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<doc callnum="GV191.4 .R42 1974">
<metadata>
	<titleStmt>
		<mainTitle nfc="0"><title>Recreation element summary for the South Coast region.</title></mainTitle>
		<titleVariant type="cover"><title>Recreation</title></titleVariant>
	</titleStmt>
	<authorStmt>
		<corpAuthor><name type="jurisdiction">California.</name><subName>South Coast Regional Commission.</subName></corpAuthor>
	</authorStmt>
	<editionStmt><edition>Draft.</edition></editionStmt>
	<imprint>[<pubPlace>Long Beach, Calif.</pubPlace>:<pubName>South Coast Regional Commission, California Coastal Zone Conservation Commission</pubName>,<pubDate>1974</pubDate>]</imprint>
	<classStmt>
		<locClass>
			<subject cat="top">Recreation</subject>
			<subject cat="geo">California, Southern.</subject>
		</locClass>
		<locClass>
			<subject cat="top">Outdoor recreation</subject>
			<subject cat="geo">California, Southern.</subject>
		</locClass>
		<locClass>
			<subject cat="top">Environmental protection</subject>
			<subject cat="geo">California, Southern.</subject>
		</locClass>
	</classStmt>
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<text xml:space="preserve">
<pb n="1" />

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                      191 .4
                        R42
                      1974
                                       SOUTH COAST REGIONAL COMMISSION

   AA                                CALIFORNIA COASTAL ZONE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
<pb n="2" />

0

                            THE RECREATION ELEMENT SUMMARY

                                        FOR THE

                                  SOUTH COAST REGION

                                              Property of CSC Library

                                                U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOAA
                                                COASTAL SERVICES CENTER
                                                2234 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE
                                                CHARLESTON,SC  2905-2413

                                   PRELIMINARY

                              DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION

                                    NOT APPROVED

                                    August 21, 1974
         	                      Cover: Jack McDowell
<pb n="3" />

                           SOUTH COAST REGIONAL COMMISSION

                           Donald B. Bright, Ph.D.p Chairman

                           Ralph A. Diedrich

                           Rimmon C. Fay, Ph.D.

                           James A. Hayes

                           Arthur J. Holmes

                           Louis R. Nowell

                           Donald W. Phillips

                           Robert F. Rooney, Ph.D.

                           Judy Rosener

                           Russ Rubley, Vice Chairman

                           Carmen Warschaw

                           Donald E. Wilson, Ph.D.

                           M. J. Carpenter, Executive Director

                           David N. Smith, Chief Planner

                           Stephanie M. Trenck, Planner-in-charge
<pb n="4" />

                                        PREFACE

                On Friday, September 13, at 9:30 a.m. a public hearing on

                the Recreation Element will be held at the Torrance Civic

                Center, 3031 Torrance Boulevard, in Torrance. The findings

                and policies in this document are based upon information

                contained in the technical Recreation Element available

                for review at the South Coast Regional Commission office,
                666 E. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach and also at libraries

                throughout the Region.
<pb n="5" />

              FINDINGS AND POLICIES

              Findings

              1.    Valuable Recreational Resource. The California coast

                    provides an almost endless variety of recreational

                    opportunities for people to play, to be refreshed, and

                    to be inspired: wide sandy beaches for cooling off

                    from the heat. of the city; rocky.headlands for explor-

                    ing; high bluffs for watching the ever-changing ocean;

                    waters for swimming, boating, surfing, and fishing;

                    and tide pools and coastal wetlands for nature study.

                    In short, the coas t is a.major determinant of the

                    quality of life in California.

              2.    Existing and Future Recreational Use of the@Coast. The

                    coast is heavily used for.recreation because it pro-

                    vides many recreational opportunities not found inland
                    and because 85 percent of California's population lives

                    within 30 miles of the ocean. Many public and commercial

                    recreational facilities exist along the coastline, but

                    a shortage of facilities persists for almost every popu-

                    lar recreational activity. The exact demand for specific

                    types of recreational facilities is difficult to pro-

                    ject, but there will probably be a continued high demand

                    for traditionally popular activities such as fishing,

                    sightseeing, beach usep boatingv camping, hiking, and

                    general day use.
<pb n="6" />

               Recreation Planning in the Santa Monica Mountains. The

               Santa Monica Mountains represent the largest open space,

               scenic, and recreational resource in the South Coast Re-

               gion. At the present time, a Joint Technical Committee

               for the Santa Monica Mountain Parklands under the leader-

               ship of the California Department of Parks and Recreation

               is preparing a parks and recreation plan for the moun-

               tains to be completed sometime in 1975. The South Coast

               Region Commission.is participating in the planning as a

               member of the Joint Technical Committee. Of major con-

               cern is the determination of appropriate linkages to

               coastal areas, and the type and intensity of use vari-

               ous sections of the mountains can sustain.

