Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSS2 - Dock Reconfiguration at 2901 West Coast HighwayCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT STUDY SESSION Agenda Item No.SS2 November 23, 2010 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Harbor Resources Division, Public Works Department Shannon Levin, Harbor Resources Supervisor (949) 644 -3041, shannon(onewportbeachca.00v SUBJECT: DOCK RECONFIGURATION AT 2901 W. COAST HIGHWAY ISSUE: The City Council will hear a presentation on the redevelopment of the commercial marina at 2901 West Coast Highway. RECOMMENDATION: Provide comments. Staff will be preparing an Approval in Concept in order for applicant to commence plan check and agency review. :7_[y3el�illLL�; The project lies within the center of the Mariner's Mile waterfront. (See attached.) Located at 2901 W. Coast Highway, the Waterfront Newport Beach building supports landside commercial and waterfront marine businesses. Staff is presenting this project to Council because it is a commercial, marine redevelopment yet it falls within the framework of existing code and design guidelines. This marina was originally built in 1985 and configured for 10 slips and side ties. In the last 25 years the docks and piles have been repaired, replaced or modified to accommodate changing uses and increased vessel sizes. With a lifespan of 25 years the marina is obsolete; it was not designed to berth large charter vessels but has been modified to do so over the years. Currently the waterfront provides for berthing of three and up to five charter vessels. The proposed marina at 2901 W. Coast Hwy is a state of the art system anticipating future market needs using new design and construction standards. Improving the charter base Dock Reconfiguration at 2901 W. Coast Highway November 23, 2010 Page 2 revitalizes the facility and also maintains a critical commercial aspect indicative of Mariner's Mile and the Harbor Commission's list of critical business in the harbor. Purpose: The commercial use at Waterfront Newport Beach has outgrown the dock system in both design and function. Originally intended to berth smaller, recreational boats 60 feet in length, the Waterfront Newport Beach marina currently berths up to five large charter vessels ranging from 90 feet to 126 feet. Minor maintenance projects have made berthing charter vessels possible though not in the most functional way. The current slip configuration is oddly shaped and restrictive to the charter industry. The new marina is designed so all vessels will be located within the allowable water area defined by the property line extensions, Pierhead Line, and permissible vessel extension. (See attached.) The Pierhead Line marks the maximum extension of dock fingers. From the end of the finger, a vessel may extend beyond the Pierhead Line not to exceed the beam width, NBMC. 17.25.020(C). Any boat berthed at a pier or slip shall not extend bayward a distance of more than the maximum width of its beam beyond the end of the pier, or slip. MV Ambassador, one of the vessels currently berthed, is in violation of the overhang limit which is one of the reasons why the applicant is reconfiguring the marina. In addition, certain charter events bring MV Majestic which is berthed in Long Beach, into the harbor requiring written consent from Harbor Resources. Majestic significantly exceeds the overhang limit and is therefore restricted from full -time berthing in Newport Harbor. Waterfront Newport Beach, LLC proposes to rectify the overhang to legally berth three charter vessels: Majestic, 148 feet length overall (LOA), Ambassador, 126 feet LOA; and Royal Princess, 94 feet LOA. Charter vessels Majestic, Ambassador, and Royal Princess were surveyed by a professional marine surveyor, and the selected marina design accommodates these lengths. Other vessels of similar size berth in Newport Harbor and vary from privately owned pleasure craft to charter vessels in the nearby vicinity. Staff has researched potential effects to other harbor activities including race courses and departure. The design team discussed the departure and docking methods with Waterfront Newport's charter captain to verify the practicality of the chosen design. The nearest racecourse marker ( "Z ") is located across the turning basin approximately 900 feet away from the facility. (See attached.) An annual commercial pier permit is issued for the use of City tidelands. With the reconstruction of the marina a lease agreement will be formalized according to NBMC 17.60.060(A). In the event public trust lands are used for commercial purposes by an entity other than the City, then that entity shall enter into a lease with the City. The City shall, upon resolution of the City Dock Reconfiguration at 2901 W. Coast Highway November23, 2010 Page 3 Council, transition any such lands currently operating under a permit to leases. Such leases shall provide lessees with a leasehold interest in the property for a period of at least five years, not to exceed a period of time as limited by the City Charter or applicable State law. Concepts and Design Elements: The applicant