O’ Lakes, Wade said.
The ordinance allows Lake O’ Lakes to sign a two-year lease with the Town of Berwick that would run through June 30, 2016, with three one-year options to renew.
The 360-foot long by 60-foot wide ocean-going Land O’ Lakes barge will travel back and forth to the Port of Morgan City, Wade said. Land O’ Lakes will also bring smaller barges to carry grain and salt, he said. “What they needed in Berwick is a place to moor all these barges,” Wade said.
The Town of Berwick has generally signed five-year leases, but Lake O’ Lakes did not agree to that type of lease, Wade said.
D & S Marine Transport plans to lease about 620 feet of waterfront land along Berwick Bay in Berwick, Wade said.
After MWP Waterfront Properties and Three Brothers Properties’ leases expire June 30, 2016, on parcels 2 and 3, which divide parcels 1, 4 and 5, Lake O’ Lakes will have the opportunity to lease the contiguous waterfront property in Berwick.
The council also approved an amendment to an ordinance by a vote of 4-1 leasing parcels 2 and 3 of waterfront property to MWP Waterfront Properties and Three Brothers Properties. The stretch of property along Berwick Bay includes 280 feet of waterfront land, according to the ordinance.
The council amended the ordinance to give the lessees three one-year right of first refusal options
Brian Tranchina, attorney for MWP Properties and Three Brothers Properties, said his clients requested the ordinance allow five one-year options for renewal after the lease expires instead of three one-year options for renewal, and right of first refusal for five years as well.
The current lessees and their predecessors have been leasing the property for more than 20 years, Tranchina said.
Town Attorney Allen McElroy said though no legal issues exist with the council granting those right of first refusal options, questions do remain as to whether its business wise. “As introduced, the ordinance originally followed what we had historically done with this leased property, which is to give a five-year lease,” McElroy said.
An option for right of first refusal does not include a commitment from the lessee to lease the property, but forces the town to first offer the property to the lessee with which the agreement was made, McElroy said.
In other business, the council:
—Approved amending an ordinance regarding the sale and consumption of alcohol by prohibiting the consumption of alcohol within 10 feet of either side of the walking trail, but exempted the sale and use of alcohol along Mardi Gras parade routes.
The amendment gives the ordinance more “teeth” to make sure alcohol is not on the street or in other public places, Mayor Louis Ratcliff said.
—Approved a resolution authorizing an intergovernmental agreement with the St. Mary Levee District for the district to be the non-federal sponsor for levees in Berwick as recognized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
—Approved authorizing the town’s chief administrative officer to execute an affidavit concerning installation of a water, sewer and gas line on a state right-of-way.
—Approved allowing the conditional use to allow boat and marine vessel building and repair.
—Set the budget workshop at 6 p.m. July 15 and July 22, if needed.
—Named The Daily Review as official journal for 2014-15.
—Approved a parade permit for the Tri-City Track Club to hold its Firecracker 4k July 5 starting at the lighthouse in Berwick.