               Loss of  Coastal Recreational Potential. Potential

               recreational areas for active-use by the general public,
               and scenic open spaces (such as agricultural and for-
               estry lands) which enhance the recreational quality of
               the coastline have been lost because:

               a. Along the immediate shoreline, homes, businesses,

                    and industries have often cut off existing public

                    access to the coastline, have used up available

                    road capacity and off-street parking, and.have pre-

                    cluded use of the coastline area for recreation.

               b.   Along the immediate shoreline,, roads and parking

                    lots that could have been located in upland areas

                    back from theshoreline have used up potential

                    recreational areas.

                                      ii
<pb n="7" />

                    co   In open lands along the coast but back from the

                         immediate shoreline, continuing residential devel-
                         opment is destroying the scenic value of the open

                         space, adding to the crowding of.existing coastal

                         recreational facilities by increasing the popu-

                         lation along the coast, and is precluding use of
                         these upland areas for recreation (picnic grounds,
                         campgrounds), transportation (parkingtlots, roads,
                         bus stations)v and multi-use commercial services
                         (restaurants, hotels, amusements) that could be

                         linked to immediate shoreline by trails, shuttle

                         buses, or trams*

                    d.   Some coastal recreational areas have not been

                         devoted to general public use butinstead have,
                         been used for relatively expensive, special pur-

                         suits such as yachting, recreational vehicle    camp-

                         ing, and second home vacationing. Unless boats,

                         recreational vehicles, and vacation homes are made
                         available.to the general public through rental
                         programs, many people will be precluded from enjoy-

                         ing such areas.

                    Conflicts Between Recreational Activities. Recreational

                    activities sometimes come into conflict with each otherv

                    and if the activities are not compatiblev this   can
                    result in an intensive activity (e.g..q dunebuggying)

                    taking over the use of.th e area from more passive
                    activities (e.g., sunbathing, beachcombing)p or it can

                                           iii
<pb n="8" />

                  result in the alteration of the coastal environment for
                  one activity (e.g., filling shallow waters. for a park)
                  at the expense of another activity (eegov preserving
                  the water area for boating).

                  Public Access to the Coastline. The right of public

                  access to the coastal tidelands is guaranteed by the

                  California Constitution and has been expanded in

                  scope by various statutes and court decisions. In

                  addition to the publicly-owned coastal recreational

                  facilities, much of the coastline has historically

                  been used by the public for recreation. In recogni-

                  tion of similar public uset Texas and Oregon have en-
                  acted laws to guarantee public access to larger parts

                  of their coastlines; similar legislation is being

                  considered by the U.S. Congress. Despite legal guar-

                  antees and historical public use of the California

                  coastline, much access to the shoreline has been lost

                  by the erection of fences, buildings, and other struc-

                  tures.'

                  Physical Access to the Beach in the South Coast Region.

                  No'physi'cal-access tb'the beach exists along some 23
                  miles Of"the South Coast Region because private land-

                  owners have erected barriers or otherwise prohibited

                  entrance.   Access is especially limited along the 27

                  mile Malibu coastp where approximately thirteen miles

                  of shoreline are cut off from public access.
<pb n="9" />

                    Means of Providing Public Access to the Coastline.

                    Public use of the coastline for recreation and public

                    access to the coastline across private property can be

                    provided by the following:

                    a.   Enacting State legislation modeled on the pro-

                         posed National-Open Beaches Act which would es-.

                         tablish the public's right to use coastal dry

                         sand beaches and immediately adjacent shoreline

                         where no beach exists,

                    b,   Utilizing existing powers which authorize regu-
                         latory agencies to require.either: (1) public

                         access as a condition in the approval of sub-
                         divisions or developments; or (2) where public

                         access is not feasible or desirablev the payment

                         of.11in lieu" fees for the,.acquisition of access

                         elsewhere., Experience indicates that, suc h access

                         can be required without undue.hardship to private

                         property.owners..

                    c.   Establishing adivision within a State    agency with

                         the explicitresponsibility for   enforcing the

                         public's right to have access to and use of the

                         coastline by bringing suit on behalf of the public.

                    d.   Employing the power of  eminent.domain which can be

                         used to acquire access  to the coastline in areas

                         where it cannot.be secured through the regulatory

                         process.

                                            v
<pb n="10" />

            9.   Economic Importance of Recreation. Although thereare

                 no recent data available that quantify the economic

                 benefits of recreation and tourism along the coastline,

                 by very conservative estimates they contribute at least
                 $600 million annually to the California economy and
                 generate about 280,000 jobs.

