Loss of Dry Boat Storage, Boater Slips, Trailer/Tow Vehicle Parking, Dedicated Boater Parking and Accessible Shipyard Space is a HUGE and
IMMEDIATE Boater Problem.
I ask for YOUR immediate help in OPPOSING an impending great loss in Wet Slip, Dry Boat Storage, Trailer Tow/Vehicle Parking, Dedicated Boater Parking and Shipyard Space at a wonderful Harbor. Dana Point Harbor (www.danapointharbor.com - Dana Point, CA) is PUBLICLY owned and has 2409 wet and additional 683 trailer/dry boat storage spaces. Strategically located between LA and San Diego, Dana Point Harbor has always been a SAFE and RELIABLE place to stop in and visit or make needful repairs.
An impending "Dana Point Harbor Modernization" plan will have a hearing before the California Coastal Commission on Thursday, June 11, in Marina Del Rey. "Harbor Modernization" sounds great - but the proposed plan may have unintended consequences:
1 - Dedicated boater parking may move up to 1,000 feet away from the docks: A nice hike to haul your Gear!
2 - Dana Point Shipyard may be stripped by 1 acre in favor of a "Festival Plaza". Thousands of resident and visiting boaters may need to take their boat 25 offshore miles - to Newport Harbor - when needed critical repair or normal maintenance is required. Aside from potentially increased consumption of hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel, there are strong adverse impacts on safety and boat maintenance:
- If a boat needs critical maintenance - is there increased safety risk with a 25 mile offshore jaunt to a shipyard?
- It will be more difficult to maintain a boat, therefore the average person's boat may be in a more "run down" condition.
3 -Will there be room to replace the existing 683 dry boat storage locations in the "Commercial Core"? There is no spelled out provision and the expectation is that 100’s of additional boats will have to leave the harbor.
4 - With 477 net slips to be eliminated, the CCC Staff recognizes that perhaps 1,100 boats will likely have to come out of the water. The proposed Land Use Plan attempts to protect these boaters with the same land that in all likelihood is not enough to protect existing dry boat storage: can't have two boats in the same space. (see item 3 above).
5 - Trailer Boater Tow Vehicle Parking Areas: Fewer and smaller spaces with a parking garage in the middle.
6 - No new Yacht or Boating Clubs allowed - EVER!!!! - in Dana Point Harbor. Our Yacht and Boating Clubs have been awesome citizens in the Harbor. Why this exclusion in favor of yet undetermined retail or restaurant space? Do we NEED more shops selling "Cheap Trinkets" which are soon to be landfill fodder along with their packaging?
7 - Parking is now and will continue to be a serious harbor concern. Harvesting boater parking as the "main solution" will not help the massive commercial expansion. In the East Commercial Cove alone - dedicated boater parking will be reduced 60%. Going back to #1, you better be prepared to HIKE - "IF" you can find a space. Creative parking methods of dual use or time of day use are not on the platter.
Note: Slip fee increases: do the math. a reduction of possibly 1100 boats means that "costs" must be picked up by remaining boaters. Prepare for steep increases in fees.
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1 - Stand up and AGREE with the California Coastal Commission staff. Boater resources have to be protected within the harbor and not be banished to some "distant location". Simply putting boat storage facilities somewhere on South Coast Water District Rate Payer's Land is not ACCEPTABLE MITIGATION for the City and County's attempt to build stores and restaurants where boaters operate today. Off site boat storage is NOT the same as a SLIP or in harbor surface storage.
2 - Since TIME IS SHORT -> WRITE A LETTER and email or fax it before this THURSDAY HEARING. Send it to (please send a carbon copy to Bruceheyman”@”cox.net (fax: (949) 489-8352)) so that it can be included in the package for the Commissioners:
Bonnie Neely ==> bonnie.neely"@"co.humbolt.ca.us
Teresa Henry ==> thenry"@"coastal.ca.gov
Fernie Sy ==> fsy"@"coastal.ca.gov
Bruce Heyman ==> bruceheyman"@"cox.net
California Coastal Commission: Headquarters FAX: (415) 904-5400 / South Coast FAX: (562) 590-5084
(for email contact - remove QUOTES ( " ) from the given email address)
Bruce (949) 289-8400 will be at the meeting along with boaters throughout southern California, along with members of Boaters for Dana Point Harbor and Dana Point Boaters Association.
