Newport Mooring Association Position Statement August 2026
FAIR RATES. FAIR RULES. FAIR TREATMENT.
COMMITTED TO FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY, AND EQUAL TREATMENT
The Newport Mooring Association (NMA) has retained additional legal counsel to assist with legal research, analysis, and advice as we evaluate the significant public policy, property rights, including personal property, and coastal access issues currently facing the Newport Harbor community.
Our hope remains that these matters can be resolved through a fair, transparent, and collaborative public process. The City has an important responsibility to manage Newport Harbor in compliance with the Public Trust, State Constitution, and Coastal Act. We believe those responsibilities can be fulfilled while preserving affordable public access, treating similarly situated recreational users equitably, and respecting the legitimate expectations that generations of permittees have relied upon.
For decades, permit transferability has existed in various forms throughout California's tidelands and harbors, providing generations of families with an affordable pathway to recreational boating and coastal access. Likewise, the application of fair, transparent, and consistent rate-setting methodologies throughout Newport Harbor—including consideration of established California State Lands Commission Category 1 Benchmark Rate approaches—would help restore public confidence that all of Newport’s recreational tidelands permit holders are being treated equitably under the law.
COMMITTED TO PROTECTING LONGSTANDING RIGHTS
The NMA does not believe that any tidelands manager should eliminate tidelands permit transferability for any permit-holder, as these longstanding, statewide processes have, and continue to play an integral part in fostering affordable coastal access.
Transferability has allowed permittees to invest in constructing, maintaining, repairing, and replacing privately owned moorings, while preserving a more affordable boating alternative than many commercial marina slips. Any proposal that fundamentally changes, restricts, or eliminates these longstanding permit rights deserves careful public review, meaningful stakeholder participation, and a clear legal foundation.
If future legal determinations ultimately conclude that changes to longstanding permit rights are required, those changes should occur through an open legislative process that provides due process, public participation, and appropriate legal safeguards—not solely through administrative action.
COMMITTED TO AFFORDABLE COASTAL ACCESS
Newport Harbor has long offered multiple pathways to public access, including marina slips, privately maintained moorings, public launch facilities, and private residential pier permits. This diversity has helped make boating accessible to families from a wide range of economic backgrounds.
The NMA believes public policy should preserve—not reduce—these opportunities. Affordable recreational boating strengthens Newport Harbor's maritime character and helps ensure that first responders, tradespeople, licensed captains, fishermen, retirees, young families, and others can continue enjoying California's coast alongside those with greater financial means.
As these issues continue to evolve, legal research and advocacy remain essential for protecting affordable public access to Newport Harbor and, in fact, throughout California. Public participation and stakeholder engagement remain essential to preserving the rights of recreational boating families and ensuring that public trust resources continue to serve the broad public interest.
COMMITTED TO PRACTICAL, LAWFUL, AND EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS
The NMA remains committed to working constructively with the City, the California Coastal and State Lands Commissions, the State Legislature?, and all harbor stakeholders to develop practical solutions that advance the Public Trust, while preserving affordable recreational boating opportunities.
Among the principles we believe should guide future policy are:
- Preserving affordable public access to Newport Harbor.
- If factually found necessary, updating, not eliminating, permit transfer policies.
- Applying fair and consistent rate-setting methodologies across comparable recreational tidelands uses.
- Ensuring meaningful public participation before significant policy changes are adopted.
- Maintaining transparency and equal treatment for all recreational tidelands users.
COMMITTED TO BUILDING A STRONG COALITION OF HARBOR STAKEHOLDERS
The NMA welcomes collaboration with mooring permittees, dock permittees, recreational boaters, yacht clubs, local businesses, community organizations, and all stakeholders who share a commitment to fairness, transparency, and equitable coastal access.
COMMITTED TO PRESERVING NEWPORT HARBOR FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
The future of Newport Harbor will be shaped by those who participate. We encourage all stakeholders to stay informed, remain engaged, and support efforts to preserve fair, equitable, and affordable access to our public trust waters. Protecting public access to Newport Harbor benefits far more than just today's permit holders. It benefits future generations of Californians who seek the same rights and privileges that have existed for many decades.
NEWPORT MOORING ASSOCIATION
Fair Rates. Fair Rules. Fair Treatment.
Volunteers advocating for fair, transparent, and equitable coastal access in Newport Harbor and throughout California.
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How you can help
If you value your mooring permit and continued equitable & affordable access to Newport Harbor, please consider donating whatever amount you can to help support crucial independent legal research to protect mooring holders’ rights and ensure fair treatment under state law.
NMA Zelle: mail@newportmooringassociation.org
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