Submitted on
In 1954, President Roosevelt's River and Harbor Act, Public Law 780, funded the creation of a public small boat harbor, beach expansion, parks and bird sanctuary on 950 acres of what was Ballona Wetlands.
Federal matching funds allocated for the dredging and construction of the marina, were used, with the 1954 intent of creating a public marina for access to all at a reasonable cost. It's written in the public law.
Marina Del Rey, CA is on land presumed owned by the USA federal government (rumored to be changed via closed door, back room negotiations, lacking public representation). Some citizens believe this to be wrongful taking of public lands for private use. Both residential and commercial developments in Marina del Rey are on leased land. These leases, are in some cases, are being renewed in great haste years in advance of them coming due for unreasonably long periods (ie. 50-60 years).
Public lands have gradually been removed from public access at a reasonable cost in favor of hotels and apartments at market rate making much of the Marina inaccessible to those of modest means.
Since 1954, high rise condos, apartments, hotels, bulldozers and tree cutters with the permission of the County of Los Angeles continue to reduced natural habitats in Marina del Rey. Much of this has been done before legally required Environmental Impact Reports can be properly reviewed within legally required public notice and public comment periods.
If this continues, current and future generations will be denied enjoyment of designated public park lands as once envisioned by Documents 389 and 780 by U.S. Congress and President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
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