Castaic closure update

I just got this e-mail from the president of our ski club Clay Friedman.

I just received word that Supervisor Antonovich is providing funds for the County to continue recreational operations through September 7, 2003. And the State is revaluating the needs of Castaic Lake.

Don’t stop calling or writing it is making a difference.

Chris,
Scott At the Boat Center told Me it was closing for two weeks and then reopening. Have You heard this?

No I haven't. The closure has been moved to the 7th and I found out by law that it must remain open for recreational use as part of the agreement to build it in '69. Question is who will be running it.

I went to the castaic town meeting last night, even though I live over a half hour away. Apparently nobody knows what is going on. The state has no plan implemented for when the city hands over the lake, they're still hoping it doesn't happen. The city is just dropping the lake even though voters in 1949 passed a measure to help ensure that the lake stay open through contracts with the DWP and other water municipalities. Also brought to light was the unconstitutionality of the lake closing. According to the california constitution, any water way used in the aquaduct system must remain open to recreational use.
So write the L.A. city councel and gov. Davis. Let them know that besides parcticall killing the city of Castaic, they are breaking the law.

Just to correct Josh's post, it's LA county, not city, that needs to be contacted.

I was there too...I 've never seen so much finger pointing in my life. The state says that it's the counties problem, the county says that it's the states problem, etc, etc.

It looks like it's in the counties hands, as far as I can tell. The county has a contract to run the lake through 2019. If they turn it over to the state, the state WILL close it down, they claim they do not have the resources to run it. The legality of the county backing out of it's contract is in question, as are the points that Neeley and Josh raised above.

I left the meeting feeling that the situation looks pretty bad. With only 2 weeks to go, the different govenment agencies seem more worried about passing the buck, rather than coming up with a solution.

I say we get everyone out on the lake on September 7th, and not get off at the end of the day!! Who's with me?

(Message edited by onealrep on August 21, 2003)

I say we let people know what is happening and tell them to make phone calls. I dont think that a lot of the lake users know what is happening. No flyers are handed out at the gate. Nothing in town lets people know that the lake will illegally close. Surrounding business are not visibly involved with keeping the lake open. I live in North hollywood, yet still traveled up there. It took my girlfriend an hour and a half to make it from Culver City, and she was very disappointed in the lack of support being generated by the community. The meeting was the first chance that many of the representitives had a chance to interact with the town, yet there were no signs, no organizations out in force, and no educated voice for a plan of action. Everyone that goes to the lake stops at the giant, 7-11, shell, mcdonalds and burger king, ralphs, and fosters freeze. They need to have flyers. They need to have banners in the windows to let people know. Thats the kind of effort needed to save the lake. It'll be heartbreaking for them more than me when their house is forclosed on due to a drastic drop in business.

Josh,

I agree, I live in Castaic and I know when the tried putting one of the largest truck stops here. I saw posters and signs all over they place for when the meetings were and a bus to take them to downtown when the meetings were going on. Also there were people at the local store with a petition having people sign.

There just needs to be some one or group that takes change on this issue, instead of a bunch of people repeating the same small things.

When I go on saturday, I wanna bring a bunch of flyers for them to pass out at the gate. Last weekend we went and mentioned something to the girl working, and all she could say is "I know, isn't it retarded". They're on the front lines, they need to at least have something.

I'm going to get a lawyer and sue the County. The meeting left me with the feeling that its hopeless if we leave it to the state/county to resolve. The county thinks they can just walk away from a contract because they dont have the money and I dont think they can. I'm going to make some calls to friends of mine that are lawyers and try and get a refferal to someone that can help us.
I think the next step is going to be setting up a legal fund unless we can find someone to do it on contingency.
If anyone has the time to design a flyer, I would be happy to windshield every car on Saturday and Sunday. I usually dont go until around 4:30 but there is usually plenty of people in the lot still.

Josh,

I agree, I thought more people would've shown up last night. I can't believe that Jack Trittler, the owner of Castaic Boat and Marine didn't bother showing up. The lake has been handing out flyers saying it will be closed down, but nothing has been mentioned of any efforts to keep it open.


Neeley,

I guess you had heard enough when you bailed, I don't blame you. I stuck it out till the end, but just heard more of the same thing over and over.

When you check w/ your lawyer friends, check into the possibility of filing an injuction against the county that would require them to operate the lake until the legality of their walking away from their contract can be looked into.

What do you want the flyers to say? I could probably bang something out at work today. I'm probably riding both mornings this w/end, I can stuff windshields too.

A flyer should say something about how the lake is illegally closing, that the county is just dropping it despite their contract and voter innitiative to run it. Contact info for Gov. Davis, yvonne burke (they were the 2 mentioned), and possibly county board of supervisors? Were they responsible for the desision to back out of the contract?

I'm sure Jack trittler wasn't there cause he was dodging me after the crappy work they did on my boat at C.B. & M.

