Council OKs vets monument plan, site

The Crescent City Council voted Monday evening to allow a plan for a monument honoring veterans to move forward.

However, the group of local veterans behind the project will now have to overcome another hurdle and secure a coastal development permit from the California Coastal Commission.

The City Council denied an appeal from Eileen Cooper of the decision by the Planning Commission to approve a use permit, architectural review and environmental review of the Point of Honor veterans monument.

“This was decided by veterans,” said Council member Dennis Burns, “and I appreciate that.”

The monument would be located at the southwest corner of U.S. Highway 101 and Front Street in Beachfront Park. It is proposed to be an 80-foot diameter plaza with a five-sided pentagram monument surrounded by five 30-foot flagpoles.

At the council meeting Monday evening, concerns were expressed about the location of the monument and whether it would affect migrating birds.

“It’s about civic pride,” said Council member Charles Slert, who did the architectural drawings of the monument.

“I’m concerned about a faction,” he said, “that is not so friendly to our community.”

Cooper told the council that the appeal was a grassroots efforts “from the veterans themselves” and not the Friends of Del Norte. She included in her appeal a list of supporters’ signatures.

The upwards lighting of the flagpoles could affect migrating birds and salmon in the Elk Creek estuary, Cooper said. This is something the Coastal Commission “takes very seriously,” she said.

City Planner Michele Rambo told the council that the lights would shine on the flags at night, which is required by law, and not into the sky. The red, white and blue lights would only shine on the monument’s walls.

Several people said that the location at the S Curve is not appropriate for a veterans memorial, which they said should be a quiet, peaceful place for contemplation.

Dori Bruce said the monument’s design, which include tall flagpoles and red, white and blue lighting was “in tune with a theme park.”

“It doesn’t show serious respect for a memorial,” she said.

Harlan Ziegler, who heads the veterans monument committee, made the point that it’s a monument, not a memorial, “and there is a difference,” he said.

The monument is meant to be in a place where lots of people would see it, “to commemorate the service and sacrifice of our veterans,” he said.

Ziegler said that the community had ample opportunities over the last several years to give their input on the design.

A few local veterans felt that the proposed design left out one branch of the military in particular.

James McGill, a commander of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, said he and other veterans preferred a six-sided monument that included the Merchant Marines and would be in the harbor.

“That’s what we want,” he said.

Stan Jones, also a commander of the local VFW post, said it would be a shame if the Merchant Marines weren’t remembered in the monument.

“They need a side on that monument,” he said.

Another member of the monument’s committee, Sparky Countess, said that the Merchant Marines would be included under the U.S. Navy’s side of the monument.

The City Council’s denial of the appeal allows the veterans monument committee to move forward with their project and apply for a coastal development permit from the Coastal Commission.

A letter from James Baskin, a coastal planner for the state agency, to the city earlier this month noted that the flagpoles and the nighttime lights could have “potential adverse impacts on visual resources of the surrounding area and fish and wildlife habitat.”

During the public comment period of the meeting, Council member Donna Westfall submitted a notice of intent to circulate a petition for a ballot measure that would “roll back” sewer rates to City Manager Rod Butler.

More information was not available to The Triplicate on Monday evening.