What do we want We want to share

What do we want? • We want to share the beach with the seals per the law and long standing City policy. • We want the Coastal Act to determine how public access to the ocean at Children’s pool can be maximized within existing law. • We want to respectfully and lawfully go on on a public beach without harassment by vigilantes. So we came to you.

Good News • The seals are saved. They are protected by State and Federal law and cannot be moved. • A balance has been struck between the needs of tourists who want to look at seals and public access per the Coastal Act. • That is SHARED USE. It has worked for years • A full time ranger is about to start • She will be implementing a docent presence to inform the public how to share the beach responsibly with our seals

Your temporary annual advisory rope barrier across the beach is in place 1) It functions to remind the public of the proper distance from which to view seals 2) To create a buffer between people and seals 3) To allow access to the beach 4) It teaches the seals that people have self imposed limits and so are harmless. 5) It emboldened activists to believe you would close the beach for them

1) It reminds the public the proper distance, that distance which does not scare a seal

2. It creates a buffer, which varies from 50 to 5 feet

3. It allow vertical access to the shore

4. It teaches seals that people have self imposed limits so they need not fear

5. The triumph of getting a public trusted beach cordoned off to create an animal viewing area: • Was followed by lawsuits to force the City to come back to you for more. • Activists run down the ranger program for not enforcing the unenforceable. • From unpermitted sales tables they yell at the people the rope is a legal closure • SO – it is the source of behavior problems.

Everybody likes seals • There is no group or action to move seals from the beach – only one to ban people • Groups that “want seal protection and allow for shared use” and those that “want beach access and allow for seal protection” are in agreement. The seals and the ranger program must stay. Shared use has to work. • We can protect the seals and live within the Trust and the City policy and the Coastal Act on our own. • No more help is needed – thank you.