DATE: January 19, 2021
SUBJECT:
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ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE 4, SECTION 4.37 - REGULATION OF SIX PAC CHARTER VESSELS, TO SECTION 4.37 - REGULATION OF CHARTER VESSEL OPERATIONS IN SAN DIEGO BAY AND DISTRICT TIDELANDS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Currently, there are both legal and unregulated charter vessel operations occurring in San Diego Bay and on San Diego Unified Port District (District) tidelands. While the District has regulated Six Pac charter vessel operations via ordinance since 2001, the current regulations do not apply to numerous other types of charter vessel operations. The proposed amendments to existing San Diego Unified Port District (UPD) Code Section 4.37 are intended to address all charter vessel operations with the goals of ensuring public safety, protecting consumers, and creating an even playing field for all charter vessel businesses, which include District tenants, subtenants and those charter vessel operators wishing to use District facilities. Charter vessel operators are broadly defined to include whale-watching boats, party boats, special event charters and sportfishing, among many others.
Since March 2018, the District has held or attended over twenty-five community outreach meetings with key stakeholders and members of the public and completed one benchmark study in order to better understand the nature and extent of charter vessel operations on the west coast and in San Diego Bay.
In September 2019, staff released a draft of proposed amendments to UPD Code Section 4.37 for review by the public and stakeholders and held a public meeting in October 2019. The District accepted comments on the proposed amendments through February 2020. Staff received approximately 64 comments concerning the proposed ordinance through that outreach effort, considered them all, and made appropriate changes to the draft. Additional targeted outreach with various District tenant groups was conducted throughout 2020, additional comments were re...
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