Pismo Beach: California Coastal Commission signals its intent to end OHV use at Pismo Beach entirely

[getreal]

https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/...S-UPiyCvCTIKx0LDGwRg6ZnBJiCQ-ECZ7BtQL20XRpbmM

 

[Riverbound]

It’s been coming for a while and most up there are rolling over and taking it. Breaks my heart, I love it up there but the liberals are infecting the place.

 

[sirbob]

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2019/...o-end-ohv-use-at-pismo-beach-entirely/?layout



Citing its mission to protect California’s coastal resources, the California Coastal Commission released a report late last week promising to effectively end off-highway vehicle use at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, the birthplace of the dune buggy and the last remaining place in California where one can drive on the beach.

“Put simply, in staff’s view a Park that is fully consistent with on-the-ground realities, and with coastal resource protection requirements, does not include OHV use,” according to a CCC staff recommendation report released ahead of next month’s commission meeting.

While the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District proposed earlier this year to fence off about a third of the 1,500 acres made available to OHVs in response to complaints of excessive dust and particulate matter blowing off the park’s dunes, the CCC report proposes to eliminate all OHV access to the park via a series of measures to address a number of issues.

Those measures include not only the above-mentioned fencing of 500 acres to promote vegetation growth but also the permanent closure of 300 acres currently closed seasonally to protect local snowy plover habitat, a ban on nighttime driving to protect nocturnal wildlife, a prohibition on crossing Arroyo Grande Creek when it connects to the ocean to protect fish populations, limits on the number of vehicles allowed in the park in proportion with the number of acres accessible to vehicles, and the elimination of holiday exceptions to limits on vehicular access to the park.

As pointed out in the report, the entirety of Oceano Dunes is considered an environmentally sensitive habitat area and, according to the county’s Local Coastal Program, OHV use is not allowed in such areas.

“It’s death by a thousand fence posts,” said Jim Suty, the president of Friends of Oceano Dunes, a local group that fights for full access to the dune complex formerly known as Pismo Beach. “They’re truly showing their cards.”

With the report, Suty said his group sees no way to maintain the status quo or to claw back any of the acreage already closed off to OHVs at Oceano Dunes, even if the group shows up in force at the commission meeting.

“They basically threw the book at the park and used every tool they had to do this,” he said. “We might win some concessions, but it won’t be enough.”

Prior to the establishment of the SVRA in 1982, OHVs had access to 15,000 acres at Pismo Beach. The activity there not only led Jerry Miller to create what is considered the first dune buggy but also led Bruce Meyers to create the fiberglass-bodied Volkswagen-based Meyers Manx.

“The act that created the commission calls for it to protect coastal resources, but it also requires them to provide maximum opportunities for recreation,” Suty said. “Our form of camping and recreation goes back more than 100 years.”

Anticipating arguments from OHV advocates and enthusiasts that Oceano Dunes should continue to allow OHVs to the extent it currently does, the CCC report notes that “to do so is to suggest that State Parks should simply disregard the realities affecting this Park, and to suggest that those realities are somehow inconsequential. In staff’s view they are not, and staff firmly believes that they are not inconsequential to State Parks either.”

While the report outlines a path to eliminate OHVs from the park, it also argues that Oceano Dunes would continue to be able to operate as one of California’s nine state vehicular recreation areas by dint of allowing street-legal vehicles limited access to the beach “with a significantly reduced impact on sensitive coastal resources and surrounding communities.” The SVRAs are funded in part by off-highway vehicle registration fees.

Some local residents, citing multiple deaths at the dunes this year, have argued that the park should be closed to all vehicles.

OHV recreation accounts for a significant part of the local economy. According to a 2016 study commissioned by the park, visitors contribute $243 million to the local economy on an annual basis, nearly $2 million of which goes to state and local taxes. According to Suty, up to 3,000 jobs are at stake in the area should the park no longer allow OHV access.

Suty noted that Friends of Oceano Beach has already challenged CCC in court and that the group will investigate filing another lawsuit against the commission “as long as doing so will protect the park and the acreage suitable for off-highway recreation.”

The California Coastal Commission will take up the report and its recommendations at the commission’s July 10-12 meeting in San Luis Obispo, California. For more information, visit Coastal.CA.gov.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

There are miles and miles and miles of undeveloped coastline north of santa Barbara. Their arguments make no sense. Wish I could have seen it when it was 15000 acres.

 

[77charger]

Been chipping away at it little by little over the years.IMO its jsut a matter of time til its closed off then they will focus on other areas after this.

