Sloat Restoration through Managed Retreat

Sloat Restoration through Managed Retreat
This is our original vision for Sloat Restoration - graphic courtesy of PSA and Associates and the Ocean Beach Task Force

Our Vision of Beach Restoration and Preservation

The shorelines of Ocean Beach south of Sloat Blvd and Sharp Park in Pacifica are threatened by rip-rap seawallls and long-term erosion. This blog chronicles our campaign efforts to restore these beaches. Check out the web view of this site to see our proposed solutions and how to help- in the right hand column below. For all the latest about our efforts, see our monthly posts.

We advocate a managed retreat strategy to restore both Ocean Beach south of Sloat and Sharp Park.

At Sloat, our vision involves:

A long-term plan to relocate threatened infrastructure
(including the south of Sloat Great Highway, the two oceanside parking lots and the sewer lines underneath them).

The cleanup of all the rock and rubble littering the beach.

The use of sand dunes as the primary tool to slow erosion.

For Sharp Park, we advocate the decommissioning of the golf course, the removal of the rip-rap berm, and a full restoration of the wetland.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Draft Ocean Beach Master Plan Part II


Dear Surfriders and Friends,

I trust by now most of you have reviewed the draft master plan and have provided comment. If not, please do so as the official comment period closes this Friday 11/18 at 5pm. See: http://www.spur.org/ocean-beach There is a survey monkey link on the page for your feedback.

In the last post, the issue of the feasibility study of the Lake Merced Transport Box was covered. One other issue surrounding the Box as well as the Master Plan has to do with timelines.

It will be several years between the time that a long term plan is adopted for Sloat and when construction is completed. Surfrider believes that the city should adopt an interim erosion response plan asap. Such a plan should exclude armoring projects such as large scale quarry stone revetments. A good plan would have minimal environmental impact and have a strict expiration date. We are working through SPUR to make this happen right now. It would be a tragedy to see the master plan's recommendations get circumvented by an untimely erosion event.

One other noteworthy issue in the draft has to do with access. The draft master plans suggests several changes to beach parking. At Sloat's first lot (north) the draft recommends that parking be transferred to Sloat Blvd. This makes sense if adequate parking spaces are made available for beach access on Sloat. They should be as close as possible to the Great Highway intersection. Unfortunately, the draft is not clear on this point. We urge you to ask SPUR to incorporate this idea. Many people that come to Ocean Beach have to drive to get there. Quality parking space needs to be preserved.

Parking at the north end lots (Kelly's and VFW's) are also slated for changes. In Key Move #5 of the draft Master Plan, a proposal for charging fees for parking on peak days is floated. Surfrider urges folks to oppose any fees for access to Ocean Beach.

No comments:

Post a Comment