beach fire management pilot program 02-03-15
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CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
Council Report
February 3, 2015
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City CouncilDouglas J. Schmitz, City Administrator
From: Sharon Friedrichsen
Subject: Consideration of recommendations related to a beach firemanagement pilot program
RECOMMENDATION(S):
1) To receive a presentation by the Air Pollution Control Officer of the Monterey Bay
Unified Air Pollution Control District;
2) To consider recommendations pertaining to a beach fire management pilotprogram and approve a pilot program;
3) To authorize staff to begin implementation of the pilot program, including submittal
of a coastal development permit to the Coastal Commission;4) To authorize funding of one police officer position to assist in education and
enforcement of the pilot program.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This item is before Council to consider recommendations related to a pilot program to
help manage the recreational use of beach fires. The pilot program does not propose to
ban beach fires. Rather, it includes an approach to prevent fires from being built directly
on the sand and to limit the number of fires, primarily through the use of fire containment
devices. The purpose of this approach is to allow the public to continue to enjoy beach
fires while attempting to mitigate some of the environmental impacts of beach fires on air
quality and the degradation of the sand.
The major components of the beach fire management recommendations developed by
the Forest and Beach Commission include:
Wood-burning fires must be contained within a fire containment device
U f 26 i t fi t i t d i t fi l ti
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Wood-burning fires must be contained within a fire containment device
The City would purchase and install 26 semi-permanent fire containment devices
at five locations that would be available to the public on a first come, first serve
basis on a seasonal basis
Unlimited user-supplied propane fire devices allowed south of 10thyear-round
Up to five charcoal grilling devices (i.e. hibachi type grill) allowed south of 10th
year-round with a free permit obtained from the Carmel Police Department
Enhanced education and enforcement five days a week until 11 PM
On January 21, 2015, the Planning Commission reviewed these recommendations andapproved all of the components with the exception of the charcoal grilling devices.
Pilot Program Details:
Number and Location of Wood-Burning Fire Devices: As part of the proposed pilot
program, the City would purchase and install 26 off the shelf fire containment devices,
placed at locations in the cove and near the beach staircases as follows:
2 fire rings near the staircase at 10th
2 fire rings near the staircase at 11th
2 fire rings near the staircase at 12th
2 fire rings near the staircase at 13th
2 fire rings near the staircase at Santa Lucia
4 fire rings in the cove between 10th and 11th
4 fire rings in the cove between 11th and 12th
4 fire rings in the cove between 12th and 13th
4 fire rings in the cove between 13th and Santa Lucia
The Forest and Beach Commission recommended that no devices be placed at Martin
Way as the cove is traditionally covered in kelp and experiences a higher degree of wave
action. Current fire rules however allow beach fires at this location and this provision
may require possible changes depending on discussions with Coastal Commission staff.
It is possible that the use of propane fire may satisfy this rule or, alternatively, one or two
wood fire containment devices could be added to this location (either with an increase in
the overall number of devices or keeping the total number at 26 and reallocating one or
two devices from other locations). It is also recommended that only dry aged wood or
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has the advantages of allowing for implementation by May 2015 as well as giving staff
the flexibility to use different models to evaluate the ease and effectiveness of installing,
cleaning and removing rings. Staff would also be able to procure new rings if needed
with greater ease. A variety of models may also assist if a permit system is put in place(i.e. permits could be issued based on location and device type). Estimated costs range
from $500-$1,500 a piece, which would be $13,000-$39,000 based on 26 devices. The
cost of the devices have not been included within the current fiscal years capital or
operating budget. Should the pilot program continue to the following year (2016), it is
recommended that a design committee be established around September 2015 to create
a device that is customized and based on Carmel design guidelines.
The devices would be placed and removed by City staff (no additional cost as existing
City staff and equipment will be used) on a seasonal basis to prevent the possible loss of
devices due to heightened wave activity. The timing of the removal of the devices will
vary according to the weather and when the tide line reaches the devices. Based upon
recent weather patterns, the devices may likely remain through the typical winter months.
Staff would make a concentrated effort to leave six devices in place during the winter
months, especially closer to 10thAvenue that may be better buffered from the tide. Once
wood- fire devices are removed, only user-supplied propane fire devices would be
allowed. Allowing a return to the status quo of wood burning fires directly in the sand
during winter will make it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program in
addressing charcoal in the sand and sand degradation.
The wood-fire devices would be secured by burying a chain in the sand and cleaned by
the City (City staff and/or contract with another entity). Currently, the City has a budgetof $25,000 for beach cleanup and utilizes existing staff augmented by temporary labor to
clean the sand of charcoal and other residual materials left from beach fires. This occurs
once a week from Memorial Day through October. Part of the challenge in cleaning up
after beach fires is that the number of fires, the specific locations and the intensity is
unknown and varies each week. Some fires are still smoldering and cannot be cleaned.
The process itself is rather arduous and involves anywhere from 2-6 people placing
charcoal and other debris in trash bags and sifting the sand to remove charcoal. The
City current spends about $200 a day for two temporary staff to work six hours on
charcoal removal, with oversight by one existing City employee. The number of fires that
can be cleaned varies depending on the intensity of the residual fire. The use of
equipment to rake the beach has been explored in the past with mixed results. The
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cost of cleaning efforts. One possible operational concern is that the fire devices will be
used as de facto trash cans. However, the combination of a City beach patrol officer and
a beach superintendent employed by the incoming trash hauler (starting in July) should
help deter and respond to this possible scenario.
Permits/ Reservations/Holidays:As the first phase of the pilot program, it is
recommended that the use of the fire containment devices be on a first come, first
serve basis. Usage will be monitored and a reservation and/or permit approach may be
added to the pilot depending on demand and to possibly accommodate preference for
locals, community events or other commercial special events. To address anticipated
increases of beach fire activities during holidays, the Forest and Beach Commissionincluded a recommendation to provide 25 portable fire devices for public use (again on a
first come, first serve basis) on the July 4th and Labor Day holiday weekends.
The portable devices would be available on site, such as near the restroom at Scenic
and Santa Lucia, and left on the beach for pickup by City staff or City contractors.