 

[4Waters]

Glamis and California City will be the the crosshairs next. Absolute BS.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

Where are the sxs manufacturers? Small enthusiasts groups aren't going to be able to fight this. Honda, polaris, Yamaha, etc... Are the ones that should be fighting this. Put some lobby money behind it and the tide will change. If they don't then they are shooting themselves in the foot. Every year there are less and less acres to ride. Without corporate $$$$ it's only a matter of time.

 

[fmo24]

Where are the sxs manufacturers? Small enthusiasts groups aren't going to be able to fight this. Honda, polaris, Yamaha, etc... Are the ones that should be fighting this. Put some lobby money behind it and the tide will change. If they don't then they are shooting themselves in the foot. Every year there are less and less acres to ride. Without corporate $$$$ it's only a matter of time.

This is true but get outside of commiefornia and land is plenty to ride. The libs will kill this state yet

 

[Instigator]

One more lost liberty. It will continue until the citizens take action against the government or all of their liberties will be lost too.

 

[Meaney77]

Such a bummer, I grew up going there camping and riding with my family. Hoping to get my kids out there to camp and ride on the beach before its to late.

Its all bullshit and this has been going on since I was a kid. I really dont see what would change by closing the dunes- the amount of closed areas is far larger than whats open so its not an endangered species thing. And I find it hard to believe its an air quality issue with the amount of onshore and off shore winds on any given day. Its all of these god damn tree huggers that have way to much time on their hands.

I would think closing the dunes would have a big impact on Grover City and Oceano...

 

[SJP]

I have to get out there with the boys before it closes. What a drag. Everything cool about CA is really eroded.

 

[Meaney77]

I have to get out there with the boys before it closes. What a drag. Everything cool about CA is really eroded.

Totally agree... Its a bummer to think that our kids and future generations will never know how cool CA once was- the tree huggers, environmentalist, and left wing liberals are quickly killing everything cool that ever existed here.

 

[DILLIGAF]

The CA Coastal Commission is a very powerful entity.

They did screw the Japanese after they bought Pebble Beach and started selling private memberships. They had know idea they couldnt do that on public property. They took a bath and sold out to the group with Uberoth and Clint and others.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Guess I should take the kids one last time...
What a bummer.

 

[WhatExit?]

“The bottom line in staff’s view is that the Park and the (coastal development permit) cannot continue to operate as it has in the past,” read the report. “... it is time to start thinking about ways to transition the Park away from high-intensity OHV use to other less intensive forms of public access and recreation.”

The treehuggers "know what's best for our land and its people." When they're done the only way humans will be able to access OUR LANDS is on foot

 

[HNL2LHC]

https://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/threads/pismo-beach.201932/#post-3377727

 

[BajaMike]

The CA Coastal Commission is a very powerful entity.

.

The Coastal Commissioners are also a bunch of Nazis.

 

[Wizard29]

Glamis and California City will be the the crosshairs next. Absolute BS.

Treehuggers already tried with Glamis and fortunately lost. No doubt they'll try again, but they've already played their best card and it didn't work.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

Treehuggers already tried with Glamis and fortunately lost. No doubt they'll try again, but they've already played their best card and it didn't work.

How much of glamis is closed these days?

 

[Blackmagic94]

How much of glamis is closed these days?

They opened up thousands of acres a few years ago that had been closed for a decade after the Sierra club lost a lawsuit

 

[DrunkenSailor]

They opened up thousands of acres a few years ago that had been closed for a decade after the Sierra club lost a lawsuit

Thats awesome can you get out to the tubes again?

 

[sprintcvx]

That's unfortunate for Pismo, it's one area I've never had the opportunity to ride on. I'm sure if the libbies had their way, they would love to close down the Oregon dunes as well.

 

[Spectra18]

These politicians are either taxing or banning the fun Hard Working Tax Paying Straight Men are having. My father once said “this government had the capability to cut a mans throat with a cotton ball.”

 

[Singleton]

Another great place to enjoy family is being taken away.

Wonder how the town and all the supporting business are going to be impacted - oh wait - never-mind, the coast commission could give 2 shits if they end up closing multiple family run business and tourist $$ goes elsewhere

 

[Wizard29]

Thats awesome can you get out to the tubes again?

