Harbor Lights on Measure G: the Politics of Fear
Nothing beats good old fashioned terror when you want to force people to swallow your political agenda. Remember “weapons of mass destruction” and “We’re fighting them there, so we don’t have to fight them here?”
Redondo Beach voters have been treated to the same tactics this election season courtesy of the No on Measure G backers. Voters have been told to be afraid of things like another 30,270 car and truck trips everyday and destruction of the view on Harbor Drive.
Let’s take a moment to look fear in the face. When the No people make traffic increase references, they use data from a report by Fehr & Peers Transportation Consultants that’s posted on the city’s web site.
Like almost anyone using data out of context, they select and combine the data that will substantiate their preconceived notions. Building a Better Redondo has the following quote on a FAQ page of its web site. “According to several studies funded by the City, traffic will go to gridlock in King Harbor and adjacent roadways.”
The Fehr and Peers report does not use the term “gridlock” anywhere. That’s a fear-generating device. What’s more likely to scare people, factual terms like traffic increase or apocalyptic words like GRIDLOCK? Use of that word was a clear choice made intentionally to get an emotional reaction not to offer people facts from which to form their own conclusions.
The traffic report makes reference to “full buildout” according to the General Plan. It also compares 2007 actual traffic numbers to its own predictions of traffic levels in 2030. The report says it assumes, “all land uses have been developed for maximum trip generation”. It goes on to say, “this full buildout is highly unlikely”.
Even with this assumption, that every bit of the city will be built to full capacity by 2030, the Fehr & Peers report concludes, “Intersections on Harbor Drive, Catalina Avenue, and Broadway Avenue, continue to operate at a comfortable LOS (Level of Service) in 2030.” Where’s the “gridlock in King Harbor and adjacent roadways”?
A closer look at the report reveals that it measures traffic during weekday morning and afternoon commute times. In other words, people driving to or from work.
Measure G does not include residential zoning. There will be no new group of residents leaving their homes to drive to work in the morning and returning to their homes after work.
Permitted uses of the land which will be defined as Coastal Commercial include hotels, boating facilities, time shares and other similar uses. It’s hard to imagine so many people will be coming to work at those places on weekdays that they will add any significant impact to commuter traffic.
In short, traffic is a phony argument against Measure G but if someone throws a big number like 30,270 at you it might be enough to scare the reasonable, rational thought right out of you.
What about the view from Harbor Drive? There is no view from Harbor Drive.
If you’re in the Sierras, the view is about the mountains. If you build something that obscures the view of the mountains, then you’ve ruined the view. If you can’t see the mountains because there are already things built in front of the mountains, you have no view.
If you’re a couple hundred yards from the Pacific Ocean, the view is about the ocean. I’ll be happy to travel the length of Harbor Drive from Herondo to Captain Kidd’s, with anyone and point out that you cannot see the Pacific Ocean until you’re standing in front of the toll booth at Redondo Beach Marina. Even there, all you see is a tiny sliver of the Pacific.
A recent dispatch from a No on G proponent points out that the view across Ruby’s parking lot might be destroyed if G is passed. You can see a little bit of Seaside Lagoon from places on Harbor Drive that look across Ruby’s parking lot but you cannot see any part of the nearly limitless expanse of the ocean that lies directly behind it.
I know they want me to be afraid of losing Ruby’s parking lot but I only have so much fear to spread around at any given time. I’m busy fearing things like drugs in schools and crime in the South Bay. I’m afraid I just don’t have any fear left over for Ruby’s parking lot.
People fear what they don’t know. No one knows what will actually result from passage of Measure G so fear fits comfortably in the attempt to persuade people to oppose it.
The Yes people don’t have that same advantage. Voters already know what it’s like to have a run-down harbor/pier area that stopped suiting the community’s needs decades ago. The only emotion they’re likely to muster when they point out the danger of the status quo is pity and pity doesn’t win elections.
Comment on this or any other King Harbor topic at www.kingharborboater.com click on the “blog” link. Harry Munns is a Redondo Beach Harbor Commissioner.