Huntington Harbour fueling dock closes

The only fueling dock in Huntington Harbour closed Thursday, forcing local boaters to get fuel from neighboring cities.

Center City Properties and Nahas Enterprises, the operators of Mariners Point at 15922 Pacific Coast Hwy., behind the Simple Green building, kept their word and closed the fueling station’s operations on Oct. 1, according to a statement Friday from the city of Huntington Beach.

The closest alternative fueling dock is the Alamitos Bay Marine Fuel Dock in Long Beach, at 227 N. Marina Drive. Others can opt to buy fuel from the stations in Newport Harbor.

“This is not the outcome the city hoped for as our elected officials and staff worked diligently over the last several months to come up with an acceptable plan to keep the docks open,” city officials said. “Needless to say, we are very disappointed with this unfortunate outcome as pending solutions were in action.”

City officials reported that the fueling dock was closed on Thursday and Friday, city spokeswoman Julie Toledo said.

Representatives of the operators could not be reached for comment Friday.

City officials said there will be a closed session item during the Oct. 5 City Council meeting to discuss actions the city could take. The city has retained an environmental lawyer to determine if any legal action could be taken.

Harbor residents have expressed concerns about getting fuel from Long Beach, saying that small boats would not be able to make the trek in choppy waters. They also were concerned that using jerry cans could lead to accidental fuel spills in the harbor.

Resident Bill Larkin, who was among the first people from the harbor to notify the city of the dock closure, said he is disappointed with the outcome and wishes the city had been more aggressive with the operators.

While he and others are forced to buy boat fuel elsewhere, Larkin said there may still be hope for saving Mariners Point.

“I wouldn’t give up on it yet,” he said. “I would hope that the pressure could be increased. If the facilities aren’t destroyed or removed, I think that there’s still hope.”

City officials and residents have been trying since August to prevent the closure of Mariners Point, which provided fuel for about 6,000 boat owners in the harbor, but had made little headway with the operators.

In August, City Manager Fred Wilson said the operators showed some interest in selling the business to a private party. However, in September the operators told the city the business would close on Oct. 1.

In order to officially close the dock, the operators would need to undergo an application process with county officials. The closure would entail filling three 12,000-gallon fuel tanks with cement.

Toledo said the city doesn’t know if the operators have started the county application. Representatives from Supervisor Michelle Steel’s office also said they were unsure if the operators have applied with the county to close the business.

“Supervisor Steel understands fully the importance of having a fuel dock at the harbor,” said Joel Angeles, Steel’s chief of staff. “She has instructed our county staff to work with the city of Huntington Beach to come up with all possible solutions, short-term and long-term, to ensure that those with boats in the harbor will be able to fuel their vehicles.”

Angeles added that there have been talks of finding a temporary location or providing a fueling truck to fuel boats, as well as plans to find an alternative permanent location for a new fuel dock.