San Onofre State Beach

San Onofre State Beach is a convert|3000|acre|km2|0 state park located in San Diego County, California, USA. [http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=647 San Onofre State Beach - State of California] ] The beach is convert|3|mi|km|0 south of the city of San Clemente on Interstate 5 at Basilone Road. Governor Ronald Reagan established San Onofre State Beach in 1971. With over 2.5 million visitors per year, [cite news |first=Mike |last=Anton |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=San Onofre's new bare necessity: a suit
url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-nudebeach5-2008jul05,0,7671185.story |work=Los Angeles Times |publisher= |date=2008-07-05 |accessdate=2008-08-07] it is one of the five most-visited state parks in California, hosting swimmers, campers, kayakers, birders, fishermen, off-duty Marines, bicyclists, sunbathers, surfers, and the sacred Native American site of Panhe.

Located between San Onofre Bluffs and San Onofre Surf Beach is the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), which generates enough energy to power 1.5 million homes in Southern California. [ [http://www.sce.com/songs/ Southern California Edison website] ]

Park attractions

The San Onofre Bluffs portion of San Onofre State Beach features convert|3.5|mi|km|1 of sandy beaches with six access trails cut into the bluff above. The campground is along the old U.S. Route 101 adjacent to the sandstone bluffs. The beach is popular with swimmers and surfers. San Onofre includes San Onofre Bluffs; San Onofre Surf Beach, a day use facility; San Mateo campgrounds and day use facility; and Trestles Beach, accessible via a nature trail from San Mateo Campgrounds. Alcohol is banned from all beaches within the State Park.

The park includes a marshy area where San Mateo Creek meets the shoreline and Trestles beach, a well-known California surfing site. Whales, dolphins and sea lions can be seen offshore from time to time. The park’s coastal terrace is chaparral-covered.Fact|date=August 2008

urfing

A surfing and fishing camp had been there since the 1920s, before the land was taken by the U.S. government to establish Camp Pendleton, a U.S. Marine training camp during World War II. Surfers using redwood boards have visited San Onofre since at least the 1940s, including notables Lorrin "Whitey" Harrison, Don Okey, Al Dowden, Tom Wilson, and Bob Simmons. [San Onofre Surfing Club: "History of the San Onofre Surfing Club" (1974).]

San Onofre has several surf breaks on its convert|3.5|mi|km|1 of coast, ranging from the beginner’s gentle breaking waves to one of the premiere surf breaks in the United States, Trestles.

*Trestles Beach - Trestles is inaccessible by vehicle; a long walk from either the north or south end is necessary for access. This world-famous surfing area is known for its consistent waves.
*Church - Located near Camp Pendleton’s beach resort, Church provides sunbathing and duck watching. The name refers to the long-gone chapel which was located not far from the site.
*Surf Beach - The "surf beach" area has 'flush' pit toilets and cold showers, but no camping. It is divided by the locality into three breaks spots known as The Point, Old Man’s, and Dogpatch (named from north to south). All perform best on a south swell, though the beach takes any surf and slows it down to a very slow pace. The entire area is covered by a rock reef, often making walking into or out of the water difficult.
*Trails - Trails is the most southern of surf spots in this region and includes both rock bottom and sandy breaks. Trails is also the last point to camp at San Onofre. Camping is on the bluffs with cold showers and 'flush' pit toilets near by.

Panhe

Panhe is an ancient Acjachemen village that is over 8,000 years old and a current sacred, ceremonial, cultural, and burial site for the Acjachemen people. Many Acjachemen people trace their lineage back to Panhe. It is the site of the first baptism in California, and in 1769 saw the first close contact between Spanish explorers, Catholic missionaries, and the Acjachemen people. The United Coalition to Protect Panhe and The City Project advocate for the preservation of the site. [http://savepanhe.org/ Save San Onofre and Native American Sacred Site Panhe] ]

Toll road controversy

The California Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) is seeking to construct a six lane toll highway (graded for eight lanes) through San Onofre State Beach/Park and a habitat reserve in Orange County, joining the San Diego Freeway at Trestles.cite news
last =Weikel
first =Dan
coauthors =Reyes, David
title = Panel rejects beach toll road
work = Los Angeles Times
pages = A-1
language =
publisher =
date =2008-02-07
url = http://articles.latimes.com/2008/feb/07/local/me-tollroad7
accessdate = 2008-08-07 ]