There was a "central" closure that was basically in the middle of the dunes between Roadrunner and Olds. It was intended by the treehuggers to be a pain in the ass and show via noncompliance that sections of the dunes could not be closed because people would not obey the closures and instead the whole place should be closed. That failed. In addition, the dunes to the south had been closed starting about a half mile south of Roadrunner. The boundary ran due east to the washes and south along sand highway. Boundary ended somewhere around Patton valley leaving a small sections of dunes in the Buttercup area open. That was a huge amount of acreage closed. But thanks to the efforts of the American Sand Association to include all the lawyers they hired, the biologists they hired, and all of the studies they had conducted, those closures were removed.

What does remain is a closure about a mile wide toward the western side of the dunes. That starts roughly four miles south of Roadrunner and runs all the way down to Patton Valley. Not ideal and we did lose some land, but few people ride that area and efforts continue to have that reopened as well as prevent any more from being closed. Having the huge closures reopened was a big deal. As we all know, that rarely happens. Usually once something is closed, it's gone for good.

Anyway, to answer the question about the "tubes", there are two sets if we are talking about the same thing. I assume you are talking about the 8-10" diameter steel tubes that were at one time welded diagonally on a rectangular frame that was made of railroad track. One of the sets is barely inside (only by a few hundred feet) the existing closure on the west side. The other set is just outside the closure on the east side.

 

[mbrown2]

This is true but get outside of commiefornia and land is plenty to ride. The libs will kill this state yet

Where are California's moving to....AZ, NV, and TX along with their LIB views....the fight needs to start in California or all states will follow as the precedent has been set here. I don't agree with the politics of this state but corporate money who profits from the sell of offroad should be helping to fight these different orgs. It is the only way these trends will change.

Everyone thinks "its California" there's no use fighting against it....Same way France, England, and USA thought when Germany rolled into Austria....Ignore it. But when it is on your doorstep it is a much bigger fight to fight.

 

[redone76]

So stupid! Love me some Oceano dunes

 

[Singleton]

Where are California's moving to....AZ, NV, and TX along with their LIB views....the fight needs to start in California or all states will follow as the precedent has been set here. I don't agree with the politics of this state but corporate money who profits from the sell of offroad should be helping to fight these different orgs. It is the only way these trends will change.

Everyone thinks "its California" there's no use fighting against it....Same way France, England, and USA thought when Germany rolled into Austria....Ignore it. But when it is on your doorstep it is a much bigger fight to fight.

I have 3 very large customers in Vegas.
Last set of meetings I had, everyone of them were pissed about CA folks moving to NV and bringing CA BS politics.
If we can’t find a way to stop this BS in CA, it is going to spread east like a wildfire (just look at how bad Austin is these days).

 

[Meaney77]

One thing that comes to mind- there would be less of an "environmental impact" if their really is such a thing if they opened up the dunes and limited the number of people each day that can use them. Their is currently only X percentage of the entire dunes open and they allow X amount of people to camp on any given day. If they increased the usable foot print for people to enjoy and still had a limit on the number of people that could enjoy them it would minimize the so called environmental impact and air quality issues that people are complaining about.

The last time I was there the usable area was relatively close to town and people were literally camped on top of each other- Open up the area so people can spread out and limit the number of people as they have always done. Maybe then there are less complaints of noise, camp fire smoke, and whatever else they are complaining about. Really at the end of the day- Pismo has been opened for OHV use well before any of the current residents lived there. They knew what they were buying into before they bought.

 

[DILLIGAF]

The Coastal Commissioners are also a bunch of Nazis.

I agree with you Mike. I know people in Monterey area. They cant cut down any trees on their property unless there is some kind of danger involved with the tree. Ridiculous.

 

[jetboatperformance]

Been watching the "slow creep" of this for years as a local its a lot like gun control its very slow and incremental but likely inevitable

 

[rivermobster]

That's unfortunate for Pismo, it's one area I've never had the opportunity to ride on. I'm sure if the libbies had their way, they would love to close down the Oregon dunes as well.

It was awesome back in the day. I could camp on the beach with my dome tent, and the closest person to me would be about 100 yards away. There was lots of room, and respect.

Last time I went people were camped on top of each other! There was maybe 2 feet between my toyhauler and some douche that thought it was ok to park his that close to me.

15k acres clamped down to 1500 now? Fuck that place and the assholes who have ruined it.

There are so many more Great places to ride.