Propane and Charcoal Grilling Devices:The objectives of the pilot program are toeliminate burning charcoal and wood from directly touching the sand and turning the
sand grey and to reduce the amount of smoke from beach fires. One approach to
achieve these two objectives is to allow an alternative type of fuel, such as propane, to
be used. The Forest and Beach Commission has also included the unlimited use of
propane fire devices south of 10thyear-round. The devices come in different models, like
the campfire in a can and prices of models researched range from $65-$250 per unit.
At this time, it is recommended that the propane fire devices and accompanying propanebe supplied by the users (pack it in, pack it out approach).
In addition to propane, the Forest and Beach Commission recommended that up to five
charcoal grilling devices (i.e. hibachi grill) also be allowed under the pilot program. This
clause is intended to allow people to barbeque at the beach without having to use one of
the 26 larger fire containment devices. These devices would be supplied by the user
and allowed year-round south of 10
th
, but require one to obtain a permit, free of charge,from the Carmel Police Department. This clause was recommended for removal by the
entire Planning Commission during its January 21, 2015 meeting. This recommendation
was primarily driven by concerns that the contents of burned charcoal from the grill
would be dumped in the sand and that rules of 26 no permit fire devices yet five
permitted devices may be confusing to the beachgoers A suggestion was made to
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to private security, will allow for the enforcement of beach rules and regulations. This
position will be a necessary component to explain the pilot program rules; monitor its
effectiveness and make recommendations regarding possible changes to the pilot
program based on field observations. In addition, this resource will be able to assist inaddressing other beach-related activities such as animal control, slope cutting and litter.
New signage and an extensive public education campaign, including the use of social
media, will be a necessary part of the pilot program.
FISCAL IMPACT: The estimated cost of the pilot program is $179,000:
Component Estimated CostFire Devices (26 @$1,000 each) $26,000Portable Devices (25 @ $250 each) $6,250Cleaning $25,000Police Officer $106,500Signage (manufacturing only) $10,000Public Education Collateral $5,000Total $178,750
Budgeted (yes/no) Cleaning ($25,000) andseasonal security patrols ($40,000) are includedwithin the current fiscal year operating budget.Waterfront signage is also funded for $32,000 as acapital project within the current budget. Mid-yearbudget adjustment may be necessary as the
proposed pilot program begins before the start of anew fiscal year (7/1/). Additional costs for the pilotprogram are proposed to be included within the FY15-16 budget
Funding Source (general fund,grant, state) General Fund
The estimated cost of the purchase of the fire devices is $26,000, which is based on 26
devices costing $1,000 each. In addition, up to 25 portable devices for holiday use would
need to be purchased (estimated cost of $250 for a beach fire basket). Costs could beless for both the semi-permanent and the portable devices based upon the style
selected. Any increase in the number of devices would increase the cost of purchasing
devices as well as incremental costs of cleaning additional devices. Cleaning costs
remain proposed at the current funded level of $25,000. An entry level police officer is
included within the cost of the program for $106 533 which would be offset by funding of
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community services staff absorb this function and monitor the workload. At this time,
there is no user fee proposed for the use
o
the fire containment devices.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION DECISION HISTORY:
Council included beach fire management as part
o
Shoreline Management Plan
SMP) implementation
as 2014 key initiative
on
1/7/14 and held a public workshop
on the SMP and beach fires on 2/3/14
Forest and Beach Commission public meetings on 2/6/14, 3/6/14, 4/3/14, 6/11.14,
6/25/14,7/10/14, 8/28/14,9/11/14, 10/9/14,11/13/14, 12/4/14 and 12/11/14
Council adopted the guiding principles on 8/5/14
Council reiterated support for addressing beach fires as part
o
2015 goals
on
January 5 2015
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Supplemental staff report by Chief Calhoun
2. Forest and Beach Commission December 11, 2014 meeting draft minutes
3. Recent public comment
he following items can be accessed on the website at www ci carmel ca us or
can be viewed at City Hall
4. Presentations from the Forest and Beach Commission December
4
2014 public
workshop: Beach Fires City staff) and Public Health Impacts Associated with
Wood Smoke Exposure from Beach Fires MBUAPCD)
5.
Public comment from the December 4 , 2014 public workshop
6. Public comment from the January 21, 2015 Planning Commission special meeting
7. Presentation City staff) from the January 21, 2015 Planning Commission special
meeting
APPROVED:
istrator
I
Date: ::?
/5
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CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
Council Report
February 3, 2015
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Douglas J. Schmitz, City Administrator
Submitted by: Michael Calhoun, Director of Public Safety
Subject: Supplemental - Receive report and authorize funding of one PoliceOfficer position for the Beach/Parks Officer assignment.
RECOMMENDATION(S): Authorize the funding.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
In FY2014/15 Public Safety added one police officer position to the budget in anticipation of
funding this position in FY15/16 for the new Beach/Parks patrol assignment. On December
11, 2014 the Forest and Beach Commission approved several recommendations to reduce
the number of fires on the beach and improve the enforcement of beach rules and regulationsto keep our beach safe and clean for our residents and visitors. The recommendations were
approved by the planning commission and will be presented for consideration at the February
council meeting. Adding a full time public safety officer for the specific purpose of the
Beach/Parks officer assignment to the current police department staffing for education and
enforcement of beach rules and regulations is one of the recommendations by the Forest and
Beach Commission.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Presently there are seven police officers authorized in the public safety budget, three
Sergeants, two corporals, one Commander, and the Public Safety Director. Adding an officer
for the Beach/Park patrol assignment will increase the sworn staffing levels in the Police
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the Peninsula and in our community. In 2012, The Carmel Police Department agreed to
provide one Police Officer on a half-time, as needed basis, to work with the PRVNT Task
Force in conducting its operations and investigations of narcotic and violent crimes on the
Peninsula. Last year, PRVNT requested all participating agencies assign an officer on a fulltime commitment to the team. This year the Carmel Police Department has committed one
officer to full time status with the team; however, the officer is still being used to cover shifts
as needed.
Due to our current staffing levels and participation in SRU and PRVNT, adding an additional
police officer will allow our department to dedicate an officer to the beach and park patrol
position while maintaining continuity of essential patrol functions throughout the rest of thecommunity. This will also allow us to continue our commitment of one full time officer to
PRVNT.
