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# Following up on a promise
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/following-up-on-a-promise/
- Published: 2007-09-26T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T02:58:44.000Z
- Author: Kevin Herrera
- Tags: Environment, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

*FROM SUMMIT PAGE 11 Beach Summit builds SM brand*

SM BEACH If Santa Monica wants to be known for providing the best beach experience possible, then City Hall should consider installing call boxes along Ocean Front Walk or create pod casts letting visitors know what conditions are like both in the water and in parking lots before they get off the freeway.

Blasting classical music was another suggestion, albeit not a popular one, made Tuesday by concerned residents and business owners during the Convention & Visitors Bureau’s second annual Beach Summit, an open forum aimed at creating a new identity for Santa Monica that can be marketed to tourists around the world and to those right here at home.

Ideas flew from every direction as a crowd of roughly 60 participants broke off into three groups — environmental stewardship, safety perceptions and beach amenities and services.

In each group, elected officials, city employees and residents were asked to give their opinions as to what can be done to enhance the experience of those visiting local beaches.

“Santa Monica is definitely one of a kind. In no other city will you see an effort as open and inclusive as this,” said Duane Knapp, president of BrandStrategy Inc., a consultant firm working with the CVB to develop a brand. “Santa Monica is really being progressive in the way they are doing this, incorporating the community and making them an integral part of the process.”

The effort is part of an extensive research project by the CVB to create a brand for Santa Monica that conveys a powerful message to consumers, enticing them to come back time and time again. This is crucial, participants said, given the important role tourism plays in the local economy, generating $30 million in hotel taxes alone.

The current brand promise is as follows: “Santa Monica … the best way to discover L.A.; an unforgettable beach city experience filled with eye-catching people, cutting-edge culture and bold innovations. It is the essence of the California Lifestyle.”

While residents may think Santa Monica’s beaches already contain enough amenities to place them amongst the nation’s best, a study conducted by the bureau showed more work needs to be done.

Santa Monica failed to be included in a list of the 10 best beaches nationwide in several studies by prominent universities and the world-renowned Frommer’s Guide, which many tourists rely on to rank the best destinations.

After surveying 300 people, including 101 beachgoers during the summer months last year, the bureau found that 21 percent of area residents haven’t visited a local beach in the past two years. While beaches offer many things to see and do, cleaner water and sand would motivate people to visit more often.

Those interviewed said added amenities such as beach canopies, recycling bins, fire pits and planked walkways right onto the beach could attract more visitors along with higher quality vendor service and more festivals held in the off-season.

While safety was not identified as a major concern in the survey, participants renewed calls for more patrols at the beach, call boxes along the boardwalk so visitors can easily reach police and more information on what can be done to assist the homeless.

“Many people don’t know how to deal with the homeless,” said Laurel Rosen, director of sales and marketing for The Lobster restaurant. “It’s really important that everyone does make an effort.”

Misti Kerns, president of the CVB, said her staff is working with local businesses on an ambassador program for employees working in the hospitality industry so that they can be trained on everything Santa Monica, including how to direct the homeless to services.

“The tools are out there, but businesses need to incorporate them in the training of their new hires,” Kerns said.

In addition to the ambassador program, there has been progress made in the area of public safety. Additional officers are being deployed to the beach and security cameras have been installed at the Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade.

In addition to officers patrolling on foot, ATVs and on bicycles, some suggested placing mile markers along the bike path that would give people a better sense of where they are. Others called for better monitoring of public restrooms.

The restrooms continued to be a hot topic. Participants again voiced their frustrations with the current condition of local facilities, saying they often look filthy.

Elaine Polachek, director of Community Maintenance, said her staff is close to finalizing drawings for eight new restrooms. Polachek also said she is looking into purchasing trash cans with lids to keep garbage from making its way onto the beach. There is also some talk of getting trash cans that contain sections for glass, paper and other recy-clables as well as refuse.

Continuing in the vein of environmental stewardship, those in attendance felt Santa Monica was doing more than other cities in terms of cleaning the bay and diverting urban run-off. However, there was a call for more outreach, including the posting of Heal the Bay’s annual Beach Report Card, a report that indicates that several of the bay’s beaches ranked high in cleanliness with the exception of the water surrounding the Santa Monica Pier.

Once again perception was key. Without education, visitors will continue to believe that Santa Monica’s waters are dirty and unsafe to swim in, participants said. Some suggested more community projects with partners like Heal the Bay and the Santa Monica Aquarium in which students from local schools could be involved in clean-up efforts and the planting of kelp beds or beach grass.

There was also a suggestion to offer visitors who park in the beach’s lots a $1 discount if they utilize biodegradable trash bags and use them to clean up after themselves.

Former Mayor Nat Travis, also known as “Mr. Santa Monica,” suggested the city purchase a radio frequency and offer the latest information on traffic, weather and the surf. Signs with the radio frequency could be posted on the freeway heading into town so people could be prepared before they get to the beach. He also suggested pod casting.

Knapp, who has been monitoring the branding process, said Santa Monica is making progress and is continuing to show interest in enhancing itself. He said it is important to remember that the process is continuous and must evolve along with the city.

“You must involve the stakeholders on a regular basis,” Knapp said.“You have to constantly replace, renew and enhance … This is a lifelong process.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 26, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/092607.pdf?ref=smdp.com)