Screw talking to the politicians. I have found a lawyer in Glendale that comes highly recommended. He is an expert at land use and has successfully sued both the city and the county of Los angeles numerous times. I'm going to find out how much to file an injunction and then we need to get out there with buckets and start asking for donations. This is going to have to be grass roots. No one from the state or the county are going to help us.
I think the protest on the 7th is also a real good idea and we should start getting the word out. I'm rounding up media contacts and hoping that it will be a slow enough news day that day that we can get some local(los angeles) coverage.

Even getting coverage before it happens is a graet idea. Especially over labor day weekend. They'll probably be out there for labor day weekend anyway. LA weekly would eat this up.

I just called Yvonne Burke's office, the name given at the council meeting, and they have had minimal inquires for the lake. Please call and/or now! We need to show support. They are keeping track of the inquiries.

The woman I spoke with also said that Mike Bohlke, assistant chief of staff, is needs to be contacted as well - same phone numbers. Pass this person's info on to everyone.


Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke
Phone: (213) 974-2222
SecondDistrict@bos.co.la.ca.us

Even if you don't ride at this lake if you could help us out that would be great.

We need more people to call! Less then a 100 so far have called.
You can also call Susie Neamer at (626)356-5407.
We need everyone who is can to call!

i called supervisor burke and was also told to call supervisor antonovich as well (213.974.555), which i did, but not much info is forthcoming from either. i registered my complaint and asked both offices what i could do to make a difference and was told there was nothing i could do at the moment.

the rep from antonovich's office (susie neamer - that phone number john gives goes to the same office it seems), did say that it is changing every day and to call back periodically to find out what is going on.

I recently had all of my friends send emails through a link on http://www.savecastaiclake.org/

One idea on how we can let everyone know is by emailing or calling the radio stations and asking them to let listeners know how they can help.

Hey whats up people im am all for saveing castac ill be out there the 7th if i can get my dad to take the day off and take the baot out imm only 17 thats why... i think it is F**KED up what there doing it cant cost that much to keep it going well hit me back ...LATER

Castaic Lake Isn't really a good lake. The only people really trying to save it is the home owners who don't want their propetry valvue to go down. There is no respect on that lake. There are other great lakes around so why not take the funds for castic and help inmprove the other lakes

Because there a bunch of people that go to castac and if you take that bunch of people with no pespect and put them on the piru with that bunch of people with no respect or pyramid with there people then nothing has changed on the lake except for crouding the lakes wich is worse than people with no respect

(Message edited by RMcCanna03 on August 25, 2003)

Ryan Miyaki,
I figured a stupid comment would come from a stupid kid.

Ryan--
What.other.great.lakes.around??.Pyramid.is.overrun .by.pwc's,.Piru.is.just.plain.crap,.and...um...wha t.other.lakes.in.the.area.allow.people.in.the.wate r??.All.other.decent.lakes.are.too.far.of.a.drive. for.a.day.trip.of.any.good.length.

ha.and.not.all.of.us.are.as.privileged.to.live.in. Redding..If.we.had.Shasta.within.half.an.hour,.no. one.would.ever.go.to.Castaic.

I actually drive an hour and a half to get to Castaic rather than drive 45 minutes to Perris because of the difference in crowds and PWC's.

What? WTF is pespect?

Actually I live in santa calrita for school. Theres canyon lake but thats a private lake thats why i like riding there. Umm there elsonore. And there benua vista. If you want to talk about crap talk about castic. Castic is horrible and so are the people there

I live probably two hours from Perris and Elsinore, and I have no way of getting on Canyon. Buena Vista is another two hours away and a tedious drive. Castaic is just fourty five minutes from me without a boat, and they have Ski Club cove which always has better water than the rest of the lake.

Shannon you have the best point so far


and Ryan Miyaki your DUMB

(Message edited by rmccanna03 on August 26, 2003)

Okay you can call me dumb but I bet you are a home owner buy the lake and don't want your property value to go down. I would say I true wakeboarder will do whatever it takes to get to a lake. So you guys can say that the lakes to far away but for a good set a 2 hour trip is worth it let alone a 9 hour one

Hey you're sixteen--I'm sure you go up with your parents. I'm sixteen too, so while I wouldn't mind driving an extra hour, my parents do. It's their gas money. And I have to work a lot so my time on the lake is always limited. I live in Ventura County, so my property value is not affected in any way whatsoever. Castaic is by far the best option for me--why challenge that??

Dam shannon your on a roll

Hey ryan im 17 and i live 30 min. away so my proporty value wont change it is just a good lake to go to me and 3 of my freind go there like 2 or 3 times a week. it has nothing to do with value or how far it is from my house piru is only 15 min. it is just a good lake and hay if you are a good rider people get out of you way.... the respect is there you just have to find it

Ryan Miyaki,

What are you babbling about. Do you have any clue about anything your saying. I ride Castaic 3 or 4 times a week and for instance I had glass all morning long on Monday and yesterday. I am sorry you don't get up early to ride, but hey I live 45 minutes away from Castaic, so the property value is not a factor for me and a lot of people who post on here. By the way I ride at Canyon a lot and I can safely say once a week. Yes, it is nice to ride the back water there, but one small thing most people don't know people there. Shannon I have to say you have made some good points on this subject.

what does the county/state have anything to do with the body of water??what type of maintenance is done by them that wouldwarrant a closing if they stopped? how do you close a lake anyways?

sorry...but i am no where near this area and have never been there so i dont know

jfk,

If you want to read it, most of the info is on this site. http://www.castaic.org/LakeClosing/savethelake.html

but what exactly does the state/county do to make this lake happen??is there a damn or something else that needs to be operated ?? shouldnt the lake just be there by itself?? i mean how do they "run it"??

