This Issue Includes

• Sand Study Public Forum- by Dirk Ackema

• Local Legends- Charlie Anderson interview

• City Council Candidate Poll- by Steve Maschue

• Coastal Commission Watch- by Patrick Alford

• Calling all Citizen Scientists- by Serena Milne

• Annual Harbor Dredging- by Dirk Ackema

• Loma Alta Creek Restoration- by Nick Ricci

Director’s Desktop

SOS Members,

This issue of The Coast Line includes a couple of new features for all interested in Saving Oceanside Sand. Our resident Coastal Commission expert, Patrick Alford, is contributing updates on recent rulings in the Coastal Watch column. It’s a valuable article for those who want to dive a little deeper into the approval process for coastal projects. On a lighter side, our Local Legends feature will interview Oceanside residents who are passionate about the beach. In this issue Charlie Anderson talks about growing up in Newport and raising a family in Oceanside. It’s a short story with a happy ending.

As you read on, a questionnaire to candidates for our local election is presented for all to consider as we fill out ballots this month. A summary of the City Sand Study virtual presentation is included along with a review of the Loma Alta Slough improvement project.

Our awesome board members continue to pursue sustainable beaches for Oceanside with meetings and local advocacy. If you would like to help and contribute time, effort, or funds, send us an email at SOSOceansideBeach@gmail.com .

Get Wet,

Dirk Ackema, Director

!S.O.S.Oceanside!

Sand Study Public Forum

A virtual public forum was recently held to reveal progress that global engineering company GHD Inc. has achieved working on the Oceanside Sand Study. Lead coastal engineer Brian Leslie led a detailed discussion of sand retention and replenishment options which GHD is considering for evaluation and theoretical modeling to implement along the Oceanside coastline to restore public beaches.

Three sand retention options were presented and discussed at the forum. An offshore surfing reef was presented, similar to Australia’s Gold Coast reef. It would be 1000 feet long, composed of rock placed underwater to encourage wave formation. This concept is still under review and has not proven to retain sand on adjacent beaches.

The second option of two long groins was offered as a ‘start small’ option to warm up to Coastal Commission approval for a larger project. Each of these rock groins would extend 200 yards to prevent the coastal currents and protect the beach. Offshore construction of the groins would be expensive.

Extending the San Luis Rey River jetty, also known as the South Harbor Jetty, was the third option presented. This project would attempt to contain sand that seasonally flows from the river into the mouth of the Harbor. It was recognized that this option would have no benefit to our eroding South Pacific beaches.

The three sand replenishment options discussed by GHD included a robust sand bypass project intended for Camp Pendleton’s Delmar Beach. This trestle built system has proven to be successful at the Tweed River in Australia. Sand would be collected in the tidal zone and pumped via a pipeline to several Oceanside beaches. Delmar Beach represents an abundant amount of quality sand which is restored by the Santa Margarita River and San Onofre bluffs. This would be an excellent source for Oceanside if the Marine Corp will grant access to share the sand.

The second replenishment concept is a mobile sand bypass/pumping system, called the Sand Shifter. It could be moved to various locations for moving small quantities of sand for short distances. Not very practical for our significant needs.

The last replenishment concept discussed is opportunistic sand mining and transport. Engineers would identify likely sand sources that would be tested for compatibility. Sources would be excavated and trucked to area beaches. The cost of this approach per yard is very expensive, and sand sources are limited and shrinking.

The virtual seminar was an excellent way to engage the public and encourage questions. A panel of City Staff included; Kiel Kroger Public Facilities, Jonathan Borrego Assistant City Manager/Planning Director, and Russ Cunningham Principal Planner. You may view the slides, the results of the poll and the complete 2+ hour meeting at this link: https://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/gov/pw/beach/beaches/fsbsrrd.asp

More work and research is promised for the Sand Study, public comments can be addressed to hkkoger@oceansideca.org .

Local Legends

Here we interview Oceansiders with a passion and vision for our beaches. This month local icon Charlie Anderson stops by for a chat with SOS.

SOS- As owner of the Privateer and Wine Bar you have a big stake in Oceanside. Please tell us how else you are involved in Oceanside?

Charlie- I always say if you don't get involved you can't make a difference, for better or worse...  I've found that our voice matters and if we use it correctly we can make change for the better and for me that meant volunteering to be on the board for Visit Oceanside, The Oceanside Unified School District, Oceanside Chamber of Commerce and the South Oceanside Business District and helping SOS on top of my daily business running The Privateer, The Privateer Marketplace & Wine Bar and partnering at The Buccaneer Cafe. 