           10.   Spending For Recreation in the South Coast Rekion.

                 Coastal recreation-related expenditures by persons

                 visiting South Coast Region beaches can have signifi-

                 cant economic impact for the originatingv in-routep

                 coastal destination cities and unincorporated areas.
                 Approximately $120.8 million was spent by area resi-

                 dents for one-day trips to the beaches of Orange

                 County. An additional $21.1 million is estimated to

                 have been spent by visitors staying overnight or longer.
                 Thus total expenditure amounts to $141.9 million with
                 approximately 84.5 percent of all expenditures being
                 made for one-day (day use) trips. In Los Angeles

                 County the total expenditure figures are almost certainly

                 higher.

           11.   Inequity in the Maintenance of Beaches. When local com-

                 munities-are responsible for maintaining beaches used

                 by the general public, the cost of the maintenance is

                 sometimes inequitably borne by the local taxpayers
                 (when public costs exceed the "return" to the local
<pb n="11" />

                    economy) while there is an inequitable economic benefit

                    to people from other areas who do not share the mainte-

                    nance costs and to the local recreation-related businesses

                    which profit from the spending of visito rs to the coast-

                    line. Orange County coastal cities estimate their

                    annual net costs to be $4.5 million.

              12.   Funding for Coastal Recreational Facilities. The

                    California Department of Parks and Recreation has

                    estimated that it would cost over $1 billion to

                    acquire, protect, and develop coastal public recrea-
                    tional facilities needed by 1980. The public funds

                    available for recreational projects that have tradi-

                    tionally been insufficient to meet past needs have

                    been further reduced by the enactment of the Federal

                    Revenue Sharing Act of 1972. The following are poten-

                    tial sources of increased funding for coastal recrea-

                    tional facilities:

                    a*,  The Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund,

                         which derives much of its revenue from the

                         coastal zone in-the form of royalties paid to

                         the government for the extraction of minerals

                         from offshore lands.

                    b.   Local governmentsp which could use more of.their

                         funds available through the Federal Revenue

                         Sharing Act for coastal recreational projects,

                    C*   The 1973 Federal Highways Act, which provides up

                         to $2 million per ye ar for three years for bicycle

                         facilities.

                                          vii
<pb n="12" />

                d.   New State programs, which might include: (1) a

                     bond act to purchase large portions of the coastal

                     zone with a leaseback of those areas not needed

                     for recreation to help pay off the bond; (2) tap-

                     ping the revenues generated by the resumption of
                     oil drilling in State-owned tidelands (if such
                     drilling is allowed);'or 0   a special real estate

                     transfer tax on the sale of coastal properties.

          13.   Recreational CarrZing Capacit    Recreational carrying

                capacityp defined as "the character of use that can be

                supported over a specified time by an area developed at

                a certain level without causing excessive damage to

                either the physical environment or experience of the

                visitor", depends on the interrelationship of three

                factors:

                a.   The environmental or physical capacity, which is

                     the amount and character of use beyond which the

                     natural resource will be unacceptably altered.

                b.   The.social, psychologicalp or visitor capacity,

                     which is a subjective level beyond which individ-

                     uals feel the recreational experience is not

                     fully satisfactory because of overcrowding,

                     noise, loss O'Sprivacy, etc.

                Co   The.facility capacityp which is the maximum level
                     of use the manmade facilities (parking lots, roads,
                     trails, campsites) can accommodate; this capacity

                                     viii
<pb n="13" />

                        is not affected by natural constraints and is

                        determined entirely by management decisions.

             14.   Carryina Capacity of Coastal Resources. Although

                   each coastal recreational area must be analyzed

                   separately to determine its carrying capacity, the

                   capacities of tide pools and coastal wetlands are

                   most often determined by their fragile ecological

                   conditions while the recreational capacities of

                   sandy beaches, bluffs, headlands, bays, and near-

                   shore waters are more often determined by access

                   and the quality of the recreational experience than

                   by the environmental qualities of the sites. To

                   control overall recreational use so that it is held

                   below the carrying capacity, both broad and specific

                   facility capacity constraints can be used:

                   a*   In urban areas with their multiple points of

                        road and transit access to the coastt it is

                        likely that coastal recreational facilities will

                        be intensively used by large numbers of people

                        so that fragile resources can be adequately pro-

                        tected only by on-site measures such as super-

                        vision with policing powers and use restrictions.

                   b.   In more rural areas between urban complexes

                        where access to the coast is limited to that

                        provided by Route 1, less intensive recreational

                        use is presently possible. Ultimately, the

                                         ix
<pb n="14" />

                      extent of recreational use will be limited to

                      the capacity of the road system, especially as

                      the road is also taxed by additional commercial,

                      industrialp and residential development along it.

