Free parking at OC state beaches?
June 16th, 2009, 4:51 pm · · posted by Laylan Connelly, staff writer
I love to surf at Bolsa Chica State Beaches – nice and mellow longboard waves, long stretches of beach to choose from. The reason why I’m rarely there: the $10-a-pop parking fee.
There’s a proposal by the state that would give free access to state parks and beaches – and eliminate this fear that we’ve all hear of about the state beaches being shut down. State beaches in Orange County include: Bolsa Chica, Huntington State Beach, Corona del Mar, Crystal Cove, and San Clemente State Beach (and San Onofre is nearby, for those who like to go that far south).
How would they do this? Basically, a $15 fee tied to vehicle license fees would raise money for state parks, eliminating their dependency on the general fund – allowing them a solid cash flow that doesn’t fall on the chopping block every time the folks in Sacramento jack up the budget.
Register reporter Pat Brennan wrote about the proposal on his Green OC blog.
According to Bolsa Chica lifeguard supervisor Ryan Gates, the move would be a good thing for lifeguards.
“It will increase the visitation and we’re going to be busy,” he said. ”But we’ll be properly funded to provide the correct service.”
So this can mean a few things. Locals at those spots who surf Doheny or Bolsa may figure it’s worth paying the $125 annual parking pass to keep the crowds out. But for the family who likes to come to the beach once a month, it would be a huge savings.
You can learn more and write your representatives by going to this site: www.calparks.org
Tell me what you think in the comments section below, and take our poll:
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BEACHAPEDIA – your guide to the coast
Local surfers recognized
What a good idea- Currently it costs $10 to get into the parks for one day anyways. I would be happy to pay only $15 to get into the beaches/parks for free every day of the year.
I sure would visit the beaches and parks a lot more!
Yes its a tax, but I will save a lot of money because I go to the beach so much.
Yeah! hope this does happen, I just yesterday was saying how I wish something like this would happen!!! or at least bring cost down to $5 or something!!
I think raiseing it to 15 bucks a day for people who dont have a local zip codeswould show more respect at the gate. This is good way to keep the beach clean and the crowd down, But never free? Please
Another dumb move by our politicians. When you add the rise in vandalism,crime, litter and everything else that comes with an inland invasion of people that don’t respect the beach, all the current respectful beach goers will be the real losers. The bill will be overturned in a year after all the complaints and it will be another lesson for Sacramento.
YES!
Wow … this is like having to pick between your favorite surfboards … more crowds, free parking … ugh.
I have 4 cars in my family. They cost $60.00/year.
we are going to beach one or two time a year with our van cost $20.00.
I rather pay $20.0 than $60.00, because either way you still have a hard time to find a parking space.
Don’t let the tax trick you.
Kenny
Stupid idea. It is just a way to raise other taxes. Later the parking fees will be imposed again.
Freeways were all toll ways at one time. In exchange for general taxes toll ways became freeways. Now toll roads are back AND the taxes are higher!
But people are ALWAYS fooled. Over and Over and Over again!
Yes reduce the state income and likely increase the frequencey of the people that thrash the beach. Frikin tax me and anyone else that doesn’t use the beach for your own personal discount? No wonder this state is falling apart.
the reason there are available parking spaces now?,….It’s 10 bucks to PARK!
Once it’s free for everyone,…there will be NO available spaces to Park!
The writer of this article is nuts. Sacramento would only raid the fund. The parks almost pay for themselves. Go after vehicles that are not currantly registered and with insurance, there is more money in that and the car is probably not insured and when they hit me I am not paying the bill.
Drivers do not pay for this fee, vehicle owners do.
There are a whole bunch of people in this state that never visit any state park.
If we drive to a state park ,we normally use only 1 vehicle.
How much is it for a bus?
How do out of state/foreign visitors pay ?
Are car rental companies required to pay for each vehicle registered in the state ?
If any vehicle can park for free at the state beaches,no one is going to carpool to share the current fee.
We live close to the beach and walk or bike most of the time.
No need to do that ,if parking is free.
From personal observation at Crystal Cove, the amount of money collected from visitors could be a lot more, if the Los Trancos parking
lot was staffed full time. Even in winter we have nice warm days when a lot of people enjoy the beach, but there is nobody to collect the fees !
Knowing the elected officials in this state,as soon as a fee of this kind would be approved, it will be tapped into for whatever creative spending they can think of.
How would this affect the cities that rely on the revenue generated by the parking fees at their beaches? Long Beach,Seal Beach, Huntington,Newport…….. ?
We just paid $12.00 to park at Knott’s ! That only got us a parking spot 1/4 mile from the entrance.
If you go to the beach or other state park a lot, buy a season pass.
I have an idea. Lets add $40 to everyones state taxes, and then we can all go to Disneyland for free.
The beaches belong to every Californian, not just the rich and locals. Poor kids should not be banned because it costs too much for their parents to take them. Secondly; who trusts Sacramento to do what they promise?
You can already get in for free, just show up early. Most of the time the dumb@sses let you in without asking for $$$
And all the kooks usually go to the beaches in the afternoons and on the weekends, not in the mornings when the surf is good so who GAF anyway people???
How about we get the state legislature to give up their kush benefits packages and leased cars? That ought to get it done.
Here’s an idea … provide a discount for people that keep going to the beach. Track them by simply recording their license plate. The more you go within a specified period of time, the less you pay. Go enough times, and parking gets as low as a buck for the whole day. Call it a bulk discount. Unlike the annual pass, you’re paying as you go and you aren’t under duress to go simply to spread out the fixed cost. This will also reward those that are at the beach all the time, financing the cost of running the beach even during the winter months. Those that go only once in a blue moon should be able to shoulder the premium.
You got to remember they are already raising out vehicle tags up to double what they were!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What I can’t believe is how, several years ago, I believe during the dot com boom, the state reduced parking to an almost unbelievably low rate then decided to spend an unbelievable amount of money rebuilding the buildings at Bolsa Chica; improvement that were far, far beyond what was reasonable or needed. Shortly after raising the parking fees to the current unbelievable rate. The Fools in Sacramento seem unaware that they are supposed to be stewards of our money and state. Instead they are a bunch of whores who do not understand the basics of fiscal responsibility.
OPen up every space used for day parking for overnight camping, whenever parks are full for revenue state needs, I don’t like the other idea put financial logic dictates it will come.
Great idea. Create a fund from the fees to provide for daily maintenance and eliminate the guards (not the life guards) except at night to close up. Also, Salt Creek, Newport and Huntington City Beaches also should be included in the fee program. This approach would actually save money, ensure maintenance and provide more beaches for all.
Also, running the parks should be turned over to a private, non-profit foundation similar to the way Central Park was redeveloped and now administered and maintained in NYC. It went from a crime-ridden, run down place in the 60s and 70s to a sparkling gem overnight. Property values skyrocketed and now everyone loves going there.
While we don’t have some of those issues, maintenance and administration should be handled by those you love our state parks.