GREG RAY, San Clemente
I reside in South San Clemente, and I am distressed that our beaches are getting smaller every year. I don’t need to tell you how much our community values the beaches for recreation, or how much these beaches are worth to the community for the tourism they attract and the real estate values they support.
To a large degree, the wide stretches of sand that we so enjoy were man-made by projects led by the Army Corps of Engineers on a regular basis over many decades. With the lapse in these projects, our San Clemente beaches are disappearing.
Other neighboring communities have hired staff to develop projects to replenish their sand—including Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Encinitas, and Oceanside. Once a project has been approved and permits obtained, then it becomes possible to seek funding from state and federal sources.
It is my understanding that last month the San Clemente City Council started a process to hire a sand replenishment expert who will apply for permits to enable us to restore our beaches. I’m delighted that the City Council is taking this step, and I agree that this should be the top priority for our community.
I hope that all our neighbors will get behind this initiative and support the City Council’s efforts to replenish our vanishing sand.