Oregon dunes are my favorite. My quad club back in the day. Spinreel, Oregon National Recreational Aera.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Seems the town of Oceano is awful quiet and not fighting back much. The small shops and vendors that cater to the offroad crowd and going to die immediately. Are the other shops and local establishments hedging their bets that "other" tourism will sustain them without the OHV crowd? The crowds that the OHV use bring dwarf the other anything else that town gets, but they probably fail to realize that or dont want to put weight on it. Fatal mistake..

 

[BajaMike]

I agree with you Mike. I know people in Monterey area. They cant cut down any trees on their property unless there is some kind of danger involved with the tree. Ridiculous.

Tom, my family has beach front property in San Clemente and I have many friends with property in San Clemente. The Coastal Commission is now trying to control property changes and building 1/2 mile from the beach.

Building or re-modeling near the beach is almost impossible (or very....very.....very expensive).

 

[EmpirE231]

some people that couldn't afford to live in Newport beach are trying to increase their property values by banning OHV use (aka public having recreational fun)

this is the same as moving next to an airport and complaining about the noise... I read an article a while back that they claimed the dust thrown into the air was damaging the local air quality

 

[77charger]

Seems the town of Oceano is awful quiet and not fighting back much. The small shops and vendors that cater to the offroad crowd and going to die immediately. Are the other shops and local establishments hedging their bets that "other" tourism will sustain them without the OHV crowd? The crowds that the OHV use bring dwarf the other anything else that town gets, but they probably fail to realize that or dont want to put weight on it. Fatal mistake..

The off road shops will definitely go out of business although there was mainly one buggy shop out there i think that sold parts.The rentals are gonna close up theres no where else to stay in business.As for other shops such as liqour stores,markets,food joints may not notice much difference as most bring most supplies with them when they go on trips.They survive winter when the dune crowd is alot smaller.

When it comes to pismo i know it aint that big or great as glamis but its nice to go for the escape from heat when we go i go to mainly camp at beach but have a toy to ride if i want to.Going next month ill prob leave buggy home ride sons quad and take my stand up jet ski to play in the surf.

 

[Lumpy]

My 2 Cents,
Been her since 1987.
I live 3 miles from the Oceano ramp.
My son and I have been running the beach a couple times a week for years.

The amount of complete bull shit that has gone down in this county over the last 32 years has been insane.
San Luis Obispo County was once a very conservative county....cant even begin to explain how awesome this place was when I moved here.

Over the years the wealthy Libtards have been moving in from SF and LA in order to escape the shit holes they created....mostly the hippy Baby Boomers that
inherited the (Greatest Generations) money. So now these ass fuck commie libtards have been clear cutting all the trees on the Nipomo Mesa creating there dream homes
in a place called the Monarch Dunes. There view is incredible! accept for those pesky off roaders. The claims of air quality are utter complete BS!....I live in this so called zone.
Anyhow, I could go on and on....the bottom line is that a bunch of bleeding heart Baby Boomers and their inherited money don't want to see off roaders. Couple that with the idiotic enviro Nazi`s of commiefornia and there lust to make all Californians peasants.....here we are.

Don't get me started on lakes and water rights!

 

[BajaMike]

My 2 Cents,
Been her since 1987.
I live 3 miles from the Oceano ramp.
My son and I have been running the beach a couple times a week for years.

The amount of complete bull shit that has gone down in this county over the last 32 years has been insane.
San Luis Obispo County was once a very conservative county....cant even begin to explain how awesome this place was when I moved here.

Over the years the wealthy Libtards have been moving in from SF and LA in order to escape the shit holes they created....mostly the hippy Baby Boomers that
inherited the (Greatest Generations) money. So now these ass fuck commie libtards have been clear cutting all the trees on the Nipomo Mesa creating there dream homes
in a place called the Monarch Dunes. There view is incredible! accept for those pesky off roaders. The claims of air quality are utter complete BS!....I live in this so called zone.
Anyhow, I could go on and on....the bottom line is that a bunch of bleeding heart Baby Boomers and their inherited money don't want to see off roaders. Couple that with the idiotic enviro Nazi`s of commiefornia and there lust to make all Californians peasants.....here we are.

Don't get me started on lakes and water rights!

Wow, great info Lumpy!

 

[Crazymofo]

Each and every person that rides any kind of off road machine needs to call up and complain to the powers that be.
Someone who lives in that area needs to make a list of all the politicians that make up that board. Meaning phone numbers and emails and get those listed up on this board and every board, Facebook and whatever has to do with offroad riding of any kind. From west coast to east coast clubs and forums need to have there members call and email these people. Let it be known every day, if just by one sentence that this is not acceptable. Everyday!!! Ten seconds out of your time.
As well we all know that there are hundred thousands of offroad people across this nation. We need to stand up together from sea to shining sea and be heard now! Not later and then just sit and reminisce of the good times that we had talking on forums and Facebook. BUT ACT NOW!

