More Piecemeal Planning with New Harbor Director, Mark Sandoval?
Channel Islands Harbor has a new Harbor Director, Mark Sandoval. This new beginning offers Sandoval an opportunity to demonstrate that he brings an open transparent process in operating the harbor. The best start to show how he plans to do this is to provide the public with an overdue Master Plan for the entire harbor by updating the 32-year old Public Works Plan (PWP).
Over 10 years ago, at the February 8, 2008 Coastal Commission hearing, Lyn Krieger attested that a comprehensive landside plan was in process. She told the Commissioners that it was critical to push forward a separate comprehensive waterside amendment (PWPA 3) so the aging docks and marinas could be replaced.
Krieger claimed she needed more time for a thorough and accurate landside plan. Though the Commission did not want to separate the landside plan from the waterside plan, they agreed to “bring forward” the waterside plan with the understanding that a comprehensive landside plan was forthcoming as it was purported to be in the planning and public workshop phase. There were similar concerns and strong objections voiced by the public as well.
Peter Douglas, the Coastal Commission Executive Director at the time, believed it necessary to even send a letter to the Board of Supervisors on December 1, 2008, “strongly” requesting that the County “avoid piecemeal amendments…that the County prepare a comprehensive PWP update.” Four PWP amendments later, still no comprehensive PWP update – just more piecemeal planning. Where is the landside plan Krieger claimed was in process over 10 years ago?
The public must continue to demand a comprehensive update of the PWP for the harbor. What business can be effective and efficient without a plan? Now the new Harbor Director can demonstrate how he will operate the harbor – with piecemeal planning or an updated comprehensive Public Works Plan.
Rene Aiu, HBCA