ChristineL
04-16-2008, 12:36 AM
I remember when I was very much for "Public Access" to beaches, nature parks, etc. I thought these places should be enjoyed by all.
I now live in Guerneville. On River Road, across from where I exit on this road from my home in the hills, there is a private piece of property that borders a Russian River beach. The owner is required by law to allow access to the beach. This means people going to the beach cross through his property. He is a good man who used to allow homeless to camp amongst the trees in the winter. He provided a dumpster and a portable toilet for both the campers and the people using the beach. In a period of time of about a year, the dumpster was knocked over around three times and the portable toilet at least once a month. People still did, as they do now (neither the public toilet or dumpster are still there), use the field as a dumping ground for their empty bottles, cans, food containers, paper napkins, etc, as well as a public toilet. In the Spring and Summer it is covered in plastic bags and garbage. It only takes a day. Is it any surprise owners don't want to allow public access across their properties? We won't even talk about all the "public" that will sue if they trip over their own feet while crossing through. This man has probably spent a fortune trying to keep his land clean. Yes, some of us care enough to clean some of it up, but it looks exactly the same one day later.
Has it occurred to people, when they get upset at not having access to beaches or woods, that if they cleaned up after themselves and spoke up when others didn't, there might be a lot less property owners resisting and fighting granting it?
In a way, I'd love to be able to say that most of this is done by tourists, it's not. It's mainly people that depend on the Russian River for their water...yet they think nothing of throwing some of their garbage into the river itself. They come from all over Sonoma County to enjoy the river, and leave their garbage behind. I watch them, they can cart pounds and pounds of food and drink from their cars to the beach, and can't cart the empty containers back. Sometimes I wonder, when they change their baby's diaper at home...do they throw the dirty diaper in the middle of their living room or yard?
I'm sure there are many others like me who clean up after themselves and maybe can enjoy an outing without bringing and consuming tons of food in the process. As much as I sometimes feel we are being punished for the sins of others, I find myself in full support of property owners who fight against giving public access across their land. I would do the same. I sometimes feel a little sad that my way back when hippie ideals that everyone should be able to enjoy all the wonderful outdoor areas such as beaches, have been proven to be so inapplicable in the real world. I'm starting to feel the only way to keep natural areas clean and unpolluted is to deny public access.
I once met the property owner of that particular field. He was in the process of cleaning up and putting the dumpster back upright. We talked for a while and I said I couldn't believe the vandalism and garbage dumping people engaged in. His answer: "I do, I've been dealing with people for over 50 years and they've never ceased to disappoint me." This from a man who at least tried to allow a few homeless people to have a safe place to set up tents and even provided a toilet for them. They lost this opportunity thanks to the actions of the "public". One of the campers used to go through the field picking up the garbage and putting it in the dumpster.
Before I am accused of being "prejudiced" against the homeless...I can just feel that coming...read again. I am talking about people coming in their SUV's, vans, cars, many of them newer models. They have homes, garbage cans of their own, and access to recycling bins.
One more thing...many people have found the parking area in front of this property to be a great drop off point for abandoning junk vehicles, large pieces of furniture and even a couple of worn out motor homes. If it can be carted here, it can be carted to a junk-yard.
I now live in Guerneville. On River Road, across from where I exit on this road from my home in the hills, there is a private piece of property that borders a Russian River beach. The owner is required by law to allow access to the beach. This means people going to the beach cross through his property. He is a good man who used to allow homeless to camp amongst the trees in the winter. He provided a dumpster and a portable toilet for both the campers and the people using the beach. In a period of time of about a year, the dumpster was knocked over around three times and the portable toilet at least once a month. People still did, as they do now (neither the public toilet or dumpster are still there), use the field as a dumping ground for their empty bottles, cans, food containers, paper napkins, etc, as well as a public toilet. In the Spring and Summer it is covered in plastic bags and garbage. It only takes a day. Is it any surprise owners don't want to allow public access across their properties? We won't even talk about all the "public" that will sue if they trip over their own feet while crossing through. This man has probably spent a fortune trying to keep his land clean. Yes, some of us care enough to clean some of it up, but it looks exactly the same one day later.
Has it occurred to people, when they get upset at not having access to beaches or woods, that if they cleaned up after themselves and spoke up when others didn't, there might be a lot less property owners resisting and fighting granting it?
In a way, I'd love to be able to say that most of this is done by tourists, it's not. It's mainly people that depend on the Russian River for their water...yet they think nothing of throwing some of their garbage into the river itself. They come from all over Sonoma County to enjoy the river, and leave their garbage behind. I watch them, they can cart pounds and pounds of food and drink from their cars to the beach, and can't cart the empty containers back. Sometimes I wonder, when they change their baby's diaper at home...do they throw the dirty diaper in the middle of their living room or yard?
I'm sure there are many others like me who clean up after themselves and maybe can enjoy an outing without bringing and consuming tons of food in the process. As much as I sometimes feel we are being punished for the sins of others, I find myself in full support of property owners who fight against giving public access across their land. I would do the same. I sometimes feel a little sad that my way back when hippie ideals that everyone should be able to enjoy all the wonderful outdoor areas such as beaches, have been proven to be so inapplicable in the real world. I'm starting to feel the only way to keep natural areas clean and unpolluted is to deny public access.
I once met the property owner of that particular field. He was in the process of cleaning up and putting the dumpster back upright. We talked for a while and I said I couldn't believe the vandalism and garbage dumping people engaged in. His answer: "I do, I've been dealing with people for over 50 years and they've never ceased to disappoint me." This from a man who at least tried to allow a few homeless people to have a safe place to set up tents and even provided a toilet for them. They lost this opportunity thanks to the actions of the "public". One of the campers used to go through the field picking up the garbage and putting it in the dumpster.
Before I am accused of being "prejudiced" against the homeless...I can just feel that coming...read again. I am talking about people coming in their SUV's, vans, cars, many of them newer models. They have homes, garbage cans of their own, and access to recycling bins.
One more thing...many people have found the parking area in front of this property to be a great drop off point for abandoning junk vehicles, large pieces of furniture and even a couple of worn out motor homes. If it can be carted here, it can be carted to a junk-yard.