Arbitrators have reached an interim decision in a dispute between the Crescent City Harbor District and Fashion Blacksmith, a tenant of the port for more than 42 years.

In a statement Wednesday, harbor officials said the district will continue to “pursue all legal remedies available to resolve the issues in a way that is responsible to both parties.” But they did not say what was in the interim decision.

“Unfortunately, the lease with Fashion Blacksmith was a product of a different regulatory landscape and the District found it would be nearly impossible to meet the requirements due to permitting issues,” Crescent City Harbor District officials stated.

According to Harbormaster Tim Petrick on Thursday, Fashion Blacksmith’s lease received “a few amendments,” specifically in 1996 and in 2015.

In 1996, a provision in that lease required the Harbor District to dredge underneath Fashion Blacksmith’s synchrolift to a depth of at least negative 18 feet from mean lower low water.

While the Harbor District never had the necessary permits to dredge to that depth, regulations were more relaxed in 1996 and “it wasn’t really an issue,” Petrick said. Regulations and enforcement have become stricter in recent years, he said.

Petrick said he’s been pursuing the necessary permits to complete dredging legally as soon as possible.

Petrick and the Crescent City Harbor District Board of Commissioners have explored different options to obtain the needed permits to dispose of nearly 10 years of accumulated fine silt and soil in its dredge ponds.

Removing that material has been a major hurdle to the port being able to resume dredging around its inner and outer boat basins, including the docks near Fashion Blacksmith.

According to Petrick, Fashion Blacksmith’s lease runs through 2035.
Fashion Blacksmith owner Ted Long could not be reached for comment. His attorney, George Mavris, was also unavailable for comment.

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