Summer Touch Football Banned At Marina Del Rey Beaches: Who Knew?
The Board of Supervisors approved a set of regulation changes governing Marina del Rey beaches and harbors today, one of them being a continuance of the ban on summer touch football. Did anyone out there know this ban existed?
City New Service reported on the specifics of the meeting today, noting that Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky seemed surprised by the pigskin prohibition. Department of Beaches and Harbors Director Santos Kreimann told the board that "it's a safety issue," noting that the beaches are too crowded during the summer months for the sport. However, Kreimann said the new rules are designed to grant beachgoers more freedom to play along the shore and engage in activities like sailboarding, kiteboarding and paddle boarding.
The changes approved today mark the first set of major revisions to the ordinances that have existed for over 20 years. Aside from making it clear that the county's fire chief has authority over lifeguards in the area, the tweaks include the following:
- A ban on mooring or anchoring outside of the detached breakwater south of Ballona Creek, which gives the harbor master the right to move any vessel there at the owner's expense.- A prohibition against launching a boat within 150 feet of a pier, subject to exceptions for film and television permits.
- Authority for the department director to allow alcohol in public areas for certain events.
- New parking restrictions.
Don't think you can refrain from a harmless game of touch football come June? Prepare to fork out up to $1,000 in violation fines, which were once limited to $500.
