LBCC Leaves $$$ Part Out of MLPA Process

SMR For Entire LB Coastline: The Road to Fiscal Hell is Paved with Good Intentions

“Man who ask impossible question come up with impossible answer.” Charlie Chan

The Laguna Beach City Council decision was a typical example of voting with the heart and not with the head.

Or in this case, taxpayers wallets. There’s no sense in creating a 7-mile long State Marine Reserve (no take) zone if you can’t enforce it.

Credit Councilman Kelly Boyd for voting against it because it’s probably impossible to enforce.

MIA was projected costs, a detailed, long-term fiscal analysis of what’s being proposed. Why weren’t they included in the discussion at the hearing? The 800 lb. fish in the LBCC Chambers was honest financial accountability.

Why didn’t the LBCC invite our new Chief of Marine Safety Kevin Snow to explain enforcement dynamics and increased projected budget amounts for his department?

Violations could take place dawn to dusk, so how many Marine Safety personnel would it take to enforce and protect a SMR 7 days a week, year round?

First, our guards don’t have a Boston Whaler or inflatable Zodiac-type with a 20 HP motor to provide them with a critical tool. You can’t expect them to swim out hundreds of meters with tanks and snorkels, then confront a probably hostile violator. So a small boat with two (2) officers seems necessary.

Second,we’d need to enforce it 7 days a week, 365 days a year, that means we’d actually need 4 such officers. Not new guards, but crossed-trained veterans that can also dive and be enough of a physical presence to discourage a potentially violent confrontation.

Third, IF we had a boat, where would it be stored and launched? How many guards would it take to get it into and out of the water with an outboard engine? What happens during high surf, difficult to launch days?

Conclusion:

We’d need a total of 4 regular officers at an average of $65,000+ per year to achieve dawn-to-dusk, 7 days-a-week enforcement.

Conservatively, $20,000 for a state-of the-art boat, diving gear, GPS instruments, etc. even though we presently have no place to store or launch.

The proposed HQ rehab would need to be altered for the 100th time to accommodate the new equipment. Cost: Who knows?

An upgraded concrete ramp requiring Cal Coastal Commission, DFG, et al approval would need to be constructed, probably in front of the Marine Safety HQ at Main Beach. Cost: Who knows? PS: I’m sure the SAVE MAIN BEACH crowd will love that.

A total first year budget: $300,000+ (HQ reconfiguration costs not included)

Second year: $260,000+ for personnel, plus regular O & M costs for the equipment.

They say if you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it.

Then too maybe we can’t afford to keep electing officials who intentionally or ignorantly avoid the 800 lb. fish in the room: Enforcement demands.

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

This might just be such a path, and the Devil is in the details that were unjustly avoided Tuesday night.