The following letter was addressed to Peter Douglas, executive director, California Coastal Commission and other commissioners.
I was stunned to read that the proposed venue for the July hearing is in Huntington Beach. At the January hearing at LAX you announced the July hearing would cover the proposed implementation measures for the Malibu Local Coastal Plan. You had six months to find a place that was in reasonable distance for the amount of people that would show up at this very critical hearing. This is not the best you could do. When people complain about your peculiar choice they are threatened with Eureka. I am an old hand at the Coastal Commission and have been observing and testifying since 1988. It’s an old and worn-out trick and should not be used on such a serious and far reaching matter.
The irony of Huntington Beach, Mr. Douglas, is the last time I was in Huntington Beach, I was there to defend your continued employment. I do not believe I need to remind you that hundreds of people up and down the state were after your hide. But I do need to remind you that I was with the hundreds of people who actually showed up at Huntington Beach to defend you. I sat next to Pam Emerson, a person I respect immensely, talking about ‘stupid Republicans’ attempting to oust you just because they had the votes not because it was the right thing to do.
Somehow history is repeating itself. You plan to stick us in Huntington Beach, not because it is right, but because you have the power. It was wrong then and it is wrong now. I remind you it backfired for the Republicans and it will backfire for you. I have a motto, Mr. Douglas, I never emulate what I disapprove of. You ought to adopt this motto, too.
I also want to remind you, Mr. Douglas, we had a very elaborate poll taken this Tuesday in Malibu. It’s called an election. The only candidate that supported your proposed LCP came in dead last. I repeat: Dead last! The two winners were extremely opposed to your LCP as it stands now and they have vowed to fight on.
We thought the election was going to be close, but the winners won in a landslide because of their vehement opposition to your LCP. Making us travel 60-75 miles just to drive down our attendance is not going to help the credibility of the California Coastal Commission. Just because you’re in control, does not make it right. The whole process should be about making it easier for the public to participate, not impossible for them to attend.
There are many organizations that have notified you of their concerns. The City of Malibu and the Malibu Chamber of Commerce made their requests in writing. Huntington Beach is a bad political and moral move on your part. Please find a way to bring this closer to our home, Malibu.
Lloyd Ahern