IMPT. - LBTS Access

[John Moriconi]

Rick, I'm Intrested in starting out to Kiteboard in the South Florida area. I have not taked my first class yet. I want to know would it help the cause to show up at the up comming Lauderdale by The Sea meeting. I know numbers of people to show support of a cause are best. What time is the meeting being held? Thank you, john

[ricki]

John,

Thank you for your interest, it is appreciated. We usually go with two or so spokespersons and encourage as much of the kiting community as possible to show up. We've had a strong turnout the last two meetings. We need to be there by 7 pm when the meeting starts. Unfortunately, they have started talking about kiting much later the last two sessions. Still, we don't have a lot of choice of coming in late should they start early.

Rick

[ricki]

Crandon has had in depth rules like these for many years, it was a special case, the ONLY one in North American that comes to mind. The requirements were dictated by the County Park Management unlike any other park area in Miami-Dade County. LBTS may have this in place soon to manage the very few riders that kite there and minimal reported historical problems. I hope this is NOT an exact model to be copied in other areas. Imagine, $100.+ per coastal town or city. That would be around $1000. per year per rider for Broward alone. Lots of us ride all over routinely, in MULTIPLE counties. How many thousands of dollars per year might we have to pay to be able to ride.

Which way do we want to have things? The choice is OURS to make through our actions and the peer pressure we bring to bear. Do not TOLERATE using tact, poor kiting behavior which may TAKE YOUR OPTIONS away from you. Group project, get involved, it was serious before, what do you think it is NOW? It is easy to point fingers, but has the kiting community responded with sufficient effect through self policing to maintain access yet? Look at the recent results, you decide. It sure would be nice to have fewer issues, it is our choice.

[ricki]

We're late on the Commission Meeting agenda for tomorrow night, July 28, 2009. I hope things are on autopilot at this point. I guess we'll know better by tomorrow late. If folks want to come to represent you are more than welcome to do so and thanks!

[conchxpress]

Why don't organizations like PASA and IKO get involved as lobby groups? I know I've paid dues to IKO. I guess the dues were for nothing more than a nice shiny card. Maybe someone should start a national kite lobby, or something more general, like a national water sports association. In California, people are trying to exclude SUP surfing from beaches where lay down surfers ride, saying that SUPs are really water craft since there is a paddle involved. Every other business seems to have one <lobby>. Every politician ever running for office, poo-poos special interest groups but can't seem to live without them. The theme for this administration seems to be legislate, regulate, and eliminate. Sorry for the rant, it's just that I'm getting sick of reading every day on different forums how someone wants to restrict this or restrict that.

[ricki]

Does seem to be a lot of suggested restrictions floating around these days. I am happy just to try to tackle this stuff at a grass roots basis. We lobby on a less formal basis but through local means and contacts. It seems to work, in one way or another, much of the time.

Look at all the cities we've had to tackle in the last ten years. You need people with influence in each jurisdiction, seems unlikely to find an affordable lobbyist that could have that extensive a network. If there was something amiss at the Federal or State level, a lobbyist might be the way to go. We should be able to raise the necessary cash with something of significance at the state or national level. I understand the AWSI is trying to do some lobbying. About what, where and to what effect I am less clear. Usually, you pick a few major issues and hit them hard. We have so many among all the threatened jurisdictions.

[greg meintjes]

Maybe we should try and join with the surfrider foundation, although they are surfers(primary) we all want the same thing , and that is to enjoy our sport. There will be differences of course, but they have the numbers and we can also add to there numbers so it could be beneficial.

Greg

[ricki]

IMPORTANT MEETING, KITERS SHOULD ATTEND TOMORROW NIGHT!

We've received some input from a few Commissioners on our proposal to preserve kitesurfing in LBTS. We have a shot at stabilizing things there but need your help. Things are heating up at some Broward and surrounding launches, we could use your support on this one.

One of the Commissioners said it was important that there is a strong turnout of kiters at tomorrow evening's commission meeting. They need to know that their decision is in the best interest of a substantial group of people, US!

So, please make a point of coming to the meeting, resident kiters by all means but KITERS IN GENERAL and in good numbers is what we need to keep things going.

Thank you in advance for showing up to keep us flying in LBTS.


Where:

LBTS Town Commission Meeting Room (north of breeze way)
4501 Ocean Dr.
Lauderdale By-The-Sea, FL

at 7 pm, Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Directions