Ventura Wants Stretch of State Beach by Pier

Frustrated that the area’s most visible beach is often ungroomed and strewn with debris, the city wants to acquire the stretch of San Buenaventura State Beach that runs from south of the pier to the San Jon Slough.

The city is also considering entering into a partnership with the state Department of Parks and Recreation to operate the main parking lot at the beach.

The Ventura City Council will vote tonight on the two recommendations.

If approved, the city will begin negotiating with state officials. The city would also commission a financial analysis--estimated to cost $15,000 to $20,000--of the recommendations.

The status of the shoreline became an issue in 1995 after winter storms threw so much flotsam and jetsam onto the beach the state was unable to clean it until Memorial Day.

City officials say residents complain the beach continues to look messy. But they say the city is helpless to clean it because the 300-yard length belongs to the state.

“There is tremendous frustration in our community because the state beach is not being managed as well as we could manage the beach,” said Mayor Jim Friedman. “People are mistaking the state beach for a city beach, and our reputation is being wrongfully tarnished.”

According to a city administrative report, it costs $658,100 annually to operate and maintain the state beach park. Annual revenue, according to the report, is $175,000--which leaves a $483,100 deficit for the state.

By the city’s reasoning, it would be better for the state to hand over the beach and all maintenance responsibilities to the city, where officials think they can find a better way to run it.

A $35,000 study commissioned by the city and completed in February said the beach could look better under city management.

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But state officials disagree with figures quoted by the city. Rich Rojas, chief ranger for the state Department of Parks and Recreation, said San Buenaventura is a base of operations, and thus the $658,100 figure represents costs for more than one park.

“We do not have such a large deficit,” he said.

Rojas says different figures might bring different conclusions.

First, he said, what people want in a beach changes with the times. He said that 20 years ago, when people went walking on the beach and saw seaweed and similar debris, they liked it.

But these days, with Southern California becoming more urbanized, people want a more groomed, sanitized look, he said, like in Los Angeles or Orange County.

“The big problem is, we can groom the beach until there is not a grain of debris or litter, but it is cloudy here for much of June and July, so people are still going to end up in Santa Barbara.”

Rojas agrees that the state is not as fast as it could be in cleaning the beaches after storms. He said one reason is that the state gives money to cities for roads and schools before it gives money to parks.

But he also said there could be other sources for problems perceived by the city. Perhaps, he said, the city needs to take a more holistic approach.

“Maybe they need to look at things like use patterns, and the 101 [Freeway] corridor, and whether it is conducive to getting off the highway,” he said.

City officials hope they can make the beach a more popular local destination.

To do so, the February report suggests putting in a picnic area large enough for more than 1,000 people and expanding the RV parking area from 10 spaces to 60.

It also recommends aesthetic improvements such as landscaping the main, state-owned parking lot and building boardwalks over the sand dunes.

The report suggests adding facilities and activities that could generate revenue and being consistent in charging for parking in the main beach lot.

The city hopes to pour all revenues generated back into beach maintenance.

“We think we can be a bit more creative and responsive to the community needs,” said Ron Calkins, the city’s public works director.

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In addition, city staff members are recommending a shift in operations at a second parking lot south of the pier. Currently the city mans the station and the state gets the first $45,000 in revenues. The city gets anything over that--which typically comes to about $50,000.

“All we are looking for is to try to break even and create a better opportunity for people who want to go to the beach, to keep it groomed and maintained better,” Calkins said.

Rojas did not seem enthusiastic about transferring the beach to the city.

“The state beach is not for sale,” he said. “It belongs to you, it belongs to me. It belongs to all the residents of the city. If the city wants to enhance it to make it more friendly, more efficient, more like Santa Barbara, they should sit down and talk to us.”