Port Hueneme Council approves Port of Hueneme Banana Festival permit, finds event exempt from CEQA

The Port Hueneme City Council unanimously adopted a resolution approving Special Use Permit No. 11-24, allowing the Port of Hueneme’s 11th annual Banana Festival to take place Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and found the event categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.

Planning staff and festival organizers told the council the festival will be held in the port’s Sunkist lot and include about 130 static vintage vehicles, more than 70 food and retail vendors, a children’s recreation area, boat and land tours and a main stage for entertainment. The staff presentation said Surfside Drive and parts of Market Street will have planned closures starting about 4 a.m. and reopening by 6 p.m., with the Port Hueneme Police Department, festival security and temporary signage managing traffic and access. Staff estimated attendance at about 10,000 and outlined a security-screening plan and an ADA-compliant shuttle running from beach parking lots.

Randy Latimer, festival director for the Port of Hueneme, told the council the event will be free and emphasized efforts to reduce emissions at the site: "We're working with a firm this year to really enhance the port's initiative of clean energy by using 0 emission vehicles and generators to power everything at the port, at the festival," he said. Council members pressed for sound monitoring and traffic coordination; staff said decibel monitoring and communication with Port Hueneme PD would be part of enforcement and that access for nearby residences would be preserved at specified points.

After no public comments were received on the item, the council voted by roll call in favor of the resolution. The motion passed unanimously. The resolution directs staff to implement the event conditions described in the staff report, including the street-closure plan, security screening and the free shuttle for accessible transport.