Bolsa Preservationists Lose Bid to Join Parade

The city’s Fourth of July Executive Board this week let stand its decision not to allow the Bolsa Chica Land Trust to participate in this year’s holiday parade.

The board had voted last week to oust the environmental group, citing safety concerns and contending that in 1995 two Land Trust supporters passed out bookmarks along the parade route, a violation of parade rules.

Bill Fowler, city superintendent of recreation and human services, said parade participants are not allowed to hand out, throw or propel anything along the parade route.

Land Trust members complained Monday to the City Council, which directed the Fourth of July panel to reconsider. But a motion to reinstate the group did not pass.

Debbie Cook, spokeswoman for the Land Trust, which advocates preserving the Bolsa Chica wetlands, alleged that the group is being unfairly singled out by the board.

“The committee insisted on imposing special constraints on the Land Trust but on no other rule violators,” Cook said in a statement.

“The Land Trust has never received any written communication from the committee, continues to agree to abide by the rules . . . and agrees to do its best to keep all of its 50 participants from violating any of the parade rules,” Cook said.

Mayor Dave Sullivan said Wednesday that there appears to be a simple way to resolve the situation: “The Land Trust has said they’re willing to comply with the rules, so therefore they should be included in the parade.”

The City Council may reconsider the issue at its meeting Monday, officials said.