The essential duties and responsibilities of the Beach/Parks officer will include the duties of
the police officer position as stated in the job description but also includes enforcing all laws
and regulations enacted by local, state and federal governments on the beach and in our
parks. This will include working with staff to ensure permits regarding special events are beingfollowed while conducted on the beach. This position will be 40 hours, five days a week,
including weekends, from 3pm to 11pm Wednesday through Sunday. The Beach/Parks
officer will also attend Forest and Beach Commission meetings to report on beach/park
activity and community meetings as requested. During the winter season, or at times when
the beach has minimal activity, the Beach/Parks officer will be assigned to the downtown
commercial district. The Beach/Parks officer will wear a special uniform designed for beach
use. The job description for the Beach/Parks officer assignment isAttachment 1.
The benefit of this position will save the City in some circumstances from having to call in an
officer on overtime to cover a shift when a prisoner is being transported to County Jail and the
Beach/Parks officer is on duty.
Also, by adding the Beach/Parks officer assignment, the City will no longer need the services
of First Alarm Security patrol for monitoring beach fires and other regulations on the beach. InFY2014/15 the budget included $40,000 for the beach security patrol for three days a week
and those funds can be redirected to the Beach/Parks officer assignment.
SC C
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No Public Safety #74010- Salaries
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION/DECISION HISTORY:
.
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CARMEL BEACH/ PARK PATROL OFFICER:
DEFINITION:Under general supervision, performs a variety of duties involved in the enforcement of laws and
the prevention of crimes; conducts and participates in general investigations of crimes, accidents,
and cases; control traffic flow and enforces State and local traffic regulations; and performs avariety of technical and administrative tasks in support of the Police Department.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Must be a sworn police officer working for the Carmel Police Department who is off probation
and has at minimum a Meets Expectations on the last yearly evaluation.
High School diploma or GED; at least 21 years old at time of appointment; must be a U.S.citizen or have applied for citizenship before application; possession of a valid California
Drivers License; vision of 20/100 corrected to 20/30 in each eye and normal color acuity;
possession of a current California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training(P.O.S.T.) Academy certificate or a current P.O.S.T. Basic Law Enforcement certificate.
DUTIESThe primary work assignment for the Beach & Park Patrol Officer will be Carmel Beach andMission Trails Park as well as other City parks and recreation areas and roadways surrounding
these areas. The objective of this position is to gain voluntary compliance by being visible and
by dealing with the public in a positive, effective and courteous manner. The duties will entailthe enforcement of local ordinances, state and federal laws. In addition to regular police officer
responsibilities the Beach & Park Patrol officer will:
Primarily patrol beach and parks, providing education and enforcement of specific regulations
and ordinances. Such activities may include; littering, possessing alcoholic beverages in public,
parking problems, retrieving lost items, finding their car,dogs on the beach, waste clean-up,camping on the beach, dunes encroachment, beach fires, traversing the coastal pathways, and
other municipal ordinances.
In addition to the above duties The Beach & Park Patrol Officer will be required to:
Performs routine patrols of the beach and parks. Assist regular patrol officers if needed onan emergency situation within the city limits;
Supervise visitor activities at City parks, facilities and beaches to reduce vandalism and
damage to City property;
Demonstrate knowledge and the ability to safely operate an All-Terrain Vehicle or four
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Assist with Event Planning staff in regards to special events planned in this area and bepresent to assure all city ordinances and terms of contract are upheld;
Perform related duties as assigned.
DESIRABLE SKILLS
Considerable knowledge of first aid and CPR techniques.
Considerable knowledge of the ocean/beach and its environment.
Considerable knowledge of municipal codes and coastal regulatory rules to properly advise thepublic and to enforce these rules.
Working knowledge of routine maintenance of all beach patrol vehicles and equipment, police
equipment and vehicles, radio procedures,
Ability to exercise sound judgment and initiate rescue procedures in emergency situations
Ability to recognize hazards and to exercise safety precautions to prevent injury to employeesand others.
Ability to maintain effective working relationships with employees and members of the public.
Remain calm in emergency situations.
Work independently in the absence of supervision.
Communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of
work.
Beach patrol officers drive 4-wheel drive patrol vehicles that enable them to perform their duties
on the soft sand. In addition, officers patrol on 4-wheel ATVs during times of high tide and whenthe beach is congested with swimmers and sunbathers. In addition to being sworn police officers
familiar with the standards and practices of the Carmel Police Department, the Beach & Park
Patrol Officer will receive additional specialized training in CPR-PR, water rescue operationprocedures for first responders, and first aid.
UNIFORM & HOURS
Must be willing to work weekends and possibly a modified work schedule. Employees in thisposition must be available to work varying hours on weekdays, weekends and holidays during
the period of mid-June through early September. Incumbents work approximately 40 hours per
week (eight to ten hour shifts).
For uniformity and ease of recognition, the Beach & Park Patrol Officer will wear a beach
uniform per the Carmel Police Department uniform policy guidelines while on duty only with aprotective ballistic vest and Sam Browne with department issued firearm.
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The Beach & Park Patrol Officer provides land services to the beaches, roadways, and parks
within the city limits of the City of Carmel-By-The-Sea.
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Carmel-by-the-Sea
Personnel Calculation
Police Department
Current
Monthly
Range Title Step Salary
273 Police Officer 1 5,672.00$
F Y 14-15
Current Monthly Salary 5,672.00$
POA FY14-15 increase (eff. Jan 1, 2015) 3%
New Monthly Salary 5,842.16$
Number of Months paid in FY14-15 2
Total Salary Expense for FY14-15 11,684.32$
Holiday in Lieu 33.70$ 404.46$
Uniform 150.00$Medicare 177.46$
PERS 27.849% 3,253.97$
Deferred Comp 50.00$
Medical 555.80$ 1,111.60$
16,831.81$
F Y 15-16
Base Monthly Salary from FY14-15 5,842.16$
POA FY15-16 increase 3%
New Monthly Salary 6,017.42$
Number of Months paid in FY15-16 12
Total Salary Expense for FY15-16 72,209.10$
Holiday in Lieu 33.70$ 4,853.49$
Uniform 900.00$Medicare 1,130.46$
PERS 28.349% 20,470.56$
Deferred Comp 300.00$
Medical 555.80$ 6,669.60$
106 533 20$
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ro rest ana ljeacn
Lommi
SSion uecemoer .u L
Ul4
UKAr 1minutes
3 Receive and discuss beach fire management recommendations
from
the ad hoc
Beach
Fires Committee and provide recommendations
to
the Planning Commission.
