Beach area residents of Seal Beach demanded the City Council to reconsider its recent decision to permanently remove privately-owned benches and tables from the beach at Monday, July 8 council meeting.
District One (Old Town/Surfside) Councilwoman Ellery Deaton asked that the bench issue be on the Monday, July 22 council agenda. Requests for agenda items do not require a vote.
The council recently voted to proceed with removing the benches and installing volleyball posts on the beaches.
The council on May 13 had asked staff to postpone enforcing a city ordinance that forbids private benches on the beach. Last month, the council decided the benches had to go.
The decision appeared to be unpopular at Monday night’s meeting.
Stan Hartford, an attorney and Seal Way resident, disagreed with staff concerns that allowing the benches on the beach would raise problems with liability or potential Americans with Disability Act litigation.
“The staff did a great job of coming up with problems,” Hartford said.
He said that when he spoke with his council representative, Councilwoman Deaton, he expected a dialogue with city officials—but that dialogue never happened.
He said his council representative did not represent him.
Mayor Gary Miller said Deaton initiated the process and staff did their job.
Susan Davenport accused council members of being disrespectful of the public.
“This is not a kingdom,” she said.
Davenport said the council should be concerned with the voting residents.
Deaton said she wanted the Recreation and Parks Commission to look at the bench issue.
She was outvoted 4-1.
“I lost the vote,” Deaton said. “I’m sorry.”
Don Rounds of Seal Way said there were many ways to solve the perceived problem of the benches.
Margene Walz said she guessed the council members had not walked on the boardwalk.
Referring to a remark Miller made at a previous meeting about bringing furniture from his home to the beach, Walz said he didn’t have to bring his furniture, he was more than welcome to use the benches that were there.
Walz said Deaton had initiated the removal of the benches without investigating.
She said the Seal Way residents would like the same respect as other parts of town. “We are no longer Mayberry by the Sea—we are Old Town Leisure World,” Walz said.
“I do owe Seal Way an apology,” Deaton said. She said she should have been in contact with residents.
District Five Councilman Michael Levitt agreed the city should look at the issue.
However, he said he had seen disputes over benches involving individuals who had been drinking beer.
He rejected comparisons between city-owned benches and private benches on the beach.
He said the benches the city puts out meet certain standards.
District Three Councilman Gordon Shanks also agreed that the issue deserved another look.
“The benches have been on this beach since practically the turn of the century,” he said.
