When I was young we’d sing the famous, American song “This land is your land…” We all know first verse by heart.
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me
Americans identify with this song because it embodies our democratic principles, it points to our gorgeous natural lands and it underscores the point that some parts of this great country are not for sale.
We tend to pause when we hear about “takings.” This is when a government entity takes land away from the public. It feels wrong unless there is an over-riding argument that the takings are truly for the good of all the public.
What doesn’t make sense at all is when one citizen takes land from another.
Even worse is when a tiny percent of the public takes something owned by all of us… away from us… and uses it for their own, personal benefit.
In Solana Beach the famous song’s first line should perhaps be sung “This land was your land, and now it’s my land.”
In the case of Solana Beach we are talking about a small group of citizens taking land from the rest.
This is called “reverse takings” as it’s literally the case where one citizen taking land away from another.
This isn’t my opinion, listen to the video (below) of California Coastal Commision leaders on this subject. The dialog is what I’d call… crystal clear.
This is why Surfrider volunteers started working with the California Coastal Commision two decades ago.
In March of this year the California Coastal Commission approved a plan (with a few minor alterations) that the Solana Beach City Council had put forth and recommended. That was a coastal victory for all Solana Beach residents, including me.
Tomorrow night the Solana Beach City Council will vote to approve this plan and they need your help.
The city of Solana Beach as 13,000 residents. As I mentioned, I’m one of those 13,000 people. A small group coastal bluff homeowners (which I estimate at 100 people) wants the city to let them take land from the rest of us. This doesn’t make sense.
When I first heard about this it felt like 1% of the town was taking something away from the other 99% of the town… I was wrong… it’s less than 1%.
Please click here and let the City Council know you believe the California Coastal Commision was correct. Let them know you still believe that in America another citizen shouldn’t take something that belongs to the rest of us.
