Council Set to OK Pier Reconstruction

The City Council on Monday night is poised to approve plans to strengthen and rebuild the city’s wooden pier to its original 1,958-foot length.

If the plan is approved, the city clerk’s office would advertise for bids to be received July 8.

Powerful winter waves lopped 425 feet off the beloved Ventura landmark in December 1995.

The estimated cost to strengthen the pier and rebuild it to its original length is $3.3 million. The city received $2 million from an insurance policy, leaving a shortfall of about $1 million.

According to the city staff report and the design submitted for approval, $795,654 of the total will be used to strengthen the existing pier with steel pipes.

Engineers estimate these measures will double the pier’s strength.

In the meantime, the city continues to try to secure more money to cover the additional $1 million needed to build the pier out to its original length. In May, the state Department of Fish and Game’s Wildlife Conservation Board agreed to pay $250,000 toward restoration of the pier.

The City Council also will decide Monday whether to apply for a $200,000 grant from the state Resources Agency to rebuild the pier. A final decision on that grant should be made by October.

City engineers say they hope reconstruction of the pier will begin in August so the wooden landmark will be reinforced before winter.