Beacons Beach Parking Lot Relocation

On February 8, 2024, the California Coastal Commission voted unanimously to find "No Substantial Issue" with the City of Encinitas' locally approved Beacons Beach Parking Lot Relocation Plan. Surfrider's San Diego County Chapter supported the parking lot plan at the Encinitas Planning Commission, again at the City Council where it was initially appealed, and finally, at the Coastal Commission where it was again appealed after the City Council supported the plan. Now that the Commission has denied this final appeal, the project is allowed to move forward. 

The San Diego County Chapter has consistently opposed coastal armoring i.e. seawalls at Beacon's Beach for over 20 years, helping to stop seawall proposals in 2001, 2004, 2010, and 2017. While a seawall at Beacon's may offer temporary protection for the blufftop parking lot and access trail, it would ultimately doom the beach below by exacerbating sand loss and drowning the beach under rising seas. Moving the parking lot back the minimum amount necessary to take pressure off a failing bluff, while preserving public access, is a reasonable interim approach to protecting Beacon's Beach without resorting to destructive armoring. 

This victory is part of our ongoing, larger campaign to preserve Beacon's as a natural beach with safe public access.  For more details on this specific effort, check out this blog post from the SD County Chapter.