SOS- Growing up in Newport Beach in the 1970’s what was their beach like then?

Charlie- I only remember running across, what seemed like an endless beach, to the ocean from my Grandparents home between 26th and 27th street on the boardwalk. Back then I took that beach for granted until I found out that my uncle Tommy Anderson was instrumental in helping to build the jetties that created that amazing beachfront paradise. His interests were primarily self serving in retaining the sand to save our family home and create amazing surf, which was a great side effect. Our family home had old photos of the ocean coming up to the front of our house, there was no boardwalk back then, and several houses were built on stilts to allow the ocean to flow underneath without taking the house out.  The Jetty solution fortunately turned out to be a blessing and the reason we had such amazing beaches while growing up there and still today.  I believe Newport Beach actually sells its excess sand to its sister cities creating a revenue source now.  Who would have known...

SOS- When did you land in Oceanside, and what brought you here?

Charlie- My parents moved us to Oceanside in 1978 because at the time my step dad worked for Hobie Cat which moved its headquarters to Oceanside.  I started school here in the second grade at Palmquist Elementary and our house was up on Fire Mountain which is the neighborhood that we still live in today.  My kids Sage and Chas both went to Palmquist and Lincoln and my oldest, Sage, had the same 3rd grade teacher that I had, Mrs. Marcy...  Crazy right?

SOS- What’s your vision for our Oceanside beaches?

Charlie- I'm an advocate for seeing the beaches come back to the glory that they once were.  When I grew up surfing Buccaneer Beach we had, what seemed like, a ton more sand (beach).  And it seems that the beaches that retained sand in Oceanside, the Harbor and Pier, have jetties or structures (Pier) that have kept the sand from eroding away.  I'm not saying that Jetties are the only solution, but in my short 50 years on this earth I’ve traveled most of the world surfing, and everywhere there are big beaches there seems to be a structure to help keep the sand from eroding.  So whatever can help to retain sand and build our beaches back for the enjoyment of what we spend so much money to live here for, the ocean, seems like a good idea to me.

SOS- Describe for us a great Oceanside day.

Charlie- The perfect day for me in Oceanside is getting up early for morning meditation and yoga, surf with my kids and the friends I’ve grown up with since 2nd grade at Buccaneer Beach, grab an Acai bowl and coffee from The Buccaneer Cafe, maybe an afternoon walk on the beach from the harbor to the pier (since South O doesnt have much beach) or SUP in the harbor with my wife checking out the boats, and watch the sunset from our van at North Jetty while having an amazing meal from one of the many outstanding local restaurants in our fine city! Call it a day!!!

City Council Candidate Poll

SOS conducted a poll of all of the current Oceanside City Council candidates for Districts 3, 4, and Mayor.  All of the candidates who responded said that they agreed that the economic importance of measures to restore Oceanside’s beaches through sand nourishment and retention is critically important to the economic viability of Oceanside. 

They were each asked to state their plan to help mitigate the disappearing beaches in Oceanside in 25 words or less.  Below are their responses:

Amber Newman - District 3

I would seek a scientific and environmentally friendly solution that would allow us to accumulate sand without disrupting the dynamic waves people come here for.

Shari Mackin - District 3

I support science-based regional and city sand replenishment programs that enhance or restore beach recreation using environmentally sensitive sustainable methods.

Kellie Davis - District 3

I am in alignment with the recommendations of our City Planners for sand retention and/or beach nourishment as ways to mitigate our disappearing beaches.

Ryan Keim - District 3

I will identify a viable sand replenishment/retention project, partner with neighboring cities to identify funding, and fight to ensure the federal government pays their fair share.

Michelle Gomez - District 4

As your elected representative I will prioritize developing a first-class climate action plan that focuses on cutting down on carbon emissions, preventing a sea-level rise.

Jane Marshall - District 4

To work with experts and their ideas from all perspectives and the Coastal Commission to work towards a short term and longer-term solutions.

Peter Weiss - District 4

I support replenishment and retention. I need to see the results of the current staff evaluation but we need to do much more than the annual harbor dredging.

