The Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area does not provide a safe, healthy, and sustainable form of recreation, but it unleashes an unchecked lust for entertainment and diversion that is destroying Oceano, its beach, and dunes.
I have been a resident of Oceano for over 30 years. I have seen neighboring towns become cleaner and prettier; repair roads and sidewalks; and add services, amenities, and businesses while Oceano has remained the poor, dirty town it has always been.
Obviously, allowing driving on our beach and dunes doesn’t bring Oceano any money. It does to our neighboring towns who profit at Oceano’s expense.
This way of doing things is called environmental injustice. A vehicles-free, safe, and clean beach will bring even more tourists to Oceano and our neighboring towns.
I support our California Coastal Commission’s staff recommendation to transition the off-road park away from high-intensity OHV use to other forms of public access and recreation.
Lucia Casalinuovo
Oceano
This article appears in Jul 25 – Aug 4, 2019.