Morro Bay needs to follow its own ordinances

March 1, 2015

morro bayOPINION By LINDA STEDJEE

Recently, the Morro Bay Harbor Department allowed berthing of two commercial fishing boats at a marina south of Tidelands Park. That is not permitted under the Morro Bay Local Coastal Program (LCP) and related municipal code.

The reasons why that type of boat cannot be berthed in that area were discussed at length at the Oct. 26, 2009 city council meeting, where the city attorney stated, “A commercial fishing facility certainly, in my legal opinion, is not allowed in this area.” Responding to a suggestion that the restrictions only applied to new uses; not existing ones, he stated, “… there is no use there that’s continued – and this is why I would consider anything new down there.”

There are good reasons for the restrictions. The boats are large and their working hours extend far into the night. The area is environmentally sensitive and adjacent to a quiet residential neighborhood. That part of the harbor is often crowded with residents and visitors in kayaks and other small boats.

Were those big commercial fishing boats berthed where they shouldn’t be because there was no other place for them? For years, berthing space for these boats has been shrinking.

If, over the years, the law had been followed, there would be plenty of room for commercial fishing boats in areas where they can legally be berthed. A Morro Bay ordinance, known as “Measure D”, reserves much of the harbor north of Beach Street specifically for fishing boats and related facilities. However, this ordinance has been repeatedly violated.

For example, in 2012, a harbor leaseholder was given permission to berth specific “party boats” at a new facility that legally should have been reserved for the fishing community. Had those boats been in the harbor prior to the passage of Measure D, this use would have been allowable under a “grandfather clause”, but they were not. Because this Measure D violation was allowed, berthing space for fishing boats was lost.

Other parts of the Harbor that once served working boats have been converted to different uses – allegedly to generate more income for the Harbor Department. For example, an Embarcadero site that once berthed tugboats, and could have provided berthing for fishing boats after the tugs left, now houses a hotel. The former boat yard on the Embarcadero was replaced by a shopping center, leaving the fishing community with only one very small yard with insufficient capacity to serve their needs. Two Harbor Department attempts to establish another facility failed.

I believe we all respect the fishermen and understand the importance of commercial fishing to our local economy. We know that their needs must be met. At the same time, damage to environmentally-sensitive habitat, disturbance of residential neighborhoods with lights, noise and diesel fumes, and putting the safety of small boat operators at risk cannot be allowed.

I hope that the current city council will step up to the plate, start righting the wrongs of the past, and take steps to ensure there is adequate berthing for commercial fishing boats in those parts of the harbor where that use is safe, appropriate and legal.


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There has always been two sets of rules in Morro Bay. Those for the average Joe and then those for “buddies” of the city. The good ole boy rules of ” those rules don’t apply to me entitlement ” just everyone else, also known as the George League rules. George still lives in the apartment above off the hook, Illegal via costal commission as exposed by CCN last year. And the city took what action??? Rules are for suckers.


Two Words – Working Waterfront


Two more words: “the law”


the same linda steedje that wrote approx. 250 separate e-mails to the California coastal commission regarding the wwtp in morro bay – hmmm. how about the city first abide by their personnel rules and regulations regarding employees, then how about irons,christine johnson and smuckler taking a look at the municipal code regarding departmental reorganization and then finally how about a financial audit on the cost of the part-time city attorney-looking at 300K for 12 months – after all that maybe then they can focus on this non-issue. one word for this opinion – baloney!


three words for the above opinion – topic of article


Linda always has an ace to grind with the city of MB, but I don’t believe she lives there.

Kinda like Ms Tacker.


I live here. :) Do you?


We’ve lived hire for the last hundred years,maybe a little longer,own a couple houses,

shop here and have worked here in town.

I’ve been under the impression that you live in Los Osos,if not my apoligies.


No problem, Myself. I lived in Los Osos for a short time when I first came to the area, but I’ve lived here in Morro Bay for 11 years.


Actually Linda I was born in SLO and lived in MB my whole life. And you? : ) I grew up with a fishing family that go back 5 decades. And you? Where do you gather your expertise? Is it from some office building in SFO?


In this case, the LCP, the Muni Code, and the documented legal opinions of a Morro Bay City Attorney as provided to the City Council in a public meeting, which can be heard on SLO Span.


There is absolutely nothing in Measure D that precludes commercial fishing vessels from berthing in that area. You moved into a town with a working waterfront. If that bothers you, maybe you should move somewhere else.


We live in a town with laws established to govern use of that working waterfront. City government needs to follow its own laws.


On your other point, you are correct. Measure D does not preclude commercial fishing vessels from berthing in that area. The LCP and the Muni Code do.


It seems odd to me that some of you folks, who rigorously defended the former City Attorney when he was replaced, would speak against his stated legal opinions (which can be heard in the audio recording of the October 26, 2009 Council meeting on SLO Span). He mentioned the LCP and the Muni code in stating his legal opinion that there could be no commercial fishing uses in that area.


FYI, here are the LCP and Muni Code provisions that preclude berthing commercial fishing boats in the subject area. Some were directly referenced by the former City Attorney.


Local Coastal Program Policy 7.01 and Program LU-63. “New commercial fishing facilities shall be located in the northern portion of the Bay north of Beach Street. New recreational boating facilities shall be located south of Beach Street. Commercial fishing shall be accommodated as long as facilities and space allow, consistent with providing for other coastal-dependent uses. New development must be found consistent with Section 30236 and other resource protection policies contained in the LUP and Chapter 3 policies in the Coastal Act.”


Local Coastal Program Policy 7.09: “The City shall designate recreational boating and fishing uses as priority uses for the portion of the planning area west of Main Street and south of the Acacia Street Intersection . Existing coastal dependent uses shall be protected when approving new development”


Muni Code Section E of Zoning Chapter 17.40.030 Planned development, (PD) overlay zone: “Consistency With General Plan and Local Coastal Program. New development and uses may be permitted only if found to be consistent with the applicable policies of the Morro Bay general plan and local coastal program.”


Muni Code Chapter 17.60 – USE PERMITS, PROCEDURES NOTICES AND VARIANCES, section 17.60.140 – Expiration of permits and time extensions. ” … Also, any use that was inaugurated but is subsequently vacated or abandoned in whole or in part shall be deemed expired for that portion of use if abandoned for over twelve consecutive months.”


Because no commercial fishing boats had been berthed at the subject marina for about 25 years, any use permits that allowed commercial fishing boats to tie up there have long expired, and any such use of the subject marina would be a new commercial fishing use, which is not allowed


See also The subject area is in a planned development (PD) area called “Mixed Use Area B”. On page 24 of LCP Chapter II, Land Use Plan Map and General Land Use Policies is this statement:


“Mixed Use Area B: Existing coastal-dependent and coastal-related uses shall be protected, maintained and provided where feasible in new development. Mixed Harbor Uses shall be for recreational boating and fishing rather than commercial fishing. Visitor-serving commercial/recreational uses shall have priority over other land uses consistent with traffic, circulation and parking constraints in the Embarcadero.” (This same wording is contained in General Plan Policy LU-70.)


taxpayer….AMEN!!!!!


NIMBYism at its finest. Gotta love Morro Bay.


Hmmmm…seems to me the fishing boats were there long before the park, the residential neighborhoods, the shops, and the recreational boaters.

Is this yet another attempt to put the final nail in the Morro Bay commercial fisherman’s coffin?


Nope. The fishing boats have not tied up at that marina since Orville Leage’s operation there closed down about 25 years ago. The problems are failure to enforce Measure D, which was passed by the citizens of Morro Bay, and failure to provide for commercial fishing uses of Harbor lease sites on the Embarcadero


Do that, and the fishermen will be fine.


The real commercial fishermen of Morro Bay, who grew up and fished all their lives here would not agree with your revisionist characterization of Morro Bay.Talk to Fred Celfalu,

Jim, Sylvester, or Dave Kubiak, or the French family…they will set you straight on the REAL Morro Bay.


The definition of the term “Real Morro Bay” probably has almost as many variations as we have residents. The points of the article are, 1. that in the past the City did not follow its own laws for commercial fishing boat facilities, and this reduced the amount of space available to serve the fishing community. and 2. that the Harbor Department broke the law by putting boats where the Muni Code and LCP say it can’t.


Regarding the violation of Measure D, from what I have been able to learn, the fishermen don’t like it either, which makes me wonder how wanting it to be followed is “revisionist”. Here is a quote from some Harbor Advisory Board minutes:


“Mr. Jeremiah O’Brien, president of the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization (MBCFO), said that Measure D was voted on over 20 years ago and was originated by Joe Giannini, but at the time the measure did not seem that important; however, Joe Giannini had the foresight to see possible future losses of businesses in the commercial fishing industry. Mr. O’Brien said that now many businesses have been lost, as Joe Giannini saw, which many locals did not see coming, and Measure D has become extremely important. He believes the pendulum is swinging the other way, in that commercial fishing has been on the upswing in the last three years. He recognizes that businesses need to improve, but the idea of expansion has now morphed into unreasonable proportions including talk of building hotels and restaurants in the Measure D designated area. He said the MBCFO cannot support that type of expansion. Mr. O’Brien urged the Board not to make any changes to Measure D.”


We are choking with laughter at Linda’s self absorbed notion of knowing what will be “fine” for fishermen.


Enjoy! :)


In fact, there is usually an overabundance of commercial fishing slips these days, so pleasure craft are often able to rent the slips.


As someone who lives aboard a boat in Morro Bay….I see lots of open slips for commercial fishing boats.

So is this piece about commercial fishing boat issues or an Axe to grind covered in the cloak of protecting local fisherman?


Just another ardent supporter of the current City Council trying to make it hard on the working people who built this city.


taxpayer, you are SO RIGHT!


No Rich, there is no hidden agenda here. The problem is a long-term pattern of ignoring Measure D,and of converting Harbor lease sites to purposes that do not serve their needs. There have been a lot of residents protesting that over the years, but nobody in City government paid any attention.


I certainly believe you when you say there are many open slips for commercial fishing boats, and I have to ask, since this is so, why did the Harbor Department not direct the fishing boats to those slips? Why did they send them to slips in an area where it isn’t legal for them to tie up?


There have been no fishing boats tying up south of Tidelands Park for a LONG time. City staff are supposed to know the law, and our current Harbor Department Director did work for the City when the former City Attorney stated his legal opinion that no commercial fishing uses were allowed in the subject area,


If you’re looking for a hidden agenda, I’d look at the people who suddenly decided to ignore City law.