Project Plans for City’s Coast
Your editorial “Officials Forget Their Duty on Beach Access” (Nov. 16) was truly misleading and showed a total lack of understanding about Huntington Beach’s proposed Pier Plaza and Pierside Village projects, which you purport will limit public access.
The truth of the matter is that the proposed improvements along our beachfront will significantly increase beach accessways and beach parking. It will also create a pier plaza and park area of four acres for access and enjoyment of all cities free of charge, an amenity that does not now exist.
You also failed to mention that the parking fee at the city beach is the same as at the adjacent Huntington and Bolsa Chica state beaches with the exception of our $1 surcharge, which is being set aside to rebuild our 85-year-old Municipal Pier. Since 85% of the people using our pier are non-residents, it seems only fair that they pay a small share of building a new pier.
Huntington Beach is very proud of the nine miles of unobstructed views of our beach and sunsets along Pacific Coast Highway. Huntington Beach City Councils, past and present, should be lauded for protecting this resource, which no other urban city in California has had the pride to do. Is Newport Beach a coastal city? Is Dana Point or even Laguna Beach? You would hardly ever know it by driving through those cities along Pacific Coast Highway.
It may disappoint you to know that the State Lands Commission is not opposed to our currently proposed projects but only wants assurance that no additional projects are planned that may block views or access. There are none, never have been, and hopefully never will be if future City Councils maintain the same wisdom as the past and present have.
On Dec. 4, the preliminary plans for the Pierside Village and Pier Plaza projects will be presented to the public at the City Council meeting. That will be the chance for your editorial writer to do something he needs, which is to research before he writes.
PAUL E. COOK
City Administrator
Huntington Beach
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