NEWPORT BEACH : Council to Consider New Marina Project
The City Council is scheduled to hold the final public hearing today on the Castaways Marina project, which has been scaled down from the original proposal.
California Recreation Co., an arm of the Irvine Co. which owns the land, is proposing a 71-slip marina, which is contained within its existing property lines.
Chipped down from the original 125-slip proposal and the 121-slip project the Planning Commission approved, the new plan would not be built on public tidelands or infringe on the state reserve at Upper Newport Bay.
The smaller marina is likely to please some residents who have argued that a private boat marina is not a good use of public tidelands and that building close to the upper bay could harm the sensitive environment there.
Others, however, have argued that keeping the land as open space is the best use of the property, and those residents are likely to remain opposed to the marina.
The smaller version is expected to cost about $7 million, the original price tag, and would cater to boats larger than 40 feet.
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