City declines county gift of beaches

Barbara Diamond

City officials said thanks, but no thanks, to a county offer to

transfer ownership of some county-owned beaches within the city

limits to the city.

The City Council voted 4-1 to decline the offer, which would have

put a heavy financial burden on the city to maintain and operate the

beaches.

Liability issues also persuaded the council majority to reject the

offer.

“I can’t turn down land,” said Councilwoman Jane Egly, the lone

vote against the rejection.

The beaches offered by the county are all in South Laguna and were

annexed into the city limits. Debbie Hertz asked the council to

continue the hearing so the South Laguna Civic Assn. could review the

offer.

“The reason for the request by the county is that the Harbors,

Beaches and Parks Department has suffered excruciating budget

reductions because of the county bankruptcy and, more recently,

because of state reductions in revenues to special districts,” said

City Manager Ken Frank, who recommended declining the offer.

Frank said it made no sense for the city to absorb regional

responsibilities associated with the beaches, which included Three

Arch Bay, 1000 Steps, 10th Ave. Beach, 5th Ave. Beach, and Table Rock

Beach and Park.

The county also offered all county-owned improved and unimproved

vertical accesses and facilities leading to the beaches, all

county-owned lateral beach easements in South Laguna and all

pedestrian easements to beaches in the Coast Royale neighborhood.

Frank did recommend accepting the pedestrian easements, but the

council declined.

“I do not want to accept any county liability,” Councilwoman

Cheryl Kinsman said.

Frank said the city staff thought the easements had been acquired

when South Laguna was annexed, until informed otherwise by county

officials.

“Now they want to get rid of them,” Frank said.

Neither the county nor city has maintained the easements, city

officials say.

“There is a risk in taking them,’ Mayor Elizabeth

Pearson-Schneider said. “They are in very poor condition. If someone

trips and falls ... “