The ongoing debate over the appropriate role for alcohol in Hermosa Beach civic life is bumping, and setting and spiking, against ingrained notions of community and identity.
Dozens of residents crowded into a meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission earlier this month for discussion of alcohol sponsorship of special events, and volleyball courts in the city’s commercial zone, which encompasses the sand from 10th Street north to 15th Street; courts in this area are maintained with sponsorship assistance from Anheuser Busch and bear the Bud Light insignia.
Before the commission were potential policy guidelines that would have recommended limiting event sponsorship opportunities for alcohol brands, and “rebranding” courts in the commercial zone, at city expense, with Hermosa Beach insignia. But unanimous opposition from residents drove the commissioners to reject the modifications.
“I appreciate all of the time you’ve spent on this, but these suggestions are unpopular. Going around town I’ve yet to find anyone who supports them,” said Chris Brown, a resident and head of California Beach Volleyball Association, who helps maintains the commercial zone nets. “Listen to the people here, read the emails you’ve been bombarded with, and take action.”
The recommendation to maintain the status quo will be forwarded to the City Council, who will have the last word on the topic.
Throughout the night, both commissioners and residents saw such a great disconnect between the feeling in the room and the spirit of the potential changes that they questioned how the issue had even made it on the agenda.
“I’m struggling to understand where the mandate for this happened,” said Commissioner Robert Rosenfeld. “I’m unaware of anything where the council has expressed a view on this.”
Community Resources Manager Kelly Orta explained that items were agendized because of the council’s work on the 2016-2021-2031 Strategic Plan, which she said sought to make downtown and the beach more “family friendly.”
But some commissioners thought that the phrase “family friendly” was too ambiguous to be useful.
“My definition of family might be very different from, say, Commissioner [Jani] Lange’s definition. But the beach belongs to everybody,” said Commissioner Maureen Lewis.
The Strategic Plan is a document, crafted by the council earlier this year, that sets out principles that will guide Hermosa’s future; “Family Friendly” is Principle No. 5. Attempting to offer clarity in an interview subsequent to the meeting, City Manager Tom Bakaly pointed to a sub-point in the Strategic Plan that reads “A Hermosa Beach downtown which is comfortable and safe for all generations.” Bakaly said that the commission and ultimately the council would need to decide whether the existing arrangements comported with the plan.
But many residents remain skeptical about an overtly Puritan attitude towards alcohol. Resident Dave Fulton said he had recently attended performances of Shakespeare by the Sea in Valley Park, and saw many adults enjoying technically prohibited beverages without a a problem.
“The truth is that our laws prohibiting alcohol in public spaces are not meant to prohibit alcohol in public spaces. The laws exist to protect things from getting out of hand,” Fulton said. “It’s certainly not the job of the Parks and Rec Commission to scrub alcohol from public spaces in the hope of changing the bar culture.”
