MALIBU CHAPTER POSITION ON BEACH ACCESS

A guiding principle of the Surfrider Foundation is the promotion by its members of the right of low-impact, free and open access to the world's waves and beaches for all people. While the Malibu Chapter supports this tenet and efforts by the California Coastal Commission and the California Coastal Conservancy in opening up public access entries in the Malibu area (and the requirement
that the City of Malibu designate a route for the California Coastal Trail), we do not favor public access routes that are over developed, degrade the natural environment, or jeopardize pristine or fragile habitat.

The Coastal Commission Draft Land Use Program, soon to be voted into policy, sets a standard of opening at least one new vertical accessway every 1000 feet along Malibu Road. While we recently supported the opening of a 100 foot wide public access easement along Malibu, we oppose arbitrary goals for access that do not adequately consider the factors stated above.

The California Coastal Conservancy's mandate to open more of the coast to the public is an important goal, yet creating trails and public access routes to remote pocket beaches, as outlined in the current Land Use Plan, will jeopardize the natural terrain, as well as plant and animal life, and degrade the natural environment by development and accelerated use.  The beaches and tide pools at Pt. Dume, for example, are not being afforded previous protection as environmentally sensitive habitat in the new draft plan.  These areas are
inseparably linked to environmentally sensitive ecosystems. Increased public use and access as described in the draft plan will greatly compromise tide pool life and other marine habitat.  Sea lions, nesting and roosting seabirds, and other species sensitive to the increased public contact will suffer.

Unlike other states, California's beaches are protected for public access up to the mean high tide line seaward, regardless of land access. Surfers do not mind hiking in to surf remote breaks if that is the price we must pay to ensure the natural integrity of the area.

As to the City of Malibu, providing enhanced access to a coastal area that is a public health danger to swim in, sounds to me like the most Pyrrhic of victories.  Access is not the major issue facing Malibu, though it seem to be the only issue of interest to the media.  

Malibu continues to be one of the most polluted beaches in Santa Monica Bay. We have urge the Conservancy to allocate needed funds within its vigorous and substantial budget to support our efforts to restore clean water to Malibu, by assisting in the revitalization of the beachfront area, steering non-sustainable development away from valuable scenic coastland, and by making a commitment to protecting and restoring Malibu's historical wetlands.