Alternate plan for Marinapark doesn’t measure up

Christine Dabbs

Thursday evening, Sept. 9, I attended the Peninsula Point Homeowners

Association meeting. Stephen Sutherland gave a presentation for the

proposed hotel/resort at the Marinapark location on the peninsula,

and Tom Billings, an opponent of Sutherland’s project, gave a

presentation for a soccer field.

The soccer field plan presented by Billings included a boat ramp

located next to the American Legion. Adjacent to this boat ramp and

continuing down the bay beach would be the grass soccer field.

Further down the beach, next to the soccer field, would be a circular

grass area with picnic tables, and next to this area would be another

circular grass area with a bandstand stage. The tennis courts and

basketball court would be relocated to the side of 18th Street, with

the parking lot along Newport Boulevard. The plan completely ignores

the city community center and Girl Scout House. Neither would be

rebuilt into new facilities but remain as they are, and the American

Legion be remodeled.

A question from the audience was raised about parking. Billings

was unable to give any definite answers about parking -- the number

of parking spaces needed or whether the area would even be large

enough to accommodate enough needed parking. During the presentation,

there was no mention who would pay to build or maintain the facility.

By contrast, during Sutherland’s resort presentation, we learned

city funds would not be used to build the project, including the

complete rebuilding of the city community center, Girl Scout House

and remodeling of the American Legion. The new Girl Scout House will

include increased square footage, a new commercial kitchen, separate

parking and security, including cameras. They will also have their

own private, fenced, outdoor grassy area and fire ring for scout

activities. Currently, the Girl Scouts’ boating activities are held

in the Back Bay, but once the new Girl Scout House is completed, all

their boating activities will be moved to this peninsula location. It

would be wonderful for our girls to enjoy scouting activities in a

first-class setting. The second-floor community center, with an

outdoor patio, would be a great facility to offer Oasis Senior Center

activities that are not currently offered in this part of the city

for our senior residents. I can assure you my mother and her friends

would use and enjoy the atmosphere of the hotel restaurant and a new,

modern community center for playing bridge much more than they would

ever use a park bench.

The public boardwalk along the bay beach will be improved and

provide better public access than what is available today. Much has

been made of the time-share aspect of the resort. Only 12 of the 110

units would be offered in three-month increments for individuals’

use. These individuals, who are unable to live here full time, could

enjoy the very best of our city for a few months at one time. I would

be very happy to extend a warm welcome to these individuals. I ask

myself, have opponents of the resort really thought through just what

a soccer field, grassy areas with picnic tables and a bandstand would

mean? Or, are they so blinded against our City Council and the word

“developer” that they walk around with blinders on? Just who do they

think will actually use this park?

Having a family home on the peninsula for over 50 years, I can

guarantee you the people who would use the soccer field and picnic

tables will be day trippers from surrounding cities. They will

generate increased traffic, use our free services and we will end up

paying for it. The American Legion, Girl Scouts, as well as

surrounding neighbors, will certainly have concerns about vandalism,

trash, bandstand noise and unwanted late-night activities from a

neighboring soccer field and picnic bandstand area. Aside from the

income and water-quality improvements the resort will bring to the

city, the beach will always remain open to the public; everyone, not

just hotel guests, may be served a meal on the beach from the hotel

restaurant; city sailing programs will continue to expand; the

Marinapark resort will offer the peninsula what a soccer field never

could -- elegance; and it will become a notable landmark for the

Balboa Peninsula.

A “Yes” vote on Measure L is a vote to bring elegance to the

peninsula.

* CHRISTINE DABBS is a Balboa Peninsula resident.