HUNTINGTON BEACH : Parks Group Claims Success on Initiative

An environmental organization claimed success Tuesday in an initiative drive to prohibit the city from selling or leasing public land unless voters agree.

Debbie Cook, spokeswoman for Save Our Parks, said the initiative, if passed by voters on Nov. 6, would block city plans to lease beach-bluff land for the proposed Pierside Village restaurant project.

Cook claimed that the group has gathered 16,500 signatures on initiative petitions, enough to require an election.

“We’ve found out from talking to voters, as we gathered these signatures, that they’re disgusted with the City Council majority and that they think developers have too much influence in this city,” said Cook.

Mayor Thomas J. Mays called the Save Our Parks initiative a needless circumvention of representative democracy.

“A City Council is elected to make these kinds of day-to-day decisions,” Mays said. “I think people get tired of decision-making by the ballot box. I think people also are tired of the abuse of the initiative process.”

In contrast to Mays, Councilwoman Grace Winchell on Tuesday praised the initiative and said she hopes city voters will approve it in November. “I think (the initiative) is a rational approach,” she said. “I think people of the city want to make sure that a council, be it this one or one in the future, doesn’t lease or sell off parkland in an offhanded way or in time of a financial crunch without bringing the issue to the public.

“We are elected to the City Council by the people, it is true, but I think issues involving the parks and beaches are so near and dear to the people that they want double protection, and this (initiative) will provide that.”

Cook said Mays and the City Council majority have not heeded the environmental concerns of many residents.

The Save Our Parks initiative, an amendment to the City Charter, reads: “Any sale, lease or other disposition of park or beach lands would be subject to the prior affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the City Council and of the electors voting thereon at an election mandated by the measure. Such approval is also required prior to construction of any road, golf course, driving range, building larger than 3,000 square feet in floor area or of any structure costing more than $100,000 within any city-owned or operated park or beach.”

The initiative was launched last fall after some residents opposed a council proposal to lease an undeveloped portion of Central Park to a commercial firm to build a golf course. Residents opposed to the golf course formed Save Our Parks and spearheaded the effort to gather the 15,302 signatures of registered voters necessary to put an initiative on the ballot. If it passes, the initiative would also require a vote on the golf course proposal.

Cook said that as of Tuesday, Save Our Parks had gathered 16,500 voter signatures. The petitions will be turned in next month. The drive seeks to gather 18,000 signatures to provide a cushion when signatures on the petitions are verified, Cook said.

Cook said she is convinced that “99% of the voters are opposed to the city’s trying to lease or sell off our parks and beaches.” She added that she is confident that voters will approve the initiative and block any city proposals for development of beach or parkland.