We ARE Marina del Rey recently learned that a plans to build hotels over the popular Marina (Mother’s) Beach picnic area and parking lot had been abandoned.

Originally announcing the project in 2005, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe said the plan was to turn the beach promenade into a hotel strip and transfer much of the recreational activity to Burton Chase park on the inland side of the Marina.

Knabe admitted at the time that the project was controversial.

We ARE Marina del Rey organized a protest march together with a write-in protest by hundreds of picnickers, volleyball players and families who expressed themselves unanimously against the County project.

A member of the group was informed by County Beaches and Harbors director Santos Kreiman that the hotel developer had withdrawn the project.

David Barish, director of We ARE Marina del Rey said: “Mother’s Beach is the center piece of Marina activity and picnickers from all over Los Angeles County have come there for decades. The idea of transferring the picnic area to Burton Chase park where there is no sand was unacceptable.”

Nancy Marino, co-director, said: “This is welcome news. But the County is still proposing to take over seven other public parking lots and build private luxury projects  on them and we continue to oppose this overbuilding.

“Altogether the County has proposed nineteen separate projects on a piecemeal basis for this precious coastal asset and we are asking that a comprehensive Master Plan be drawn up to prevent overcrowding and traffic and parking problems. Three of thes projects are completed and two were recently withdrawn following strong community objections.

“Their plan to take over the parking lots must be approved by the California Coastal Commission and we hope the Commission will reject it.”

Let's just hope they do not bring this irresponsible project back in some other form.