Public/Private Ventures?Southern California

Williams, Lawrence E.; ,

Public/Private Ventures?Southern California

by Lawrence E. Williams, Williams-Kuebelbeck & Associates, Inc, Irvine, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: World Marina '91

Abstract:

Recreational small craft harbors in Southern California have been and continue to be big business and were forerunners to government's current interest in generating new revenue sources through the creation of asset management programs. Initially, this paper traces the history of Southern California small craft harbor financing and operating approaches over the last three decades. The subject then shifts to a discussion of public-private ventures within small craft harbors in the region. Since the area pioneered public-private venturing through the use of long-term ground leasing in government administered small craft harbors, this topic is emphasized. The introduction of new creative approaches to ground leasing at Dana Point Harbor in Orange County changed the manner in which such leasing programs had been conducted previously. The author helped introduce such new approaches while developing the Dana Point Harbor Business Plan in the late 1960's. Prior to that time, major mistakes had occurred in leasing land/water areas within large South Coastal government administered projects. Techniques introduced at Dana Point Harbor such as: the use of an option to lease agreement; monetary bidding related only to a bonus bid to receive an option to lease agreement; more detailed advance planning of harbor business strategy; and broadening the lessee selection criteria, all have since been widely accepted and rather generally used in harbor public-private ventures throughout California and elsewhere.

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