San Onofre Surf Beach

Request for Action to Protect San Onofre State Beach

Opposing a Proposed & Un-Needed Tollroad Alignment

WHEREAS, lands of California�s State Park System are designated for their protection and preservation on behalf of this and future generations and should not be used in a manner inconsistent with state park purposes; and

WHEREAS, California State Parks provide a significant economic benefit to the people of California, attracting millions of visitors from around the world; and

WHEREAS, San Onofre State Beach is located on property leased for fifty years from the United States of America and was established in 1971 by Executive Order of President Nixon and at the urging of Governor Ronald Reagan; and

WHEREAS, San Onofre State Beach is one of the five most-visited of California�s 278 state parks and provides valuable and rare upland and wetland habitats (including unique habitat for eleven protected species listed as threatened or endangered under federal laws), wilderness, coastal beaches, affordable camping, nationally recognized historic and archeological sites; and

WHEREAS, the (YEACH) Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (Foothill Toll Road Agency) has proposed construction of a multi-lane toll road of over four miles in length through the heart of the nearly 1,200 acre inland Cristianitos Subunit portion of San Onofre State Beach; and

WHEREAS, the loss of over 320 acres or 27% of this portion of San Onofre State Beach for a toll road right-of-way would result in the park�s fragmentation, adversely affecting the remaining acreage in the park, including the potential for additional recreational opportunities, such as hiking, equestrian use and camping; and

WHEREAS, all the sites in the popular year-round San Mateo Campground are reserved six months in advance and receive more overnight use than any other of San Onofre State Beach�s two campgrounds and would be severely impacted by the noise, vibration, and visual intrusion of a major roadway if it were built; and

WHEREAS, San Onofre State Beach includes Trestles Beach, the only surfing World Championship Tour stop in the continental United States, so chosen because of the unique conditions that exist in the undeveloped San Mateo Creek watershed, conditions that provide the natural processes of erosion and sediment flows through the creek to the ocean, creating a clean, unique beach and surf, processes that would be altered and blocked by a multi-lane toll road through the watershed; and

WHEREAS, critical protection provided by section 4(f) of the Federal Transportation Act of 1966 designed to protect and preserve public park and recreation lands has, by language contained in a year 2000 appropriations bill, been waived; and

WHEREAS, viable alternative routes and traffic improvements exist which do not depend upon San Onofre State Beach including, but not limited to, the Interstate-5 corridor; and

WHEREAS, on November 3, 2005 the California State Park and Recreation Commission meeting in the City of San Clemente and in a hearing held before a crowd exceeding 1,000, took public testimony which was overwhelmingly in opposition to the use of San Onofre State Beach as a toll road route; (AND THE TCA SHUT THE LIGHTS OFF ON US WHEN IT WAS OUR TURN TO TALK!)

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the record of the hearing of the California State Park and Recreation Commission for the meetings of November 3 and 18, 2005 be transmitted to the Transportation Corridor Agencies for their records; and be it

RESOLVED that the Transportation Corridor Agencies reconsider and abandon a toll road route through San Onofre State Beach; and be it

RESOLVED that the California Department of Transportation be requested to review, investigate and report on alternatives to a toll road route through San Onofre State Beach including, but not limited to, Interstate-5 improvements; and be it

RESOLVED that the Commission requests that the State of California and its agencies take all appropriate and necessary actions within their power to protect the natural, cultural, recreational, and aesthetic resources of San Onofre State Beach; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission respectfully requests that the Governor, in concert with the Attorney General�s office, oppose any major transportation arterial through San Onofre State Beach using all appropriate methods, including litigation if necessary, to defend this valuable and irreplaceable public resource...

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Labels: san clemente, san onofre, surfing

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posted by NeoN @ 9/18/2007 07:19:00 AM