On the agenda: Newport Beach Harbor Commission — Surveillance Camera (Oct 14)

CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
HARBOR COMMISSION AGENDA
City Council Chambers - 100 Civic Center Drive Newport Beach CA, 92660
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 - 5:00 PM

Harbor Commission Members:
Marie Marston, Chair
Steve Scully, Vice Chair
Bob Miller, Secretary
Sabrina Kerr, Commissioner
Thom McElroy, Commissioner
Rudy Svrcek, Commissioner
Gary Williams, Commissioner
Staff Members:
Paul Blank, Harbormaster
Cynthia Shintaku, Management Analyst
The

Harbor

Commission

meeting

is

subject

to

the

other

things,

the

Brown

Act

the

Harbor

Commission

agenda

be

posted

at

least

seventy-two

(72)

hours

in

advance

of

each

regular

meeting

the

public

be

on

agenda

items

before

the

Commission

and

items

not

on

the

subject

the

Harbor

Commission.

The

Chair

may

limit

public

comments

with

Disabilities

allowed

matter

to

comment

jurisdiction

of

Ralph

M.

Brown

Act.

Among

the

agenda

to

a

requires

but

and
are

reasonable

that
that

within
amount

of time, generally three (3) minutes per person.
The

City

of

Newport

attendee

or

a

attempt

to

(48)

hours

Beach’s

goal

is

at

this

meeting,

accommodate

you

in

prior

meeting

participant
to

the

to

every
to

comply
you

with

the

Americans

will

need

special

manner.

Please

reasonable

inform

us

of

your

assistance
contact

particular

needs

and

for

Harbor

Act

beyond

(ADA)

what

Paul

Blank,

to

determine

is

in

all

respects.

normally

Harbormaster,
if

If,

provided,
at

least

accommodation

as

an

we

will

forty-eight

is

feasible

sending

them

at

(949) 270-8158 or [email protected].
Questions

and

comments

may

be

[email protected].
comments,

please

submit

your

submitted
To

written

give

in

writing

the

comments

Harbor
no

later

the

Commission's

Commission

adequate

than

the

5 p.m.

day

consideration

by

to

your

time
prior

to

review
the

Harbor

questions

Commission

to
and

meeting.

All correspondence will be made part of the record.
NOTICE REGARDING PRESENTATIONS REQUIRING USE OF CITY EQUIPMENT
Any

presentation

requiring

the

use

of

the

City

of

Newport

Beach’s

equipment

must

be

submitted

to

the

Harbor

Department 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting.

1)

CALL MEETING TO ORDER

2)

ROLL CALL

3)

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

4)

PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public comments are invited on agenda and non-agenda items. Before speaking, we invite, but
do not require, you to state your name for the record. Please note that members of the public
will still have an opportunity to comment on agenda items, including current business, later in
the meeting, provided they do not comment on those items at this time.
A speaker who
comments on any agendized item will not be permitted to comment again on the agenda item
later in the meeting. Speakers must limit comments to three (3) minutes.
The Harbor
Commission has the discretion to extend or shorten the speakers’ time limit, provided the time
limit adjustment is applied equally to all speakers. As a courtesy, please turn cell phones off or
set them in the silent mode.

Harbor Commission Meeting
October 14, 2026
Page 2

5)

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
5.1) Draft Meeting Minutes of the September 9, 2026 Harbor Commission Regular
Meeting

9.9.2026 Draft Harbor Commission Meeting Minutes
9.9.2026 Draft Harbor Commission Meeting Minutes_Vice Chair Scully
6)

CURRENT BUSINESS
6.1) Study Session Regarding Yacht Club Mooring Fields in Newport Harbor

