Avalon Fuel Dock Progress

I'll post updates as they develop.
But early on in the process, it went like this:

"The City of Avalon has been facing a very challenging task to acquire the proper permitting from the Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) and the California Coastal Commission (CCC) for the fuel dock reconstruction. The fuel dock suffered significant damage to its pilings during the ocean surge and high tides caused by Hurricane Marie, August 26, 2014. This damage caused this season's the closure of Casino Dock Cafe and not allowing the gas docks to be installed.

It appeared that each time we saw some light at the end of the tunnel, we experienced another setback, wrote City Manager Ben Harvey in his Friday Update, June 12. When we felt we had satisfied the ACOE requirements, we were next informed that we had to produce additional studies of various natures. Then the log process of acquiring the CCC permit got stalled during the plan review, and clarifications had to be submitted to satisfy the agency's engineers.

Presently, the City now believes it has met all the permitting requirements of the two agencies and that the City's permitting process may be considered for approval at the CCC monthly meeting
in August 2015. If approval is received, it is anticipated that a public bid for the work will be advertised within a month thereafter."

Story and Photo credit: Karen Meadows

Then it went like this:

$2 million fuel dock in store for Avalon:

AVALON :
The light is finally appearing at the end of the tunnel. After attempting to provide a new fuel dock in Avalon Harbor for years, one is finally on the way. According to city officials, a new fuel dock could arrive at Avalon Harbor before the summer of 2016.

Harbormaster Brian Bray said the design process is almost complete. After being considered by the Avalon Planning Commission, the California Coastal Commission will weigh in on the proposed plans for the new fuel dock. The Avalon City Council will also be part of the approval process.

We've been trying to replace this for seven or eight years, said Bray, who added that the city has received some grant money for the project.

In 2009, the Coastal Commission approved a $1 million grant for the fuel dock rebuild. According to news reports, the city had completed construction plans in 2011 and began searching for a contractor. City officials reportedly hoped to move forward replacing the current fuel dock, which was built in the 1920s, at that point. However, plans stalled when the price tag for the new fuel dock hit $3 million, which exceeded all budget forecasts.

Original plans had called for the fuel dock to be constructed out of concrete, which was why the estimated costs were higher than Catalina officials estimated.

However, Bray said the new state-of-the-art fuel dock will be constructed out of wood, allowing the city to build the project for $2 million instead of $3 million.

Construction is expected to start in October 2015 and be completed by April 2016.

During the six months of construction, an alternate fueling plan will be in place, with a gas truck to be stationed on land adjacent to a temporary dock floating on the water and near the permanent fuel dock location.

Once the new fuel dock is constructed, Bray said it would feature an extended dinghy dock, high-speed fuel pumps and on-site restrooms.

Design plans are about 90 percent complete, according to Bray. Dennis Jaich, Avalon's interim public works director, said construction plans are still being developed and final versions of those plans would likely be available within the next two months.

How the new fuel dock will be built depends on who is awarded the contract. Since the fuel dock is adjacent to land, it would be possible to build portions of it from the island. Another option would be building the new dock using a floating barge and crane, which Bray said was ideal.

Avalon Harbor services about 20,000 transient boaters each year, though not all of them use the fuel dock.

According to the Coastal Commission, there are four existing underground fuel storage tanks located on land and next to the pier. The storage tanks would be out of service but not altered during construction.

There is another fuel dock on Catalina Island at Two Harbors, which is about 10 miles away from Avalon Harbor.

Avalon Fuel Dock progress:

Thanks for the update.....the Casino Dock Cafe was always one of our favorites.

Tom

Hot for Teacher said:

Thanks for the update.....the Casino Dock Cafe was always one of our favorites.

Tom

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Sadly, it doesn't read like a similar bar will be built on the site.
I would imagine due to further, complicated approvals from the various agencies would bog the project down even more.

Hopefully they leave space for it, and apply in a separate bid when the fuel dock is done.

Hey TPC, any progress on the new Vons?

blefever said:

Hey TPC, any progress on the new Vons?