Commissioner Bang presented the beach fire management recommendations of the ad hoc
beach fire committee:
1. 26 wood burning fire pits
of
an appropriate size to be placed on
the beach-
2 at each
stairway and 4 in each cove .
2. Only burn
dry
seasoned f irewood- no driftwood, pallets or other materials.
3. City owned and placed and anchored by the City.
4 Cleaned daily.
5. First come -
first
served . No permits at this t ime.
6.
Allow
unlimited user supplied propane fires year round south
of
lO
th Ave.
7. Fi
re
pits will be provided seasonally and removed in winter based on beach conditions.
8. City
to
provide enhanced secur
ity
patrols 5 days a week unt :
p.m.
9. For pilot program a variety of fire pits will be tried.
After
pilot program a Carmel design
should be developed.
10. For summer holiday weekends the City will provide 25 additional portable fire baskets
per day. These w ill
be
left on
the
beach for pickup
the
following day by the City.
11. Develop a public education program on the new f ire rules and procedures.
12. Monitor the program and recommend changes as issues arise.
Commissioner Ferlito asked about allowing charcoal in addition to seasoned
wood
.
Commissioner Bang thought that should be allowed.
Commissioner Baron asked about th e proposed placement
of
the fire pits and expressed
concern
that
some homes may
get
more smoke than others. Perhaps
an
even spacing would
even
out
the smoke exposure to the homes.
Forester Branson explained how the fire pit placement was developed.
Commissioner Bang pointed out that the placement is where most people seem to want their
fires and adjustments can be made as the program is implemented.
Commissioner Carter pointed out
that
Memorial Day would
be
a good first test and some things
could be reassessed after
the
holiday weekend .
Public comment opened
at
4:29 p.m.
t-orest ana t eacn
Lomm
1on
uecemoer 11
, LU14
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mmures
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Commissioner Bang noted that
the
winter season should give a good representation of
how
propane fires will
work
on the beach .
Skip Lloyd appreciated
the
work ofthe ad hoc committee and
the
Commission on
the
fire
issues.
He
expressed disapproval
of
the
installation
of
permanent fire pits and thinks
they will
be ugly.
He
also does
not
like dedicating the cove areas for fire as this will preclude the non-fire
use of the coves. He agrees that sign age and enforcement need to be in place for the program
to
succeed.
He
is in favor of having the fire baskets available
with
cleanup the next day.
Scott McKenzie thought that oil burning
tiki
torches, pig roasts, and generators should
not
be
allowed on the beach.
He
pointed out that smoke cannot be fa ir
to
everyone. He thought that
26 fire pits would result in some people being turned away from the beach. Enforcement of the
wood requirement, not to burn trash, and people holding places will be difficult. He pointed
out
that his proposal
will
solve most of the fire i
ssues
.
He
asked
if
catered food is allowed,
why not
catered fires?
Public comment closed at 4:42p.m.
Commissioner Baron thanked the
committee
for their
work
. He
thought that
fire pits
will
be
dirty
and there may
be
fights over
them but the
City needs
to
do
something.
He
noted
that
that
the
City needs
to
be committed
to
regular cleaning of
the
fire pits. He would like to also
allow free, permi tted portable charcoal fires allowed on the beach. Permits would be issued at
the
police Department along with
the
rule on fires and charcoal disposal. Perhaps they could
also be allowed in winter. He understands that this idea may not work, but as a trial, as part of
the
pilot program it should be considered.
Commissioner Bang
asked
for
clarification
of
commissioner Baron s proposal.
Commissioner Baron clarified his request.
Commissioner Ferlito thought that adding additional items
to
the original proposal may dilu te
the effectiveness of evaluating the program.
Commissi
oner FERLITO
moved
to
adopt the recommendations of the ad hoc commit tee
with
the addition of allowing charcoal in
the
fire pits and a strong recommendation for
an
enhanced
staff
patrol of the beach; seconded by Commissioner CARTER.
Chair Refuerzo asked
if
charcoal grills were being banned. Forester Branson noted
that
portable
charcoal grills are considered f ires .
t o
resr ana l:jeacn Lomm1ss1on
uecemoer 11
, LU14
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Comm issioner Baron pointed
out
that permits that would be issued by the police Department
would include all ofthe fire rules . He thinks that five per day is a reasonable number
to
try.
Commissioner
Fe
rl
ito
expressed concern
that
the
charcoal grill proposal complicated
the
issues
and a
pilot
program should have a clear message - fires in fire pits only.
Commissioner Baron pointed
out
that people may dump their charcoal in
the
trash or on the
beach, but we
won t
know unless we give the idea a try.
Commissioner Bang thought that the original proposals should be implemented and the issue of
charcoal grills
can be
considered later.
Commissioner Ferlito expressed her concern
that
charcoal will be dumped on
the
sand and
the
checking
of
permits
will
be additional work for the security patrols.
Chair Refuerzo asked Commissioner Ferlito if she was willing
to
amend her motion to allow a
limited number of permit ted charcoal
gr
ills.
Commissioner Ferlito declined
to
amend her
motion
.
Chair
REFUERZO
presented a substitute motion
to
adopt the recommendations of the ad hoc
committee, allow charcoal use in the fire pits, a strong recommendation for
an
enhanced staff
patrol of the beach, and allow 5 free,
permitted
portable contained charcoal cooking fires per
day with fire rules provided at the issuance of the permit by the Police Department. Seconded
by
BARON
The motion carried by the following vote:
AYES
:
NOES:
ABSENT :
ABSTAIN :
Carter, Baron, Refuerzo
Ferlito, Bang
None
None
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January 28, 2015
Mayor Burnett, Vice Mayor Beach, and Councilmembers Dallas, Talmage, and
Theis:
I'd like
to
provide some background on the inclusion of the 5 permitted charcoal
fires, by police station permit,
in
user supplied devices feature that the Forest
and Beach Commission approved in our proposal for
the
beach fire management
pilot program.
This aspect of the Forest and
Beach
Commission's proposal offers a number of
immediate benefits to the public, at minimal risk and cost:
It provides coastal recreational
access to
fires, albeit small ones of a
different variety, during the
winter
months when the fire rings are
unavailable.
s
the smoke from charcoal fires
is
significantly less than
that
from wood
fires, the five permitted fires would provide a
less
harmful way
to
increase
the recreational capacity of the beach in addition to the first come, first
served fire rings.