3 - If possible, attend the MEETING YOURSELF - and SPEAK up. It does matter - and has PROVEN to be effective. What happens at Dana Point Harbor can - and likely will - happen up and down the West Coast...
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1. What happens at Dana Point Harbor will set a very dangerous president that will be used by Harbor Directors up and down the coast to be able to put developments in place of recreational boating resources. We need to make a really concerted effort to get this stopped next week. The Marina Management Company also manages OTHER Marinas and yet OTHER Marinas can (and have in the past) used actions such as this as precedence: What happens here may ripple up and down the coat.
2. Our Harbor Director has sent out letters to various marine organizations asking for letters to be sent to the California Coastal Commission. This request is for support to “Modernize" our harbor. Our Harbor Director will be using these support letters in FAVOR of the "Modernization plan" in his presentation next week. The true implications of the LUP, however, are not obvious without a careful reading.
3. Boaters who speak up CAN HAVE A POWERFUL EFFECT: REALLY!!! Previously, the Dana Point Boaters Association (DPBA) had a profound effect mobilizing harbor boaters in opposition against "Possessory Interest Tax". It was successful.
The Boaters for Dana Point Harbor and the DPBA are in agreement with the California Coastal Commission Staff in that we need to protect the recreational boating resources. WE REALLY need your help to make the case for Boaters - as this Harbor "Modernization" comes up for consideration.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
www.boaters4dph.com
www.danapointboaters.org
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The most important day to be at the California Coastal Commission Hearing is Thursday (June 11) for item 22.5a. However if you can be there on Wednesday then you would have an opportunity to speak to the commission during the public comment period. There are lots of issues that can be brought up.
California Coastal Commission Meeting
June 10-12, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Marina Del Rey
LA/OC (South Coast Area) "Marina Del Rey Hotel:
13534 Bali Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Dana Point Harbor Marina Development Plan ( LCPA-DPT-1-08) has been agendized at these hearings. The hearing date for item 22.5a is scheduled for June 11, 2009 starting at 8:00AM (exact time of agenda item #22.5 is not certain).
It is very difficult to predict exactly what the hearing time for item 22.5a will be. Typically there are lots of items moved to the consent calendar or postponed. We won’t know those items till the actual morning of the hearing. I would be surprised if the Dana Point Marina Development topic would occur before lunch. Traditionally, they have never broken for lunch before 12:00 but have gone as late as 1:30.
At this point the best thing to do with the letters is to get them heading to Madam Chair Neely, Teresa Henry (CCC staff in long beach) and a copy to Bryce Heyman. That way Bruce can make sure a copy of the letter is included in the packet.
1 - California Coastal Commission Meeting Announcement:
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html
2 - Contacts for the Marina Del Rey Meeting:
Madam Chair - Bonnie Neely ==> bonnie.neely"@"co.humbolt.ca.us
District Manager - Teresa Henry ==> thenry"@"coastal.ca.gov
Fernie Sy ==> fsy"@"coastal.ca.gov
Bruce Heyman è bruceheyman”@”cox.net
(to contact - remove QUOTES ( " ) from the given email address)
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The following meeting is no longer a workshop – it is now open for public comment, and will last the entire County Board Of Supervisors Meeting. This coming Wednesday is for public comment to adopt this fiscal budget:
Orange County Board of Supervisors:
1. (All information listed on CBOS Left-hand NAV Menu Bar): http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board of Supervisors
2. Link to leave your CBOS opinion http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board of Supervisors/Voice Your Opinion Online
3. Online Comments/Opinions Link (limited to 250 characters):
http://www.ocgov.com/opinion/scripts/Main.asp
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We need your help to keep our Harbor on the Right Track.... So please come to the meeting, send an email, or a fax today!
--Jerry Robinson
Boat Owner at Dana Point Harbor
(Columbia 28 MK II )