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Beach Preservation

TAKE ACTION

JUST DUNE IT IN OCEANSIDE!

This evening, Wednesday December 20, the Oceanside City Council will consider accepting a small grant from US Fish & Wildlife in order to fund a small, pilot Coastal Dune Restoration Project at select "back beach" locations at Harbor Beach, the San Luis Rey River mouth, and The Strand North. In addition to providing habitat for native plants and shorebirds, coastal sand dunes help stabilize and build sand at the back of the beach, helping to keep precious sand on our beaches rather than ending up on our streets and parking lots where it does not belong. We support the City's pilot dunes project as a nature-based, proactive beach management measure at beaches which still have sand. If you agree, please consider sending a quick email to the City Council in support.

SUBMIT A WRITTEN COMMENT

(You can also email council@oceansideca.org +  cityclerk@oceansideca.org)

Subject: Support for Item #15, Coastal Dune Restoration Pilot

Comments/Talking Points: you can be as brief or as detailed as you want, just make sure you ask that they vote YES to pass a resolution in support of accepting the USFW grant for the Oceanside Coastal Dune Project. 

(Additional suggested talking points below)

Suggested Talking Points

Here are some additional talking points to consider for your comment form. Be sure to mention if you live in Oceanside or North County. Any personal experiences with other local dune projects, like the South Ponto dunes or Cardiff Living Shorelines, is also welcome. 

• I support this project as a workable 1st step towards restoring native coastal dune habitat in areas where we still have sand on our beaches.
• Dunes are a native Southern California coastal habitat that provides benefits for native plants and shorebirds.
• Dune systems help stabilize and retain sand on the back beach. In addition to preventing sand from being pushed and blown off the beach and onto city infrastructure, dunes also provide a sand retainer to help offset seasonal Winter storm erosion from the front of the beach.
• Dunes offer a natural buffer between the beach and the streets, which helps with aesthetics and reminds visitors that the beach is a dynamic natural habitat in addition to a great place for people to recreate. 
• The currently proposed locations will not steal public towel space, they are located furthest from the water at the back beach, where beachgoers do not regularly recreate. 
• This is a pilot project and the public will have more opportunities to provide feedback. The dunes and native coastal plants can easily be altered or removed if they do not perform as intended. Oceanside desperately needs new ideas and innovation to help preserve its disappearing beaches, we can no longer afford to do nothing. 

Instantaneous Option for the Super Busy 

This link should open your email app with a pre-written message. Feel free to edit as you see fit, please add if you live in Oceanside, North County, or San Diego County. 

ATTEND THE COUNCIL MEETING

We encourage members of the public to attend the City Council meeting and make an in-person comment, especially Oceanside residents. The City Council agenda can be found HERE. The meeting starts at 5pm, and our item (#15) will likely be early in the meeting (it's on Consent Agenda, but we have reason to believe it will be discussed before being voted on). Members of the public receive 3 minutes to speak, occasionally  2 minutes if there are many speakers. If you would like to speak, you must sign up at one of two iPad stations near the entrance to the council chambers (more info HERE). Please reply to this email if you have any questions!