By Len Bose
I am sure most of you know that the City Of Huntington Beach put in place a Harbor Commission back in 2019 just before the Covid-19 tsunami rolled over the top of us.
Jump ahead to the end of 2023 and let's update you on the tasks of the Harbor Commission who are all involved, and how you can get involved with our Harbor.
For those of you that are unaware of the Harbor Commission in Huntington Harbor let’s start at the beginning. The duties and responsibilities of the commission are listed in the Municipal Codes (Municipal Code 2.65) designates that the Harbour Commission shall serve in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters related to Huntington Beach Harbour, its beaches, facilities, and parks. The Commission advises the City Council about Waterway Safety, General Infrastructure (e.g. seawalls, pier headlines, bulkheads etc.), Water Quality, and Municipal Code Amendments. The Harbour Commission also cooperates with other governmental agencies and civic groups for the advancement of Huntington Harbour and recreational planning under the direction of the City Council. The Commission meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 5:00 p.m. in Meeting Room B-8 on the Lower Level of the Civic Center.
Harbour Commissioners study, report, and interpret the needs of the public to the City Council and assist in securing financial support from the community for the enhancement of Huntington Harbour, its beaches, parks, and related recreational needs. The Harbour Commission also reviews the annual budget as presented to the City Council to advise them on the current operational needs and long-range plans for capital improvement in the Harbour. In addition, the Commission also advises the City Council on any other matters concerning the Huntington Harbour when requested to do so by the Council.
That’s a brief description of the commission now let’s meet the Chair of the Harbor Commission Craig Schauppner. I had a chance to interview him in November 2023. He grew up in Tustin, his father was a Marine Aviator and stationed in El Toro, Schauppner followed up in his father’s footsteps, he went to UCLA with an ROTC scholarship, followed by flight school and then blasted into becoming a Navy Aviator, he spent 21 years in the Navy flying airplanes. Moved around the world, when he retired in 2016 at that time he and his wife wanted to live on the water in Southern California. They purchased their first home in Huntington Harbor. “We never plan on moving, and plan on living here the rest of our lives,” Schauppner said.
He noticed a post on a social media page with the outline of why the commission was being formed and thought it would be a good opportunity to serve his city. “So I applied, and then selected to be the one of seven appointed to the commission. It’s been a great learning experience, and opportunity to serve the city while understanding how the city works”. Schauppner said.
There are seven commissioners all serving four-year terms with a total of eight years served. The chair and vice-chair are voted in each July in a rotation format with 1-year terms. Your Harbor commissioners are Schauppner, Vice Char Kimberley Milligan, Chris Nielsen, Van Ju, Diane Wood, Michael VanVoorhis, and William Larkin.
The commission has four objectives they form an Ad Hoc committees for each objective, with the approval of the City Council. These Ad Hoc Committees are as follows:
1. The Vessels and WaterCraft in which Schauppner, VanVoorhis, Wood. Their first task was to recommend changes to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to the small boat/public channel into Anaheim Bay between the ocean and the Pacific Coast Highway Bridge into Huntington Harbor. The recommendation is that only motorized vessels can navigate this channel, vessels have to be able to go 5 knots, and not stop within the channel. Their recommendation was approved by the council and then submitted to the Army Core of Engineers. This committee is now researching the rules and regulations for rental companies that use the public beaches within the harbor.
2. Water Quilty Committee: Is Larken, Milligan, and Nielsen. Their first task is to research how to obtain and maintain a “Water Wheel” or trash wheel. I would refer to it as a Flotsam Super Pac-Man that eats unimportant items; trash, odds, and ends. The harbor can use two of these Super Pac-Mans, one for the Bolsa Chica flood channel and the East Garden Grove-Winterburg Channel. All kidding aside, The Ad Hoc committee has recommended to the City Council the need for Water Wheels. The Water Wheel is a whole story within itself, and I am sure it will be discussed in future columns.
3. Policy: Larken, Miligan, and Van DuCity are starting the process of updating the city codes written fifty years ago for the harbor.
4. Infrastructure: Schauppner, Larsen, and VanVoorhis are on the Ad-Hoc Committee. Larsen and VanVoorhis are working with a city-wide infrastructure committee to include the Harbor needs such as bulkheads and bridges.
Schauppner explained how important the Fire Department has become ”With the Fire Department being placed in alignment with the Harbor Commission it has been a huge benefit to the harbor. With this alignment we have lifeguards on the public harbor beaches, patrolling the harbor with their boats, and all the efforts the Fire Department has made the harbor safer and more enjoyable for everybody.”
When asked what he would like to complete before terming out “ A water wheel, I feel we will benefit greatly at the Bolsa Chica channel. I would also like to find a way to get the state to use the money it receives from the Harbor, and slip footprint rent from the homeowners, back into the harbor rather than the state general fund.
Schauppner is very approachable, one of the best listeners I have ever met, and it’s quite obvious he truly wants to help improve our harbor.
Sea ya
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