Fall season in the Harbor – while this is my first, I can see that it just does not get any better than this.  Cool, crisp, clean air combined with mostly sunny days and you can see why this is such a great place.

As I am out and about, many of the questions I hear regard the water quality issue in the north part of the Harbor.  I understand why the Harbor community is concerned that this problem may become “out of sight, out of mind” but can assure you that this issue will stay at the forefront of our attention, because we need to have solutions before the Harbor water heats up next summer.

This issue was discussed in detail during a recent City of Oxnard Channel Islands Harbor Task Force meeting.  I was out of town at a conference, but I had staff in attendance.  As you may know, the City of Oxnard is the lead agency regarding this issue, and the County continues to stay engaged, and will assuredly be part of whatever solution is developed.  As an example, the County purchased one of the new sensors which will be installed in the affected area in the near future.

At the meeting, David Caron, a professor of biological sciences at USC, said it best when he likened the issue to a human medical problem.  The water quality issue is currently in the diagnosis stage. Until the diagnosis is complete and all of the factors involved are identified in the problem, the issue cannot be fully addressed.  Data is currently being gathered and I believe the right experts are engaged to complete the diagnosis and develop a solution.  I applaud the City of Oxnard for continuing to lead on this issue, and I commit that the Harbor Department will continue to be part of the team.

Development Update

With regards to current developments, we are getting closer to some visible activity.  We should have final lease agreements in place for the Hyatt House project and the Fresco’s on the Harbor (Whale’s Tail) restaurant by the end of the year.  In addition, we are out to bid on the rebuild of the dilapidated Harbor Administration building, and that project will also be under construction soon.  Good things are happening around the Harbor.

As always, live every day to the fullest.

Mark Sandoval, Harbor Director