Prop B would remove responsible oversight of the FCCC by any City Council

I have served on the Solana Beach City Council for nearly 20 years. During that time I’ve worked hard to protect the quality of life of residents living in

all of our neighborhoods.

It is the City Council’s responsibility to minimize negative impacts from all proposed projects — whether the impacts are from an incompatible development or an inappropriate use policy.

In the 1990s there were increasingly frequent complaints about noise and public disturbances related to weekend private parties at the Fletcher Cove Community Center (FCCC). Due to the irresponsible acts of some of the party people, the private party use was discontinued many, many years ago.

All other community uses at FCCC continued.

In the years since the private parties were discontinued, a number of positive changes were made to the area. The parking lot at Fletcher Cove Beach Park and the area surrounding the FCCC were developed into family parks and children’s playgrounds.

In October 2011, the council was asked to develop a policy to reinstate weekend private parties. The lack of parking spaces and the history of problems at the FCCC could not be ignored by the City Council. The council’s resulting FCCC rental policy was developed as a compromise to allow residents to rent the facility on weekends, to protect public access to beach parking and to place safeguards on unlimited alcohol use. Why safeguards on alcohol? Because families and children use the adjacent parks and beaches.

Current City Ordinance 398 prohibits alcohol consumption at the beach, adjoining parks, bluff areas and public beach access points.

Prop B, if passed, will override this ordinance and allow unlimited alcohol use at the FCCC and its outside areas.

Prop B, if passed, will remove responsible oversight of the FCCC by any City Council you elect and return us to the days when there were frequent public disturbances and public safety problems from private parties.

Prop B prevents any council from fixing problems,

foreseen or unforeseen, that will arise. Instead, costly public votes will be required to make any modifications to ensure public safety and fix any of the problems that result from Prop B.

Do not let individuals with deep pockets dictate your city’s policies. According to public documents, one individual, currently the

sole contributor, has put upwards of $55,000

into the campaign to support the passage of Prop B. Why? Ego, power, revenge; who knows?

The proponents of Prop B claim that all of the weekend parties will be “dignified celebrations.” But what the Prop B proponents do not seem to realize is that there is no definition of a “dignified celebration” in Prop B. Prop B allows private parties of any type. Can you imagine keg beer birthday parties with live music

every weekend of the year in your neighborhood?

Prop B does not allow the city to determine or exclude what someone may think is a “dignified” or an “undignified” celebration.

Contrary to what the proponents say, Prop B will override the city’s existing municipal code by

completely rewriting the rules and regulations that apply to the use of the FCCC.

The council’s hands will be tied!

I encourage you to vote

“No” on Prop B

to maintain a balanced rental policy that can be modified by any council at any time in order to maintain public safety in our city’s neighborhoods, beaches, parks and facilities.

Thomas M. Campbell, CPA

Mayor of Solana Beach