It
will provide the city
with
a small
toe
hold in
the
business
of
issuing
permits if it should come to that. If the rings prove to be problematic
over the next year, the issuance and management of a limited number of
permits now will provide the city with some knowledge of another
possibility. This
is
insurance at a minimal cost.
s
a member of the majority of the Forest and
Beach
Commission that approved
the proposal for the
pilot
program,
I believe th t the purpose of the pilot
program should not necessarily be to find the best solution now but rather to
put the city in a position to
try
to find the best solution next year.
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Wil l these devices be dirtier than the fire rings? Will people dump charcoal
on the beach? Maybe, but the charcoal in a small hibachi combusts
completely during dinner, and by
the
time
that
dinner
is
complete, the
apparatus is cool enough for the car and the garbage can
at
home, ashes
and
al
l. We shouldn't be afraid
to
experiment based on
an
assumption
that
people will misbehave. A better path is available watching the public and
learning from their behavior.
Will the permits cause confusion? Perhaps,
but
easy signage
{Fires
in rings
or
by
police station permit only )
is
possible, and the physical permit from
the police station would have the rules and regulations printed right on -
bus
your charcoal, stay away from the slopes, etc.
Will people make
the
trek to
the police station
to
get the permits
to
secure
the
experience? Will they then follow the rules? Maybe. I know
that
as a
resident that enjoys the beach, I'd make the trek myself. Perhaps others
would as well. And i f no one makes the effort,
that
also will be an
important piece of data.
I believe
that
these and other questions, and the resultant answers, will provide
important information for the city council to consider in 2016 on the path to a
final plan to contain the smoke and sand issues related to beach fires.
I hope that you'll agree that this pilot program is
just that
a pilot program, a
learning experience on the way to a f inal set of rules. We have an excellent
opportunity here to do and learn, rather than guess and react.
With all respect,
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Documents 4, 5, 6 and 7
Can be found by accessing onl ine atwww.ci.carmel.ca.us or you may view
documents with the City Clerk at Eastside of Monte Verde Street between Ocean
and Seventh Avenues, Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
http://www.ci.carmel.ca.us/http://www.ci.carmel.ca.us/http://www.ci.carmel.ca.us/http://www.ci.carmel.ca.us/ -
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Presentations rom December 4 2014 Forest and Beach Commission Workshop
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N
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tr: o i t
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; o . ~ . n ~ s
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Air Quality
1. . :-t1
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Glass and other trash left on beach and path
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or
.put out with sand
leaving hot coals buried
nGraffifi destroying sandstone., revetments torn ap_rt. o make fire pits
Bl.Jrning of toxic substances
. , Debris w ~ s h e q into the bay, comes back in storms
Banks eroded by people dragging fire materials
Reputation of beach as pristine, white sand at risk
4
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Carmel is one of very few
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-
-.ObJ e
cttVesiJ;;)rj
i
r iciples
Objectives: -
1 < 1
JI t
. .
E-iminate charcoal and burned ogs from the sand
Reduce the amount of wood smoke to residents affected by beach
fires
P r i n c i p l e s : ; : : _ : _
Limit the number of fires on .the sand
. ., t
No fires directly on sand
. Purpos-
e:
. .. _ .
,Find
m i d d l ~
approach toaddress objectives whUe allowing tradition
of beach i r e s Na status quo. No ban fires .
.
15
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e s e
a
r c h
a
i t o r n
a
Be
c h
: ~ ~ -
r ul s
435 Beaches
in
California, .38 allow fires
The state recently removed 7 beache.s from allowing fires
Nati.ParkServioe, Ocean Beach pilot begun this
s u m m
to address toxic materials,
broken glass, metal, hot coals and nails, fires not being extinguished properly;
unauthorized
fires pilqt
n s t ~
l l s 2
fire rings (only place for fires), fires must be out by
9PM ,
no
fi
res
on
Spare
the
Air days.
Newport
Beach starting
this summer, only lump charcoal may be burned
in
the fire pits,
purpose is to address same issues as above while still providing warmth and cooking
No public beach
in
Carifornia allows fires directly
on
the
s ~ n d
No public beach:
n
Californ ia allows
.
an unlimited
numberof
fires
Some beaches require permits
Some perrnit fires only in summer months
6
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Cn.
r rilunity
Input
Carmel Resident Association CRA)
sustainable Carmel
Friends of the Forest
.SAND
Carmei Innkeepers Board
Chamber
of
Commerce Board.
c rmel
Po.ice Chief
Citizens, Council Members
Coastal Commission
, -
.
:
. 7
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Coastai Commission Staff Input
Overall objective: affordable access for all users o the beach
Current land use plan allows for limiting number
o
fires and for taking fires off
sand
Use.o permits would require CC approval
Use o motorized rakes would require CC approval for each
us
concern is
for harm to kelp and n t r u ~ o n into visitors space also does not pick up fine ash
Charging for setting up fires would require CC approval
Recognize need to reduce number n winter
Some concern expressed for current number
o
large events which limit access
to both beach and parking
18
PropOsal;
.One
Ye:ar
Piot toAChieve
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rc
_ o -
Guid i rlQ. P r h J c i p : l ~ s
. .
...
, No.change,
n
fire
aUowed
locations
26
Contain merit devices:
2
.at
e a c t n ~ t a i r c a s e
1Oth
_to
Martin
Way) and 4 in each cove,-
suppHed
by city, cleaned by city
Add.tlon91
p o r f a b l e p r o p n e
fire pits allowed, supplied
by
ihdividuals, pack it
in,
pack it aut .
tJse
o
.off-the..:shelf product during one
year
pilot period
:
No
permits:
i r s f c : o m e
first served during
piiQt
Conta.nment device rerrtovea in winter, propane-only ffres during
those months
.
. Continuation;of current security
and
police support
19
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l
h i
s a n d
l e a r . t e t
. ~ . . . . . ,,
--
- - ~ - - - - - ~ - - - ~ - - . . . .
...,..
~ _ _ . _ . . _ . .
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Next SJe:ps
Forest and Beach review and recommendation
'
J
- P l a n t l i n ~ f o m m s s i o n
reviewa
nd
recomm.endation
~ _ . ' l '
1
-
.
--
. . ..
..
J =
Cjty
-
C . o U r l
~ J
R e ~ i e w
a ~ c
f
approval
t' ' . ..
'1 ' ...
