[majiemae]

Here's the video of Bob's speech to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on March 28, 2017. Go Bob

[Bill Cummings]

majiemae,
I always say to myself, "Oh boy," when ever I see a post by, majiemae. I know I'm about to cut right to the chase and see and hear for myself only what I would seek out if I was handy to San Diego.
It's kind of like staying home and watching the game on TV rather than go to the stadium which saves a bunch of time and money. (At the stadium it's difficult to find the pause or rewind button.)

[JoeF]

Board Meeting Video
The regular meetings of the Board of Supervisors are held every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. On Tuesdays following a Monday holiday the meetings begin at 1:00 p.m. To view the live broadcast download the Windows Media Player. To listen to live Board meetings by phone, call (877) 873-8017. Access Code: 111111 (English), 222222 (Spanish)

Please note: depending on your internet connection speed it may take a few minutes for the broadcast to display.

Tuesday Board Meetings are replayed on Wednesday at 10:00 p.m. on broadcast channel KLCS.
Board Meetings can be viewed on the LA County Channel on cable systems throughout the County.
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One document online : "[ ] ADDRESSING THE BOARD A member of the public requesting to address the Board on an agenda item
will be allowed a total of three (3) minutes per meeting." But BobK mentioned "2 minutes" and so this matter is not settled for me.
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I see a "Five-Way Win: Win, Win, Win, Win, Win" in a resolved case of the challenge at Dockweiler historic hang gliding site.
As it stands I see loss to five important factions:
1. Los Angeles County and City ---"City of (winged) Angels" have their wings clipped by the present situation. The County and City are missing out on an opportunity to shine in the world for its citizens by establishing full respect for its asset at Dockweiler for serving recreational hang gliding. Now the site is underutilized; the recreational hang gliding person cannot hang glide there without jumping through some inequitable hoops and some unconscionable hoops that do not fit just civil society (like bowing to a resultant privatization of public beach by a private corporation that has turned against some of its most-serving members and has sold its soul to collapsing paragliding--an activity that has taken about 1,500 human lives, while losing its original focus on hang gliding.) The morphed organization that I co-founded failed to advantage California's recreational land-use statute at Dockweiler; such is part of the reason we have now open equitable recreational hang gliding not possible at all at the historic bunny sand slope. Activities announced for Dockweiler beach lists many activities; in the list one standout is selected to be not open without the forced hoop of joining a private corporation and losing the site to a concessionaire that is tied up to the private corporations insurance deal. Hang gliding at Dockweiler as an open beach activity for one who will not jump through the unconscionable hoops cannot play hang gliding at Dockweiler. The County and City could open the site for BOTH the approved businesses that might given instruction and to the citizens apart from the concession; the concession permit could be modified so that in cannot stop the recreational hang glider from playing at the site; the site is not an airport. The site is super unde undertilized. The County and City could lead the nation by having at least one bunny sand slope for the recreational hang glider in equity to wave board surfing, kite boarding, bicycling, hiking, runners, strollers, picnic umbrella carriers, volleyball players, swimmers, ect.
A model exists in a city near Los Angeles City: Long Beach. Kite Beach has several instructor businesses permitted while the beach and water remain open to individual non-event kite boarders. Happy beach there. Long Beach is in the County of Los Angeles. Kiteboarders fly and glide through the air and have gear often higher than 60 ft. altitude.
In the same County, we no longer need to over-burden recreational hang gliding at Dockweiler. Please, County, enact the model of Kite Beach for Dockweiler bunny slope hang gliding.

2. The concessionaire at Dockweiler is apt to win BIG when the change occurs. The recreational hang glider could access the bunny slope 7 days a week sunrise to sunset. This access is not in place now. While the open recreational hang glider uses the beach there, he or she could hand a brochure to questioning people; that brochure could applaud the County and direct people to take professional lessons from Windsports. Windsports need not CONTROL the site. One hundred board surfers wanting the same wave have cooperatively figured out how to live a mature peace. Hang glider recreationists and people giving professional lessons via approved County/City business license and permit could be active with cooperative spirit at the same one site. There need not be any boss or flight director; each session when two or more visitors are present, the posted open rules could be cooperatively respected: Stay under 60 ft AGL; give right away to non-hang glider visitors; operate safely; share the site cooperatively and politely; obey any directive from Lifeguard; tie-down parked wings; fold wings in the open large flats, not in the parking lot. The concessionaire would get the benefit of referral from a larger public. The concessionaire would share the site as an equal participant.

3. The large population will benefit by having recreation given equity. The vitality of the citizens of Los Angeles will be enhanced by recreation of the faction of recreational hang gliders. The large population will be the beneficiary of the fuller lives of those who recreate via hang gliding at Dockweiler.

4. Recreational hang gliding world around may be a winner by the leadership of the County Board of Supervisors in the matter of Dockweiler becoming a shared site as Kite Beach is a shared site.

