Harbor project chief quits

The Orange County official in charge of overseeing the repair and redevelopment of the Dana Point Marina resigned Tuesday, saying regulatory approvals for the work were taking longer than he anticipated when he accepted the job.

George Caravalho came out of retirement to become the director of Dana Point Harbor in March 2005, after a career working for the state and in city management. He had previously served as city manager of Riverside but was fired in a dispute with the City Council.

Caravalho, 68, said the multiple projects underway at the harbor -- including development of a commercial center, dredging and boat launch ramp construction -- required approval from myriad local, state and federal agencies, and was dragging on.

“It was time for me to leave,” Caravalho said, adding that he had been thinking of the move for two months.

The county’s chief executive, Thomas Mauk, declined to comment on Caravalho’s departure, effective June 30. A statement from the county said it would begin searching for a successor to oversee the harbor project.

christian.berthelsen

@latimes.com