_ l ~
'>. 1 J
' .
.oastal Commission review and a p p r g v . ~ i l
..
jf required
.. k I a
. .
" ' I
/ . r f1 '
:l
.
-.Signage and pgbllc educatiOn ~ o be developed
..
J
Cl
.
-- '
l m p l e ~ e n t t i o n
of .pilot:
..
IYiay,.
201 .5:
o
Ma
y.'2016
r
l l j
1
u
..
Evaluation and a,djustments
23
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D;is
us
si .n
Location
- Number
of
fires
- Type of fuel
- Ring examples
-Permits User fee
- Recovery for cleaning
- l=valuation criteria
4
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What is the
Monterey
Bay Unified Air
Pollution Control District
A government agency responsible for air monitoring
permitting enforcement long-range air quality
planning regulatory development education and
public information activities related to air pollution.
The Mission of the Monterey Bay Unified Air
Pollution
Control District is to Protect
the
Public
ealth
and Environmental
ealth while
balancing
Economic and Air
Quality
Considerations
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ir Quality
n
the Carmel rea
Particulate atter smol
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U
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d
u
Dear Ms. Friedrichsen and Mr. Schmitz,
>
>Please accept
my
letter regarding
th
is
issue
since I will not be able
>to attend the Dec . 4th meeting. I appreciate
the
chance to state my opinion.
>
>
1. First, there is no asset more valuable than our WHITE SAND beach.
>
>
2 Mother Nature appears no longer able to wash away all
that
humans are dumping on her beach in the form of
charcoal and
>
debris.
>
>
3. Even
with
the best intent , once
that
charcoal mixes
with
the sand, there
is
no way
to
pick
it
up. Add
to
that
darkness
> and possible Inebriation
of
attendees,
it
ends up
that
dawn reveals
the
mess
left behind
for
citizens
to
take up
garbage on their
> morning walk.
1
can attest
that it
takes away from what is supposed to
be an
enjoyable visit .
>
> 4. Improved signage only helps in citations proving
i t
was posted . Few people will read them
BEFORE
they arrive
with
their
> plan of using whatever fuel they bring
for
their event.
>
> 5. I believe people would be relieved
to
be able
to
rent and/or purchase supplies AT the beach either provided by the
ci
ty
or
an
> approved purveyor. It takes too long
to
educate the public as to appropriate materials and it's usually too late.
>
> 6 There are numerous baskets which contain fires used on beaches in other states. A custom one is not needed.
>
>
7.
Renting
or
buying needed supplies could offset the cost of employing someone and the four wheeler
with
a metal
lined trailer
> brought out at the fire curfew
to
shine the light on the need to wrap up t
he
festivities and discard the
hot
coals
properly and
>
safely. This person would have the ability to communicate with officers if further support was needed.
>
>
8.
We
have proved unable
to be
good caretakers of t his precious resource and short of a moratorium, significant
measures
Sharon Friedrichsen
From:
Ken
mit -
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Sent:
To:
Subject:
Tuesday December
02. 2014
6: 9AM
Doug Schmitz; jason [email protected]; [email protected]; Ken Talmage Council;
Steve Dallas Council ; Council Member Beach; Sharon Friedrichsen
Beach fires
Dear ity
Council members
We would like
to
add our voices
to
your meeting on December 4th in hopes
of
fostering better care
of
our
beaches.
November
28th. 2014
To the
City Council
As
long term homeowners on Scenic Road
we are
concerned for
the
stewardship
of
our beautiful white beachfront
of
Carmel. Much has changed over the years but nothing as dramatic as
the
Carmel beach and coastline. Now it is so
disheartening
to
walk
the
beach and
come
across
the
remains
of
fires charred Jogs and blackened sand that litter our
coastline and destroy our kelp forests.
Our
family has long enjoyed gatherings on the beach including bonfires for many years and frankly the thought
of
losing
that privilege
was
unwelcome.
However
after seeing tile damage that has
been
occurring over the last decade our family
has
come
to
the conclusion that
we can no
longer ignore the fact that these beach bonfires
are
causing great environmental
harm. It s
now
time for fires
to be
contained and regulated.
Our
beach is too important a resource both for tourism and
for the
beauty it holds
to
be
destroyed
by
these irresponsible practices
We are in
full support
of
removing all fires from the sand and installing permanent pits
to
contain
the
fallout from the
debris. This is a good
irst
step
in
undertaking this serious problem.
S
in
cerely
The Smith
Family
Scenic Road
Sharon Friedrichsen
From
Doug Schmitz
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Sent
To
Subject
---Original
Message----
From: Dixie D Smith
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
8:38AM
Sharon Friedrichsen; Mike Branson
FW: Carmel beach and the fire pits
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2014 PM
To: Doug Schmitz
Subject: carmel beach and the
fire
pits
Thank you for taking this on. t have to say I've not spent a lot of
time on
the beach late at night to s
the
fires
built
directly
on the sand. I have seen The remains when I'm walking the beach in the morning and how dirty I Beauty is
taken
away due
to the aftermath
of ires . I do agree required portable fire pits would restri
ct the
mess and keep the
sand in its natural beauty. The video
told it
beautifully
Sent
from my
Phone
DIXIE
HUGHES
AEP
CASL CLU FINANCIAL SERVICES
PROFESSIONAL
CAINS LIC 0376423 Office
Stockton, Ca
If
you do
not wish to receive email communications from New York life, please reply to this email, using the words opt
out
" In the subject
line
. Please copy email_optout@NewYork Life.com New York
l ife
insurance Company
51 Madison Ave.
New York,
NY
10010
haron
Friedrichsen
From:
Doug Schmitz
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Sent
To:
Subject
-Original Message----
Tuesday December 02 2014 8:
21
AM
Sharon
Fr
iedrichsen; Mike Branson
FW: Beach fires
From RichardAndref uMI W U
Sent: Monday December
01 2014 1 :1
PM
To: [email protected]; Doug Schmitz
Subject:
Beach
fires
Dear Carmel-by-the-Sea Forest and Beach Commissioners:
Regarding unlimited and unregulated fires
at
Carmel
Bea
ch the t ime has come to quit permitting such fires.
This
tradition
was part of the early history
of
Carmel but has become too big and uncontro llable.
Just
as
we learned about negative health effects
from
smoking cigarettes decades
ago
we n
ow
know the
negative effects
of
health from air pol lut ion caused by fires.
