Resident researcher urges cap on dock throughput at 2009 levels; council seeks legal guidance

Donna, a community member, presented research to the legal committee and the full council asserting that the best available evidence of dock activity near the time the local coastal plan language was adopted is a January 2010 crane/truck study that reported roughly 148,000 tons of aggregate handled in 2009. Using a per‑truck tonnage figure cited in the study (about 27.5 tons per truck), Donna said the data implied more than 10,000 truck round trips per year and argued the town should cap current activity at historical annual levels when clarifying code section 32517.1.

Donna explained why she recommended annual throughput limits rather than daily or hourly caps: dock operations vary by market demand, weather, barge availability and operating schedules, she said, so annual limits are a better match for a throughput‑based standard intended to reflect historic use.

Committee members discussed the legal and practical implications. One member noted that the crane/truck traffic study focused on city intersections and roadways but included data points that could be used to infer dock throughput. Several council members asked for attorney guidance about whether the proposed language and numerical limits would be a defensible interpretation of the existing code; the council planned a short recess to obtain legal advice and then to continue discussion in the regular session.

No formal vote was taken on changing the code. Council members acknowledged the sensitivity of numeric caps and the need to verify study assumptions before drafting enforceable limits.

Next steps: the council will receive legal guidance during the recess and continue discussion; staff and the legal committee may return draft language and supporting evidence for further deliberation.