Seal Beach Takes the Lead

The decision by the Seal Beach City Council to ask property owners to approve a fee increase so the city could afford to sweep its streets more often could have a positive ripple effect on the health of the county coastline.

Beach closures and urban runoff have become sad facts of coastal life. There were more closures and health warnings between Memorial Day and Labor Day this year than ever before--an increase of more than 73% over the same period last year. Seal Beach is particularly vulnerable to the urban runoff and sewage spills that flow down the San Gabriel River.

But much of the environmental damage is avoidable. All it takes is a bit more awareness, commitment and, yes, some small added expense for preventive measures like the one Seal Beach is putting to its property owners.

In a mailed ballot in November, the council is asking landowners to approve a service fee increase that would enable the city to sweep all its streets once a week instead of twice a month as it does now. That for most would raise the current 50-cent monthly service fee to $1.46. The current fee, which does not cover the present bimonthly sweeping costs, was adopted in 1988 and has never been increased.

If approved, residents would get much more than just cleaner streets and the reduced health hazards that cleanups bring. More frequent street sweeping will also help maintain the quality of coastal waters by reducing the amount of debris and pollutants that reach the ocean. It will also help prevent clogging of the city’s sewer and storm drain systems.

More street sweeping also could have a financial impact by reducing beach closures and the resultant loss of tourism tax revenues.

City officials have another worthy goal. As a coastal community they want to set an example for other cities who also should be taking steps to protect the quality of the county’s 42-mile shoreline. That gives the mail-in balloting in the small seaside city a countywide significance.