In
addition dirtying of he fabled white sand and damage to
kelp are ruining the beach and wildlife environment.
Fires on the beach are a
major
concern
for us
in deciding whether
or not to
move
to
our property in Carmel. We
hope
you
will ac t boldly
to
help
us with that
decision and
to
help
the
entire commun
ity
of
Carmel-by-th
e Sea.
Richard and Ramona Andre
Sharon Friedrichsen
From
Sent
To
Subject:
Alfred Seccombe
Wednesday December 03 2014
4:5 PM
Sharon Friedrichsen
beach fires
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My name is Alfred Seccombe. I am current chair of the US Green Building Councl in Monterey County and
own a sustainable building company North Star Construction, on Ocean Ave I was hom in Carmel in 1950.
My
father was rector ofAll Saints when it was located at the present city hall and was responsible for the
building
of
the current church.
I think
the
environmental concerns of Sustainable Carmel are hogwash.
I AM STRONGLY OPPOSED to regulating fires on Carmel Beach. This tradition is n indelible part of the life
of anyone who grew up in this community.The spirits of John Steinbeck, Robinson Jeffers, the Plein Aire
painters, and all the Ohlone who visited that beach for 10,000 years will
be
greatly saddened if this ordinance
passes.
One by one the great traditions ofCarmel are stolen away by newcomers who dont appreciate the spirit of the
original community.
I
am
afraid that when the last fire dies out on Carmel Beach, the real CarmelCarmel will die with it.
.
Alfred Seccombe
North
Star
Construction
It
9
QQ 16
Carmel,
CA
93922
T:
-
- '
- .
F ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
-
\
Sharon Friedrichsen
From:
Barbara Livingsto ws g Ji.._
Sent:
Thursda
y
December
04
2014 11:22 AM
To:
Karen Ferlito; kathleen bang; Mike Branson; Sharon Friedrichsen; Doug Schmitz
Subject:
Beach Fires . _
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Dreadfully sorry not to be at the meeting this afternoon. I am infavor of permits
for
fires and limited number of t hem .
I believe that smaoke from fires
is
injurious
to
our health. I would entrtain idea of ci
ty
contracting with someone
to
issue permits provide the fire makings assign the fire pit and clean up after. I do not favor an independent contractor
dliing business at the beach. Spreading the fires along the beach may not be a bad idea especially since we now know
that the winter storms do not cleanse the beach
of
charcoal. . Good luck today in your deliberations. I applaud you for
your due
diligence and concern for our natural environment of beach and forest. Barbara Livingston
I do not believe that signage will have any effect on the behavior
of
beach goers. That is why a city contract to provide
the services above may bve a very good idea. Assigning the fire sites numbers would make
it
simple for people to find
ona map and go to that place for
their
fire. Especially helpful on crowded weekends and holidays. If we are serious
about limiting than I hope
you will consider a veery limited
number
of fire permits. hank you. Barbara Livingston
Barbara Livingston
l?re a cn11
Carmel CA 93921
E
gac611
ga ld@[email protected]
if
Paiil J O
Ol:J'
. .
. D CarmeiPineCone; 'Margaret
Eaton'; 'Barbara Livingston'; 'Greg D'Ambrosio'; 'Chris Hardy'; 'Linda Anderson'; 'Steve
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Subject
:
Hi Mike,
Brooks';
F P L o y d @ r ~ l n i f l
sAl
;
Lori Frontella
RE:
Fire workshop correspondence
Will we all
be
receiving the proposals as well? With the workshop only one day away, I am hoping that the focus of the
meeting will
be
on evaluating the proposals, not affirming our mission to do something about the problem. Without
that
information made available
to
all, we will lose this valuable opportunity
to
receive public input on the specifics
of
the
proposals.
Also,
as I have copied my fellow commissioners on this email, please include this email in the public record, and make it
available-
with the others that you have just sent- to the public tomorrow.
Thanks Mike,
Jeff
From: Mike Branson [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent:
Wednesday, December 03 , 2014 8:42AM
To: David Refuerzo; Karen Ferlito; kathleen bang; Dr. and Mrs. Michael Carter; Jeff Baron
Cc
Sharon Friedrichsen; Doug Schmitz; nielsr@,QRHiillit:nl t; PD Carmel PineCone; Margaret Eaton; Barbara Livingston;
Greg D'Ambrosio; Chris Hardy; Linda Anderson; Steve Brooks;
F P L i o y d ~ i E d 3 l i l f t t t 1 f n ;
Lori Frontella
Subject:
Fire workshop correspondence
Good Morning Everyone,
I have attached a PDF of the correspondence the City
has
received to date regarding tomorrows beach fire workshop.
This information will also
be
posted on the city web site and hard copies will be available at the workshop.
Mike
Sharon Friedrichsen
From
Sent
To
kathleen bang
Friday December 12 2014 6: 6AM
Sharon Friedrichsen
Subject
Fwd: LETTER for Subcommittee and Commissioners
SubCommittee for Beach Fires.docx; ATT00001 .htm
ttachments
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Begin forwarded message
From Shirley
To kathleen bang
Subject LETTER for Subcommittee and Commissioners
Date December 11 2014 at 2:46:54 PM PST
December 11,
2014
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Dear Kathy:
I just wanted to write a letter in support
of
limiting the number of
off
the sand
fires to 26 or less . I
m
in favor of increasing
the
cleaning of
the
beach by city
staff
and of increasing the
patrolling
the beach
to
remind people
of
how
they
can help to preserve the fragile beach by following regulations. At the same
time, they could be invited
to
join in the
next
scheduled beach clean up so
they
can have
firsthand
knowledge of the damage being done
I have been
horrified
for years at the damage being done to
our
beach and
to
the
ocean. I believe
that
the theory
of
the ocean "cleaning the beach" in the
winter is like saying there are no waste management issues because my trash
can is empty. Just because the sand may have some
of
the residual
fire
debris
removed from the sand only means it s in the ocean with n unknown, but most
likely negative, impact .
Thank
you
for
all
your
hard
work
on this issue.
If
difficult
and
unpopular
choices are not made at this time, I fear that we will look back from some point
in the future and be heartbroken
that we
did not make more of n effort.
