Pismo Beach closed to off-road access

For those that live in Cali or have traveled there to visit the dunes at Pismo Beach (Oceano) the California Costal Commission has voted that it should be closed to off road access.

Quote from the local news station.
OCEANO (AP) — The California Coastal Commission has voted to end off-highway vehicle use at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area within three years, a decision that follows decades of debate over environmental and cultural impacts.

 

That's really a shame! I haven't been there in a few years but I used to make an annual trip there. This will mean the death to many small businesses in that area

 

I heard the same. Have a trip planned this summer. What a shame.

 

I used to go there when I was a kid. We had close friends that lived in Arroyo Grande. I never got to ride in a dune buggy. Rode horses instead.

 

Great time to push through new rules and reg when everyone is in the headspace of doing as they are told.

Always sorry to hear about people losing access to things they enjoyed and cannot pass on to their children.

 

I understand your perspective however let me share a personal experience: when I lived in Nor California I would visit friends in San Luis Obispo.
We would then head over to the Pismo/ Oceano area. Idiots would rip up the natural areas and not stay on designated lands. And leave their trash behind. Quite a shame when people don't respect nature. I was taught to leave an area in better condition than when you arrive...Too bad others don't/didn't.
People don't respect their environment...sadly.

It's even bad here on Maui...too many people unfortunately.

I'll get down from my soapbox now....

Just my $0.02...

 

^^^this^^^

 

For sure, however I personally feel these “bad actors” in the off-road community can be controlled, and sometimes educated, without closing off all access.

I feel that the few people who dump garbage or hoon their square-bodies through the environmentally sensitive areas are just used as a very convenient excuse for shutting down an area to everyone, when some more targeted actions could resolve the issue of the bad actors.

 

FYI, listen to this article now "FAQ's" over here.

 

From someone who lives here, close enough to hear the waves at night. The ATV ban will hurt some of the local rental businesses, but there will be plenty of 4x4 trucks etc. out there still. Most of them come from the central valley and take over the town on holidays and weekends, tear the place up and leave their trash. . That might calm down a bit, which would be nice for the local traffic.
They're also closing the local power plant and the county is going to get a real eye opener when their tax revenue takes a big hit because they caved to the environmentalists. So it's not going to affect me too much, but for those local rental businesses that took a big hit during the pandemic and now get the death blow with the new restrictions coming in 3 years.

 

I have to disagree with you there man. Some people are just dumbasses and the ATV/UTV crowd pretty much leads the pack on dumbassery...
Not to say all people who ride are dumbasses. I know several that are good folks but man, a few dumbasses can ruin the fun for thousands.

People just suck.

 

I see your point, but what to do? Block everything off? Where do you draw the line?

 

Exactly.
I used to live near a big OHV trail system. It was a great... until it became really popular. It got to a point where hotels and diners did not want the "visitors" to stay or eat. Locals quit using it and moved back to private trails. It just seems that many of those guys are just dicks and respect nothing.

 

PEOPLE = SHIT

 

They are dicks, but there are already laws and regulations on the books to deal with them. Isnt our fault that the local LE Agencies choose to not prioritize OHV issues. I have been to Forest Service public meetings about these kinds of issues in my region and they just dont care, cheaper and easier to close it then send a officer through once a weekend. They dont have any issues sending them to the campgrounds to do a drive thru.

 

Pismo has been a shit show the few times I've gone over recent years. With the crowd it draws it was only a matter of time before this happened. People getting hammered and driving around the dunes like it was some sort of unofficial mecca for drinking & driving. Worst camping ever with the noise of people blasting music and driving right past other camps all night long. I dunno, I'm not going to miss it but it does suck to see OHV areas get shut down. It's a slippery slope when that happens. But in Pismo's case it was hard not to see that coming.

I did go one time over winter when it was fairly quiet out there which was nice. I'm sure back in the day before the SxS and overlanding scene exploded it was probably a lot different.

 

Yup!!!

 

It’s the California coastal commission. Those people will shut anything down, if it’s within sight of the ocean. I mean I get why they are in existence but still...

 

I see what you did there haha