Click to expand...

Last I heard it was approved and will proceed.
Six different opposition groups fought it and a seventh recently formed and was making a last minute attempt to stop it.

Some City Council members and some coastal commission members had to exclude themselves of the process because of conflict of interest or they lived close by and it would effect them. Once they got "outed", the process moved forward.

It'll be located at Beacon and Sumner. I hope least least one of the smaller locations remains open and I hope they have a pharmacy.
Your Vons Club is good there on 95% of the stuff on sale. At one time Von's was the only place on the island to buy Coors Light. Reddog and I experienced the island being sold out of everything but PBR, and that was almost $20 for a 12 pack at the liquor store. So it's all good just not as quaint.



I'll probably head over to Avalon this week and see for myself the progress on the Fuel dock and Vons.
Wife is on jury duty, one of the kids is in and out of childrens hospital and another child is fighting cancer again. It's all based around that.

Luau Larries is still standing BTW. Though we rarely go there and they know us and treat us golden, it really is a tourist favorite. We catch it off season when a band is playing.
I want to run a RDP post on our favorite eating places that most people miss.

TPC said:

Last I heard it was approved and will proceed.
Six different opposition groups fought it and a seventh recently formed and was making a last minute attempt to stop it.

Some City Council members and some coastal commission members had to exclude themselves of the process because of conflict of interest or they lived close by and it would effect them. Once they got "outed", the process moved forward.

It'll be located at Beacon and Sumner. I hope least least one of the smaller locations remains open and I hope they have a pharmacy.
Your Vons Club is good there on 95% of the stuff on sale. At one time Von's was the only place on the island to buy Coors Light. Reddog and I experienced the island being sold out of everything but PBR, and that was almost $20 for a 12 pack at the liquor store. So it's all good just not as quaint.

I'll probably head over to Avalon this week and see for myself the progress on the Fuel dock and Vons.
Wife is on jury duty, one of the kids is in and out of childrens hospital and another child is fighting cancer again. It's all based around that.

Luau Larries is still standing BTW. Though we rarely go there and they know us and treat us golden, it really is a tourist favorite. We catch it off season when a band is playing.
I want to run a RDP post on our favorite eating places that most people miss.

Click to expand...

Thanks TCP. We've been renting the pink house at the end of Sumner for over 20 years every summer for a week. I hate to see all the upscale changes but the new Von's will be more convenient to the house.

Hot for Teacher said:

Thanks for the update.....the Casino Dock Cafe was always one of our favorites.

Tom

Click to expand...

Well, according to the Avalon Log Newspaper the bar and restaurant & proper restrooms are approved for the second phase of construction. That part of the plan was stealthy goes the tale.

The entire fuel dock project was unexpectantly stalled for an additional 6 weeks for asbestos removal.
They kept that issue kinda quiet because their are 6 groups that show up and stand in the way of everything or any issue. The same fuckballs that opposed the Vons expansion.

Talk is fuel may not be flowing until early June.
Was supposed to be next week.

Our boat will do a Newport - Avalon round trip without refueling and we'd have to bring generator and dingy fuel and or figure a way to get gas from the golf cart gas station at Pebbly Beach.

Now they have to fortify the seawall under and adjacent and that may fall within the extra 15% contingency part of the budget,, but add more construction time.

blefever said:

Thanks TCP. We've been renting the pink house at the end of Sumner for over 20 years every summer for a week. I hate to see all the upscale changes but the new Von's will be more convenient to the house.

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You're just a short walk away from the Cantina at the Golf Course.
You ever hit the noon Happy Hour and $1 tacos there?
Fantastic.

"If you drink at the bars one may be a drunk. If you drink at the Golf Course you're a Sportsman" - Dive Bar Casanova

We've secured a slip all summer in Newport so we'll be doing many Avalon runs this summer.
If you'd like to meet for a drink at Descanso let us know.

You may see the elusive wifie Alice.