presented alternatives to Harbor Resources before selecting the proposed configuration which optimizes Mariner's Mile benefits along with economic and environmental advantages to the Waterfront Newport charter base. State of the Art System The proposed dock system will replace aging wooden docks with heavy duty, commercial grade concrete /wood docks. The plan submittal will include detailed plans including charter specific utilities for water, wastewater, and electricity. It is imperative that the electrical system be cautiously reviewed to reflect the needs and use for charter generators and onboard equipment. The project design team is highly qualified and is familiar with Newport Harbor, the California Building Code, Fire Code requirements, and current commercial marina standards. The proposed design reduces overall water coverage and also reduces impact to the horizontal view corridor. Covered Water Area Dock Guide Piles Gangway Structural Piles Local Benefits: Current Dock System 4,850 sq ft. 21 @ 18" 2 @14" Proposed Marina 4,325 sq ft. ( -525 sq ft.) 19 @ 18" ( -2 piles) 4 @ 14" ( +2 piles) In order to operate a charter within Newport Harbor certain criteria must be met and documented in the Marine Activities Permit (MAP) issued by Harbor Resources. Specifically, parking for the large charter bases must be approved by the Planning Department. The current MAP for Waterfront Newport Beach was previously approved with parking conditions. As the charter base is refined by this reconfiguration project, the MAP will condition that the onsite parking garage must be used to accommodate passengers thereby reducing parking impacts in the Mariner's Mile vicinity. This project will: 1. Provide a custom - built, fully - parked and passenger- staged charter base and marina adhering to the parking conditions required in the Marine Activities Permit. 2. Provide berthing for three major charter vessels, and other supported commercial berthing for a combination of uses and vessel sizes. 3. Provide for easy passenger and crew access and boarding. 4. Not affect navigation access or berthing of adjacent parcels. 5. Reduce water coverage ( -11% from the original 1985 permitted configuration). 6. Increase harbor water view frontage from 30% to 60% of bulkhead boardwalk length. 7. Reduce vessel overhangs by 36 feet and 21 feet from present configuration. Dock Reconfiguration at 2901 W Coast Highway November 23, 2010 Page 4 8. Reduce offsite charter parking otherwise used by Mariner's Mile visitors. 9. Support project investment, operation, and contributions to local economy. Approval in Concept: Because the project is designed within the Harbor Design Criteria and Title 17 Harbor Code, staff will issue an Approval in Concept (AIC). In order to address specific issues relative to safety, passenger boarding, and environmental concerns, special conditions will be integrated into the AIC. Some of those conditions will require Harbor Resources or other City Department authorization and sign -off prior to final plan check approval: Dock Management Plan; sign requirements for ingress /egress and fire routes; fire or emergency evacuation plan; fire suppression; emergency electrical shutoff; sewage management plan; and the ability to maintain a valid Marine Activities Permit. Upon issuance of the AIC the applicant may submit full plans to the Building Department for plan check. Concurrently, the applicant will submit the project to the California Coastal Commission and Army Corps of Engineers for permits. Should the agencies approve the project, the City of Newport Beach will finalize plan check. The charter business operation will continue to operate according to the requirements of the existing, valid Marine Activities Permit. The MAP will be revised upon completion of the marina construction. The annual commercial pier permit will be replaced by a lease agreement for the commercial use of the public tidelands. The Harbor Commission was also apprised of this project and their comments /concerns have been addressed in the aforementioned conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Harbor Resources approval of this item is categorically exempt from CEQA under section 15302, Class 2, Replacement or Reconstruction: "Class 2 consists of replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced." PUBLIC NOTICE: This agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the public meetings at which the City Council considers the item). Prepared by: q7y�� SKandon Levin Harbor Resources Supervisor Attachments: Aerial — 2901 W. Coast Highway Harbor Lines Proposed Configuration Distances in Turning Basin Dock Reconfiguration at 2901 W. Coast Highway November 23, 2010 Page 5 Submitted by: Stephen G. Badum Public Works Director Aerial --- 2901 West Coast Highway Harbor Lines— 2901 West Coast Highway tape 1 Ap 00 I TO, ti IR mn le is 4t N Proposed Configuration— 2901 West Coast Highway Tq 41 �lt %0 A lu WATERFRONT DOCK LAYOUT NEWPORT BEACH CONCEPT-A2 2902 W. COAST HWY, lu- NEWPORT BEACH, CA Distances in Turning Basin Y. 850 Am. L: A- a. -"JVIA MALAGA 4�e 32'ND ST 31 ST ST iA Liao z —940' 14 "A.