Does Drum Circle Need A Permit?

1
809

(This letter also went to city, park and Coastal Commission officials.)

Editor,

Mr. Fried (La Vida Laguna) has been using this beach for years as product extension, as a promotional marketing tool to expand a private, for profit venture.

Just as the snack concessionaire several years ago went through re-visiting regarding a few chairs and tables in county and state coastal waters (public domain), commercial vendors need to follow the same rules as anyone else.

These gatherings, the amount of trash, abuse of resources, ecosystems and the unmitigated fire detritus beg for intervention. Mr. Fried has a pattern of performing a questionable activity first, asking for permission later.

It was he who several years ago launched kayaks from The Montage/Treasure Island cove until reprimanded, then halted by the city and Coastal Commission; he did so without a permit.

In fact, as past local administrators and a certified beach cleanup non-government organization for the California Coastal Commission for 13 years ending December 2013, Clean Water Now always honored OC Parks rules, regulations and ordinances. We always notified and coordinated our activities on county beaches in a respectful manner, including US Ocean Safety marine services.

Whether there were only 500-600, or 3,000 people at (the July 12) drum circle, it is time that Mr. Fried take some responsibility for creating a public nuisance, including a conditional use permit that has been ratified by county jurisdictional oversight entities at open public hearings.

That CUP should be considered as well by the OC Planning Commission as the impacts need addressing under CEQA, and perhaps even a Cal Coastal Commission permit.

In conclusion, I would also have you and the city of Laguna Beach consider the manhours, the amount of attention being diverted by these widely publicized venues that benefit a privately held corporation.

Mr. Fried does not, to my knowledge, have security personnel as monitors, nor once extremely dark, the ability to clean up, that is mitigate adverse impacts in a tidal zone.

Why are we, the taxpayers, being indirectly billed for Mr. Fried’s activities?

Roger E. Bütow, Laguna Beach

Share this:

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here