           15.   Boating Facilities. The demand for boating facilities

                 is so great that the berths planned for construction

                 over the next ten years will barely cover the existing

                 demand; howeverv boating facilities can cause serious

                 environmental damage from the extensive.alteration of

                 the marine environment-espe,@ially of coastal wetlands--

                 by dredging and filling. It appears possible to accom-

                 modate increased boating activity without serious en-

                 vironmental damage by encouraging more thorough use of

                 existing boats and boating facilitiesp by developing

                 more dry storage and launching facilitiest and by

                 building new marinas in less environmentally sensitive

                 arease

           16.   Boating Facilities in the South Coast Region. The

                 South Coast Region has more boating facilities than

                 any other Region. Coastal berthing and docking total

                 close to 20,000 spaces. Additionally, over 100 launch

                 lanes are available for trailerable boats. Unfortunately,

                 the population which these facilities must serve is

                 far greater than any other region. New marinas have

                 be en proposed by various governmental agencies and

                                        x
<pb n="15" />

                   boating organizations at the Santa Ana River mouth, Bolsa

                   Chica Bay, Long Beach Harbor, Cabrillo Beach and Fort Mac-
                   Arthur (Los Angeles Harbor). Additionally, a Harbor of

                   Refuge has been proposed for western Malibu. Major ex-

                   pansion of capacity has been proposed for Dana Point Har-

                   bor and Los Angeles Harbor with minor expansions proposed

                   for Alamitos Bay and Marina del Rey. Increased mooring

                   capacity is proposed for Santa Catalina Island.

             17.   Ne ed for a Coastal Trails System. A system of coastal

                   trails and hostels for hikers, bicyclists, and eques-

                   trians would make more of the coast accessible to more

                   people, would link population   centers with recreation

                   facilities, and would be a recreational resource that

                   would allow people to enjoy the scenic qualities,of the

                   coastline. Coastal trails being    planned and  developed

                   by public  agencies could.be coordinated and  linked into

                   a State coastal trails system as   part of the  California

                   trails system plan to be developed and managed by the

                   State Department of Parks and Recreation.

             18.   Trails in the South Coast Region. Local governments in

                   the South Coast Region have taken steps to establish

                   hiking, equestrian and bicycling trails in areas under
                  -their jurisdiction. Some of the trails extending per-
                   pendicular to the coast such as the   Los Angeles and San

                                           xi
<pb n="16" />

                  Gabriel River trails have potential for extension to the

                  shoreline. Other trails such as the bicycle trail on

                  the beach in Los Angeles County could be repeated else-

                  where. Less developed areas of the region (Santa Monica
                  Mountains and Laguna Greenbelt) could support an inter-

                  connecting trails system with overnight camping facili-

                  ties. Since port activities at Los Angeles and        Long

                  Beach are unique along the coast, a bicycle trail within

                  the Harbors could provide recreational access to a unique

                  resource. With the exception of the beach traii from Ve-

                  nice to Redondo Beacht no officially designated trail route

                  paralleling the coast exists in the South Coast Region.

           19.    Need for Education and Research Preserves. Many unique,

                  delicate, and outstanding examples of the natural coastal

                  environment and its historicq archaeological@ and paleon-

                  tologi cal features, needed for public education and sci-

                  entific research, are threatened by development and by

                  heavy recreational use of the coastline.

            20.   Areas with Research and Educational Value in the        South

                  Coast Region.    Areas in'the-Sbuth @Coast Region--identified

                  by the COkP9 "Education and Research"Appendix IX         as

                  having  research and education Value,     include Leo   Carrillo

                  State Beach',  Point Dume  to Paradise   Cove, Malibu   Lagoon,

                  Paloslerdes Peninsula'from 0.7 miles northof Point

                                            xii
<pb n="17" />

                   Vicente to Resort Point, Anaheim Bay, Upper Newport Bay,

                   Newport Marine Life Refuge, and Dana Point.

             21.   Paleontological and Archaeological Resources in the South

                   Coast Regio - Paleontological and archaeological re-

                   sources in the South Coast Region are being rapidly di-

                   minished by continued coastal development. Methods and

                   techniques exist to mitigate the loss of these resources.

                   These techniques and methods include the taking of a

                   statewide systematic survey of archaeological resources;

                   involvement of archaeologists and paleontologists in the

                   project planning process, as necessary; treatment of

                   archaeological and paleontological resources in environ-

                   mental impact reports; and sufficient time to protect

                   or salvage fossils or archaeological remains where con-

                   struction is planned.

