Ted Vaill is quoted in your May 9 article “Grassroots group to fight Coastal Commission Malibu land use plan” as saying that “There’s plenty of beach access for citizens of Malibu and for the visitors.” Given the bad press that Malibu and its beach residents have gotten recently, one has to ask if Malibu-beach residents are not badly missing the point.
The question in my mind isn’t whether throngs want to sun on Malibu’s private beaches and ogle the rich and famous. As most persons will agree, these beaches are narrow and there are neither adequate facilities nor parking. Most importantly, the public portion is below the mean high-tide line. The main activity that this sliver of wet sand can support is walking. A few persons might fish in the surf, kayak or surf, but these require at least a little room for stowing gear. I have been walking the beaches of Santa Monica Bay for more than 50 years. Malibu beaches are easily my favorite for their beauty. However, it would be difficult for me to miss all that the beach residents are doing to deter me from walking there. For a contrast to the ample sidewalks, dedicated parking strips and open parking in much of Santa Monica, where I live, look at Malibu. For example, in the distance between the Zonker Harris walkway and Duke’s restaurant, there is no beach access and residents are pushing to prevent any. On the PCH side, the narrow sidewalk is blocked with large mailboxes and other encumbrances that prevent one from walking there, and one is intimidated against parking at curbside by no-parking signs on houses and fences (which I think are illegal). On the ocean side, there are many no-trespassing signs, and if one walks towards Duke’s restaurant on the beach and the tide comes in, there is no back-tracking or escape route-nothing to do but wait the tide out.
The beach residents of Malibu would be angered if they were deterred from walking in public areas of Santa Monica; perhaps they could try to understand why outsiders are miffed with their exclusionary attitude.
Donald Nierlich