Crescent City Harbor officials are eyeing a state grant that would pay for recreational opportunities at the port, including, potentially, a miniature golf course, dog park, food court and a ramp providing wheelchair access to South Beach.
A Statewide Park Program Grant could provide up to $8.5 million for the amenities listed above, according to Community System Solutions CEO Mike Bahr. These are items the public has asked for at meetings held in July 2025, Bahr said, and are aligned with Daniel Dahan’s priorities.
Dahan is the developer behind Crescent City Beach Village, LLC, which leases the property that would host nearly all of these public recreation features, Bahr said Wednesday.
CCHD Board Chairman Rick Shepherd explained why the grant could work for the Harbor District even though Crescent City Beach Village leases the property.
“The reality of it is it’s our property, we’re only leasing it to them,” Shepherd said. “If this came to fruition and there were things built in the location they’re looking at doing, we would probably do an amendment to the lease.”
The Statewide Park Program Grant was funded through the 2024 Proposition 4 Climate Bond and is available to local government agencies including special districts. The application deadline is Dec. 17. The grant would be awarded next summer.
According to a proposed layout that Bahr included in his staff report, the parcel under consideration for most of the recreational features is between Starfish Way and Bayside RV Park. It’s currently used for boat storage.
Other potential features for the space include an indoor rec room, a barbecue and picnic area and a space for outdoor events.
The proposed ADA ramp to South Beach would be across from the intersection of Starfish Way at Anchor Way. The Crescent City Harbor District manages that property, though the ramp would cross over a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers levy.
The grant would require the amenities to be operational for 30 years, according to Bahr’s staff report. In addition to bringing the grant application back to the CCHD Board of Commissioners for review and approval, along with a project outline and budget, Bahr said commissioners would also receive a letter of intent from Dahan.
The letter of intent would be a precursor to the lease amendment with the Harbor District. That amendment would state that Crescent City Beach Village would agree to provide public access, be responsible for maintaining the amenities and carry insurance for those facilities, Bahr told commissioners.
The Crescent City Harbor District would be responsible for maintaining the wheelchair ramp to South Beach, Bahr said.
CCHD Commissioner Annie Nehmer said she had broached the topic of using grant money to provide better access to South Beach for years. People struggle to get through the rocks and onto the sand, she said.
But for the miniature golf course, food court and other amenities, Nehmer wondered how parking would work. She also addressed the issue of where the “ugly boats that have been there for so many years” would be stored.
“Right now our current fees haven’t been brought back to the Board so we can publish them,” Nehmer said. “But when we do finally bring them back and bring the storage rate back down to a comparable level with Brookings, there won’t be enough room in storage to accommodate the fishing fleet. Where are all those boats going and why does it have to displace the commercial fleet storage?”
Nehmer also asked what would happen if Dahan decided to walk away from his lease, especially since the grant requires the public recreation amenities to be maintained for 30 years.
Crescent City Harbormaster Mike Rademaker said there will be one or two boats moved to the harbor’s storage yard on the north side of the port.
The harbormaster promised to speak with the developer about Nehmer’s concerns. Dahan is agreeable to the letter of intent, Rademaker said, which will come back before the Board of Commissioners at an upcoming meeting.