                                        xiii
<pb n="18" />

                 Policies

                1. Maximize Recreational Use of the Coastline. Because

                     the coast provides diversified, valuable, and often

                     irre placeable recreational resources, and because

                     present recreational facilities are not sufficient to

                     meet existing or projected future recreation demands,

                     the maximum potential active and passive recreational

                     use of the coastline  should be ensured. To this end:

                     a.  The potential of  each shoreline property for re-

                         creational use shall be evaluated before develop-

                         ment other than priority coastal-dependent uses

                         is allowed. Especially critical are those areas

                         recommended for public acquisition in the Califor-

                         nia, Coastline Preservation and Recreation Plan, in

                         the 1974 State Park Bond kct program, and in city

                         and county plans; these and any additional areas

                         found to be of high recreational value should be

                         acquired.

                     b.  To provide scenic resources for passive recrea-

                         tion, coastal open spaces in agricultural and
                         forestry uses (see Coa'stal Land Element) shall be

                         protected and required to remain in productive use

                         unless ther e is an overriding need to convert

                         these lands to other uses as determined by the

                         Commission in subsequent Plan Elements.

                     c.  To provide a wi de.range of recreational alterna-

                         tives and to maximize the recreational potential

                         of the coastline, the use of private lands for

                                             xv
<pb n="19" />

                     commercial recreational development (e.go, re-
                     sorts, hotels, campgrounds) shall have priority

                     over private residential, general industrial, or

                     general commercial development.

                 d.  To allow the widest spectrum of all economic groups

                     to enjoy the coast, the short-term rental of rec-

                     reational vehicles, boats, vacation homes, and

                     other such expensive items shall be encouraged so

                     that the use of coastal facilities to accommodate

                     them is not limited to the affluent few who own.

                     these items.

             2. Provide Recreational Access and Amenities in Coastal

                 Development s.  To ensure that the public recreational

                 use of the coastline is maximized and that public ac-

                 cess to the coastline is guaranteed when the coast is

                 developed for non-recreational uses:

                 a.  Development shall not be permitted to interfere

                     with the traditional public use of the tidelands,

                     dry sand beaches, and immediate shoreline where

                     no beach exists. The immediate shoreline shall

                     include a strip of land along the edge of a coastal

                     bluff or headland that has been used by the general

                     public for recreation and travel along the coast;

                     the width of the strip shall be determined by his-

                     torical use patternsv trail locations, and topo-
                     graphical conditions but shall not exceed 100 feet

                     from the bluff edge.

                                        xvi
<pb n="20" />

                   b. Pedestrian walkways, bicycle paths, equestrian trailsp

                       open space, and parking areas shall be provided for

                       public use in new residential and commercial develop-

                       ments large enough to accommodate them.

                   c.  Residential developments shall provide adequate in-

                       ternal recreational facilities so that the increased

                       recreation demand by the new residents is less of a

                       burden on nearby public recreational areas.

                   d.  Development shall not be permitted to overburden

                       on-street parking or road capacities needed to ac-

                       commodate public access to the coastline.
                   e. Either (1) public access fro m the nearest public

                       thoroughfare to the coastline should be provided
                       in new developments (by dedication of an easement

                       or fee title to an access way to a public agency,

                       or by the recording of a deed restriction guaran-
                       teeing access across the property), or (2) where

                       the Commission determines that public access is
                       inappropriate (e-g., where adequate access exists

                       nearby; where the topography makes access danger-

                       ous; where the proposed development is too small

                       to include anaccess way; or where the coastal

                       resources are too fragile to accommodate general
                       public use), the developer shall pay "in-lieu"

                       fees, established as the cost of obtaining rea-

                       sonable access at fair market value across the

                       property, to a fund for the acquisition of pub-

                       lic access elsewheree

                                        xv ii
<pb n="21" />

                 Minimize Conflicts Between Recreational Activities

                 To ensure that adequate facilities are provided for

                 a wide range of recreational activities and to mini-
                 mize theconflicts between incompatible activities:
                 a. In allocating public funds, priority shall be

                     given to providing a wide variety and numerous

                     facilities to accommodate heavy recreational use

                     and intensive activities along the coastline in

                     the San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco

                     metropolitan areas. Priority shall also be

                     given to protecting remaining areas of high en-

                     vironmental quality in these metropolitan areas.

