Posted on February 6, 2024
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Oceanside City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the Re:Beach Oceanside project at a workshop.
The innovative program is aimed at restoring sand to Oceanside’s beaches.
On Wednesday, North County leaders got together to rally support.
“If you look behind us right now, you can see the water coming all the way up to the rocks so that’s the challenge in Oceanside. With our 3.6 to 3.7 miles of beach and 2/3 of that doesn’t have any dry sand,” Deputy Mayor of Oceanside Ryan Keim said.
It wasn’t always that way. Ten years ago, you could stroll the beaches for miles. Inclement weather phenomena like El Niño, man-made rivers and dams and other issues have led to the disappearance of the beach. Sand replenishment projects only bring a small amount of sand and only partially and only for a short time. This pilot project promises to be better.
Chris Abad, who supports the project, is with the Oceanside Board Riders Club.
“It’s going to bring an artificial reef and some little headlands to kind of hold and slow the movement of sand down,” Abad said.
Essentially, it’s like building an island of sandbags offshore that will move, redirect and hold the sand, bringing beaches back to these oceanfront homes south of the pier. Although the city council approved the project, it still has to go through environmental studies, designs and permitting – not to mention location and funding.
“It’s our most important resource for the city and number one recreational activity. It drives $500 million in tourism spending and it’s the soul of our city,” Keim said. “And to not have a beach has been very difficult for our residents and they’ve been very vocal about fixing it. So we have an obligation to provide a beach and that’s what we’re doing tonight.”
