Odesa sets new tariffs for businesses on the coast

Odesa has set new tariffs for businesses on the coast, from mobile kiosks to rented beaches. The funds will be used for cleaning, repairing, and landscaping.

The decision was made at a meeting of the executive committee of the Odesa City Council.

Odesa has decided to set the amount of equity participation for owners and tenants of buildings, structures and retail outlets located in the coastal zone. The funds raised will be used for the maintenance and repair of the amenities managed bythe Odesa Coast Utility Company.

These include cafes, restaurants, summer playgrounds, mobile retail outlets and stationary facilities of various sizes. The new tariffs will also apply to beach tenants who provide paid services.

From now on, entrepreneurs will pay monthly:

• UAH 660 per 1 square meter of a mobile structure up to 4 square meters
• UAH 420 per 1 sq.m. of temporary structures over 4 sq.m;
• UAH 84 per 1 sq.m. of a summer playground up to 100 sq.m. and UAH 72 if the area is larger;
• 48 to 30 UAH per 1 sq.m. for stationary facilities, depending on the size;
• from UAH 8.88 to UAH 6.60 per 1 sq.m. on beaches with paid services, depending on the area of leased sand.

According to the draft decision, payments will be made on the basis of contracts with the Odesa Coast utility company. For existing contracts, the amount of payments will be made in line with the new tariffs. The decision also cancels the previous one from 2012, which regulated these issues.

As noted in the draft, the purpose of the changes is to provide stable funding for the cleaning, maintenance, and improvement of the coast to keep it attractive to residents and tourists.

In August, Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov ordered the removal of fences and other structures that impede Odesa residents' free access to the sea. However, the decision applies only to those objects that were installed illegally.

Prosecutors recently launched an investigation into officials of a utility company and the Odesa City Council over suspicions of abuse in the arrangement of paid parking lots by the sea. According to the investigation, the area of the sites was underestimated in the contracts, and access to the beaches was restricted by barriers. Therefore, proceedings have been initiated for abuse of office by officials of Odestransparkservice and one of the departments of the city council.

Анна Бальчінос