Because of the strong work and committed efforts of the Santa Barbara Chapter over the last five years, the California Coastal Commission refused to extend the golf course permit due to new information and significant changes in circumstances on the development site.
    One of those significant changes was the discovery of rare red-legged frogs by biological consultants hired by the developer. The frogs are protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act and constitute a crucial "changed circumstance" on the proposed golf course property. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wrote a letter confirming the presence of the California red-legged frogs on the project site.
    Although the project is on hold, it is far from over. Yes, members of

Surfrider Foundation are concerned about the plight of the red-legged frog, but there are other issues of concern. These include preservation of agricultural land and the prevention of urban sprawl. The Santa Barbara Chapter will continue this battle until the very end.
 
Santa Cruz
In late September, the Santa Cruz Chapter of Surfrider Foundation sponsored a forum on seawall development. Dr. Gary Griggs began with a presentation on the history of the seawall; what's been tried, what has failed and where we are headed. The City and County of Santa Cruz, California Coastal Commission, City of Capitola, Santa Cruz Port District and the County Redevelopment Agency all gave excellent presentations from the planning, impact on beaches and waves to the actual permitting process involved.
    The forum was organized to get feedback and help educate the community about the destruction seawalls can cause to our coastal zone. With an increase in the population wanting to live by the coast, along with intense "El Nino" storms, the Santa Cruz coastline is seeing accelerated cliff erosion. There are two seawalls being proposed in Capitola and Pleasure Point. The Capitola seawall alone is 1250 ft long. Santa Cruz Chapter members feel it is critical to be involved with the process from the beginning to secure that our coastline is not destroyed by short-sighted quick fixes.
 
South Bay
Thanks to the long-term commitment of South Bay Chapter activists Dockweiler

Beach may soon see surf again in early 2000. Surfrider Foundation's South Bay Chapter made significant progress in 1999 on the experimental surfing reef known as "Pratte's Reef".
    In conjunction with the building of the reef, the chapter has been working with the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors to discuss the issues of public parking and the possible blackballing of the reef in summer months. Lifeguards are in favor of making the reef a designated "surfing only" area. There has been discussion of making the beach like Surfrider Beach in Malibu, with no swimmers allowed in the entire area. This is due not to a bunch of selfish surfers, but due to the dangers of the reef and the Hyperion Water Treatment Plant's outflow pipe. So far, all the meetings with the County have been positive.
 
Ventura
Matilija Dam was constructed in 1948 to store water for residents and farms in the Ojai area. However, over the years its effectiveness has been reduced by the accumulation of sediment from steep mountain slopes. The Ventura Chapter of Surfrider Foundation has been involved in the process of having the Matilija Dam removed to allow the estimated 11 million cubic yards of silt and sediment to flow downstream to replenish badly eroded beaches.
    The Ventura County Board of Supervisors and BEACON (Beach Erosion Authority for Control Operations & Nourishment) signed resolutions in favor of studying the removal of Matilija Dam, and the Bureau of Reclamation has committed funds to do an appraisal study that began in September. Today the dam is
(Ventura Chapter article continued on page 7)