Port of Los Angeles inches closer to Strategic Plan update
March 8, 2018
Document refresh would continue prioritizing commercial components but aims to engage with stakeholders.
LOS ANGELES — Balancing commercial and recreational interests at the Port of Los Angeles was the focus of a Strategic Plan update presented to the district’s Board of Commissioners, Feb. 15.
Port district staff outlined four objectives during its presentation to commissioners, each one outlining a vision for the future of Los Angeles Harbor’s tenants and users. Los Angeles Harbor is unique in its balancing of commercial activities with recreational boating and marina uses along the San Pedro and Wilmington waterfronts.
The Strategic Plan, once finalized and approved, would be in place for five years.
A majority of the Strategic Plan focused on the port’s commercial components, such as supply chain, projects to improve operational strength, financial stability, infrastructure maintenance and overall efficiency of goods movement. Yet the port district stated public access is also a substantive component of its Strategic Plan.
One initiative under the Strategic Plan is the 2017 Clean Air Action Plan, which aims to set standards for air pollutants from port-related sources.
The Strategic Plan update also aims to continue interacting with stakeholders, according to port district staff. Development of the L.A. Waterfront as attractive to visitors is one of the key initiatives under the stakeholder objective.
Interacting with local interests – be it area businesses, boaters or residents – through Facebook, Twitter and other mediums was listed as a priority in the port district’s Strategic Plan.
Establishing the Los Angeles Harbor Department as an employer of choice was yet another initiative listed under the stakeholder objective.
Port district staff also touted the Public Access Infrastructure Plan and annual L.A. Fleet Week as successful results of the stakeholder objective.
Commissioner Vilma Martinez said overall port security was among her top priorities.
The Strategic Plan, which was developed in 2012 and updated in 2014, will come back to the commission later this year for approval. It was originally approved as a five-year plan, making it ripe for commission review and update this year.
Seven objectives were included in the original proposal, but the 2014 updated consolidated those objectives into four categories: infrastructure, supply chain efficiency, financial strength and stakeholder relations.
The port district’s relationship with recreational boaters would fall under the “stakeholder relations” objective.
Details of how the port district’s Strategic Plan would enhance the recreational boating experience at L.A. Harbor will be explored in future coverage.
San Pedro Fish Market
The Los Angeles City Council, in a separate action on Feb. 28, approved an agreement to allow H.S. Seafoods to continue its use of a stall at the San Pedro Municipal Fish Market. The city-approved agreement would allow H.S. Seafoods to purchase and install a new refrigeration system.
H.S. Seafoods would continue to pay rent to the city of Los Angeles in the annual amount of $37,680; the new agreement allows for H.S. Seafoods to claim a monthly rental credit of $600, for up to 60 months. The rental credit, according to city staff, would total $60,000 over five years.
The agreement was previously approved by the Port of Los Angeles’ Board of Harbor Commissioners (Jan. 11) and L.A. City Council’s Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee (Feb. 20).
