OMBAC hasn’t received any special treatment
In response to a wide variety of misinformation that has been disseminated in the press via Channel 8 and the Beach & Bay Press regarding the so-called “booze ban” and the upcoming OMBAC World Championship Over-the-Line Tournament (OTL), it would be most helpful if it was understood what exactly the rules are (“OTL brings beer back to Fiesta Island for four days,” Beach & Bay Press, June 5).
Prior to December of 2007, alcohol in San Diego’s public parks was regulated by San Diego Municipal Code (SDMC) Section 56.54, which already restricted the consumption of alcohol on the boardwalks, and it regulated the hours during which alcohol could be consumed from noon to 8 p.m. The amendment that was passed in late 2007 extended the “banned hours” from 16 hours to 24 hours, and it extended the physical coverage of the ban to all parts of Mission Bay Park including the bayside, the piers and the city parks, including Fiesta Island, where OTL and many other special events are held.
What has not changed is the process by which these special events take place. SDMC 56.54, prior to the booze ban, read, “Unless the City Manager or his designee has issued a special event permit, it is unlawful for any person to consume any alcoholic beverage at any time upon any public property not including public parks as listed.” It needs to be understood that both before and after the booze ban passed, a special event permit was required to hold an event of the magnitude of the OTL. The same is required of all groups seeking to hold events with greater than 75 persons in attendance, including Thunderboats, the Crew Classic, weddings, birthdays and more than a hundred other events.
The permit process can be found in Muni Code Section 22.4003, and it specifically outlines OTL as a large public entertainment event that should be encouraged through the permit process. The process has moved from the City Manager to the Mayor’s office and more specifically to the Office of Special Events. That is precisely where OMBAC went for their 2008 permit.
OMBAC has run OTL for over 54 years and has always applied to the city for a special event permit. This special event permit process, which has to be signed off by more than 30 state and city officials each year, begins up to one year prior to the event, and we do not receive the special event permit for OTL until OMBAC complies with several city, state and federal regulations.
OMBAC is not playing politics with policy. We have not received any special treatment by any member of the San Diego City Council in applying for OTL’s special event permit. In fact, there have been several special event permits approved by the City of San Diego since the effective date of the booze ban that have allowed alcohol consumption in permitted areas.
OMBAC’s OTL is being singled out in this regard, and it appears that someone is playing politics in the media with OMBAC in regards to the booze ban.
Don Peterson, Chairman
OMBAC Over-the-Line Committee
Judge Edward B. Huntington (Ret.)
Corte Superior de San Diego
OMBAC OTL Committee
OTL shows that OMBAC can manage big events
Instead of complaining about OMBAC’s OTL Tournament being allowed to have alcohol at Fiesta Island next month, people should be relieved that the mayor, City Council and the various city departments are working together with the public to allow events that have occurred each year in the beach area to continue as they have in the past.
All of these annual events provide an opportunity for hundreds of thousands of people to enjoy Mission Bay Park. In addition, the fees collected from these events help the city to keep the park well-maintained for everybody to use throughout the year.
OMBAC would not be getting an exemption from the new alcohol ban if they had not demonstrated their ability to manage a large-scale event such as OTL. If things go as they have in the past, 50,000 or 60,000 people this year will attend the OTL World Championship Tournament without incident.
This is a well-run event, and OMBAC has earned the right to continue at Fiesta Island. There has been no double standard or playing of politics, as mentioned by a Pacific Beach Town Council member. Do OMBAC members look or act like they could play politics?
Next month, we all can go to the OTL Tournament; watch the games, laugh at the team names, view the beauties and drink a few beers in the sand with a few thousand people who are going to Fiesta Island in an attempt to have as much fun as humanly possible. Why would anybody complain about that?
Mike Hornung
South Mission Beach
Faulconer is playing both sides of the issue
Regarding “OTL brings beer back to Fiesta Island for four days,” I found it quite interesting that Kevin Faulconer is playing two sides on this issue. Since the Labor Day riots, Kevin has utilized the folks at SavePB to support his anti-alcohol and anti-bar agenda through press conferences and interviews. When a quote or comment is needed, undoubtedly Marcie Beckett or Scott Chipman will be there to speak up.
However, in Kevin’s memo to the Special Events office, titled “Special Events During the Trial Alcohol Ban,” Faulconer cites (among others) the Stay Classy Charity Crawl as a “world-class” special event.
This is the same special event the SavePB organization worked through emails, PBSEC and PBTC to try and block from happening.
This is seemingly the way business is done in District 2 ” create a special interest group and Faulconer will find a way to help you out in closed-door meetings.
Somehow, I doubt this is the only group and issue that Faulconer is playing on both sides of the fence.
Bryant Reeves
Playa del Pacífico