For the record, my name is Markus Mead, of the Surfrider Foundation. My address
is
Surfrider Foundation would like to state our support for support to Ownership Scenario #2, and Development Concept #1. To best serve the long list of non-motorized users including (ocean and river fishing, shellfish harvest, surfing, camping with a variety of amenities, primitive camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, swimming, visiting cultural sites) and Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) users, the Lake Marie-area land should be owned by State Parks. State Parks is the ownership entity that is most likely to manage the land for all users, protect beach access and natural resources.
Ownership Scenario 1
SF recognizes the land swap will indeed transpire.
State Parks is a logical choice to retain ownership of the
Scenario Benefits:
It is also logical that the County should own sand plain and enforce it. Under this scenario, the County would still have direct access to the ODNRA land for OHV use.
Water Quality
It’s no secret that Surfrider Foundation is concerned with anything potentially affecting marine water quality. Our members spend a significant amount of time (the more the better) in the ocean. The fewer incidents of ocean submersion-related illness, the better.
It’s also no secret that the
Substantial land development in the area would
require intensive infrastructure improvements. Having designed and budgeted
numerous developments in my time as a city planner, I can estimate that this
area would not be a financially-beneficial addition to the Urban Growth Boundary.
Under County ownership, parts of the
Practically, making the area more attractive for tourist use as a forest/hiking area will generate more money for the local community through sustainable tourism than any development ever could.
As stated in the Master Plan document, there is no guarantee
that the high recreation and dune management standards will survive the transfer
of lands to
Therefore, because under OPRD ownership, water quality would not be affected, the land is better suited for sustainable tourism, and the disadvantages are inconsequential, OPRD support, and the most appropriate mission statement, Surfrider believes that the Lake Marie area, the DSL-owned land (when available), and the land east of 101 should be owned and controlled by OPRD, as described by Ownership Scenario #2.
****************************************************************
Development Concept 1
As a member of the Advisory Council for the Oregon State Parks Ocean Shore Management Plan, Surfrider Foundation has heard about several conflicts between user groups. The most common conflict arises between off highway motorized vehicles and more passive recreation.
The selected development concept should reflect the Master Plan’s purpose, of planning for the protection and public enjoyment of the resources that occur on the land that is being master planned. Since Master plans identify and provide for the most appropriate recreational uses based on resource opportunities and constraints, all users should be provided for with equal priority. Because a Master Plan describes the appropriate types, sizes, locations and access for the proposed Facilities, it should account for the maximum enjoyment of all users. By combining the OHV use in Development Concept #1, the OHV users would have more immediate access to the ODNRA, would be located away from existing residential and aquaculture uses, would not be inconvenienced by having multiple campsites far from one another, and would make enforcement easier.
Development Concept 1 would combine the OHV activity, making group camping easier without dispersing group members, decrease OHV traffic to and from each campground area, confine garbage, and enforcement areas, and best fit the Park’s numerous user groups.
Additional comments
Surfrider supports passive recreation and beach use and protects and promotes
unfettered beach access. Free access to the beach is currently available only
through a parking lot on Army Corps of Engineers land, known as
use prohibitions. Further south, parking lots #2 and #3 require a daily use
fee. Because the