Avalon used to be very quiet most the year.
Then, about 10 weeks in Summer the tourists flooded the place and they could handle it.
Fall hit, businesses closed and a few fishermen and a few golfers would visit until summer rolled around again.
Now, it's a year round town and the little market is overwhelmed.
The Vons will help.
Probably end up eventually being a Stater Bros. with luck.



We'd be there right now but my chest and stomach is one big purple bruise with staples and stitches.
Be there soon though.

TPC said:

You're just a short walk away from the Cantina at the Golf Course.
You ever hit the noon Happy Hour and $1 tacos there?
Fantastic.

Click to expand...

For basically a Patio with some chairs and tables and a bar on wheels they serve amazing food and its all reasonable. The Nacho's are massive.

Get well soon Ross. :thumbup:

Thanks OC. :thumbup:

Latest Construction progress as of this past weekend:


Looks like the new dock construction is well underway.
Hope the plans include a lower floating barge like the old system was too.

TPC said:

You're just a short walk away from the Cantina at the Golf Course.
You ever hit the noon Happy Hour and $1 tacos there?
Fantastic.

"If you drink at the bars one may be a drunk. If you drink at the Golf Course you're a Sportsman" - Dive Bar Casanova

We've secured a slip all summer in Newport so we'll be doing many Avalon runs this summer.
If you'd like to meet for a drink at Descanso let us know.

You may see the elusive wifie Alice.

Avalon used to be very quiet most the year.
Then, about 10 weeks in Summer the tourists flooded the place and they could handle it.
Fall hit, businesses closed and a few fishermen and a few golfers would visit until summer rolled around again.
Now, it's a year round town and the little market is overwhelmed.
The Vons will help.
Probably end up eventually being a Stater Bros. with luck.

We'd be there right now but my chest and stomach is one big purple bruise with staples and stitches.
Be there soon though.

Click to expand...

Yep, the Sandtrap, know it well, great value off the beaten path. We are headed over for Memorial Day weekend, Wed thru Sun. We'll be on our boat (picture attached) side tied to a 38 Top Gun. If your there, dingy on by and say Hi. Next for sure trip is the week after July 4th at the house. Best of luck on 100% recovery.

We've never moored at Hamilton.
Looks nice.
We're usually at the letter row by the fuel station.

Last 4th was amazing.
Fireworks but better yet the WWII airshow over the Harbor.

We'll be there the 4th for sure.
I usually bring the tow tube if you guys want to use it.

The dingy tours we run are like the golf cart runs at the river.

TPC said:

We've never moored at Hamilton.
Looks nice.
We're usually at the letter row by the fuel station.

Last 4th was amazing.
Fireworks but better yet the WWII airshow over the Harbor.

We'll be there the 4th for sure.
I usually bring the tow tube if you guys want to use it.

The dingy tours we run are like the golf cart runs at the river.

Click to expand...

Better get some flopper stoppers if you are going to be in Hamilton or Descanso and plan on staying in the boat. We have been out there a few times when the inside is full and you rock and roll a lot...Even with two large flopper stoppers set 10' and 15' off each side of a 44' boat with a keel you still move quite a bit

lIQUIDATEDdAMAGES said:

Better get some flopper stoppers if you are going to be in Hamilton or Descanso and plan on staying in the boat. We have been out there a few times when the inside is full and you rock and roll a lot...Even with two large flopper stoppers set 10' and 15' off each side of a 44' boat with a keel you still move quite a bit

Click to expand...

Yeah.
All nice and fun during the day then at 2AM, you're trying to sleep you be a rockin' and a rollin' and it's going to be a long night.

TPC said:

We've never moored at Hamilton.
Looks nice.
We're usually at the letter row by the fuel station.

Last 4th was amazing.
Fireworks but better yet the WWII airshow over the Harbor.

We'll be there the 4th for sure.
I usually bring the tow tube if you guys want to use it.

The dingy tours we run are like the golf cart runs at the river.

Click to expand...

