“The perfect storm” - so said John Salisbury of the Avila Valley Advisory Council (AVAC) during their June meeting. Traffic over Memorial Day weekend into and out of Avila was the agenda item. I was out of town that holiday, but I’ve read and heard about the massive traffic jam that saw cars backed up all the way to the San Luis Bay Drive and Avila Beach Drive exits. The “perfect storm” as described by John was the combination of a popular holiday weekend, two big events at the golf course, and unusually hot weather – all contributing to crowds not often seen in our community.
The biggest concern expressed by some attending the meeting was safety. What would happen in the event of an emergency? How could rescue vehicles get in and out of the area when lanes in both directions were grid locked? In the event of a catastrophe, how would local residents evacuate the area? These are valid concerns and questions deserving of answers and actions. As you can imagine, opinions and suggested solutions that evening ranged from not allowing such large events to take place in Avila, to investigating ways to require mass shuttling alternatives as part of any special event permitting process. Personally, I like having the option to attend outdoor concerts and other like activities without having to drive to Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Jose or San Francisco. On the other hand, I share concerns about safety and over capacity conditions in Avila.
While listening to the ensuing dialogue, my thoughts turned to an activity my wife and I have enjoyed numerous times over the years – attending PGA tournaments in Pacific Palisades, Newport Beach and Reno. At each venue, visitors are prohibited from arriving in their own vehicles. Instead, shuttle buses at publicized locations transport everyone to and from their cars. In some cases, those shuttle stops can be 10 or more miles away from the host golf course. Karin Argano then shared a similar experience when she recently attended a U2 concert in SoCal, also accessible only by shuttle. Is this an inconvenience for event-goers? Perhaps, but you wouldn’t know it based on the often sellout crowds. Actually, I’d much rather ride in a bus than have to spend who knows how long on roads or in parking lots not designed to accommodate such traffic.
Somewhere between sticking with the status quo or eliminating such events in Avila altogether rests viable compromises and positive solutions. How we get there is the big question. AVAC is one official body that can help address the issue, but is empowered only to make recommendations as a representative voice of those who live in the greater Avila communities. I was encouraged during this June meeting to hear some rational and reasonable ideas, but I believe others in the community should be given the opportunity to chime in as well. All local stakeholders must be part of the dialogue, be they residents, business owners, emergency services personnel, transportation providers, county officials, etc.
In 1964 music composer and singer Bob Dylan recorded the lyrics, “the times, they are a changing”. You know and I know that the times will ALWAYS be a changing. Avila is no longer the sleepy beach town it was over a decade ago, nor will it ever be again. We locals can be stewards who embrace and help shape change, or we can stand on the sidelines, snipe and bemoan the past. What ideas do you have to mitigate safety concerns and help reduce traffic? I welcome your emails to avilafoundation@gmail.com.
The biggest concern expressed by some attending the meeting was safety. What would happen in the event of an emergency? How could rescue vehicles get in and out of the area when lanes in both directions were grid locked? In the event of a catastrophe, how would local residents evacuate the area? These are valid concerns and questions deserving of answers and actions. As you can imagine, opinions and suggested solutions that evening ranged from not allowing such large events to take place in Avila, to investigating ways to require mass shuttling alternatives as part of any special event permitting process. Personally, I like having the option to attend outdoor concerts and other like activities without having to drive to Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Jose or San Francisco. On the other hand, I share concerns about safety and over capacity conditions in Avila.
While listening to the ensuing dialogue, my thoughts turned to an activity my wife and I have enjoyed numerous times over the years – attending PGA tournaments in Pacific Palisades, Newport Beach and Reno. At each venue, visitors are prohibited from arriving in their own vehicles. Instead, shuttle buses at publicized locations transport everyone to and from their cars. In some cases, those shuttle stops can be 10 or more miles away from the host golf course. Karin Argano then shared a similar experience when she recently attended a U2 concert in SoCal, also accessible only by shuttle. Is this an inconvenience for event-goers? Perhaps, but you wouldn’t know it based on the often sellout crowds. Actually, I’d much rather ride in a bus than have to spend who knows how long on roads or in parking lots not designed to accommodate such traffic.
Somewhere between sticking with the status quo or eliminating such events in Avila altogether rests viable compromises and positive solutions. How we get there is the big question. AVAC is one official body that can help address the issue, but is empowered only to make recommendations as a representative voice of those who live in the greater Avila communities. I was encouraged during this June meeting to hear some rational and reasonable ideas, but I believe others in the community should be given the opportunity to chime in as well. All local stakeholders must be part of the dialogue, be they residents, business owners, emergency services personnel, transportation providers, county officials, etc.
In 1964 music composer and singer Bob Dylan recorded the lyrics, “the times, they are a changing”. You know and I know that the times will ALWAYS be a changing. Avila is no longer the sleepy beach town it was over a decade ago, nor will it ever be again. We locals can be stewards who embrace and help shape change, or we can stand on the sidelines, snipe and bemoan the past. What ideas do you have to mitigate safety concerns and help reduce traffic? I welcome your emails to avilafoundation@gmail.com.
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