History

How we became the Newport Boating Association (NBA)

 

A look back at the1957 advertising dreamed up by the developers of the Newport Boating Association included these descriptions:

“Newport on the San Rafael Canal”  “Deep waterfront homesites and homes” “Marin’s newest deep water subdivision”  touted the 35 home sites along the San Rafael Canal that were available for purchase.  The area reminded the developers of the Newport Beach boating community, hence the name.

Overhead photos of the area in those days showed wide open spaces with only 2 or 3 homes  along the Canal .  Over the next decades, homes were built on all but one of the home sites, and the densely populated apartment buildings in the area also made their appearance. Boating and other water related activities were the main interests of home owners.

The developers formed a California nonprofit corporation in 1957, described  as a homeowners association with the usual bylaws, covenants and restrictions, officers, committees, etc.  Binding all of the properties was the joint ownership by the homeowners of a Canal waterfront strip, described in the County record books as Parcel A.  Modest Marin County taxes on Parcel A were paid by the homeowners on a prorated basis.  Over the decades, interest in maintaining the association waned, and the non- profit corporation was suspended by the Secretary of State for failure to file required reports. Taxes to the County continued to be paid by volunteer homeowners.

As new homeowners appeared in the “Newport Subdivision”, interested and concerned  neighbors took on the task of resurrecting the suspended association.  The importance of legal and joint ownership of Parcel  A and payment of taxes by a legally compliant entity approved by the State of California was the overarching goal.  The effort that began in 2005 by a small group of concerned homeowners culminated in the approval by the State of California Secretary of State and Franchise Tax Board of the newly organized Newport Boating Association in  2011.

The State reclassified the association as a social welfare organization and waived the 35 years of back penalties.  The door was open for the association to reinvent itself and to focus on  resident friendly and San Rafael Canal protection activities.

New bylaws were enacted in 2012 that identified these purposes:

  • The protection of property values for the homes that comprise the Newport Boating Association
  • Prompt payment of Marin County taxes on Parcel A
  • Contributing to the maintenance of the San Rafael Canal through community dredging that promotes navigability and usefulness of the Canal
  • Advancing safe practices for boaters and compliance with city and county regulations regarding the use of the San Rafael Canal
  •  Promoting responsibility for each other’s welfare and safety

Today, in 2015, the association is in total legal compliance with the state, has a solid business foundation, and more importantly, the homeowners have come together in common cause to pursue and achieve goals to protect the precious asset that lies just outside their doors.

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