By ARABELLA SERRATA
Special to the NEWS
Eddie Loa, a San Benito resident, said he has brought an ongoing issue to the City of San Benito’s attention for several months. Loa said he cannot access the back of his property through an easement shared with the adjacent Fun-N-Sun RV Resort.
“When I bought the property, I was told there was an easement so I could get to the back of my property,” said Loa. Loa said he was able to use the easement for two and a half years after relocating to his current abode.
“The only way to get there [the back of his property] is through Fun-N-Sun, the gated community. We had a code to go through there [the easement],” said Loa. Loa said he lost access to the easement after an issue with a neighbor.
Loa has been trying to resolve the issue for the past two and a half years. “I’ve been going to open comments, and I’ve met with a few of them [City officials],” said Loa. He also alleged that the resort was built over the existing plotted easement.
Loa said the City was not taking action on the easement issue and continued to ignore him until he began to work with Wayne Dolcefino on the recent election recount. Dolcefino is the head of Dolcefino Media, a Houston-based investigative media firm that released a series of exposé videos on the City over the past year.
“When I tried talking to Mr. [Fred] Sandoval [San Benito City Manager] about the issues with the easement, the first thing he said when I walked in was ‘How’s Dolcefino doing,’” said Loa. Loa added that he was no longer in contact with Dolcefino when he met with Sandoval, insisting that he only wanted the City to resolve the easement issue.
“Fun-N-Sun is aware of the circumstances related to the parcel of land you [the NEWS] have questioned and is involved in ongoing discussions. We understand the interest in this matter and respect all parties involved. At this time, we are engaged with the City, our residents, and our neighbors regarding this area,” said Randy Berman, a public relations person for the resort.
The NEWS contacted the City of San Benito regarding its side of the issue and for additional comments, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Loa and resort representatives spoke on the issue in the public comments portion of a San Benito City Commissioners’ meeting last fall where a number of resort residents and management spoke against opening the easement to traffic, saying it was dangerous, and would disrupt the resort’s private disposition.
Loa countered, saying that not allowing access to the easement not only violates City codes, it restricts access to emergency vehicles and other first responders.
The topic was tabled during that meeting and tabled again in a more recent meeting.