We've never had to spend a night on the boat outside of the inner harbor. That shot was about 8am the morning we went over. HP was still clearing moorings and sorting things out so they put us outside until they can give us a inside mooring. We never have to wait long. I just thought the backdrop made this a nice shot of the boat.

Here's another picture of where we normally end up.

blefever said:

We've never had to spend a night on the boat outside of the inner harbor. That shot was about 8am the morning we went over. HP was still clearing moorings and sorting things out so they put us outside until they can give us a inside mooring. We never have to wait long. I just thought the backdrop made this a nice shot of the boat.

Here's another picture of where we normally end up.

Click to expand...

On a calm day Avalon is one of the best off shore Jet Ski places in the West.
But,, seems when ever we bring the Jet Ski over we never get a calm day to use it.
It's a lot of work bringing it over. Storing in on the island is $225.00 a month plus other expensive fees and work.

I'll be bringing the towable tube this year.
It's a blast.
No cross or oncoming boat traffic or PWCs that may harass us, just fun.

In Two Harbors, we meet families that are camping and that get real boring for kids real quick over there.

So we sometimes offer to take the kids of the parents we meet tubing.
Fun as hell.

we have a group that reserved slips in Dana Pt over Memorial Day weekend....if we get a nice day to run over we need to hook up for a soda...

Hot for Teacher said:

we have a group that reserved slips in Dana Pt over Memorial Day weekend....if we get a nice day to run over we need to hook up for a soda...

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Yep. :thumbup:

Great dialog you two. I'm a 25 year Avalon/ Two Harbor visitor.... I recall reading about that massive surge that wreaked havoc in Avalon. I'll be making some overnight visits on my new 29' Magic over next few months just to get re-conditioned after not having a boat for several years. I used to go across at dawn from Newport in a 23' go fast open bow that was a lower profile lake boat so this bigger beefy speedboat has a way deeper deadrise which will be so much better.

Best times as I'm sure you both know is in fall around late Sept-Nov when the crowds disappear and the water flattens out. Sorry to hear everyone found our Avalon these past few years and they got fancified. I'll be staying most likely at Banning House Lodge in Two Harbors when I head across. Shhhhhh... its a secret my brothers.

[email protected] said:

Great dialog you two. I'm a 25 year Avalon/ Two Harbor visitor.... I recall reading about that massive surge that wreaked havoc in Avalon. I'll be making some overnight visits on my new 29' Magic over next few months just to get re-conditioned after not having a boat for several years. I used to go across at dawn from Newport in a 23' go fast open bow that was a lower profile lake boat so this bigger beefy speedboat has a way deeper deadrise which will be so much better.

Best times as I'm sure you both know is in fall around late Sept-Nov when the crowds disappear and the water flattens out. Sorry to hear everyone found our Avalon these past few years and they got fancified. I'll be staying most likely at Banning House Lodge in Two Harbors when I head across. Shhhhhh... its a secret my brothers.

Click to expand...

My wife and I rode our bikes from Avalon to Two Harbors and spent the night at Banning House. It was July, the warm ocean breeze blowing thru the windows with the lace curtains fluttering was like a scene from a romantic movie. Unreal. And being able to look out either direction and see the pacific was nothing but a plus. Breakfast on the patio wasn't bad either. Great place.

Banning House.





They renovated some other houses in the area that are now available for rent.

The Latest. No solid date on Completion:
Avalon Harbor Patrol: The fuel is currently being distributed from the Rescue Dock, which is between the fuel dock and the pump-out float. The fuel hours are currently 8:00 am to 3:45 pm. The tank only holds 500 gallons of unleaded and 500 gallons of diesel, so please plan your fueling on the mainland with that in mind. We hope that the new fuel dock will be completed in the Spring.
Last week:

-Avalon Harbor Patrol

I took these pix this morning.
Word is forget completion this summer.
But the temp dock works ok for now.
Pump fed from the fuel truck on the dock.

Manager sez lucky if it's done by New Years.
The sea wall behind the dock itself is being reinforced paid out of the $150k reserve contingency fund.