 

[sprintcvx]

It was awesome back in the day. I could camp on the beach with my dome tent, and the closest person to me would be about 100 yards away. There was lots of room, and respect.

Last time I went people were camped on top of each other! There was maybe 2 feet between my toyhauler and some douche that thought it was ok to park his that close to me.

15k acres clamped down to 1500 now? Fuck that place and the assholes who have ruined it.

There are so many more Great places to ride.

Oregon dunes are my favorite. My quad club back in the day. Spinreel, Oregon National Recreational Aera

I remember you posting that video a few months back. Good stuff! If you can catch a week/weekend in the Or dunes and don't get any rain or wind, there is no better place to be.

 

[Meaney77]

Link in bio to sign the petition


https://www.change.org/p/california...hts-fight-to-keep-oceano-dunes-svra-stay-open

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzN3lDmh09l/?igshid=1vf4fkxad5ywh

 

[rivermobster]

I remember you posting that video a few months back. Good stuff! If you can catch a week/weekend in the Or dunes and don't get any rain or wind, there is no better place to be.

I've been there a few times. Always in the summer. Was never a cloud in the sky.

Banshee Hill rules.

 

[Performance Grips]

I hear they are looking for a place to put the homeless and illegals coming in and they are all demanding beach front property...

 

[Cobalt232]

My wife and I would go to Pismo in the 80's and early 90's before we had kids etc. Would haul a utility trailer behind my Toyota 4x4 with a couple 3-wheelers or later quads. After we got a motorhome, we would drag it on and off the beach. Great fun and great memories. One trip a buddy of mine broke a bunch of ribs literally 5 minutes after unloading his brand new 250R. Good times.

Fast forward to last summer as we were driving back from SF to drop our daughter off at college. We decided to take a lunch out to Pismo and drive through the dunes before heading home. When we drove down the beach in front of where everyone was camped, it was way different and weird. Lot's of rental ATV's, etc. Also, the crowd was much more....how do I say it...ethnic. I'm sure they were having a great time, but it was just jammed packed. Was funny to see the ....ethnic areas contrasted by the RV compounds flying their Trump flags.

Hope it stays open for all.

 

[Meaney77]

 

[RiverDave]

I have always wanted to offroad at pismo. Never been.

 

[Bigbore500r]

View attachment 770821

Is July 11th a hard date? I've never seen that till now. I now the writing is on the wall, but that is quick

 

[Meaney77]

Is July 11th a hard date? I've never seen that till now. I now the writing is on the wall, but that is quick

Not sure, it's all over IG and I figured I would share. Agree 7/11 seems pretty quick for all of this to happen.

 

[yz450mm]

Is July 11th a hard date? I've never seen that till now. I now the writing is on the wall, but that is quick

No, the meeting to review their recommendation is on the 11th, and if they get their way they will be slowly phasing out off roading completely. https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article231911398.html

The era of riding at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreational Area may be coming to a close after decades of controversy and debate.
In what would be a critical decision for the Oceano Dunes, California Coastal Commission staff is advising the state board to take steps to stop recreational off-highway vehicle (OHV) use at the Central Coast park.
The recommendation was due to issues regarding “air quality and public health, rare and endangered species and habitats, environmental justice, and tribal concerns,” staff said in a June 21 report.
“The bottom line in staff’s view is that the Park and the (coastal development permit) cannot continue to operate as it has in the past,” read the report. “... it is time to start thinking about ways to transition the Park away from high-intensity OHV use to other less intensive forms of public access and recreation.”
“Put simply, in staff’s view a park that is fully consistent with on-the-ground realities, and with coastal resource protection requirements, does not include OHV use,” continued the report.

PHASING OUT OHVS

The report was released ahead of a California Coastal Commission meeting in San Luis Obispo on July 11, when the Commission is expected to review the permit for the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.
There, it could choose to implement a number of staff recommended changes to the permit, including prohibiting night riding, increasing enforcement and adding more fences at the park — all with the goal of eventually phasing out OHV use.
“We’ve kind of come to this realization,” the Commission’s Central Coast District Director Dan Carl told The Tribune in a phone interview Tuesday. “It’s not been an ‘aha!’ moment — it’s been a steady progression of these issues kind of ratcheting up.”
“We think OHV use is just not something that is appropriately a use out there,” he said. “We just don’t see how OHV use can be squared with the local coastal plan.”

