Business View Civil & Municipal - May 2023

46 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 5 About this designation, City Manager Mike Killebrew says much of the credit goes to the two local whale tour owners, Donna Kalez and Gisele Anderson, who joined forces to make it happen. “They really took a leadership role in promoting Dana Point to the esteemed organization. A big part of our history and our industry in Dana Point is whale watching. The coast is a natural migratory path for whales, and it is big business and a big part of our culture here. The designation is an honor, and we celebrate our heritage regularly.” Don Hansen, owner of one of Dana Point’s original whale-watching tour companies was also instrumental to the city, heavily involved in the creation of a Dana Point State Marine Conservation Area, a project that was many years in the making. Killebrew notes,“Sustainability is in our DNA. Because so much of our livelihoods, lifestyle, and culture has to do with the ocean, there is a big emphasis on sustainability and protection.” He describes beach clean-ups and sustainability programs organized by various community groups, adding,“The city invests heavily in keeping the ocean clean, through water treatment facilities in town, and through education. Protecting the ocean is obviously top of mind not only for the city government but there’s a lot of people in town that make protecting the oceans their daily dedication.” In other green initiatives, Dana Point has banned single-use plastics and Styrofoam with very little issue from the community. The city also invests heavily in water runoff treatment, as he explains, “We’ve got what’s known as Salt Creek in the northern part of our town, which is a drainage creek for the uphill inland areas, and we have an ozone treatment plant, right next to Salt Creek and Monarch Beach.We treat the runoff and release clean water back to the ocean.” The installation of trash filtration screens over every storm drain also helps to keep debris out of the water and keep the city clean. Recycling and green waste disposal are also taken seriously, as well as outreach and education efforts about sustainability. “We support at least four non-profit groups for beach DANA POINT , CAL I FORNI A