Commissioners OK sea base expansion

Paul Clinton

MARINER’S MILE -- Ignoring advice from their own staff, California

coastal commissioners on Tuesday approved a new Boy Scouts sea base.

Commissioners voted 7 to 1 at their monthly meeting to approve the

project, despite some in-house objections about the size of the new

building, which will block some of the “view corridor” facing Newport

Harbor.

Local Scout leaders now say they’ll move ahead full steam on the

$4.5-million base, which has been stalled for more than a year. The

Newport Beach Planning Commission approved plans for the new base on May

3, 2001.

Local leaders with the Boy Scouts of America’s Orange Council chapter,

who have been pushing for a new base since June 1998, said they were

pleased to receive the approval after a roller-coaster year.

“There have been some highs and lows,” said Bill Mountford, the base’s

director. “This was our last hurdle.”

Actually, Mountford still must secure approval from the Santa Ana

Regional Water Quality Control Board to build new docks.

The bigger building would allow the base to step up its summer boating

programs and open its doors on Saturdays, Mountford said.

Scouts are now moving forward with construction plans for the new

base. Mountford said he hopes to begin construction in September and wrap

things up in June 2003.

The new base would allow the group to significantly expand its

operations, doubling the amount of Scouts who can use the base.

Square footage on the building would come in at 22,060, compared with

the 9,942 on the existing building.

A significant amount of new classroom space would be added at a new

two-story building, which would replace the old one. The base, which was

established in 1937, was last remodeled in 1980.

The L-shaped addition at 1931 W. Coast Highway would be used primarily

for sailing activities.

By approving the base, the California Coastal Commission overrode a

staff recommendation to deny the project.

“Our recommendation was a denial,” said Fernie Sy, the project

analyst.

Coastal commissioners, who were meeting at the Queen Mary in Long

Beach, could not be reached for a comment on Wednesday.

* Paul Clinton covers the environment, John Wayne Airport and

politics. He may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .