Harbor Commission to tackle dredging issues

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- Finding solutions for residents who can’t dredge near

their private piers because of eel grass is a top priority for the city’s

new Harbor Commission, members decided Wednesday.

The just-created committee held its first meeting at City Hall on

Wednesday night to select officers and decide which issues will be its

top priorities.

Among the most urgent situations, members agreed, was dredging for

private dock owners. Though a decision in March by the California Coastal

Commission cleared the way for some Upper Bay pier owners to apply for

dredging permits, those with eel grass around their docks are not allowed

to dredge.

“It’s not an endangered plant species, but it provides a habitat for

the critters,” said Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff. “It’s important to

the marine environment.”

The coastal commission’s position remains unclear on whether residents

can remove the eel grass from near their docks if they plant eel grass

elsewhere.

“What the city is working to do is to set up a system of mitigation

banks,” said Kiff, who is the city staff representative to the

commission. The banks would be areas where the eel grass could be

replanted, he said.

Commissioners hope to take their first steps toward resolving the

problem at their next meeting, which is scheduled to take place May 29 at

City Hall.

Also likely to be on the agenda: Ways to enhance the area for

visitors, such as by building guest docks. They will also begin to look

into the politically treacherous question of whether the city should

impose a fee on private dock owners who rent their piers to boat owners.

Commissioners voted to appoint Tim Collins as chairman, Marshall

Duffield as vice chairman and Ralph Rodheim as secretary.

FYI

The next meeting of the Newport Beach Harbor Commission will be at 6

p.m. May 29 in City Council Chambers at City Hall, 3300 Newport Blvd. For

more information, call (949) 644-3000.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .