Printable VersionThe City Council could have made three decisions regarding shoreline vendors at Rotary Park. It only needed to make one.
 Jillian Danielson Photo/Special to the News-Herald Blaine Hitchins, president of Arizona Watersports, who helped gather signatures for the petition against allowing shoreline vendors, speaks to the City Council Tuesday night during discussions on the issue. |
Mayor Mark Nexsen and Councilman Brian Wedemeyer held the dissenting votes. The decision nixed further discussion on allowing land-based kiosks or determining a fee for park permits. “In my opinion returning vendors to the public beaches is a step in the wrong direction and does nothing to enhance our city or make it a more attractive place to either residents or visitors,”
Councilman Dean Barlow said before the vote. “I would urge the council to retract efforts to turn back the clock and again allow vendors on our public beaches.”
Barlow’s statement, along with several residents’ statements requesting that vendors not be allowed back, received applause from those in attendance.
Several council members spoke of tourism and a projected $3.8 million budget deficit in the discussion. Councilman Brian Wedemeyer said his main goals were looking at finding new revenue sources and saving tax dollars.
“I think we should not only be trying to cut expenses, but also coming up with creative ways to generate more revenue without raising taxes and fees to residents,” he said. “I thought this was an opportunity for us as long as we had a limited amount of shoreline vendors and we had control of the situation, I really thought this was an opportunity for us.”
Nexsen said while it appeared the audience for the evening was against allowing the vendors back at Rotary Park, he had heard equal opinions from citizens for months.
“If you ever watch boxing, they always say let’s get ready to rumble,” Nexsen said before the discussion, anticipating difficulty. “I get people that say ‘I want those beaches cleared’ and I get an equal number that say ‘we’re a tourist town, how can the city council in good conscience eliminate jobs we so desperately need?’”
The BLM, in coordination with the city, removed all shoreline vendors from Rotary Park and London Bridge beaches in July 2009. The City Council held a public hearing during a work session on Oct. 13 to discuss regulated shoreline vending possibilities.
A few vendors and members of the Lake Havasu Marine Association referred to a petition against allowing shoreline vendors at any city park. Representatives claimed to have obtained 600 signatures in the last week supporting the petition.
Blaine Hitchins, president of Arizona Watersports, who helped gather signatures for the petition, said he would not be opposed to allowing shoreline vendors along a small southern area of Rotary Park with a proper kiosk, but was opposed to the proposed agreement.
“Going into Rotary Park as many times as I have … I think there’s already a parking issue,” he said. “I just do not see how this is going to benefit the city in any way shape or form. We only have two beaches for the public. If we had 10 and you wanted to use a commercial area for one, that would be fine.”
Chad Whetten, of Whettrods Jet Ski Rentals, said he was one of the vendors that was previously at the locations at Rotary Park beach under discussion.
“I think you should do what’s best for the city,” Whetten told the council. “I think right now the city needs money and this is a great way to earn revenue.”
The council’s decision means the city will not allow shoreline vendors with access through the park, but it does not necessarily mean there will no longer be shoreline vendors in Lake Havasu City or even at Rotary Park beach.
The BLM holds jurisdiction over all land below 450 feet, which includes the shoreline at Rotary Park beach. The city, however, owns the land above the 450 feet so city officials said an agreement was necessary to allow shoreline vendors back to the two specific locations, but not to other beach areas.
The council’s decision Tuesday night does not affect any future permits in other locations in the city, said BLM Lake Havasu Field Manager Ramone McCoy last week.
“The agreement and the council’s decision has no bearing on permits that may or may not be issued by the BLM,” McCoy said previously. “The confusion may have happened because we’re doing an environmental analysis for Thompson Bay as a whole. We will still continue with that analysis despite the decision the council makes.”
You can contact the reporter at nbruttell@havasunews.com
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