Demolition begins on illegal Lunada Bay Boys’ illegal patio

In a move city officials say is a step toward making Lunada Bay welcoming for visitors, demolition began Monday on a patio built illegally on the shoreline more than 30 years ago.

The patio has become a focal point in an ongoing debate over surfing localism in Palos Verdes Estates. Feelings are mixed as to whether tearing down the patio which some have dubbed a fort will do anything to curb the aggressive behavior of some local surfers.

PHOTOS: Lunada Bay patio demolition begins

The structure gained notoriety as the stomping ground for a group of local surfers known as the Bay Boys, which has been accused of using aggressive and sometimes violent tactics to keep outsiders away from the bay. A class-action lawsuit filed earlier this year accused the group of being a criminal gang.

The patio was the site of an incident referenced in the lawsuit in which one of the local surfers allegedly exposed himself and sprayed a can of beer onto one of the plaintiffs.

Palos Verdes Estates Mayor Jennifer King said the illegal patio and surfing localism are two separate issues, but lauded the demolition as a demonstration of the fact that the citys coastline is open to everyone.

We do think that its a positive step toward just reinforcing our commitment to having open space and to inviting the public to enjoy our coastline, she said.

She added that the citys Police Department will continue to follow up on any reports of violence or property damage. Earlier this month, the city approved a plan to contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to bring in additional law enforcement officers to patrol Lunada Bay.

Manhattan Beach resident Danny Klein watched from the blufftop as a helicopter lowered equipment down to the shoreline. Klein said he has faced harassment from local surfers when he has trekked down the slim, steep trail from the bluffs above the bay down to the waters edge. That has never kept him away from the large waves that curve toward the edge of the bay, but hes seen it keep other surfers out of the water. And tearing down the patio wont do anything to stop that, he said.

Theres been flashpoints where the press has been involved in the past and people have been seriously hurt and nothings changed, Klein said.

Once the attention to the structure dies down, Klein said, it will be back to business as usual in the now-infamous surf spot.

They have this structure thats evolved over the last 40 years and its going to come down and its not going to stop them. Its still going to be their spot, theyre still going to surf here, theyre still going to do their thing and theyll rebuild it after all this attention goes away.

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King, however, said the increased publicity surrounding Lunada Bay, coupled with the citys management of its coastline, will keep another patio from taking the place of the demolished one.

Some Lunada Bay residents said taking down the patio is the wrong move, and will do little to curb any aggressive behavior by surfers. Two residents watching the start of the demolition said theyre not sure dismantling it will solve the problem.

We dont want them to take it down. It gives (the bay) character and I dont think its hurting anybody, said Lunada Bay resident Heidi W., who didnt want to give her last name. I think its more intrusive to have all these trucks and people here and news coverage than it is to just have the little thing made out of rock.

Kathy H., another Lunada Bay resident who didnt want her full name used, said the demolition will only draw more people to the bay and lead to more issues.

(The demolition is) going to invite more people to come down here to cause more trouble, she said.

The patio was built into the base of the cliff roughly 30 years ago, and has been expanded over the years to include stone steps, a barbecue area, a palm frown canopy and a stone table.

The City Council voted in July to tear down the patio, citing potential liability issues if someone were injured on the roughly 300-square-foot deck.

The demolition will continue throughout the week and most likely be finished by Friday. In addition to the main patio, a smaller structure to the south was set to be demolished Monday, and the larger patio was slated to be torn down today and Wednesday.

VIDEO: Crew begins dismantling surfers patio

The project includes the use of a helicopter that touched down Monday to fly large pieces of equipment from the bluffs above the bay to the shoreline below. Later in the week, it will be used again to transport debris back up from the beach.

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Demolition begins on illegal Lunada Bay Boys' illegal patio