Newport Beach Harbor Commission approves policy changes regarding liveaboards in commercial marinas
September 21, 2020
A Newport Beach Harbor Commission subcommittee has been working on a second round of revisions to the section of Title 17 related to liveaboards in commercial marinas. The Harbor Commission had been revising the code as a whole and it was sent to the City Council in January. The revisions were approved expect for the sections dealing with liveaboards.
A major sticking point was if there should be a limit set on the number of liveaboards allowed in commercial marinas.
Over the past several months, the subcommittee held two public meetings and brought the suggestions that resulted to the full Harbor Commission on Sept. 9.
The revisions were approved by the commission and will now go before the City Council.
The revisions would modify the definition of liveaboard, to clarify the difference between off-shore mooring liveaboards and commercial marina liveaboards; require a valid mooring permit in the case of those requesting liveaboard status in the mooring fields and require a valid rental agreement in the case of those requesting liveaboard status in a commercial marina; and clarify that liveaboard permits are issued to those making use of their vessel as their principal residence, as well as defining liveaboard time requirements to a period exceeding 72 hours in any 30-day consecutive period for off-shore moorings and a period exceeding 180 days in any 365 day period for docks or berths.
If approved, the number of liveaboards in commercial marinas would not be limited.
Any modification, and subsequent approval by the Newport Beach City Council, to Title 17 regarding live-aboard status should be given the full consideration of the provision of fire suppression capability of the Newport Beach Fire Department (NBFD). Currently, the NBFD has no internal capability to deliver adequate fire suppression capability for water borne vessels away from a dock. This is particularly important when a live-aboard, essentially a townhouse on the water, is occupied with people.
City Council members should demand adequate funding of effective and proper fire suppression vessels, and proper marine fire fighting training of fire department personnel, so that residents who call the water home can rest assured their local fire department is able to adequately respond to an emergency call for service due to uncontrolled fire aboard a vessel.