The Toll Road is favored by several cities, business groups and public officials from Orange County as a way to ease future traffic congestion.cite news
last = Rodgers
first = Terry
coauthors =
title = Hearing on toll road will be rescheduled
work = San Diego Union-Tribune
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-07-21
url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080721-9999-1m21b2briefs.html
accessdate = 2008-08-07] The particular Toll Road route through San Onofre is opposed by more than two dozen of California’s congressional delegation in Washington, D.C.,cite news
last = Reyes
first = David
coauthors =
title = Toll road foes apply pressure
work = Los Angeles Times
pages = B-3
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-04-17
url = http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/17/local/me-tollroad17
accessdate = 2008-08-07] thirty-eight California legislators [cite news
last = Volzke
first = Jonathan
coauthors =
title = More Politicians Weighing on the Toll Road
work = San Clemente Times
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-08-07
url = http://www.sanclementetimes.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=1199&cntnt01dateformat=%25B%20%25d%2C%20%25Y&cntnt01returnid=99
accessdate = 2008-08-07] including California's United States Senator Barbara Boxer, Surfrider Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife,cite news
last = Rosenblatt
first = Susannah
coauthors =
title = Environmental groups sue federal agencies over San Onofre toll road
work = Los Angeles Times
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-08-15
url = http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-tollroad15-2008aug15,0,5705079.story
accessdate = 2008-08-15] The Sierra Club, The Natural Resources Defense Council [cite news
last = Rodgers
first = Terry
coauthors =
title = Suit filed on toll road report
work = San Diego Union-Tribune
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-08-14
url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080814-9999-1m14rooad.html
accessdate = 2008-08-14] , the California State Parks Foundation, the California State Park and Recreation Commission [cite news
last = Brokaw
first = Nick
coauthors =
title = Personnel Profile: Bobby Shriver
work = Capital Weekly
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-08-14
url = http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_adctlid=v%7Cjq2q43wvsl855o%7Cxbz7zz3b9exvb2&issueId=xbyysklac21fpg&xid=xbz16dovgulk0t
accessdate = 2008-08-14] the Native American United Coalition to Protect Panhe, The City Project, the Save San Onofre Coalition, [cite news
last = City Wire
first =
coauthors =
title = Environmentalists Sue Over Toll Road Report
work = Channel 10 News - San Diego
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-08-14
url = http://www.10news.com/news/17188638/detail.html
accessdate = 2008-08-14] [cite news
last = Rodgers
first = Terry
coauthors =
title = Suit filed on toll road report
work = San Diego Union-Tribune
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-08-14
url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080814-9999-1m14rooad.html
accessdate = 2008-08-14] and Save Trestles, [http://savetrestles.org Savetrestles.org] ] among others. Opposition is based upon the damage to the environment that would result from construction and operation of the Toll Road, the loss of park camping and recreational areas, the loss/damage to a site sacred to Native Americans, and studies that show that traffic congestion would actually increase on the San Diego Freeway if the toll road is built through San Onofre Beach. A survey of Orange County voters revealed that while 52% favored "a" toll road, 66% opposed the proposed route that would take the Toll Road through San Onofre State Park. [cite news
last = Conaughton
first = Gig
coauthors =
title = Parks panel survey says voters oppose toll road
work = North County Times
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2007-10-05
url = http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/10/03/news/top_stories/1_06_0910_2_07.txt
accessdate = 2008-08-07]

On February 6, 2008 the California Coastal Commission denied a Coastal Permit for the route of the proposed 241 Toll Road that would have cut through San Onofre and the Reserve, saying that of the eight possible routes considered, the one sought by the TCA was the most environmentally damaging. Had a permit been granted, it would have been the first toll road to run through a California state park.cite news
last = Rodgers
first = Terry
coauthors =
title = Toll road proposal voted down
work = San Diego Union-Tribune
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-02-07
url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080207-9999-7n7toll1.html
accessdate = 2008-08-07]

The Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) appealed the Costal Commission's decision. The U.S. Department of Commerce, who will consider the appeal of the TCA, had announced that it would have a public hearing on the appeal, but based on the large number of people expected to attend a hearing (attendance at the Costal Commission hearing shattered all previous attendance records for a Coastal Commission hearing),cite news
last = Jenkins
first = Logan
coauthors =
title = Coastal Commission gets it right – twice!
work = San Diego Union-Tribune
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-02-10
url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080210/news_1mc10jenkins.html
accessdate = 2008-08-07 ] it has not yet found an appropriately sized venue within their budget for such a hearing. As of August 5, 2008, it is not known if there will be a public hearing for the appeal, and such hearings are at the discretion of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

As of August 20, 2008, there are at least four lawsuits pending. The lawsuits have been filed by various groups and organizations, which have banned together in various groupings, all with the goal of stopping the toll road through San Onofre State Beach. [cite news
last = Volzke
first = Jonathan
coauthors =
title = Another Toll Road Lawsuit
work = San Clemente Times
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-08-20
url = http://www.sanclementetimes.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=1223&cntnt01dateformat=%25B%20%25d%2C%20%25Y&cntnt01returnid=99
accessdate = 2008-08-20 ]

Nude beach controversy

The traditional clothing optional area is located at the extreme south end of the San Onofre Bluffs beach via "Trail 6." State Parks policy permits clothing optional areas "in a traditionally recognized area . . . until a complaint from a member of the public is received. [http://www.cspra.com/ccr4322/index.html Enforcing CCR 4322 "Nudity" in California State Parks] ] However, in May of 2008, State Parks had announced plans to issue criminal citations to anyone unclothed at any part of San Onofre State Beach after September 1, 2008. On August 20, 2008, an Orange County Superior Court Judge ordered the Department of State Parks to halt plans to issue such citations until further order of the court in the pending lawsuit brought by a group of nude sunbathers against State Parkscite news
last = Rosenblatt
first = Susannah
coauthors =
title = Nudists OK at San Onofre beach, for now
work = Los Angeles Times
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-08-20
url = http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-nude21-2008aug21,0,4780513.story
accessdate = 2008-08-20] challenging the change in Park policy. According to the judge, naked beachgoers in the traditional clothing optional area at the extreme southern end of San Onofre Bluffs, accessed via Trail 6, can be cited only in response to a public complaint and only then if they refuse to comply with law enforcement's subsequent requests.cite news
last = Rosenblatt
first = Susannah
coauthors =
title = Nudists OK at San Onofre beach, for now
work = Los Angeles Times
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2008-08-20
url = http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-nude21-2008aug21,0,4780513.story
accessdate = 2008-08-20]

References

External links

* [http://www.sanonofre.com/ Sanonofre.com]