Alert: Important Meeting of the Ca. Coastal Commission

Inner Bar Surf at South Sloat - Threatened By Backwash

Heads up Surfriders and Friends,

The California Coastal Commission is set to have a vote on SFDPW's permit application to expand armoring at Sloat Boulevard. The meeting will be on Wednesday July 13, at Marin County Board of Supervisors 3501 Civic Center Drive Rm 330 San Rafael starting at 9am. This is the set of permits that goes way beyond the work needed to finish last year's emergency repairs. We have already sent in well over 100 letters from our supporters, as well as spoke directly with the Commission about this issue. Our main point remains that permitting the expansion of armoring is unnecessary, and will only serve to undermine a primary goal of the SPUR Ocean Beach Master Plan process. That objective is to create a long term plan for Ocean Beach erosion shaped by all stakeholders - public, government, and non-profits. Please come on down to comment in person if you can. If not, you are always welcome to send letters directly to the Commission. They don't allow email, so please print out your letters and send them via traditional mail: Here's the contact info.

North Central Coast District Office
Charles Lester, Senior Deputy Director
Ruby Pap, District Supervisor


45 Fremont Street, Suite 2000
San Francisco, CA 94105-2219
(415) 904-5260 or
(415) 904-5200
FAX (415) 904-5400



Thanks!

Great Highway Sand Management News

Dear Surfriders and Friends,

Good news to report. This morning, SFDPW is addressing the issue of blowing sand that has led to recent closures of the Great Highway's southbound lanes. An excavator and at least one pair of plows will be used to relocate a sandy berm that has been building up at Noriega over the last few years. Sand from the berm has been blowing right onto the highway and into the shrubbery across the street. We contacted Frank Filice of DPW to find out if the sand could be used to cover the exposed armor at Noriega St. Good news. Indeed, that is the plan. In fact, the Agency is also working with the National Park Service to cover the exposed armor at Ortega Street as well. We applaud this effort as a short term measure to preserve our beach while reducing the pressure to armor.

SPUR Public Workshop #2 Report

A new erosion hotspot? Ortega Street, early June 2011.

Dear Surfriders and Friends,

The SPUR public workshop went really well. Attendance was great despite the pouring rain.

Here’s a basic report:

SPUR opened the meeting by giving attendees an overview of Ocean Beach’s sand transport system, wastewater infrastructure and the erosion challenge. Then, several test case scenarios were presented showing the results of different approaches to addressing erosion and beach management. The test cases served to demonstrate the different issues involved in long term planning at Ocean Beach. For example, one scenario demonstrated what the beach would look like over the next 100 years if we were to prioritize infrastructure protection above all other issues. Naturally, with this approach, most of the southern section of Ocean Beach was wiped out, with the shoreline and dunes getting replaced by a seawall and quarry stone revetments. Another test case showed what the future would look like if we were to use habitat conservation as the dominant priority. In such a scenario we would have to relocate not only the wastewater tunnel and the Great Highway, but also part of the neighborhood along the Lower Great Highway (at mid-beach) would have to be returned to the sand. Other models showed what would happen if we were to use green infrastructure or recreational opportunities as the prime drivers. The results of these approaches showed various degrees of Managed Retreat, but with their own pluses and minuses. SPUR wants to remind everyone that these test scenarios were not actual proposals, but tools for the public to glimpse the different issues, challenges, strengths and weaknesses inherent in any long term master plan.
During the last section of the workshop, the attendees split up into break-out session groups. Each group was charged with drafting their own ideal Master Plan for the next 100 years. The hypothetical results shown in the various test scenarios sparked a very lively planning session. At the end of the meeting, the beak-out groups’ draft plans were collected by SPUR and will serve to provide feedback and direction in formation of the final Ocean Beach Master Plan. A Draft Master Plan is the next step in this process. Check out SPURs website for all the details and/or to provide additional input.

www.spur.org/oceanbeach

Thanks to all who attended!