Letters/Online Comments

Re: Talks over Avalon’s Casino Dock Café have reached an impasse (Sept. 22-Oct. 5 issue)

 “Acting in bad faith”

It would seem the city council is acting in bad faith or unable to look at this from a business standpoint. The Armstrongs are ready, willing and able to commit a large sum of money to build a permanent structure that would benefit the city. The city counters with design requirements that are not conducive to allowing an adequate eating area to allow for a profit (unless the customers are going to eat in the bathroom). Next the city haggles over a five to ten year period on the lease? Thirty-five or forty years – that is so far out – that the lease will live longer than any of the negotiators. Now the city is talking about food trucks – the owners of which would have a minimum outlay in cash, and no permanent structure to build? This would mean that if the food truck doesn’t generate enough revenue, they could just load it back on the barge and head for greener pastures. And what type of food is this food truck going to provide? No, they really do need to rethink their posture.

Jerry Clanton

 

Re: CenterCal: The Tale of Two Waterfront Developments (Sept. 22-Oct. 5 issue)

 No need for more shopping

I question the need for more shopping. Within 0.5 miles, you have the Marketplace, Marina Pacifica, and Marina Shores malls/shopping centers. Really, we need yet another shopping facility? Also, there is no mention of “The Main Street” concept proposed by the Southeast Area Specific Plan or SEASP. Long Beach has already accepted a $929,000 grant from California Department of Conservation to help fund this project. Indicated is development for 2,500 new residential units, and reducing commercial development roughly 10 percent. Sounds like some conflicts of interest are looming.

Bob Eberwine

 

Re: Foiling catamarans out; monohulls back in for 2021 America’s Cup (Sept. 22-Oct. 5 issue)

 Will miss the big cats

As someone that has sailed catamarans all my life, I can relate to them more as a sailor than monohulls. I’ll miss the big cats.

Anthony

 

Re: Boaters question enforcement of marina rules in Long Beach (Sept. 8-21 issue)

 BOA supports Marine Bureau

I take issue with your article implying that Long Beach Marine Bureau managers were not enforcing the Marina Rules and Regulations concerning derelict vessels, or were doing so capriciously. The article quoted a member of the Board of Directors of the Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association (BOA). He was voicing his own opinion and not that of the BOA Board.        BOA fully supports marina management in its enforcement of Marina Rules & Regulations. Boat owners who feel they have not been fairly treated by management can request a formal hearing by the Long Beach Marine Advisory Commission (MAC). I have … been in attendance when the MAC hears complaints from boaters who are being evicted from their slips due to violation of rules and procedures. My belief is that these boaters were consistently treated fairly and were given repeated opportunities to correct their behavior before management imposed sanctions. In my opinion, marina managers do not behave capriciously in their governance of marina affairs.

Tom Mayes, PhD.

President, Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association

Many marinas lack enforcement of rules

Lack of enforcement of the rules for maintaining boats in slips (and moorings) is an ongoing problem in every marina I’ve been in. Many boats go for months—even years—without being used or maintained. They not only contribute to the visual degradation of the marina, but many become hazards due to insufficient or no proper bonding and/or shore-power cords. This can cause stray current to affect other boats and, from what I’m told, can contribute to their expense for more electrolysis prevention and actual damage to their outdrives. A marina should be a place to come and sit on our boats and enjoy the view – not to have to be subjected to a filthy, deteriorated boat next door. The marina operators should realize many people wanting to enjoy their boats are on waiting lists and cause these irresponsible tenants to remove their boats.

Wayne Ford

Waiting list is a joke

In my personal experience, dealing with the Long Beach Marine Bureau has been a total joke. We paid to be on their “waiting list” for a smaller slip for years. After several years of paying the more than $50 “waiting list fee” (what nonsense is that?), I finally told them to remove me when they called this year to complain that I hadn’t re-upped on the waiting list fee. This comes after years of assurances that the new construction in LB marinas would yield additional slips. Most recently I received a verbal “pat on the head” when I inquired as to my place on the waiting list and prospects for the future. I think I’ll save the money spent on the ridiculous “waiting list fee” and simply berth elsewhere, where my business is appreciated and I am treated respectfully. It seems that the LB Marine Bureau is run completely at the discretion of the director with very little in the way of recourse for those of us in the boating community who are not insiders. Pretty familiar-sounding if you have lived in, and voted in, Long Beach for any significant length of time. We have been very happy in our new marina in San Pedro. Good luck, LB slipholders! We once wished to be among that number, but no longer.

Mark V.

Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *