Bah humbug! Closing Cambria Christmas Market to the public is a holiday bummer

Fans of Cambria’s Christmas Market feel like they just got Scrooged.

We can’t say that we blame them.

The off-again/on-again/off-again aspect has been frustrating for families looking forward to the revival of the outdoor market at Cambria Pines Lodge, which was scaled way back last year on account of COVID.

Modeled after German Christmas markets, the popular Cambria event has featured elaborate light displays, German food and drink, entertainment, vendor booths and, of course, visits with Santa.

But for a second year in a row, the event will be limited — there won’t be any vendors or food booths — and open only to certain lodging and dinner guests of Cambria Pines Lodge and its sister hotels.

And this time, it’s not the pandemic’s fault; the lodge was unable to secure a necessary operating permit in time.

Disappointed members of the public are blaming neighboring residents who appealed a county Planning Commission decision to grant a temporary permit for the big event, which was supposed to run Nov. 26 through Dec. 23.

“Lawyers who don’t like cars in their rich neighborhoods love to stop fun for everyone else. Now we have a name for The Grinch who stole Christmas lights,” one Tribune Facebook user wrote.

On top of that, people who already bought tickets to attend just the market — not to stay or dine at the lodge — were left wondering whether those tickets will be honored.

Conflicting reports were spreading on social media, with some ticket-holders saying they had been assured they would still be able to go to the event.

But market manager Mike Arnold has indicated that efforts are being made to help those ticket holders book dinner or hotel packages instead. Those who aren’t interested in doing that will get full refunds.

Concerns from neighbors

This is not a good way to start the holiday season, but, to be fair, the neighbors are within their rights to demand that their grievances be heard.

Over the years, the holiday market has snowballed into a popular, well-attended event — to the consternation of some nearby residents who say they’ve been bothered by the noise levels, traffic, lack of parking, trash, etc.

Plus, some members of the drought-stricken community worry about the strain on the town’s water supply. And there have been complaints that the vendors take business away from downtown merchants, though in a Chamber of Commerce survey, 51% of business owners said it had a positive effect; 21% said the market was detrimental to their business; and the rest said it didn’t affect them.

Efforts have been made to make it less of a nuisance for neighbors, such as requiring attendees to ride shuttle buses instead of parking on site.

But that wasn’t enough to appease everyone; three separate appeals were filed following the Oct. 22 Planning Commission decision to approve this year’s event.

Normally, the Board of Supervisors would hear the appeal and issue a final decision, but because Cambria is in a coastal zone, any decision by the supervisors could also be appealed to the state Coastal Commission.

By the time the Coastal Commission would have gotten around to hearing it, the start date for the market would have passed.

Due to the timing snafu, Cambria Pines Lodge opted not to pursue a permit for this year.

So what’s next?

Dirk Winter, the owner of Cambria Pines Lodge, has been working toward a long-term permit that would allow him to expand the market’s days and hours of operation and to add 15 more vendor booths — the current limit is 35.

Given that the market already was generating complaints, an expansion seems like wishful thinking.

If anything, going forward with a reduction would be more realistic.

We would hate to see a public holiday market disappear. Ideally, a compromise can be reached that will satisfy the neighbors and still allow the market — not just the light display — to continue.

Sure, it’s a commercial event that benefits the lodge, but it also helps the regional economy.

It obviously draws out-of-towners to the area, and chances are they aren’t going to spend all their time at the lodge; they’ll buy gas, visit local shops, eat at local restaurants, maybe take side trips to Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo. That generates the sales and bed tax the county and the cities needs, especially in the off-season when tourism declines.

At the same time, this is a fun, family event, and locals should have the opportunity to attend as well, without having to pony up for a dinner or an overnight stay.

It’s too late for this year, but the county and the applicant should get to work right away on a new permit, so there’s plenty of time for all the necessary hearings and appeals.

Please, come up with a plan for 2022 that minimizes conflicts with neighbors but doesn’t leave the public bummed out for being shut out of the Cambria Christmas Market.