Coastal Commission tables decision on Oceano Dunes until 2020

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The California Coastal Committee will bring no changes to Oceano Dunes for now.

Proposed changes will be sent to the state and discussed again in the summer of 2020.

Here is a list of the proposed changes that will be looked at before next summer:

• Increase Predator Management.

Implement an improved predator management plan, including enclosures for trash and food waste, and BMPs for addressing predation of sensitive species (including by coyotes, raccoons, skunks, opossums, ravens, gulls, owls, and peregrine falcons).

Increase enforcement of all vehicular use limits, all vehicular speed limits, and all other vehicular requirements, including through additional signs, rangers, and parameters for verifying that the number of vehicles in the Park does not exceed maximum allowances.

Install additional fencing in specific areas to better protect coastal resources (including fencing in the south Oso Flaco Lake area, fencing suitable for enhanced predator management, fencing to better define the southern exclosure, and fencing to ensure all vegetated dune areas are appropriately fenced off).

Institute a public outreach program to increase the use of appropriate beach and dune areas by lower-income, youth, and tribal parties.

Eliminate the Technical Review Team (TRT) and replace it with an annual reporting program that is processed through Executive Director review and approval.

Require a separate CDP for all special events that could result in adverse impacts to coastal resources, including music festivals, concerts, OHV events (e.g., Huckfest), and any other special events that propose an intensity of use beyond those specified in the CDP.

Prohibit vehicular and OHV activity during nighttime hours (i.e., from one hour after sunset and to one-hour before sunrise).

Prohibit vehicular crossings of Arroyo Grande Creek when it flows (i.e., shut down all OHV and camping operations during this time) except for emergency vehicles, and monitor the creek to ensure that users are not allowed south of the Creek when it will soon connect to the ocean and to provide time for users south of the Creek to exit before it connects to the ocean.

Reduce interim vehicular and OHV daily use limits to an amount proportionate to the acreage that has been removed from vehicular/OHV use (e.g., due to dust control requirements, other exclosures, etc.).

Eliminate the four exceptions that allow unlimited vehicular and OHV use on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving weekends.

Evaluate changes that can be made to provide vehicular access into the Park in way that can reduce coastal resource impacts, particularly as such vehicular access relates to Arroyo Grande Creek crossings and more normal and typical beach uses north of the riding area.

Make the roughly 300-acre seasonal endangered species exclosure area permanent, and restore the area to enhance habitat.

Allow perimeter fencing and/or vegetation and related development (e.g., monitoring equipment, etc.) for dust control purposes for all areas specified by the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District.

Thursday's meeting was called last month after four people died from ATV-related crashes at the popular coastal location.

The Central Valley was well-represented in San Luis Obispo on Thursday.

"In two and a half or three hours we can be over here having fun, anywhere else we go it's a six-hour or sixteen-hour drive," said Ed Schiedel from Fresno.

Business owners like Greg Cottrell also voiced their concerns saying if off-road vehicles are banned, it may force businesses out.

"If the OHV community is such a big part of the economic development of our area and that's what we do, of course, we're going to have to move because there won't be anything left for us here," said Cottrell.

Oceano Dunes, which draws roughly 2 million visitors a year, is the only oceanfront state park that allows vehicles on its sand.