News Bites - Quick Updates on Important Harbor Happenings
"Don't feed the sharks!" 

 

P3 Update - The biggest news affecting the future of our harbor - the County's pending partnership with a private developer to rebuild our harbor and operate it under a master lease for the next 66 years.  On May 4th two P3 proposals were submitted to the County of Orange.  These proposals are now undergoing review by an evaluation panel of industry experts and County Staff.  Panel interviews with the two developers are expected to take place in July.  County staff is expected to make a recommendation to the Orange County Board of Supervisors by the end of July or early August.  The Board of Supervisors will then select a first and second choice of developer/operator and will likely instruct County staff to enter into contract negotiations with the first choice.  This contract will then return to the Board of Supervisors for a public vote.  The timing of these last few steps is uncertain, but will likely take place in the closing months of 2017 into early 2018.  By spring of next year, we will likely have a new harbor developer and operator.  You can bet that we will be tied closely to this process and will keep you all posted.  (For more information on this public/private partnership, read our earlier newsletters   here and   here.) 

 

DPHAC Update - As we previously reported, OC Parks has established a new Dana Point Harbor Advisory Council to serve as a citizen oversight panel of our harbor.  OC Parks received nearly 30 applications to the DPHAC.  The OC Parks Commission is presently reviewing applications and is expected to select and approve DPHAC membership at their August 3rd meeting.  For more information on the history, purpose and scope of the new Dana Point Harbor Advisory Council, see our previous newsletter   here. 

 

New Harbor Manager - Please join us in welcoming Shannon Levin to Dana Point Harbor as our new harbor manager.  Shannon started officially on June 9.  Please read our earlier introduction of Shannon here.  Shannon's office is located in the Dana Point Harbor administration building and she can be reached at (949) 923-3796 or [email protected].  Of course we will be working closely with Shannon and will keep you apprised of news coming from her office.

 

New Harbor Patrol Sergeant - Please welcome Sgt. Larry Packard to Dana Point Harbor as our new sergeant overseeing OC Sheriff's Department harbor patrol operations in Dana Point.  Sgt. Packard joins us after serving in Newport Harbor.

 

Dana Point Harbor Budget - OC Parks has submitted the FY17-18 proposed harbor budget to the Orange County Board of Supervisors; the Board conducted its initial review on June 13 and is expected to undertake a second review and adoption of the budget on June 25. All County budget materials are available for review here.  We are presently reviewing our harbor budget, with special attention on expenses and adherence to the rules governing how our Dana Point Harbor Tidelands Fund 108 funds are distributed.  More to come.

 

DPBA Boater Liaison Program - We recently submitted to OC Parks the latest round of submissions through our Boater Liaison Program.  OC Parks staff, including our new harbor manager, are presently reviewing our report.  We will be meeting with them this month to discuss and formulate a response to each issue, and will then publish our report on the outcomes of this latest round of the BLP.  If you have a question, idea, suggestion or concern that you would like us to take to harbor leadership for attention, please visit our Boater Liaison site   here.

 

5 MPH / No Wake Buoys - Absent since the heavy winter storms, these buoys will return to the entrance to our harbor on July 5.  We will be working with OC Parks and the Harbor Patrol on the placement of these buoys.  Feel free to offer your input by contacting us here. 

 

Sharks - No doubt you've heard about all the white shark activity in our area.  This is a new and likely temporary phenomenon for our waters, and can be exciting and perhaps frightening to observe.  However, experts on white sharks and local authorities are advising strongly against feeding the sharks, which can alter their feeding behavior and migratory patterns.  Go watch them safely from your boat, or watch them on YouTube, but don't feed the sharks!