The City of San Francisco gave Ocean Beach to the National Park Service in 1972 to be part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). GGNRA owns the property from the Great Highway to the mean high tide line. The State Lands Commission (the public!) owns the submerged lands below the mean high tide line. The City of San Francisco owns the Great Highway and the O'Shaughnessy seawall.
Who manages OB?
San Francisco's Department of Public Works (DPW) manages all of the OB infrastructure, and provides refuse collection, street maintenance and assures public access to OB. San Francisco's Department of Recreation and Parks maintains the bike/walking pathway that is east of Great Highway. San Francisco's Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) operates and maintains the City's water treatment plants (Water treatment plant at Sloat Ave., the sewer boxes located under the Great Highway, and the Southwest Ocean Outfall pipe that extends offshore at Sloat Ave.)
The California Coastal Commission is the state regulatory agency that has jurisdiction over most activities, like maintaining the seawalls/riprap, moving sand, any development, any restoration projects, etc. at OB. The California Coastal Act is a California law that was passed in 1976 and includes specific policies that limit development activities along the coastline. All activities at OB require authorization (permits) by the California Coastal Commission.
The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) has jurisdiction over activities at Baker Beach and within San Francisco Bay. Similar to the Coastal Commission, all activties at Baker Beach and within the San Francisco Bay require authorization (permits) by BCDC.
The Army Corps of Engineers works with the San Francisco Public Works Department to help manage the coastal erosion at Ocean Beach. The Army Corps moves sand around at Ocean Beach and places sand that is dredged from the main ship channel back in the coastal system.
Who studies OB?
United States Geological Survey (USGS) is the leading scientific entity and is looking at the sediment dynamics and beach dynamics to understand how the sand moves through the coastal system. There are several on-going studies at OB to observe and monitor how the sand moves out of the San Francisco Bay and along the OB shoreline.
Who cleans/loves/uses OB?
The San Francisco Surfrider Foundation Chapter has over 1200 members who care about keeping OB clean and open to the public.
