Subcommittee Seeks Ways to Make Public Piers, Docks More Appealing

Byline: Ambrosia Brody NEWPORT BEACH — When boaters are deciding what nearby harbor to visit on day cruises, there is a list of amenities that they check off in their head to narrow those choices. A Newport Beach Harbor Commission subcommittee intends to present recommendations to the Newport Beach City Council on ways to put Newport Harbor at the top of visiting boaters’ lists. Pier and dock placement near highly sought amenities — such as restaurants, bars, marine hardware stores and other shoreside services — is one of the recommendations the subcommittee intends to present to the council. “We have to optimize the attractiveness of public piers that are near bars, restaurants and entertainment,” said Newport Beach Harbor Commission member Paul Blank. Determining how the city can make harbor piers and docks more welcoming to visiting boaters has been a longtime objective for the seven-member commission. Earlier this year, the two-person subcommittee, composed of Newport Beach Harbor Commission members Blank and David Girling, set out to determine just how to do that. The subcommittee came away with several recommendations that will be presented to the Harbor Commission in June. It came up with these recommendations after using the harbor’s 12 piers and docks, and talking...