                     The rural portions of the central and northern

                     California coastline should be protected for low-

                     density recreation use by using the present ca-

                     pacity of Route 1 to limit the total number of

                     people who use the coastline; the capacity of the

                     roadway should not be increased. The few remain-
                     ing large open spaces in southern California (e.g.,

                     Camp Pendleton, Santa Monica Mountains, Channel
                     Islands) should be preserved for wilderness and

                     low-density recreational use.

                 b.  Coastal areas particularly suited for specific

                     coastal-dependent recreational activities not
                     requiring shoreline alteration (e.g., surfing,
                     beachcombing, SCUBA diving) shall be reserved for

                     these uses, and other activities shall be per-

                     mitted only if they would not confli ct with the

                                       xviii
<pb n="22" />

                        enjoyment of the primary activity. Water-dependent
                        recreational activities (e.g., swimming, boating)

                        shall be given priority for use of the immediate

                        shoreline over recreational activities which do not

                        require water access (e.g., ball playing, golf).

                    c.  Wherever possiblej recreational activities and sup-

                        port facilities that do not have to be located on

                        the immediate coastline shall be located in areas

                        inland from the shoreline and connected to the

                        coastline with trails, shuttle buses, or trams.

                40  Provide Alternative Transportation to the Coast in

                    Urban Areas. Because the recreational potential of

                    many portions of the immediate coastline  is lost to

                    parking lots and roads that also degrade the visual

                    amenities of coastal recreation  areas, dependence on

                    the automobile to the coastline  in urban areas should

                    be minimized by:

                    a. During peak use periods providing public trans-

                        portation to coastal beaches from existing cen-

                        tralized parking lots at schools, shopping centers,

                        drive-in theaters or offices in urban areas*

                    b.  Providing upl and parking facilities, linked to

                        coastal recreational facilities by trails, shut-

                        tle buses, or trams4

                    c.  Clustering commercial recreation and support fa-

                        cilities into multi-use complexes that can be

                        served by public transit facilities.

                                          xix
<pb n="23" />

                 Maximize Scenic Road Use of Route 1. To ensure that

                 the recreational use of coastal Highway #1 is maximized

                 and that its value as a scenic road.along the rural

                 coastline is protected:

                 a. Route 1 in rural areas of the central and northern

                     California coastline should be kept a scenic two-

                     lane highway. A substantial portion of the road's

                     capacity should be allocated to recreational use

                     and second home development should not be permitted

                     to significantly draw on this capacity or to cause

                     coastal scenic resources to deteriorate.

                 b.  Improvements to rural portions of Route 1 should

                     be limited to those needed for safety and to de-

                     veloping vista areas, parkingg re strooms, picnic

                     areas, and other amenities that would add to the

                     road's value as a scenic roadway and coastal rec-

                     reation access corridor,

                 c.  Highways inland from the coast and alternative

                     modes of transportation to and along the coast

                     should be provided so that Route 1 can be reserved

                     primarily for recreational use.

                 Enact New Coastal Access Legislation. To effectively

                 guarantee the rights of public use of the coastline as

                 mandated by the State Constitution and the courts of

                 Californiap the State Legislature should enact laws to:

                 ai Declare the dry sand beach area and immediate shore-

                     line where no,beach exists to be a public commons

                                        Xx
<pb n="24" />

                      in recognition of the historical public use of
                      this area. Showing that an area is a beach 'should

                      in itself be evidence that the landowner does not

                      have the right to prevent public use of the beach.

                      The immediate shoreline shall be defined as a

                      strip-of land along the edge of the coastal bluff'

                      or headland that'has been used  by the general pub-

                      lic for recreation and travel  along the coast;

                      the width of the strip shall be determined by

                      historical use patterns,   trail locations,, and

                      topographical conditions, but  shall not exceed

                      100 feet from the bluff edge.

                  b.  Authorize an existing State agency with expertise.
                      in public land ownership and administration (ego,

                      Department of General Serviceg State Lands Division,
                      or Department of Parks and Recreation) to: (1) re-

                      cieve, maintain, and hold liability for public ac-

                      cess areas dedicated as a  condition in the approval
                      of coastal developments; (2) accept in-lieu fees
                      collected; and (3) exercise the power of eminent

                      domain and expend the in-lieu fees to acquire pub-

                      lic access in areas where access cannot be secured

                      through the regulatory processe

                  c.  Instruct a State agency.to establish a division

                      with the explicit responsibility for enforcing the

                      public's right to have.access to and use of the

                      coastline by bringing suit on behalf of the public.

