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Sand Dune changes Reflect compromise
by John Tawa
Manhattan Beach's Parks and Recreation Commission adopted 11 recommendations from its Sand Dune Park subcommittee Monday night that the commission hopes will relieve overcrowding at the neighborhood park. The city council will consider the recommendations March 7.
The Sand Dune Park subcommittee was created after the Commission heard more than four hours of public testimony in January from residents living near the park concerning problems with noise, parking, traffic, litter and general overuse of the dune. Those residents suggested changes ranging from full closure of the dune to limiting park hours to requiring permits for groups of 10 or more to restricting access to residents only. The subcommittee, comprised of two Commission members, members of the Sand Dune Park Neighborhood Association, local park users and city staffers, arrived at its recommendations after two 3-hour meetings, described as "good give-and-take" sessions.
The more significant suggestions include changing park hours, now from dawn to 10 p.m., to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. From April 1 to Oct. 31, park closing hours would be extended another hour. Quiet hours would be enforced in the park from 6-8 a.m. and 7 p.m. to closing by an on-site Parks and Recreation staff member.
The dune would be divided in two, with half being used for children and half for exercise use. On the exercise portion, no more than 45 people would be allowed to use the dune at any one time and running the stairs would be prohibited. Finally, the four parking spaces south of the tot lot would be converted to parking for handicapped and service vehicles only.
"What we have here is a list of compromise positions," said Commissioner Brian Currey. "It's been studied. I'm prepared to adopt the subcommittee's recommendations with the understanding that if they don't solve the problems, we'll look at incremental changes to solve the problem.
Sand Dune Park currently is closed for four to six weeks, officially to allow newly planted sod and vegetation to take root. The Commission hoped that the council would agree to some or all of the recommendations in time to make them law before the park re-opens. The Commission also agreed to re-visit the issue to examine the effectiveness of any changes. ER