2018 Year End Wrap Up

Season's Greetings Surfriders,

Thanks to all who have helped in the effort to restore and preserve Ocean Beach this year. Here's a short highlight list of the 2018 campaign:

1. Secured the passage of the Local Coastal Plan (LCP) amendment.

The amendment we helped shape is a zoning regulation which now allows for beach restoration at Sloat through managed retreat. We submitted written and oral comments every step of the way on the LCP.  

2. Mounted a principled opposition to the Westside Pumpstation Upgrade.

The Pumpstation upgrade will improve our water quality, but will probably need to be protected by armoring at some future point.  We opposed the permit on this ground and the fact that the permit did not include an alternatives analysis containing a landward configuration option for the project.  Although we lost this fight, Surfrider needed to make a point that all new development along Ocean Beach should be planned in such a way as to avoid exposure to erosion.

3. Launched a campaign to include new parking in the upcoming road project.

Over the years, the beach community has lost most of our coastal access parking south of Sloat. A road relocation/consolidation project is coming up soon, and Surfrider is mounting a campaign to ensure parking is included in the plans. It's not too late to help.  Just write a letter - instruction are on the December 5th post below.

Thanks again to all.  Enjoy the holiday surf!

Beach Access Parking Comments Still Needed!

This graphic (posted on the restrooms at Sloat) shows what we were expecting from the Phase 1 project.

Greetings Surfriders,

The fight to ensure parking improvements for south Ocean Beach is on.  At last month's Coastal Commission hearing at Fisherman's Wharf, we testified for the need for parking improvements at Sloat and the need for their inclusion in the upcoming road re-alignment project.

Surfrider contends that our request for parking improvements is only fair as we have been told for several years now that new parking for beach access was to be included in this project.  The Phase One plan was to accomplish this by repurposing the abandoned southbound lanes.  A graphic of this proposal can be found posted on the walls of the Sloat restroom. See text in picture - "parking in abandoned lanes".

To help us in this effort, please send a letter to the SF Department of Public Works, the agency in charge of executing the road project.  However, definitely CC (carbon copy) to the North Central District office of the Coastal Commission, Supervisor Katy Tang, Supervisor Peskin, SF Rec. and Park Director Phillip Ginsburg, Benjamin Grant at SPUR and Brian Aviles at the National Parks Service. These are key entities that will be deciding the fate of beach access parking for the Sloat area.

Here is a sample text.  Feel free to copy and paste:

To: David.Froehlich@sfdpw.org
cc: katy.tang@sfgov.org, NorthCentralCoast@coastal.ca.gov, aaron.peskin@sfgov.org, phil.ginsburg@sfgov.org, bgrant@spur.org, brian_aviles@nps.gov

Dear Decision-makers of the Sloat erosion site,

My name is _______________ and I __________ (surf, hike, fish, enjoy, etc) Ocean Beach.  While I support the restoration plan for the erosion site south of Sloat, the upcoming road realignment work should include additional beach access parking using the abandoned lanes until a new long-term parking lot can be built.

Parking access south of Sloat is critical for beach access. Originally, our two parking lots provided 200 spaces.  Currently, the south parking access has been completely lost to erosion while the north lot has only 29 parking spaces left. This is inadequate. We need immediate parking relief in the upcoming road realignment project. 

Thank you.  _____________

(your name, address)

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Thanks again for your help!