Coastal board questions club’s public access

June Casagrande

Valet parking does not create the kind of welcoming public access

that the Balboa Bay Club should promote, a California Coastal

Commission official says.

Commission representatives say they will visit the just-renovated

Bay Club next week to make sure that free self-parking is easily

accessible to the public.

“Historically, this is a private club that now is being opened up

to the public. The perception created by all-valet parking is that

this is either exclusive or private,” said Teresa Henry, district

manager of the California Coastal Commission’s South Coast District.

The club has long operated as an exclusive private facility on

public land -- an arrangement that didn’t sit right with the

commission and some other officials.

When it was time for the club to renew its lease on the state- and

city-owned site, the commission in 1999 ruled that the club must

begin providing some public access.

Members of the public should have access to the club land,

especially the boardwalk behind the historic club, and they should

get 30 minutes of free parking while they’re there, Henry said. The

club is permitted to have 76 valet-only spaces for its member guests,

but adequate self-parking spaces must be available to the public,

Henry said.

Bay Club Chief Executive Dave Wooten was out of town and could not

be reached for comment late Friday.

Councilman Tod Ridgeway said that a council member had verified

that the club was fulfilling its requirement to provide free parking

to the public, but only through valet parking. In addition to the air

of exclusivity created by valet parking, motorists also might feel

obligated to tip the valets, he said.

“Valet parking has a chilling effect on the public and on public

access,” Ridgeway said. “I happen to be a full-access guy. Coastal

access and public access is very important throughout the harbor and

the city.”

The new lease also requires the club to have signs that clearly

announce that the public is welcome on the property.

A Coastal Commission visit to the club last week showed that the

Bay Club is in compliance with its sign requirement, Henry said.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.