                                          xxi
<pb n="25" />

                 Protecting Newly Accessible Beaches Near Urban Areas*

                 Where accessways are opened near urban population cen-

                 ters and provide entry to areas of exceptional marine

                 environment qualityt access should be controlled so

                 that no loss occurs in marine quality. Areas of special

                 concern in the South Coast Region include the proposed

                 Marine Parks and Reserves; the Los Angeles-Ventura County

                 line to Malibu Pointq Resort Point to Abalone Cove, and

                 along the Irvine Coast from Los Trancos Canyon to Moro

                 Canyon; COAP areas suggested for higher  education use;

                 and existing marine life refuges and reserves. Control

                 mechanisms include better patrol and enforcement of

                 existing regulations, limited entry, education and in-

                 terpretive programs.

                 Increase Funds for Coastal Recreational Facilities.

                 To provide some of the needed funds for public recre-

                 ational facilities along the coastline:

                 a. Local coastal municipalities should   use a portion
                      of the revenues available to them through the

                      Federal Revenue Sharing program for-coastal rec-

                      reation and preserves facilities.

                 b.   The Federal government should increase the maxi-

                      mum limit of the Federal'Land and Water Cdnser-

                      vatidn.Fund by using the increased royalty income
                      from the expanded extraction of offshore minerals

                      to further support the fund and should earmark the

                      increased funds for spending on coastal projects.,

                                       Xxii
<pb n="26" />

                         [Refer also to the Powers, Funding, and Government
                         Plan Element],
                    c.   Specialfunding programs should be provided, such

                         as bond acts with purchase and leaseback provisions,

                         State revenues from any renewal of oil drilling in

                         State tidelands, or special taxes  on the sale of
                         coastal properties. [Refer also to the Powers,
                         Funding, and Government Organization plan   element].

                q.. Establish Equity in the Cost of Maintaining Beaches.

                    Because local taxpayers are inadvertently penalized

                    when a local municipality is responsible for main-

                    taining beaches used heavily by inland residents,
                    higher levels of government (county, State, or Fed-
                    eral) should assume more'responsibility for paving

                    some  of these costs.

               10i  Prote.ct Coastal Resources.from Overuse. To provide

                    maximum benefits from both private,and public recre-

                    .ational fa.cilities., and.to avoid the adverse-impacts

                    of exceeding the carrying.capacity of recreational

                    facilities:

                    a._. Tide pools and coastal wetlands shall be used only

                         for recreational activities that are directly de-

                         pendent on tide pools and wetlands and-only to

                         the extent tha,t no significant disruption of hab-

                         itats or environmental damage will occur.
                    b.   Non-renewable historic resources (e.g., Indian

                         occupation sitest archaeological and paleontolog-
                         ical sites, and historic sites) shall be protected
                                           xxiii
<pb n="27" />

                    from destruction resulting from recreational use and

                    related construction or site modification.

                ce  Where information is available to determine the en-

                    vir onmental carrying capacity of coastal recreation

                    resources, the designed capacity of roads, parking

                    areas,, and other support facilities shall always be

                    kept below the environmental capacity of the natural

                    resource*

                d.  To establish the optimum carrying capacity of coastal

                    recreational resources, research shall be undertaken

                    on the general theory of carrying capacity and re-

                    source information should-be collected through ex-

                    tensive inventorying,

          11.   Minimize Environmental Damage of Boating Facilities.

                To minimize the environmental damage caused by the al-

                teration of the marine environment for boating facili-

                ties, the dredging or filling of coastal wetlands to

                accommodate new boating facilities should be prohibited.

                Instead, increased use of coastal waters for boating

                activities should be provided by:

                a. Developing dry storage areas with nearby public

                    launching facilities to the greatest degree possible

                    in all new and existing harbors.

                b.  Providing additional berthing space in existing har-

                    bors, and limiting ne arby non-water-dependent land

                    uses that congest access corridors and overtax

                    boating facilities.

                                     xxiv
<pb n="28" />

                   c. Encouraging the maximum use of boats through Mul-

                       tiple boat ownerships or rental and lease programs.

              12. Boating Facilities in the South Coast Region. While the

                   South Coast Regional Commission has insufficient informa-

                   tion at this time to categorically approve or deny marine

                   facility construction or expansion, some projects have

                   less predictable adverse impact than others. Marina pro-

                   posals which appear to have the least potential for ad-
                   verse impact are the Dana Point Marina expansion (900
                   berths in the west basin), and the Long Beach Harbor  Ma-
                   rina (3000 to 6000 berths). Consideration of the Ca-

                   brillo Marina should be postponed until a community plan
                   is prepared Tor the San Pedro area. If the new plan calls

