Surf City needs to clean up it's Thinking

Sunday August 16, Orange County Register - Surf City seeks to clean up party image. According to the article the city council plans to clean up the party like image of Huntington Beach. They are going to slap heftier fines on downtown restaurants that violate their entertainment permits and make certain residential areas permit-parking only. It states several on the council members claim to have already calmed down the area.

I'd like to know what planet these council members are on. First of all it's not the restaurants as much as the bars (that serve food): Hurricane's is right up there with the Chop House in creating the problem.

Not only do the noise, the bottles, the nuisances still rage, the council invites them in by inviting in special events that attract that crowd. It's not about the residents, it's about the money, and when it's all added up its the same short term thinking the council has used so often: the costs far outweigh the benefits to the city and the residents.

Not only will the problems continue, but with the plans to add more buildings, higher buildings, and remove parks, they are just exacerbating the crowd effect. Like rats in a cage, there is a breaking point where violence becomes the norm versus the exception.

Vision is required to look beyond the short term myopic fix. Huntington Beach is in a unique position to put into effect a master plan that protects open space and creates a sustainable environment that will raise the profits of the business they want to attract to this town.

For this to happen though, the council members have to re-enter the atmosphere that is called Huntington Beach.