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, June 25, 2013

North Lot & Great Highway Re-Opened, Sand Realigned

Two surfers exit the water at Sloat's north lot area.
Let's replace that armor in the background with sand! Photo: B.McLaughlin

Greetings Surfriders and Friends,

Now that the sand has been cleaned off the road, the Great Highway is open for traffic once again.  Also, the north parking lot has been cleared. The excess sand that was clogging the road and lot has been pushed back on the beach.  At Sloat, the sand was moved down near the tidal zone. The result is a more relaxed grade to the new sand access, making it is easier to traverse. We hope to hear word from the SPUR team soon about a method to stabilize the sand so that it mostly stays on the beach during wind episodes.

In other erosion news, the campaign to restore Sharp Park continues. As was last reported, we were successful in getting the latest round of armoring halted with intervention by the Coastal Commission. At a certain point, an "after the fact" permit for the maintenance project will come before The Commission for approval. This will be an extremely important event which will allow all of us an opportunity to provide input on the project. As always, feel free to provide input today. Besides a written submission to the Coastal Commission, it would also be helpful to write our city's Supervisors with a cc to SF Park and Recreation Department.  Please ask our officials to preserve the beach at Sharp Park through a full restoration plan for the watershed.

Thanks for staying engaged!