Beach Parking Fee

* Re “Residents Fear Plan Will Boost RV Traffic,” June 8.

A free, open, pristine, unspoiled and unrestricted part of our coastline is in danger of being developed into fee parking and overnight recreational vehicle camping. The county wants to do this not because it has a good plan (the plan has been shelved repeatedly) and not because it would improve this part of the coast (it would virtually eliminate access by the current users) but because it has a temporary deficit.

The people who actually use this beach are very diverse. Some pull up to eat their lunches or just to look out at the ocean for a few minutes. Big-rig truckers can now easily pull off and take a rest; eliminating this option would make our highways less safe.

Ventura County high school kids have been using the beach at Solimar for years; they have no extra money to pay parking fees. Plus, as a tempering agent for teenage angst, the ocean with its big waves is vastly superior to drug usage.

The $470,000 this proposal would bring in is a drop in the bucket of a $1.06-billion county budget. I am optimistic that our American ability to innovate can come to our rescue and prevent the destruction of one of our few free and open areas.

JOHN S. LANDA

Ventura