BOARD WEIGHS FLOATING LAB TO HELP LIFT HARBOR TOURISM.Byline: David Greenberg The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. Daily News Staff Writer County officials are considering including a ``floating lab'' in the county's $100 million Channel Islands Harbor master Har´bor mas`ter 1. An officer charged with the duty of executing the regulations respecting the use of a harbor. plan designed to financially resuscitate re·sus·ci·tate v. To restore consciousness, vigor, or life to. the ailing tourist and recreation enclave. Supervisors John Flynn and Susan Lacey lac·ey adj. Variant of lacy. want to find a permanent location within the harbor for the Channel Islands Marine Floating Lab, as well as construct a building for marine-life orientation meetings and hire a harbor activities director. ``These are three major recommendations to make the harbor more vibrant and more community oriented,'' said Flynn Thursday. The floating lab, a boat named Coral Sea Coral Sea, southwest arm of the Pacific Ocean, between Australia, New Guinea, and Vanuatu. The Great Barrier Reef lies along its western edge. During World War II it was the scene of a major U.S. , would transport up to 30 people around the harbor to study marine life - from microscopic plankton plankton: see marine biology. plankton Marine and freshwater organisms that, because they are unable to move or are too small or too weak to swim against water currents, exist in a drifting, floating state. to large fish. The specimens would be studied under an on-board microscope and all but the plankton are then released back into the harbor. County officials hope the project will serve as an educational tool for students of all ages as well as a tourism draw. ``It's a win-win situation,'' Lacey said. The addition of the marine lab to the master plan is also expected to placate pla·cate tr.v. pla·cat·ed, pla·cat·ing, pla·cates To allay the anger of, especially by making concessions; appease. See Synonyms at pacify. concerns of area residents, who were irked when the supervisors began considering a $100 million aquarium as part of the master plan for the county-owned harbor. ``The projected numbers for an aquarium was 1 million visitors a year,'' said Vickie Finan, president of the Channel Islands Community Service District. ``The floating lab is much more scaled back and would have services that would be useful to residents of the community on an ongoing basis.'' Supervisors scrapped plans for the aquarium last year when they realized the harbor could not generate a revenue stream large enough to pay for construction bonds. The harbor is self-sufficient, operating on a $6 million budget for fiscal year 1997-98. The harbor generates money from leasing property and dock space to businesses as well as recreational boating enthusiasts and fishermen. The operation is far from reaching its revenue potential, officials say. About 15 percent of the boat docks are vacant while most of the restaurants are at 30 percent capacity for lunch and dinner, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Flynn. He said five other eateries have closed or will close down in the near future. Last year, the supervisors voted to end a longstanding policy of requiring the Harbor Department to allot al·lot tr.v. al·lot·ted, al·lot·ting, al·lots 1. To parcel out; distribute or apportion: allotting land to homesteaders; allot blame. 2. a $1 million subsidy to the county Parks Department each year. Drawing people to the floating lab will strengthen the harbor's overall economy, Flynn said. ``People spend money when they come down here,'' he said. Frank Ursitti, who resides in San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. and Oxnard and owns the Coral Sea, already has said he was interested in leasing a permanent site for his boat within the harbor, officials said. Plans call for construction of a orientation room of up to 1,000 square feet, where tourists and students would be briefed on what species they will study on board. The cost of the building, to be paid for by private and harbor funds, and its location in the harbor are not yet known. The floating lab project is part of a master plan developed by the county Harbor Department that supervisors will vote on in March. It includes renovating restaurants and hotels, as well as construction of a small movie theater complex and community learning center. County residents can review preliminary plans during a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Casa Sirena Hotel at the harbor. |
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