Shifting Sands

This column is full of false and deceptive information.

Bacara is not restricting public access to Haskell’s Beach. The only question is hours of operation. Haskell’s Beach is open from sunrise to sunset, same as Goleta Beach. Now some want Haskell’s Beach open 24 hours a day. Why on Earth would anyone want to be at a beach at 2:00 a.m. or 4:00 a.m.? This is a beach, not a 24 hour diner.

Also, Bacara is not asking the public to foot the bill for any processing costs. This accusation is absolutely ludicrous.

Why do some members of the public and some of our council members continue to attack Bacara for the issue surrounding Haskell's Beach?

Wasn't it Bacara that was responsible for opening the beach to the public? The only reason we have Haskells in the first place is because of Bacara! Everyone needs to stop moaning and crying about Bacara and should instead thank them for giving us the beach to begin with.

ok, let's look at the facts here. first of all, there was a beach at haskell's long before the bacara existed. as a matter of fact, it was here before any of us were born! second, beach access did, in fact, exist. for locals who knew about it, there was a place to park and trail to the beach, without the ugly bath house, the paved parking lot, the gaudy fake mediterranean village, or any of that other nonsense. it was just a plain 'ol beach near an oil facility, that people could use to surf or hang out or whatever.

anyone who thinks that the bacara has done us any favors is grossly misinformed, unless they think that having a paved parking lot and limited visitation hours is good. that is a local beach, and should be kept open for locals to use, WHENEVER they see fit to go to the beach. for many of us, the beach is the framework for a way of life. those special nights spent sitting on the beach with friends, family and loved ones would go by the wayside. early morning surf sessions free of the bother of indifferent security guards would become a thing of the past.

lots of people live in goleta in order to enjoy a pastoral and/or coastal lifestyle, and to think that it's ok to strip them of that right, expecting that they'll quietly slink back to their living rooms and post up in front of the idiot box with all of the other defeated slaves is wrong...it's insane! bacara, look out. the local populace will not stand for a takeover of our home by corporate development interests. this is santa barbara county, home of enviro-zealots for god's sake...get real!