David Joseph Turgeon - Mayor

Build 4 jetties to save our sand. Wisconsin St , Oceanside Blvd , Buccaneer,St Malo

Esther C. Sanchez - Mayor

I support regional and city sand replenishment programs as well as creative, environmentally sustainable methods such as the "living shorelines" program of Encinitas.

Fabio Marchi - Mayor

Replenish sand to our beach is a must, improve beach access and parking.

Rocky John Chavez - Mayor

We need to develop a plan based on science and build partnerships e.g. Camp Pendleton.

Christopher Rodriguez - Mayor

I will go to whatever lengths possible to both maintain and replenish our sand. I don't have the answer but I do have the will to advocate on a local, state and federal level. I believe there is a scientific solution that will both consider our environment and budget.

Coastal Commission Watch

The California Coastal Commission has made completing and updating Local Coastal Programs (LCPs) a priority with special emphasis on planning for sea-level rise and climate change. Mandated in the California Coastal Act of 1976, LCPs set land use, public access, and resource protection policies and regulations for all development in the coastal zone.

The Coastal Commission has awarded six rounds of LCP Local Assistance grants; as a result, local governments up and down the coast are in various stages of updating their LCPs, including Oceanside. This allows a preview of important issues as these updated LCPs are adopted by local governments and submitted to the Coastal Commission for certification.

• On September 15, 2020, the County of Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors approved the update of their LCP land use plan (LUP). The County proposes a “hybrid approach,” which addresses reliance on existing armoring differently in urban and rural areas. In rural areas, the LCP calls for a strategy of “Managed Retreat” over the next 20 years with no new shoreline protection. In urban areas, the LCP calls for “Incentivized Longer-Term Managed Retreat,”  which would allow new construction and redevelopment within certain limits.  The LCP also establishes the framework for Shoreline Management Plans, which would identify preferred strategies for different shoreline segments in urbanized areas. The Shoreline Management Plans seem to offer area-specific solutions that would ultimately replace the more generalized LCP policies on shoreline development.

• On September 30, 2020, the City of Half Moon Bay is expected to approve an update of their LCP Land Use Plan (LUP). LUP policies call for hazard avoidance and adaptation measures and limit the construction of new hard shoreline protection to only that which is required to protect existing structures established before Coastal Act adoption (January 1, 1977) and critical facilities in danger from erosion. “Soft” protection measures are preferred. The LUP supports managed retreat and requires the removal or relocation of non-coastal dependent development and threatened by coastal hazards. LUP policies call for incremental removal and the use of rolling easements to achieve managed retreat.

Calling All Citizen Scientists

SOS is looking for Citizen Science volunteers.

Who: Enthusiastic beach goers - no previous science fieldwork needed, we will train you.

What: Taking beach measurements(Beach Transects) and recording data.  This data will be provided to the scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and GHD Engineers for use in the continuing Oceanside coastline behavior monitoring and the current Oceanside sand study.

Where: The Oceanside coastline/beach.  The designated locations for data collection are to be announced.

When: Timing to be confirmed, we will keep you informed.

How:Email us at sos.citizenscience@gmail.com and Bob Ashton or Serena Milne will contact you regarding next steps.

Annual Harbor Dredging

Pier area beaches just got a welcome dose of sand from recent Harbor dredging. Manson Marine returned this fall to clear the Harbor entrance from sand that built up from our late winter storms. Over three weeks of work they pumped 180,000 cubic yards of sand to beaches on both sides of the Pier. It’s expected that Manson will return next spring for another round of dredging to keep the Harbor safe for navigation.

Loma Alta Creek Restoration

Purpose of this project is to expand coastal wetland habitat and improve public access to trails and educational signage. The project will provide multiple benefits including new coastal wildlife habitat, improve water quality, climate change resiliency, and recreational opportunities. In addition, the Coastal Rail Trail on South Myers St. will be extended across Buccaneer Park next to the soon to be dismantled La Salina Wastewater Treatment Plant.

A third meeting took place on September 17, 2020.. using Zoom.....to bring interested public parties up to speed on the progress and selection of the alternatives presented months ago.

This study is being funded by the State CoastalConservancy. Completion of the actual be funded by a federal grant. The city has already applied for the grant and will be informed by early December 2020 if we have received the grant. The construction of the project will cost $2.4 million.

Contact !SOS Oceanside! sosoceansidebeach@gmail.com

Elise Wetherell - Publisher
Dirk Ackema - Editor, Director