HUNTINGTON BEACH : Measure D Backers Hold Rally in Park

Supporters of Measure D told a weekend rally in Central Park that the ballot issue is crucial to youth sports in Huntington Beach.

“Measure D is for the kids,” said Tom Duchene, spokesman for the Huntington Beach Youth Sports Committee/Yes on Measure D. “Measure D is for the future of our community. It’s not about the environment. It’s not about developers. It’s about kids, pure and simple.”

Measure D, if approved by a majority vote on Nov. 6, would forbid the sale of park and beach land without a citywide referendum. But the measure would allow the city to lease park and beach land without such a vote.

The measure was placed on the ballot by the City Council majority, which opposes Measure C, which would prohibit both sale and lease of park and beach land. Measure C also has language that says no new structure may be built in the parks or on the beaches if the cost is more than $100,000 or if its size is larger than 3,000 square feet, unless approved by a citywide vote.

Duchene and other Measure D supporters contend that the dollar and square-footage language in Measure C would prohibit construction of the proposed Youth Sports Complex in Central Park. That complex, he noted, calls for a gym, aquatic center and new soccer, baseball and football fields. Duchene said that if Measure C passes, the youth complex would require a citywide vote. “We want to let our kids play ball, not politics,” he said.

Although some Measure C backers claim that it would not restrict building of new youth sports facilities in the parks, Duchene contends that at the very least Measure C will hold up youth projects for many years because of anticipated court battles.

The Measure D rally in Central Park was held Saturday afternoon, and Duchene said those present included Councilmen Don MacAllister and Jim Silva and council candidates Jack Kelly and Ed Mountford.