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W 6oastal 2one; :I.hf6r m.6.,f ion -Gente'r, P 4" T @ 1111"'a.1 C) 4 V) I Is V1 U ;L 7@, MIT A iR _;A'; h K IL @g kR'X- J " f, j, , x C) "n@ -4- @"A_ 5,25RELA-1 jlq 4" A vj- AWE, vl;, <c A;@% A@'@@ ctf V@- Apr LLJ ""4 V, CD 4", cD to ").tv '40 r. Y'- Rz!" LLJ ...... '@Aon' c) 'T@ '4*z @rS 'A "PA 14W k", WIV I- T nrm - I I , , 44 7C 741 ICID @S 41 Af @-@w 716 5"h0V mt -ae 14 1' 6 W!'*@ J071"4"' LL_ 4 < 'T-' 4, -,@777 77711 WA 'A", 4W, !,41 vi@ GV 191 .4 R42 1974 SOUTH COAST REGIONAL COMMISSION AA CALIFORNIA COASTAL ZONE CONSERVATION COMMISSION 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 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 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. 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. 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 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 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. 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 [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 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 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 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 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,@ 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 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 DATE DUE GAYLORD No. 2333 PAINTUDINU.S.A. 3 6668 14107 0625