I know the kayaking community is all jacked up about tomorrows Mission Bay Classic...Me too the car is packed...!LOL
But Hopefully you lovers of Redondo will take the time to get informed after all the dust has settled and the winners are declared.
Here's some political info for you about Redondo and it's waterfront....
The Coastal Commission met in Redondo yesterday and about 200 interested parties showed up to hear about the proposed boat ramp and measure C.
Measure C stopped the massive project proposed by CenterCal called "The Waterfront". The boat ramp is a Coastal Commission requirement befor any future permits for work on the waterfront can be issued.
Over the last few years a boat ramp has been proposed for 4 different locations in the harbor...After yesterdays discussions, it seems that the one place of the four that it won't be... is at the King Harbor Yacht Club (mole A)...! As far as the other three areas...The spot where the hoist is now is mole D and it is where the developer plans a big part of the retail development, even though it seems like the natural location for a ramp with traffic flow and parking and all...the mole B location is where the Harbor Patrol office is now and it's a very busy part of the harbor and for that reason the Harbor masters among others don't think it's a good location. That leaves mole C where the Crab Shack and the lagoon are...to build in that area requires a very expensive break wall to be built to control the tidal and storm surge...all that info left them agreeing to disagree...!
THE COMMISSION WILL BE MAKING A DECISION AT THE AUGUST MEETING.
Part of the Coastal Commissions goal yesterday was to get public input on the proposed boat ramp and revitalization project...BOY DID THEY GET IT...from 2pm to about 6:30pm they listened to about six 12 minute speeches and lots and lots of 2 minute speeches with everyones opinions expressed.
The Waterfront project had a some proponents and a lot of them were developer types and union trade representatives (plumbing, sheet metal, etc.) and people that rarely use the on-the-water recreation available.
The majority of the local speakers were for some type of revitalization of the aging facilities and seawalls and the existing parking structure...but for the most part they were against the concrete canyon that Harbor Drive might become with the massive 30'+ tall parking structure that's proposed.
As you can see from the (poor) photos I took from their video feed yesterday it's a big project and the kayakers will get "FORKED" if it goes through as proposed. Our wonderful hand launch dock will be gone and the lagoon will be open to the sea (to become a new Sea Lion Beach like La Jolla).
Kayak launching will be through the new lagoon area and parking is in the huge parking structure.
This is what the area looks like now...
Here is a shot of the proposed "open to the water" lagoon with a retail area just above it and the Huge parking structure at the upper left...
This is a couple of photos I took today of the model they have in the old "On the Rocks" bar...as you can see, there is really no provisions made for a proper drop-off and lots of stairs for access to the sand area...
This is the developers suggestions...
Lastly...here is what the road between the retail shops and the parking structure will look like on you walk to the launch...LOL