5. The Board of Supervisors could put a feather in their cap or wings upon advancing the recreation site to its mature level. The fears of the early 1970s need not rule 2017. The matured sport is very different today. Choosing to allow the California land-use for recreation occur for hang gliding in equity to surfing, kiteboarding, bicycling, etc. would be a positive feather for the hats of the Supervisors. Let it be. Shorten the reach of the concessionaire that will stand to benefit better while opening to those individuals who just choose hang gliding at the mild bunny slope at Dockweiler without inequitable burdens.

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Let's go for a change. The change is likely to affect recreational hang gliding throughout the United States, at least.
Specific public lands open to hang gliding need not have a private corporation moving aside the states' recreational land-use asset.
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City of Angels with wings fully clipped is not a pretty sight.
Cure the feather-wing-cut by opening Dockweiler to an equitable recreation place.
The effective monopoly of a PG-insurance scheme over a recreation not needing that game at all should be stopped at Dockweiler.
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Help for a robust brief and plan is invited; what might you do? Continued buying into USHPA is not the solution. Over-control is not the solution.
Equitable respect and treatment could resolve and bless.
If the Lifeguard sees somethings that threatens life and limb, then he or she could stop the session.
Recreational hang gliders have proved their good manners and conduct.
Let play begin soon.
Let the City of Angels have winged angels again, at least at one tiny corner of the County at the STATE beach at Dockweiler.
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Help is needed on this project. Lawyers? Writers? Supply the Supervisors with a solid proposal or brief?

[Bob Kuczewski]

I believe the public can speak for 3 minutes when speaking about an item that is on the agenda. But since Dockweiler is not on the agenda, the time is limited to 2 minutes. Getting items on the agenda can be difficult.

You've got a lot of very strong points there Joe! The artform is in squeezing that into 2 minutes. In my experience ... it takes a lot of practice.

[Frank Colver]

WELCOME BACK TO THE HANG GLIDING WORLD, JOEF!

We all need to work on Dockweiler greater access to flying.

Frank C

[Bill Cummings]

Someone should forward Joe's letter to the County Commissioners.

[majiemae]

Today Bob and Joe spoke at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting. Bob spoke first:




Joe went next:

[Bob Kuczewski]

I always say to myself, "Oh boy," when ever I see a post by, majiemae. I know I'm about to cut right to the chase and see and hear for myself only what I would seek out if I was handy to San Diego.

Majiemae is working on her Pulitzer prize for breaking the story of ... USHPAGATE.   

               

[Bob Kuczewski]

Here's the written text of my speech - which may vary slightly from what I actually said:

My name is Bob Kuczewski and I am here again from San Diego. As I mentioned last week, I've been visiting Dockweiler beach to enjoy hang gliding since 2004.

But as of last month, I can no longer do so because I testified against the interests of the monopoly organization that insures the Dockweiler concessionaire.

The Dockweiler concession arrangement has been in place for the better part of 2 decades. I believe it was a good arrangement at the time, but the players have changed. The United States Hang Gliding Association has now become USHPA. They have recently deviated from their long history of safety and member advocacy to become an organization representing the business interests in the sports of hang gliding and paragliding.

As I mentioned, I can no longer participate in the recreational sport of hang gliding at Dockweiler for reasons that I believe this County Board cannot endorse.

Should this Board exclude the public from recreational activities because they simply created an organization to compete with USHPA?

Should this Board exclude the public from recreational activities for public testimony they made to their own City Council?

Should this Board exclude the public from recreational activities for "service as an expert witness in a court case" just because USHPA disagrees with the content of that expert testimony?

Of course not. Yet that is happening today .... today ... at Dockweiler beach.

The current concessionaire / insurance arrangement at Dockweiler is broken. I respectfully request this Board to direct the Dockweiler concessionaire to make Dockweiler available to all members of the public. I would like to meet with Supervisor Hahn and any other Supervisor interested in reviewing and updating the exclusive concession arrangement at Dockweiler Beach.

Thank you.

[JoeF]

Distinguish for Los Angeles County beaches the stark difference between organized events and the general non-organized recreational use of the beaches. For organized events: http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dbh/docs/1017709_Beach_Harbor_Use_Permit_Policy.pdf
Individual recreational kiteboarder (flyer, jumper, sailor, beach running launching, beach sand practicing, air user, beach user, water user) is not an "organized" "event" but a person tethered to a wing standing on a board who intends to fly, sail, glide, move, swim via use of wind, gravity, sand, and water; he or she uses the assets of the State and County and City to do his or her recreational flying, jumping, gliding, sailing, moving, swimming while controlling his or her tether wing. Individual kiteboarders are not invited but are permitted to use the beach-water asset for his or her recreation; special Use Permits are not taken out for such individual non-event recreation; and the State and County and City are by State statute protected from ensuing kiteboarding injuries; the State, County, and City generally act to maintain properties and access to give benefits to the public per public mandates in the people's government; their maintenance of safe access is paid for by the people's taxes mostly; the maintenance actions guard the State, County, and City from being guilty of "gross negligence" when faced with a claim; the individual using the access takes on the responsibility of his or her own person; an individual may commit acts that injure other people; that individual may be held responsible for damages and injuries caused by his or her own actions. Part of the duty of the State, City, and Country is to maximize uses of funds to fulfill the mandate from the people to provide services, one of which is open recreation for individual citizens; safety is part of the deal; signage and rules are part of the commonsense way of fulfilling such mandate. The rules involved are to fulfill the mandate, not crush the intent of the mandate.
At Belmont Shore is a Belmont Kite Zone with signage holding guides and rules. At least three businesses have been permitted to give professional instruction. Instruction is generally encouraged by seasoned kiteboarding participants. But instruction may arrive by use of means other than becoming patron of one of those three businesses. And an individual recreational kiteboarder may arrive and play without paying any organized fee or event fee or instruction fee or certification fee or fee to the State, County, or City; generally the individual is probably, but not always, a citizen who has paid his or her taxes to be spent toward the open recreational system of the State, County, or City; he or she is included as party in the State of California recreational land-use statute that protects landowners and their agents when uninvited permitted recreation occurs. Allowing an activity is not equivalent to "invitation". The generalized declaration that a place allows an attractive activity begins to move the place holder into the responsibility to sign the places and remove gross negligence structures or hidden dangers. All visitors should be aware by some means of what kinds of activity that may be occurring at a site. The State, County, and City regularly maintain signage that indicate that certain activities may be occurring at a site. To fulfill the mandate from the people, often multiple activities may be allowed at a particular site.

Privatization of public lands occurs sometimes by faulty machinations perhaps not maliciously intended; but when effective equivalence of privatization occurs to the loss of public access, then supervisors and the public ought to perk up and sharpen their pencils to effect an undoing of unintended results. The Dockweiler historic sand bluff bunny play space "for hang gliding" may be experiencing a default effective privatization via a defective concession permit. The individual recreational hang gliding citizen is seemingly 100% under the control of a private for-profit business that also requires joining a specific private membership organization. Such effective 100% slam seems to effect a solid-wall privatization of public recreational beach relative to the individual citizen that wants to simply arrive with a wing and use the public land set aside for hang gliding without blocking other beach activities like walking, climbing the little slope, bicycling, flying a kite, tossing a ball, frolicking in the sand and air. The citizens of the State, County, and City ought to be full-face involved when privatization of public lands may be occurring. Falling asleep while the privatization process unfolds could bring long-term and maybe permanent losses of public access to its treasured assets. All citizens of the United States may lose when public lands are privatized, no matter where such may occur in some City, County, or State. The citizens of the USA once had the historic Dockweiler hang gliding site as open and non-privatized. For some years the site was simply closed while the State-County-City fulfilled their safe-access constructions at the site. Then a defective arrangement was made that effectively privatized the site for one business as regards hang gliding; and that business fell into a trap of requiring membership in a third-party private corporation; effective privatization has been occurring and exercising the powers thereof seemingly legally. What may be deeply illegal is a drop in the supervision by the County Board of Supervisors that may not have noticed the effective privatization and consequent inequity flowing from the defective concessionaire agreement. It is time to install open access for the individual recreational hang glider citizen without requiring inequitable burdens of insurance as though the individual was some sort of special-use "event" that is "organized." It is time to install the model of Belmont Kite Zone where multiple instruction businesses are permitted in fair business competition while surely not preventing the individual kiteboarder from visiting and using the public lands configured for some focus on kiteboarding (who does fly and glide and run and swim and move about). The kiteboarder does not have to join some odd third-party private organization, but he or she may. The kiteboarder does not have to pay a fee beyond his or her public taxes to the State, County, and City.
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http://www.presstelegram.com/lifestyle/20160715/with-new-kitesurfing-businesses-long-beach-establishes-belmont-kite-zone

McCourt owns Off the Hook Kiteboarding, one of two new kiteboarding business allowed permits to provide lessons by the California Coastal Commission, and more recently the Long Beach City Council. The city also designated the sandy area near the Claremont Launch Ramp as the place for kiteboarding lessons in the city, dubbing it Belmont Kite Zone.

There are now three kiteboarding businesses in Long Beach: Off the Hook, Captain Kirk’s (also new) and SoCal KiteSurfing, which has operated for eight years. The three companies aren’t allowed to set up permanent storefronts. Managers and instructors instead spend their time in the shade provided by beach shelters (think sand and sunscreen instead of brick and mortar).

BelmontKiteZoneSign001.JPG (42.39 KiB) Viewed 4913 times

http://wilderness.org/blog/privatization-threatens-your-public-lands

LongBeachKiteboarder001.JPG (34.28 KiB) Viewed 4910 times