Hotel Plan Seen as Compromise

The Monaghan hotel at Long Point as approved by the Rancho Palos Verdes Planning Commission represents a reasonable compromise for a first-class hotel. The nine-hole golf course will also fit in well with the hotel project, especially since it will be built and operated by private enterprise.

Long Point was developed many years ago as Marineland; the proposed hotel will not take virgin land but rather converts the same land from one use to another. The appeal of the Planning Commission will delay the project and cost the city much-needed tax revenue. In addition, it will play into Jacki Bacharach’s land grab plan for a municipal (tax-supported) golf course. She needs Monaghan’s land, along with Point Vicente Park for her $19-million boondoggle. (This includes $14.87 million for the project, $3 million for a replacement City Hall, $1.74 million in debt services). The appeal reopens these issues.

The Bacharach golf course would be government owned, taxpayer supported and is consistent with her beliefs in bigger government and more taxes! The golf course income, even though it is projected optimistically and spending is underestimated, would only be 1.07 times the debt service. According to Rancho Palos Verdes City’s own consultants, this is inadequate for a fiscally viable project as ratios of 1.1 to 1.2 are preferred.

Let’s get on with the Long Point Hotel. It will be a financial asset to R.P.V. The Bacharach golf course should be abandoned, as it will be a financial disaster to the taxpayers. The Monaghan golf course and the proposed 18-hole Hon-Zukerman course, both privately financed, should be more than adequate to meet the needs of golfers.

For the long-range benefit of Palos Verdes Peninsula, we recommend that all of the community-oriented organizations work together to minimize development of virgin land and to preserve the landslide area as permanent open space. We further recommend that a dedicated fund for purchase of the landslide be established based on voluntary contributions (not tax money) and negotiations started with R.P.V. City Hall and the landowners for this purpose. The Santa Cruz Island Land Conservancy was able to purchase the Santa Cruz Island with tax exempt contributions. Why can’t we do the same in R.P.V.?

AUDREY & ALAN CARLAN, Rancho Palos Verdes