                   for the retention of existing low-density and neighbor-

                   hood character in the Cabrillo Beach area, then the Ma-

                   rina must be reconsidered in the context of its effect

                   on those community goals. Minor marine expansions such

                   as proposed for Alamitos Bay and Marina del Rey shall be

                   approved provided some maximum capacity figure is estab-

                   lished and accepted by the Coastal Commission. Because

                   Paradise Cove is the only boating facility offering pro-

                   tection from storms from Marina del Rey to Port Hueneme

                   in Ventura County, its mooring capacity should be in-

                   creased by 50 to 10 0 sp aces. There should also be some

                   mooring capacity increase at Santa Catalina Island. Ma-

                   rina proposals at the Santa Ana River mouth and Bolsa
                   Chica requirelarge reductions in scale before they would
                   be compatible with wetland preservation and restoration

                   goals.               XXV
<pb n="29" />

           13. Develo-P a State Coastal Trails System. To increase

                the accessibility of the coast's scenic and recrea-

                tional resources and to expand opportunities for

                hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians, a State coastal

                trails system shall be established consistent with

                the general planning concepts and design standards

                developed for the State coastal trails system by the

                California Department of Parks and Recreation. To

                that end:

                a. Public agencies should develop coastal trail

                     segments through areas along the coast within

                     their ownership or jurisdiction.

                b. The individual trail segments shall be connected

                     by the State Department of Parks and Recreation

                     over routes established in cooperation with the

                     Coastal Commissions, the California Department

                     of Transportation, other public agencies, and

                     the general public; the routes should utilize fea-

                     tures such as ridgetops,.wide beaches, abandoned

                     railway beds9 and unused roadways.

                ce   The dedication of the trail rights-of-way shall

                     be required as a permit condition where the trail

                     routes cross properties proposed for development.

                do   The State Department of Parks and Recreation shall

                     be provided with adequate funding to,implement the

                     State coastal trails system and should be empowered

                     to use eminent domain to acquire the trail rights-

                     of-way where all other means of securing access fail.

                                      xxvi
<pb n="30" />

              14, Trails in the South Coast Region. Existingtrails

                    leading to but not reaching the shoreline-shall be

                    so extended. New trails shall be established es-

                    pecially in the Santa Monica Mountains to connect

                    existing parks, open up inaccessible areas to hikers
                    and equestrians, and to Provide alt'er-nativ6'*ro'utes

                    to the sea. A trail route shall also be established

                    through the  Harbor. Finally, a trail shall be es-

                    tablished closely paralleling the entirelength of

                    the coast-in the region. All existing 'and potential

                    trails mentioned above shall be considered for in-

                    corporation in a statewide Coastal Trail System v

               150  Establish Education and Research Preserves. To pro-

                    tect unique, delicate,   and outstanding examples of

                    the  natural coastal environment and historical fea-

                    tures for the
                                  .purposes of education, research, and

                    recreation:

                    a. A publicly-owned system of natural and historic

                         preserves shall be established along the coast-

                         line essentially as recommended by the .2@re@-
                         hensive Ocean Area Plan (Appendix IX, "Education
                         and Research"), and as augmented in 'other plan

                         elements.

                    b. A Coastal Education and Research Preserves Board

                         with a membership that includes educators biolo-

                         gists, ecologists, geologists, geographers,

                                           xxvii,@
<pb n="31" />

                      archaeologistsv paleontoligists, historians,

                      recreational plannersq and coastal planners

                      shall be formed by the Coastal Commission to
                      review the recommendations of the COAP report,

                      recommend additions or deletions to the system,

                      explore means for financing necessary acquisi-

                      tions, and oversee the management of the system.

                 .co  Until the sites can be acquired, they shall be

                      protected from development and abuse through pub-

                      lic regulatory powers. Property taxes should

                      reflect this limitation on use.

                 d.   In the management of the preserve system, every

                      effort should be made to provide public access

                      for educational and recreational purposes; how-

                      ever, such access shall be restricted and controlled

                      as necessary to protect the natural or historic

                      resources for scientific research and study.

            16. Protecting Paleontological and Archeological Resources.

                 A systematic statewide survey of coastal zone archeo-

                 logical resources shall be taken to assist in deter-

                 mining where existing and potential sites might be lo-
                 cat-ed. -This information together with-mapped infor-

                 mation on paleontological resources shall be used to

                 guide planning.departments and developers on the pos-
                 sible existence of these sites at a project location.
                 If these resources are believed to existv, qualified

                                       xx-Viii
<pb n="32" />

                  professional archeologists and/or paleontologists

                  shall then be contacted early in the planning pro-

                  cess so that appropriate action may be taken to pro-

                  tect or salvage important resources.. Costs of mit-

                  igating impact shall rest with the developer.

                                        xxix
<pb n="33" />

                                                                                               DATE DUE

                                                                              GAYLORD    No. 2333                           PAINTUDINU.S.A.

                                                                                 3 6668 14107 0625
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