Supervisors Back Coastal Coalition Plan

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously endorsed formation of a coastal coalition to help combat beach erosion along Orange County’s 42-mile shoreline.

The coalition, proposed by Supervisor Tom Wilson, would provide a “united front” with all six coastal cities, the county and state to lobby for passage of legislation such as Assembly Bill 64, written by Assemblywoman Denise Ducheny (D-San Diego).

Ducheny’s bill, which this week won the endorsement of the San Clemente City Council, calls for a statewide program to restore California beaches.

“We’re trying to coalesce coastal cities and recognize we all have a problem and that AB 64 is one of the tools,” Wilson said. “We need a galvanized group.”

Tide pools and beaches need to be preserved, Wilson said, and water quality should be top priority for swimmers and surfers.

The group, dubbed the Orange County Coastal Coalition, would comprise elected officials from Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point and San Clemente; Wilson and fellow Supervisor Jim Silva; and a state parks representative.

In the short term, Wilson said, the coalition would lobby for passage of Ducheny’s bill and “show the federal government” that Orange County is united on the issue of coastal preservation.

The concept already has support from the cities.

In a telephone interview, Huntington Beach administrator Ray Silver said his city “is really excited” about Wilson’s proposal. “I think it’s a great effort. We need all the help we can get.”

Huntington Beach has had a severe problem with erosion, especially with the bluffs north of Golden West Street. The city fenced off part of the area after the crumbling bluffs undermined a coastal path popular for biking, running and walking.

Coincidentally, Mayor Peter M. Green and Councilwoman Shirley S. Dettloff are in Washington, D.C., this week lobbying for federal help to shore up the bluffs, Silver said.

“The message is ‘Let’s get the people involved . . . and have one voice, one group,’ ” Mayor Pro Tem Dave Garofalo said. “If we’re going to get things together, we need to [get] the state senators and assembly members involved rather than get six mayors on a plane.”