MAILBAG - Feb. 15, 2008

Kudos to commission for rejecting toll road

On behalf of the coalition of groups including the Surfrider Foundation, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Native Americans and the thousands of citizens who attended the Coastal Commission hearing, we applaud the California Coastal Commissioners for not caving into the special interests of the developers of the ill-conceived 241 Toll Road extension.

The Commission’s 8-2 vote was a very loud and resounding yes to protecting our environment.

In looking at how the commissioners voted, I found it surprising that three of the governor’s four appointees voted against his recommendation.

Commissioner Steve Blank, a Schwarzenegger appointee, said he remains an ardent supporter of the governor, but he had to vote his conscience…meaning no toll road through a state park. What myself, as well as many others, find really disheartening is that some of our “pro-toll road” local elected officials entrusted to run our cities clearly displayed a conflict of interest and even one week later, continue to misrepresent facts as well as blatantly disregard the will of the people they represent. One city councilwoman stated “opponents, surfers and others have exaggerated the environmental impacts of the plan…they want to keep this little haven to themselves.”

The fact is San Onofre State Beach has more than 2 million visitors a year and is the fifth most-visited state park in all of California. That is far from a “little haven.” She is also quoted, “I am convinced the toll road won’t disturb the state park or Trestles beach.” I would like to know what her scientific credentials are that allow her to make such definitive statements.

Many other laughable comments were made by other local elected officials Feb. 6 …too many to go into. In contrast, a very trusted coastal commission staff released a detailed 230+ page report that on every single account demonstrated “scientifically” that the proposed toll road is inconsistent with the Coastal Act. Contrary to what the TCA would like the Orange County commuter to believe, the OCTA’s own maps show that this toll road extension as well as the existing toll roads will be our county’s least-traveled roads.

Residents of South Orange County know full well that this toll road does nothing to eliminate local day-to-day traffic congestion on our freeways. If the toll road truly relieved traffic then I-5 and 405 would flow clear and pure like the San Mateo creek. But just like the shallow and murky TCA promises, traffic doesn’t flow smoothly and a new toll road will do nothing to ease traffic in South O.C.

The TCA will not give up its appetite for concrete, and even more so now, the educated residents will only pay attention more, get involved more and rally to save our precious open space.

Kudos to the Coastal Commission for preserving this precious state park, wetlands, world-renown surf break, and Native American spiritual site for generations to come.

RICK ERKENEFF

Dana Point

[Rick Erkeneff is chairman of the Surfrider Foundation South Orange County Chapter.]

Without the Boom, no reason to visit Laguna

I haven’t been to Laguna Beach one single time since the Boom closed in September. I am sure the city has lost major “gay dollars” of weekenders like me from L.A. who shop, eat out, stay in nice hotels and of course buy drinks at my favorite club, the Boom Boom Room. I reside in Los Angeles, but have been coming to Laguna Beach two or three weekends per month since moving here in 1992 after graduating from Texas State University.

The Boom was always packed with a great diverse group of people wanting to meet new people, play pool, dance and have fun. I have heard the Boom provided the second or third highest tax revenue to the city of Laguna Beach.

I have a problem with the new owner, Mr. Udvar-Hazy. He is one of the wealthiest men in the world and could buy any property in the world, but what he chose to buy was a historic gay bar — our gay hub. I find it absolutely outrageous that a billionaire investor would buy a gay club which was a successful/busy/fun place and just shut it down. I don’t think Donald Trump would do that.

This is a very special piece of property that has been around for generations and adjoins the HIV/AIDS Memorial Garden just below the Coast Inn on the bluff going down to the beach.

Mr. Hazy should fix up this run-down property, make it an amazing hotel, redo the bar, make it a “cool” lounge and re-do the dance floor. He could make it the No. 1 gay resort in the world.

All Mr. Udvar-Hazy has to do is an economic study on the disposable income of gays. He’d quickly find out how we love to travel and don’t mind spending money to enjoy life with friends.

I totally agree with the Lukash cartoon last week — he should give us back our past and make a bright future for his investment by building a new club/lounge/hotel/restaurant for gays to enjoy on the amazing Pacific Ocean.

THOMAS MILLER

Los Angeles