Boaters tell council Newport mooring fees are inequitable; warn of steep rate increases

Two speakers during public comment said Newport Beach moorings provide affordable access for middle-class boaters and urged the council to address perceived rate inequities.

Chris Bliss submitted a video and argued that mooring users lack amenities available to private pier owners and that moorings are the only affordable coastal access for many boaters. He said moorings are more difficult and costly to use and maintain yet pay higher fees.

Adam Leverens presented Tidelands financial figures, saying there are about 1,200 moorings that contribute approximately $1,900,000 annually to the Tidelands fund. Leverens said, on a per-square-foot basis, mooring rates were higher than many commercial slips and residential piers and called the disparity "counterintuitive," noting the moorings' role in providing lower-cost boating access.

The speakers warned the city plans mooring rate increases "ranging to more than 500," but the transcript does not specify whether that number indicates dollars, percentage points, or another unit. Commenters asked the city to seek equitable fee structures and to engage with mooring permittees before adopting changes.

Why it matters: Commenters said moorings serve as an important, long-standing low-cost maritime resource and that sudden or poorly explained fee increases could price out middle-class boaters and reduce public access.

What’s next: Speakers invited staff to engage with mooring stakeholders; no council action on mooring rates was reported at the meeting.