Candidate Addresses Bruce's Beach LA Times Article In Letter

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Resident Mark Burton is running for a seat on City Council in the Nov. 3rd election. Here's a letter he's written to City Council and the residents of Manhattan Beach.

Dear City Council:

Bruce's Beach Eminent Domain.

Dear MB Residents: There has been much written in the local papers and, now, in this morning's LA Times about Bruce's Beach. In hopes of adding a little discipline to the process, I offer the following: The US Constitution provides that the government cannot take private property without just compensation being paid. Simple enough. So, the starting point to any analysis re Bruce's Beach is "Was just compensation paid?". To answer that question, you would have to review the eminent domain file, which all who have opined have not done! I am certain that historical records exist that would facilitate this analysis.

Now, we know the Bruce family owned two parcels of beachfront property, right on the Strand. Whatever you think of the Bruce family, they were pioneers, entrepreneurs in every sense of that word. Like enterprising Americans have done in our capitalist system, the Bruce family developed their two parcels into a resort, a beachside resort for blacks. Yes, they knew a "niche" market when they saw one. And, remember, the Red Line Trolley had a stop right there and Mr. Peck had built a pier at that location as well. All the other lots were undeveloped, except for three lots near Highland that black families had built homes close to the resort.

As I understand the argument from the descendants of the Bruce family, the Bruce family was not compensated for the lost "economic opportunity" for their resort. Now, I don't know if they were, were not, or even if that aspect of damages was recoverable at that time. I urge the Council to instruct their City Attorney to provide the eminent file to Council and provide the just compensation analysis. And, staff should assist as well in the analysis of "just compensation". We need clear thinking and rigorous analysis in regards to Bruce's Beach. Right now, there is so much hyperbole, political posturing and rank partisanship going on. Let's stop it now and move forward with common sense judgment.

Kind regards,

Mark Burton