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GPAC keeps 'lower cost' language for harbor moorings, questions marine terminal and harbor enforcement language
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Summary
During a page-by-page review of the Harbor, Bay and Beaches element, GPAC members urged retaining wording that protects lower-cost mooring access, pushed back on a proposed marine terminal policy, and clarified that harbor staff should coordinate with law enforcement rather than assume police powers.
The General Plan Advisory Committee weighed competing edits to the Harbor, Bay and Beaches element and left several contested phrases intact after discussion.
Public commenter Adam Leverenz urged keeping the phrase "lower cost" in references to moorings, arguing the local coastal program and the Coastal Act require protecting lower-cost visitor and recreation facilities. Leverenz cited comparative fee data and fiscal contributions when making his case: "They contribute $1,900,000 to the Tidelands Fund," he said, and recommended the phrase remain to avoid policy contradictions with the certified local coastal program.
Committee members took a straw vote and the majority favored retaining the "lower cost" phrasing. The committee also rejected a proposed substitution of "market rate" for "reasonable rate" in harbor-fee language; several members warned that "market rate" could be driven by neighboring jurisdictions and would reduce local discretion.
A separate debate over a proposed marine terminal policy produced broad skepticism. Members said a marine terminal is "not appropriate" for Newport Harbor in light of existing uses and urged either deleting the passage or inserting qualifying language such as "if appropriate" or "if desired." Staff said the general plan can coordinate for potential marine terminals without identifying a specific location; several members preferred deletion.
The committee also scrutinized language about harbor patrol and law enforcement. A suggested policy to "coordinate with the Orange County Sheriff's Department on harbor patrol to provide consistent, effective, and well-coordinated law enforcement on the water" prompted concern that the plan might imply the harbor department would become police. Members clarified the intent: the harbor department should coordinate with law enforcement rather than replace or duplicate the sheriff’s role.
Staff agreed to retain "lower cost" wording, preserve "reasonable" rather than replacing it with "market," clarify or delete the marine terminal policy based on committee preference, and reword harbor coordination language to emphasize coordination rather than deputization. Those edits will be incorporated into the version returned to GPAC and later forwarded to boards and council.
