In Southern California, there’s not much better than being able to spend a summer day at one of our state’s world-renowned beaches or to spend a cool summer evening surrounded by family and friends around a bonfire.
I know. I have the true pleasure of being able to live right on the beach in Orange County within minutes of the fire rings provided free, for our enjoyment, at Bolsa Chica State Beach.
But today those fire rings are at risk. Assembly Bill 1102, by Assemblyman Travis Allen, will protect fire rings all along our coast so that we may share the joys of an evening bonfire with future generations.
AB 1102 was written in response to new regulations promulgated by the South Coast Air Quality Management District that would severely curtail fire rings on public beaches.
The bill will require the SCAQMD, and any other local government, to obtain a permit from the California Coastal Commission before regulating, prohibiting, or restricting fire rings in the south coast district.
That’s good news, because last March, Coastal Commission staff recommended rejecting a city’s plan to remove fire rings along its coast saying, according to the committee analysis for AB 1102, that “‘removal of the fire rings would deny the public access to this popular form of lower cost public recreation.’ In addition, the report stated that removing these fire rings ‘would shift the already high demand for fire rings to other coastal locations, creating new access and recreational demands there.’”
As Assemblyman Allen recently told the Orange County Register, “This legislation will ensure that every Californian has access to our beautiful beaches through the affordable attraction of a beach bonfire.”
And it’s not just Californians who might be interested in keeping affordable attractions at our beaches. Tourists flock to California from all over the nation and around the world to enjoy the state’s beaches. And tourist season, which in our state is year-round, supports local businesses while generating large amounts of revenue for the state and local governments.
California generated $2.5 billion in local taxes and $4.1 billion from visitor spending in 2012, according to preliminary estimates released by Dean Runyan Associates in a study for the California Travel and Tourism Commission.
According to the Huntington Beach Marketing and Visitors Bureau, “The removal of our fire rings in the City of Huntington Beach would significantly decrease the number of annual visitors, and result in a loss of $1 million annually in revenue to the City from direct parking income alone.” They also said, in a press release, that “The California State Parks of Orange County receive more than 11.9 million visitors annually, resulting in $19 million dollars in revenue. A survey by the State Parks revealed they stand to lose 50% of their camping revenue, should they lose their fire rings.”
We should be doing everything we can to support tourism to our State and to help visitors find great attractions like our fire rings.
BOE Member Michelle Steel
The news was good this week for those of us who believe we and our fellow Californians should have the freedom to enjoy a bonfire on the beach. AB 1102 passed the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee without any votes in opposition.
Next, the bill moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. I’ll be voicing my strong support for AB 1102, and toasting to its success with fresh s’mores cooked over local fire ring. I hope that you will, too.