It's Always Nice To Be Included

It’s always nice to be included. It makes me feel special to be asked to the party. This time my “invitation” came in the form of a public notice from the City of Dana Point. I’ve been invited to contribute my opinion on the closure of the DP Marina Mobile Home Estates. Since I don’t get out much, it is an honor to accept any invitation that comes my way.

Pretty much the notice says the new owners’ intent is to “retire all existing mobile home park operations, ultimately leaving the site vacant and unoccupied.” The buildings would all be locked up and mobile homes not relocated will be abandoned. The pool will be drained, fenced off, and utilities disconnected.

Gee, I can’t wait to have another closed up fenced-off festering eyesore at the intersection of PCH and Del Obispo. Right now the liquor store is barred and vacant while the Villa is nothing more than a dirt lot fenced with a chain link “billboard” for every political poster and city banner around.

On the other side of the street the weedy Gas Company property is boarded over and abandoned. What’s left? Only the traffic-jamming Union 76 Station and Denny’s, the grand slam crown jewel of Dana Point. Forgive me if I’m underwhelmed.

I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to sense a pattern of neglect. I don’t care if you live in Monarch Beach or Capo Beach or plain ol’ 92629. Curb appeal counts--and not just for houses. This is our town and the gateway that defines Dana Point is simply butt-ugly. Why on earth would we want to make it worse?

I may be kind of paranoid but giving up control to a developer who can’t or won’t show us his cards makes me downright nervous. I assume anyone with millions to spend must have some inkling of what they want to do with the money.

The creation of a long-term vagrant-attracting run-down ghost town at the heart of our city will only make us vulnerable to less than acceptable proposals down the road, simply to get something built. Then we end up with a ten-story monster hotel that fills the city coffers with bed tax funds but has the beauty and style of Folsom …or the Fountains. Take your pick.

I know what you are thinking. Jody, you look like such a nice person. How did you get to be so cynical, so distrustful of developers? They are people too, just like politicians and lawyers.

Hmmm. I don’t know. I’m just a shy and quiet stay-at-home mom who mainly wants to get the bubble gum out of the carpet, but I keep getting interrupted by these other sticky issues.

So here’s what I think: Since the new owners of the park say they do not yet know what they are planning to put on the site, why be in such a hurry to turn nine acres into a vacant wound? Why not let the residents continue living there until there is an approved plan in place? It would give people a cushion to plan their futures, the owners will have continued income from the rents, and Dana Point won’t have one more visual dump.

Suppose the owners really are telling the truth and they haven’t yet narrowed their plans, then this plot of land could sit vacant for years. So if they don’t know, let’s WAIT to close the park until they make up their minds.

If they do know exactly what they want, then let’s WAIT until they tell us. Then we can decide if the use is better than the current one. At one point they said they were entertaining the idea of a mobile home park. What a coincidence! I know a bunch of people who are in need of a new one.

What about our city leaders? I’m confident they are not silly enough to approve this closure without a full understanding of the planned use for the space.

But if the city agrees that closure of the park is acceptable, then why not insist that all structures, roads, etc are removed and the whole place covered with grass, attractively fenced and maintained…well, like a park?

The most neighborly thing to do is to support our mobile home park friends in their homes for as long as possible. If the city refuses, then at least make the Park look park-like.

And maybe throw a party. My calendar is clear.