Such a decision could irrevocably change the landscape and economy of southern San Luis Obispo County.
State Parks estimated that the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area and Pismo State Beach had an estimated economic impact of $243 million on San Luis Obispo County in 2016-17.
According to that same study, more than 2.2 million people visited the State Parks district in that time — most from outside the area.

[https://sfywqsvzzt2umijf4w2ksr5o66aptub7uru62odkjmqmtbdyebta]

MORE RANGERS AND FENCING, NO NIGHT RIDING

The park itself is nearly 3,600 acres, extending about 6 miles along the beach. Off-highway vehicles are allowed on 1,500 acres of that, or less, depending upon the season.

It was officially turned into an off-roading park in the 1980s.
Under staff’s proposed plan, the Commission could change the park’s permit to “begin to better address coastal resource concerns.”



Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[yz450mm]

Part 2:

Some of those initial changes would include:

Increasing enforcement of all vehicular use limits, speed limits and other vehicular requirements; would also call for additional signs, rangers and parameters for verifying that the number of vehicles in the park doesn’t exceed maximum allowances.

Adding fencing to protect coastal resources.

Prohibiting night riding from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.

Stopping OHV and camping operations when the Arroyo Grande Creek flows to prevent creek crossings.

Reducing vehicular and OHV daily use limits depending on acreage that is available for use that day due to dust control requirements or other exclosures (prohibited areas).

Eliminating holiday unlimited vehicular and OHV use exceptions on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

Considering entrance modifications that could provide vehicular access to the park while reducing coastal resource impacts.

Making 300-acre seasonal endangered special exclosure area permanent and restore the area to natural habitat.

Allowing for future closures for required dust control for all areas specified by the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District.

These changes would act as a first step toward eventually phasing out “high-intensity OHV use.”
Carl said this doesn’t necessarily mean all vehicles would be phased out from the park.

“We think a transition that allows for car camping could provide for a really cool feature for the public and for those that like to camp at Oceano Dunes,” he said. “There’s a great history of that.”
All of the recommendations are up to the Coastal Commission, however, Carl noted. They could choose to not implement any of the changes, or could choose to recommend more significant ones to park operations.
If the Commission decides to approve staff recommendation at its upcoming meeting, the ball would then be in State Park’s court for implementation. Carl said the goal would be to have most of the changes in place by October or December.

[https://sfywqsvzzt2umijf4w2ksr5o66aptub7uru62odkjmqmtbdyebta]

STATE PARKS HAS ITS OWN PLAN

Meanwhile, State Parks has been pursuing its own public works plan (PWP) for operational changes at the park for more than a year.
That plan — though still in development — has been described as a long-range land-use management plan to “improve motorized and non-motorized recreation opportunities at the park,” while complying with the California Coastal Act, according to its website.
Some early concepts for this plan floated the idea of adding a boardwalk connecting the Grand and Pier avenue entrances, and creating a southern OHV entrance, among other changes.
The concept plans released early this year showed that the direction State Parks’ PWP was heading seemed inconsistent with the Coastal Commission’s ultimate goals, according to Carl.
“That also was a big turning point for us, seeing what they were proposing was really a step in the wrong direction to us,” he said. “So it’s really important to the Commission to tell State Parks, ‘Here’s what you need to do with your PWP,’ so they don’t go through with the process and spend a whole lot of money on a project that can’t get approved.”
Kevin Pearce, interim superintendent for State Parks’ Oceano Dunes district, said State Parks has received the Coastal Commission staff report and is reviewing it at the local and state level.
Pearce said there will be more discussion between State Parks and the Coastal Commission staff on the topic, but declined further comment on the specifics of the recommendation.
He did add that State Parks is continuing work on its PWP in the meantime.
“It’s too early to abandon projects that have already been initiated,” he said.

[https://sfywqsvzzt2umijf4w2ksr5o66aptub7uru62odkjmqmtbdyebta]

DUNE RIDERS PREPARING FOR FIGHT

The staff recommendation rallied those who fervently support off-roading at the dunes, including the Friends of the Oceano Dunes.
“It’s time for us to roll up our sleeves and fight,” President Jim Suty said in a video posted to the Friends of the Oceano Dunes Facebook page Saturday.
In the video, Suty said supporters needed to be cautious in their fight, and to not accept even a partial closure of the SVRA.



Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk