Page 11: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Jul/Aug 2019)

10 12

M

C

L

A

U

R

Where there is the allure of the water, there is no shortage

I

N of dreamers, visionaries, hucksters, investors, or salesmen willing to expound on the endless new possibilities.

could determine whether or not a project can even go forward locations; their ballpark development at this site or what major mitigation measures will be required was made part of a holistic multi-year to ensure no business or labor impacts will occur to the exist- waterfront planning process. In con- ing working waterfront. trast, San Diego rejected a football stadium and hotel complex

However, direct requests from the maritime industry to the replacement of their working waterfront.

City of Oakland to slow down their environmental review of this These types of decisions can only be made properly after proposal until after the Port has actually evaluated the project’s the conversations, analyses, and evaluations of port assets compatibility with a working seaport have gone unanswered. In- have occurred.

stead, as revealed at recent hearings by the Oakland City Coun- But that’s why the public trust doctrine exists – to save us cil, the City staff is already proactively championing the project from the salesmen and carnival barkers chasing the allure of a as an economic development catalyst for redevelopment. quick buck and from the dreamers seeking a grand redevelop-

That’s not to say that cities cannot reclaim or revitalize their ment of our waterfront alike. Our land use regulations exist to waterfronts – they can, they do, and in many instances they elevate the collective and long-term public good in order to should – but only so long as they conduct the proper analysis force the conversation about how best to preserve our unique and review and have a thorough, concerted and honest conver- and irreplaceable urban waterfronts.

sation about the loss of their ability to be a working seaport. In Oakland, the next ? ght will be to see who is listening.

While some cities don’t ? nd it would be economically vi- able, others will protect and work to preserve their maritime

The Author John McLaurin industries and communities. In San Francisco, which had lim- is President of the Paci? c Merchant Shipping Association ited direct maritime activity impacts at their redevelopment www.maritimelogisticsprofessional.com 11I