Ideas for beach upgrade flow at meeting

Kenneth Ma

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Local environmental organizations told state

officials they want a wider multipurpose trail, native plants and an

information center included as improvements to Bolsa Chica State Beach.

State park officials met with groups including the Surfrider

Foundation, Sierra Club, the Bolsa Chica Land Trust and Amigos de Bolsa

Chica on July 19 at Huntington State Beach lifeguard headquarters to

discuss a $7.5-million redevelopment plan for the state beach.

The meeting was “beneficial from the standpoint that most of the

information we receive will be incorporated in the redevelopment plan,”

said Don Ito, a state parks superintendent.

For the first time in its 25-year history, Bolsa Chica State Beach

will see major upgrades to its aging facilities. The two-mile stretch of

oceanfront attracts 1 million to 1.5 million visitors annually, Ito said.

Before the meeting, the state created a conceptual plan to improve

existing restrooms, concession stands, storage facilities and lifeguard

headquarters, he said.

However, more ideas for upgrades surfaced at the meeting. Residents

and group members said they would like to see better public access

between the beach and the Bolsa Chica wetlands, a camping area for hikers

and bicyclists, sand kept off the multipurpose trail, longer-lasting

outdoor showers at the restrooms, a group picnic area and a turf area

from dogs, among other things.

“The state has opened ears and eyes to what we have to say,” said Bill

Gregory, a member of the Surfrider Foundation. “If [the state] can

incorporate those ideas, [Bolsa Chica State Beach] will be more

environmentally friendly and attractive.”

Bruce Monroe, a member of the Sierra Club, said the changes should

include more biodiversity at the beach for wildlife and plants.

“I am just hoping that [the state] will leave as much of [the beach]

as natural as possible and that we don’t overbuild it,” he said.

Long Beach resident Ralph Frankenfield, who has been using the state

beach for 22 years, said state officials should also consider keeping the

beach cleaner and opening more toll lanes at the beach parking lot’s

entrance during the weekends.

But some users of the state beach are satisfied with some of the

facilities.

Huntington Beach resident Bill Foster, who uses the multipurpose trail

daily, said it is wide enough and that the beach is clean and not

overcrowded. But he said the recreation vehicle campground could use

utility upgrades.

A major overhaul of the beach has not occurred before because of a

lack of funding, Ito said. But in previous years, state officials have

made side improvements, such as repairing a sewer system that caused

numerous closures at the beach and installing electrical outlets for

recreational vehicles.

Ito said park officials will draft a final plan before submitting an

application for a coastal development plan from the city of Huntington

Beach. There will be at least one more public hearing during the

application process, he said.

Construction is expected to take place in late November and be

completed by June, he said.

The state is planning to keep access to the beach open as much as

possible during the construction process.