Harbor Commission to Discuss Mavericks Permit, Pillar Point Study

San Mateo County Harbor District Commissioners are scheduled tonight to discuss an application for the sole permit to run the annual Mavericks surf contest, a pollution study at Pillar Point Harbor and wages and salaries for the upcoming fiscal year, among other business.

A group called Mavericks Community, LLC has applied for a Limited Commercial Activity Permit to run the contest, according to the meeting agenda. The agenda calls for a recommended action to approve the application with the condition that the permit for the "event" be restricted to Princeton Beach.

Surf blogger Cyrus Saatsaz reported last night on SF Gate that Katherine Kelly Clark is a leader of the Mavericks Community, LLC group. Self-described "matriarch" of Mavericks, Katherine Kelly Clark co-founded and co-organized the first contest in 1999 along with ex-husband and Mavericks big-wave surfing veteran Jeff Clark.

In the article, Saatsaz quotes Jeff Clark, who expressed concern over this potential action. "There is a group trying to get a permit for a contest at Mavericks. They are claiming to be the Mavericks Community, I don't know anyone in the community that has been invited," Clark was quoted in Saatsaz's article. "Please come (to the meeting) and ask questions, who are they and what other options are there. Help me protect Maverick's from the pretenders!" Saatsaz quoted Clark as saying.

Last month, Clark told Saatsaz that he would be interested in taking over the surf contest. The Harbor Commission re-issues the permit each year to a chosen applicant.

Harbor Commissioners will also discuss a Pillar Point pollution circulation study (focused on the movement of fecal pollution throughout the harbor) conducted by the (RCD) and partner organizations. Though original funding was granted by the state's Water Resources Control Board, the San Mateo County Harbor District authorized $15,000 of supplemental funding to the study last fall so that it can be completed.

Data has been collected through testing water samples for bacteria associated with fecal pollution, along with the genetic testing of bacteria samples to trace it back to its host source, according to the RCD.

The RCD will serve as the study's project manager and use the collected data to determine how the fecal pollution circulates in Pillar Point Harbor.

Partners for the circulation study include (list provided by RCD): UC Davis, Balance Hydrologics, San Mateo County (SMC) Public Health Laboratory, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Granada Sanitary District, SMC Environmental Health Services, City of Santa Barbara Creeks Division, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Sewer Authority Midcoastside, Coastal Commission, SMC Harbor District, San Francisco Estuary Institute, Surfrider SMC, County of Santa Cruz Environmental Health Services.

Fiscal matters for 2011-2012 will be discussed at the commissioners' meeting, including:

• Wage and Salary Classification Schedule for fiscal year 2011-2012
• Awarding contract for Pillar Point Harbor abandoned waste oil tank removal as "lowest responsible bidder"
• Continued public hearing on Preliminary Operating and Capital Budget for fiscal year 2011-12

The Harbor Commission meeting is open to the public and will meet at 7 p.m. tonight at the (2930 Cabrillo Hwy N, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 650-712-1999) in Half Moon Bay.