Argument In Favor Of Measure
- Bolinas is the only beach in ALL of California where public beach camping still occurs on private beach property. This is being promoted in local/International guidebooks with no authorization. As a result increasing numbers of “visitor” campers as well as “homeless” are camping on Bolinas beaches. The present Marin County ordinance of no camping on weekends and holidays is ineffective and loosely enforced!
- The “inevitable” illegal fires of beach campers are a hazard to beach goers. Smoldering embers endanger children and pets and cause a real fire danger to the homes and vegetation on the bluffs.
- There are no toilet facilities on the beach. At night most campers will not go into town to use a toilet. Thus the beach is being soiled with human waste. Issues of hygiene, health and safety are paramount in this fragile Ocean/Lagoon ecosystem.
- Trash from beach goers at the end of Brighton, and Wharf Rd. is currently collected by the Community Center; this means that YOU pay for this.
- An above tide-line “campsite” on this beach implies territorial domain. It means that, by default, “their” section of the beach is “off limits” to the rest of us.
- Most weekend users and campers on the beach are from outside of Bolinas.
- BCPUD holds in Trust the public access easement for all of Bolinas beach with the authority to keep public use open 24 hours daily for only passive recreational use. Please promote pride in our town and Vote YES on H.
Submitted by,
Bruce Bowser
Former Secretary for the Bolinas Beach Committee*
*The Bolinas Beach Committee consisted of 6 residents, (2 from downtown and 4 from the big mesa) concluded 5 to1 after 2 years research and deliberation to recommend banning all beach camping.
*The Bolinas Beach Committee consisted of 6 residents, (2 from downtown and 4 from the big mesa) concluded 5 to1 after 2 years research and deliberation to recommend banning all beach camping.
1 comment:
Yes, I think it would save the beach.
It's NOT a long beach running along a peninsula or coast line, its a rare and beautiful inlet- a treasure for all generations and for the animals that live there. Anyone who has driven around the bend, knows the shock of joy and awe, when first seen from above after a long drive. It is perhaps the way the entire world once was and can be again. The place is magical!
I also feel that sanctuaries for homeless people should be created in campgrounds throughout the US where there is fire management, trash pick-up and low density populations so people can have air and nature around them. However, the Bolinas Beach area specifically, is unusual and environmentally fragile with a large diversity of protected (or should be protected! ) wild-life. The beach, the ocean around it and its creatures need sanctuary as well!"
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