I hope you will publish the attached letter in view of the scant coverage of the last council meeting’s approval of the park swap.
I spoke at the March 10 Council Meeting in opposition to the City Council leasing the 510 Acre Charmlee Natural Park to SMMC, where the Conservancy intends to have overnight camping. I quoted the following excerpts from a letter written some time ago by council member Laura Rosenthal.
“I am writing to express my concern and reservations about the SMMC Malibu Parks Plan. I am a Malibu Park resident and do not reside next to or even within three- to five-miles of the proposed camping sites. However, the threat of wildfires from these camping sites will force a public safety nightmare in Malibu.
Many people will not follow the rules and will light campfires, cigarettes and candles, thinking that they have the right to a warm fire while they are camping in our chilly summer night air.
As a Malibu Public Works Commissioner, I know only too well the difficulty of getting needed water reserves into Malibu during fires and how inadequate our canyon roads can be during an evacuation. This is not a case of “nimbyism” but clearly a case of public safety.”
I asked Councilmember Rosenthal how she could have expressed concerns like this and still now support the park swap. Then I asked councilmembers how, after hearing your colleague’s concerns about fire, can you vote to turn Charmlee Park over to overnight camping? There was no response. Then the council voted unanimously for the swap.
Walt Keller