Long Beach to upgrade Belmont Pier Aqualink landing

The California Coastal Commission approved a request by the city of Long Beach to rehabilitate the eastern end of the Belmont Veteran’s Memorial Pier, Dec. 12. Coastal Commission staff stated the pier was damaged during a 2017 storm.

Belmont Veteran’s Memorial Pier’s landing is made up of two dock floats and occupies 2,080 square feet of water. The pier supports recreational boating, sightseeing and other visitation uses.

“[Long Beach] is proposing to replace these dock floats with a single 2,080 square foot concrete floating dock,” Coastal Commission staff stated in a report to commissioners.

Aqualink is one of the visitor-serving amenities offered at the pier.

“The Aqualink, one of the public services that would be offered at the proposed new dock float, is a visitor-serving water taxi service provided by Long Beach Transit with drop-off and pick-up locations at Downtown Long Beach (near the Aquarium of the Pacific), the Queen Mary, and Alamitos Bay,” Coastal Commission staff stated.

The city of Long Beach will install a new aluminum gangway, central gangway hoist assembly and four sea-flex mooring anchors. Damaged lighting and guardrails will also be replaced, according to Coastal Commission staff.

“As proposed, the development would also include the removal of sixteen existing piles and pile caps, the existing gangway, and two mooring dolphins,” Coastal Commission staff stated.