The California State Lands Commission (SLC) performed a review of the City of
Newport Beach's (City) management of its granted tidelands and issued a formal
report titled Report on the City of Newport Beach's Public Trust Lands
Management (Report) on December 16, 2025. The Report raised policy and
administrative concerns with the various permit programs in Newport Harbor,
administered by the City. One such program is related to yacht club mooring fields .
The Report identified several areas where the City could strengthen its practices to
ensure compliance with its legal obligations as a trustee of State lands.
The purpose of this study session is to provide the Harbor Commission with an
overview of yacht club mooring fields, including possible changes to the program and
the terms of a proposed agreement governing the use. No action will be taken at this
study session. Any proposed changes will be discussed during the upcoming public
stakeholder meetings. The matter will return to the Harbor Commission at a future
regular meeting, at which time it can provide a recommendation to the City Council,
as the final decisionmaker. Public comments will be received at all meetings where
this matter is considered.
RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the Harbor Commission receive the presentation, accept
public comment, discuss the proposed changes, and provide any initial direction to
staff.
Staff Report
Attachment A- Harbor Commission Staff Report and Attachments, dated
September 9, 2026
Attachment B- Mooring Field Map of Newport Harbor
Attachment C- Scope of Services – Yacht Clubs Appraisal

Harbor Commission Meeting
October 14, 2026
Page 3
6.2) 2027 Harbor and Beaches Master Plan - Review

Staff will provide an overview of the draft 2027 Harbor and Beaches Master Plan.
The Harbor Commission is requested to provide initial comments this evening, then
consider final approval at the next meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:

1) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA
Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3,
because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment,
directly or indirectly.
2) Receive and file.
Staff Report
Attachment A- 2027 Harbor & Beach Master Plan Draft
6.3) Public Dock Surveillance Camera Expansion Proposal - Status Update

This report provides the Harbor Commission with an update on the Harbormaster's
proposal to expand video surveillance camera coverage to additional public docks
and piers throughout Newport Harbor. The proposal was originally prepared in March
2025 and presented to the City's Information Technology (IT) Department. This report
summarizes the demonstrated effectiveness of the existing camera systems at the
15th Street and 19th Street Public Docks, identifies the additional public dock
locations proposed for camera installation, and outlines the current status of funding
and interdepartmental coordination.
RECOMMENDATION:

1) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA
Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the
environment, directly or indirectly; and
2) Receive and file.
Staff Report
Attachment A - Public Dock Surveillance Camera Proposal

Harbor Commission Meeting
October 14, 2026
Page 4
6.4) Ad Hoc Committee Updates

Each ad hoc committee studying their respective Objective within the Commission’s
2026 Objectives, will provide a progress update.
RECOMMENDATION:

1) Find this action exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or
reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and
15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the
CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6,
Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the
environment, directly or indirectly; and
2) Receive and file.
Staff Report
6.5) Harbor Commission 2026 Objectives

Each ad hoc committee studying their respective Objective within the Commission’s
2026 Objectives, will provide a progress update.
RECOMMENDATION:

1) Find this action exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or
reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and
15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the
CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6,
Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the
environment, directly or indirectly; and
2) Receive and file.
Staff Report
Attachment A- Harbor Commission 2026 Objectives
6.6) Harbormaster Update - September 2026 Activities

The Harbormaster oversees the City Harbor Department and is responsible for the
management of the City's mooring fields and Balboa Yacht Basin marina, support for
the Harbor Commission, municipal code enforcement on the harbor, events and
marine activities permitting, safety and rescue operations, management of the
Marina Park visitor-serving marina, marine sanitation pump-out equipment and

Harbor Commission Meeting
October 14, 2026
Page 5

public pier maintenance, water quality monitoring and maintenance, impound and
disposition of abandoned and unclaimed vessels, and public relations and
information dissemination on and about Newport Harbor, as well as several special
projects.
This report will update the Harbor Commission and the public on the Harbor
Department's recent activities.
RECOMMENDATION:

1) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA
Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the
environment, directly or indirectly; and
2) Receive and file.
Staff Report
Attachment A - Harbor Department Statistics Infographic
7)

MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION

8)

COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM)
MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA
FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM)

9)

DATE AND TIME FOR NEXT MEETING: November 18, 2026 at 5 p.m.

10)

ADJOURNMENT