Editorial

When Lodwrick M. Cook first hinted that he wanted to move his existing

pier 40 feet to the east so he could dock his 55-foot yacht there, his

fellow Balboa Island residents grew outraged, firing off more than 50

letters to the Daily Pilot.

Only two letters supported Cook’s desire, and one drew a couple more

attacks as a result. The two writers suggested that a property owner has

rights and should be able to do as he or she pleases.

It would appear, however, that the masses do not support Cook’s

request to park his boat in front of his two South Bay Front residences.

For one, Balboa Island residents point out that Cook doesn’t live in

either of the homes, instead making his residence in Sherman Oaks. What

drew the residents’ largest criticism, though, was the proposed

configurations of Cook’s boat: parallel to the beach.

Newport Beach city officials denied Cook’s request to move the pier.

At the time, Councilman Steve Bromberg, who lives on Little Balboa

Island, said the city made the right decision, but then made his own

request -- that the boat be docked temporarily to allow everyone a peek

at how it affects the view.

When Cook’s family brought the yacht in for that brief docking last

week, though, it parked perpendicular to the beach. Bromberg said, “Right

now, as the policy is written, that boat can stay there.”

A few residents disagreed, continuing to point out that the yacht is

large. But the city never set a maximum size for boats that are docked

along piers. Bromberg said City Council members should take a look at

that.

We agree with the majority of the island’s residents, and we believe

the boat should not be allowed to dock parallel to the beach. Further, we

urge city officials to stick with their original decision and not succumb

to pressure from the rather influential Lodwrick Cook or his

acquaintances, some of whom are rumored to be living in the nation’s

capital.

Cook should realize that there are other places to park large yachts.

Still, if there are no rules against parking such a yacht along the

pier perpendicular to the beach, the city must allow it unless the law is

otherwise amended.

Instead, we would urge the Cooks to be good neighbors -- especially

because they said this week that they plan to occupy one of the

residences -- and yield to their neighbors’ wishes, even if it means

parking the yacht elsewhere.

While they can point out that, as property owners, they have the right

to dock their yacht there, it still doesn’t hurt to be neighborly.