The state owns the lake, the county manages it. They "make this lake happen" by patrolling it, lifeguards on the swim beach, attendants at the front gate, etc. It is also part of L.A.'s drinking and power systems.

Lenny, you tell him.

Ryan Miyaki, you are better off at all of those other lakes. PLEASE don't go to Castaic. Like you said, there is never good water there. Lenny was mistaken. There is never good water in the mornings and winter riding is horrible. It even gets worse once you have a membership to the cove.

Tell me one thing. Are you sponsored by CWB? Let's think about this, your favorite riders are Chris Law and Zane Schwenk, you ride a 2004 CWB Absolute, and you ride Zeus Bindings. HMM, I wonder. I will find out because one of the guys I ride with is sponsored by CWB. I just happen to be in the market for a new board. I was going to wait until the 2004 CWB absolute came out and buy one. Becasue of you "spreading the stoke" like you have, I will not buy the Absolute. I will also let it be know to CWB on why I chose another brand and not CWB. Let us know or I will find out.

Hey Ryan you lil F. You need to learn some respect and I'm sure I'm not the only one that'll be happy to teach you some. Second thought, idiots like you, spouting things they know nothin' about are all over Canyon. Go there and stay off the other lakes. I just wonder if your daddy or mommy would feel the same if they lived near Casti. ????

Does anyone understand where the funds came from to do all the new contruction at the lake?

I called Supervisors Burke and Antonovich. And I passed the numbers around to people I work with.

Neelley - did you find out anything about filing an injunction?

Just a comment. I am not in your area, but I have been to Castaic to both fish and wakeboard. If someone is coordinating this you need to get together with the waterski association and the SoCal Bassmasters (fisherman) and coordinate your efforts or EVERYBODY is going to loose out. Believe me, in the current environment they will close that place down and the law, agreements, etc, be damned.

just a tid bit of information. the lake we ride after work in our area has the no body contact b.s. rule also. but here is the catch, you can wakeboard, tube or waterski...but you cannot swim. if you are out swimming the ranger will tell you to get back into the boat.

I am a home owner in Castaic and I have 5 words for Ryan. "Sofa King We Todd Did". Not even going to waste my time past that. For everyone that has posted, I hope you have made your phone calls.
To file the injunction is going to cost between $25K and $50K. The attorney won't represent a bunch of individuals, he would rather represent a non profit group. I have discussed the matter with Clay Friedman and we are both going to conference call with the attorney to find out what's next. $25K sounds like a lot of dough but I believe that money can be raised fairly easily once some of the local businesses get involved. We may not need to do this at all becasue I heard that the state is already planning on suing the county for breach of contract.
My position is that if you cant afford to run it, leave the gate open and let the people have access, which is our right garaunteed under the CA constitution. I'll let you all know what I find out as I find it out.
I dont wish this on anyone, my property value is second to riding access. Both my boys ride now and I'm up there at least 4 days a week. Its my only escape from work and wife!!!!!!

www.savecastaiclake.org

tHAY CANT CLOSE THE LAKE BY LAW IT WONT HAPPEN

I just made a call to Davis and i think that he will gain a lot of votes if he dose this and lose a lot if dose not!!!!!!!!

ty, i think you wanted to post that in the diamond lake thread. i've heard that myself about some lakes. bizarre rule.

sorry. you are right. will move my posting over there.

Hey.that.actually.happened.to.me.at.Castaic.today--we.were.the.only.boat.in.the.ski.cove.from.8am.to. 3pm.and.the.Ranger.came.inside.and.told.us.we.can' t.have.people.swimming.at.all..How.long.have.they. had.the.new.police.boats??.If.they're.closing.the. damn.lake.because.of.funds,.how.are.they.able.to.p ay.for.new.boats?.People..

Joe- The funds came from the CA Dept of Boating and Waterways. The funds(1.8mil) came after the County signed a contract with them to continue running the lake until 2019. The funds were earmarked for improvements only, not the day to day operations. Once again the county took the money and now is trying to bail out.

Shannon- Swimming has never been allowed at
Castaic.

I have a lawyer that is going to review the contract and the CA constitution and then advise us what he believes we can do. The problem is the permission granted to have the ski club comes from the county so it is a fine line we are walking. I'll probabaly end up with a trailer at Orwood!

Article in the Daily News Sports Section today. Seems to me we should be blaming Tim Gallagher and Sheila Ortega from the County of LA Dept of Parks and Recs for mis-managing lake Castaic. If you are loosing money then start charging more, make adjustments, dont just let the funds run out!
Sheila thinks they can breach the contract.
Also, this News release from castaiclake.com website has Tim and Sheila's phone numbers.
http://castaiclake.com/CASTAIC%20NEWS%20RELEASE.pdf