— Photos courtesy David Ellis ©
Next week hundreds of boats will be floating on Newport Harbor enjoying the 111th Christmas Boat Parade.
Mega-yachts, sail boats, speed boats, paddle boards, tiny kayaks and Duffy boats will attempt to safely navigate the chaos.
The harbor will look like the 405 at rush hour.
Almost as chaotic as the Christmas Boat parade is the gaggle of a dozen government agencies that regulate the harbor.
Two years ago, Councilman Duffy Duffield worked with the local Boy Scouts to have LED lights placed on the harbor buoys. It made the harbor safer and the Scouts did it for free.
Within months, one of the gaggle of government agencies removed the LED lights because they didn’t have the “proper permits.”
Last February, I requested the city’s help to find out what happened to the lights — and hopefully replace them.
Nothing has happened in 10 months.
This is a small issue that underscores the need for our city to take control of the harbor from the multiple bureaucracies that regulate it.
Let’s turn on the lights!
David Ellis
Newport Coast
