HomeMy WebLinkAbout15-01-14 Item 2 - Mooring-Anchorage Fees - HC Staff Report aEWPORr CITY OF
ms NEWPORT BEACH
Harbor Commission Staff Report
Agenda Item No. 2
January 14, 2015
TO: HARBOR COMMISSION
FROM: Public Works Department
Chris Miller, Harbor Resources Manager
949-644-3043, cmiller@newportbeachca.gov
TITLE: Mooring/Anchorage Fees for Visiting Vessels Assigned to Special
Anchorage Areas in the Harbor
ABSTRACT:
The Harbor Commission will discuss, and possibly make a recommendation, as to the
appropriate fees the City might charge to visiting vessels who desire to anchor/moor in special
anchorage areas outside of the harbor's regular mooring system.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Discuss fee options for visiting vessels to anchor/moor within special anchorage areas,
and make a recommendation to be forwarded to the City Council at a later date; or
2. Assign the topic to the Harbor Commission's existing Anchorage Ad Hoc Committee who
will return at a later date with a recommendation.
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS:
There is no fiscal impact related to this item.
DISCUSSION:
Over the years, the subject of establishing a secondary or alternate anchorage area outside of
the harbor's existing mooring areas has been a topic of discussion at the Commission level.
However, until the 225' vessel Invictus requested to anchor in Newport Harbor, did the issue
become a reality, at least on a trial basis. In the Fall of 2013, Invictus anchored off the western
tip of Lido Isle over a period of 4-5 weekends via a special permit approved by the Harbor
Commission. Although there was prior speculation as to how this arrangement might work, it
was a successful trial and demonstrated that the possibility exists for an established special
anchorage area.
A second vessel, the 125' Gran Finale, also came to the harbor in May 2014, and was granted a
special permit to anchor in this same area. This visit was also successful. And lastly, the
Invictus has requested to return in January / February this year for a limited time again, and staff
is working through the details for this next visit.
Mooring/Anchorage Fees for Visiting Vessels Assigned to Special Anchorage Areas in
the Harbor
January 14, 2015
Page 2
As a result of these recent requests, the Harbor Commission formed an Anchorage Ad Hoc
Committee to review the possibility of establishing a permanent area near the western tip of
Lido Isle for vessels, both large and small. This committee has made some progress in reaching
out to the Coast Guard to investigate the possibility, and the Coast Guard as expressed a
willingness to consider such a request.
Along with the possibility of establishing an area that would be approved by the regulatory
agencies, the Harbor Commission has expressed a desire to charge these vessels an
appropriate fee because of the large footprint that they could occupy. To date, when the
Invictus and the Gran Finale moored/anchored via their special permit, staff charged them the
same rate that the City charges the mooring permittees (prorated). As an example, the Invictus
was charged $23.24 per day based on the 2013 mooring fees.
Mooring Fees
Newport Harbor has approximately 1,200 moorings (about 800 off-shore and 400 on-shore) with
about 20 of these moorings over County tidelands. The 2014 mooring fees were:
2014 Off-Shore mooring $47.64 per foot, per year (40' vessel = $1,905.60 per year)
2014 On-Shore mooring $23.82 per foot, per year (18' vessel = $428.76 per year)
Due to an upcoming Council review of the mooring rates, it is unknown what the 2015 rate will
be. However, based on current methodology, the proposed 2015 rate could be $55.43 and
$27.71 for off-shore and on-shore moorings respectively.
As options for discussion, the Commission may consider a percentage (either higher or lower)
of the existing mooring fees, therefore establishing a consistent benchmark with which to follow
in the future. Or, perhaps a base fee along with a per foot fee might be appropriate. Or, simply a
flat fee could be considered.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the Harbor Commission find this action is not subject to the California
Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result
in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and
15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines,
California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in
physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the
meeting at which the Harbor Commission considers the item).
Submitted by:
Chris Miller ,y� I