Sincerely yours,
Shirley Moon
Sail
;tu
:ce::ie 0 a c
Sharon Friedrichsen
From:
Sent:
To
Subject:
John Cromwell
Thursday, December 18, 201411:05AM
Doug
Schmitz
; Sharon Friedrichsen
More on beach fires
Attachments:
Santa Lucia stairs - charred wood 1.jpg; Santa Lucia stairs
-charred
wood 2.jpg; Santa Lucia
stairs - charred wood 3.jpg; Santa Lucia stairs - charred wood 4.jpg
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Hi Doug and Sharon,
Thanks
for
both responding to
my
earlier email. I
was not
able to make
the
hearing
but I m
sure it
was
a lively discussion.
After our big storms last week, we headed to
the
beach Friday afternoon to walk
our
dog. It was challenging negotiating the
stairs at
the foot of
Santa Lucia due
to the
build
up
of
charred logs, mixed
with
kelp. I ve attached some photos
of what we
found
. It seemed pretty
consistent- the
charred wood and charcoal seems to get pushed up to the high water mark, rather
than getting
sucked back
into the
sea I noticed it in several places south of 10th where the charcoal seemed to be gathered
at the
high water mark.
So i t reaffirms my concern
that our
policy of counting on big waves to clean the beach
is
not really a solut ion- and
is that
really a
fair
way to
the
ocean and all
the
sea life?
This seems like a real problem to me.
Best regards,
John
From:
Doug Schmitz
Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at 8:18AM
To:
John
Cromwell
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end up having
to
close our windows because the wood smoke
is
too strong.
ealth
concerns
My wife and I are both cancer survivors. We purposely did
not
put wood burning fireplaces in our house when we remodeled
because of the smoke. It is a known fact that burning wood fires generate cons iderable amounts of carcinogenic
chemicals. Much worse than cigarette smoke. Why we allow the burning of these open fires given the health and air quality
concerns makes no sense.
Beach appearance and safety
We walk the beach nearly every morning. It is not uncommon
to
find smoldering fires early in the morning. Wh ile I have not
stepped on any hot embers I have tripped over half buried firewood . Aside from the risk
to
children and others from still
burning fires, the biggest issue
is
that the beach is clearly becoming gray in many areas south of
lOth
, particularly as you get
closer to the embankments. t is unsightly, with immeasurable chunks of charred wood fragments and ash discoloring
the
sand. The city seems
to
count on big waves
to
clean up the mess but that does not seem
to
be a reliable fix. And what does
that
mean
for
what we are contributing
to
the health of the ocean.
Conclusion
We would prefer that there not be any fires.
f
there must be fires and I see no reason how anyone could argue that we must
have f ires) then spread them across the ent ire beach so they are not concentrated near the Point and funneling the smoke
and the crowds into the southern end of Carmel. Limit the absolute number of fires by requiring permits for all fires. And use
the permit fees to pay
for
the cleaning
of
the beach,
not
just the f ire pits, but all
the
trash and waste left behind by
the
beach
fire
crowds. Finally,
what
ever
is
ultimately decided upon,
it
must
be
patrolled. And there should
be
a simple means
to
report
infractions when they are happening, rather than having
to
wait till Monday morning
to
complain
to
the City.
. ..... . . : . ~ .
We greatly appreciate your efforts in helping find a solution
to
this problem.
Kind regard
s
John Cromwell
. .- ._ .
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I
.
.
.
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.
I
.
.
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~
.
.
,
.
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.
~
.
t
.
(
4
.
.
~
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.
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.
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Public omment for January 21 2015 Planning Commission Meeting
Dear Planning Commission and City Council,
As a Carmel resident
of
over ten years and regular user of the beach in many ways, I would find it
irresponsible
of
you
to
ini tiate any Pilot Programs regarding beach fires on Carmel
Beach
without further
exploration, research, and
time
.
It
has been clear
from
the beginning
of
this debate
that
the selfish
interests of a very small group
of
individuals has been the focus of prohibitive measures to limit fires and
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potentially ban them altogether. The research has been poorly shared and misrepresented by limited
examples
of "destruction" depicted in the Public Workshop,
Beach
Fires December 4 2014.
Run
down
to the beach right now and see how it looks
Carmel is a beautiful beach and if you've seen it lately, since we've had some winter swell and ra in, it is
pristine once again. There are collection areas
of
debris near the walls and revetments where the sand
is much higher than the tide line. These areas are created artificially at the end of each summer to
protect the walls, staircases and revetments from winter swell erosion, by bulldozing sand from the tide
line up
to
the walls. As a byproduct, these areas
of
higher sand allow any floating
or
loose debris to land
as
wave action and higher tides during early winter allow. These areas are concentrated with charcoal
and kelp which has been very helpful in the recent cleanup by the City.
It was
nice
to
see a backhoe and
a couple
of
guys clean those areas up in a day and a half. There is still some charcoa l and other debris,
but
most
of
it is gone.
The idea
of
permits is the most prohibitive in my opinion. It is great to plan ahead, but that is nearly
impossible with coastal weather. Spontaneity is the beauty of the beach
to
most of us. We work all
week and want to spend a few wonderfu l hours on the beach with family and friends around a warm fire
on a chilly night and we can t, because we don t have a permit.
The idea of fire rings presents multiple issues. Will the elements erode them and create sharp rusty
metal
to
step on? Will they become trash receptacles? Will people abuse them? Are they unsightly?
If
we have one freak storm they will be destroyed and scattered about the beach.
Who gets a fire ring? When
can
you stake yours out?
In
the dark am hours? At 4:00pm? How many
arguments will lead
to
violence over fire rings. I've seen fights between dog owners on the beach and
this is way more likely create conflict.
Five
permits for
BBQ s????????
26 fi re rings?????? Only 31 families get
to
have warm food on the
entire beach???????
Unlimited
use of
propane heating devices?????????????? How many canisters of propane will
be
l
eft
on
the sand or thrown in the ocean? Or be thrown in the garbage
to
rupture in the back
of
the garbage
Good dry wood, a reasonable diameter
of
your
pit ,
ENFORCEMENT and
EDUCATION
are the most
logical solutions. At least look at the evidence over a full cycle or two before implementing a plan that is
poorly thought out and only a means of quick prohibition that could ruin one of Carmel s most favored
institutions
for both residents and visitors.
Thank you your time,
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for
Trent L a v i ~ } -
Concerned Resident
...
t
6S
US
Mesa Drive, Carmel,
Ca
93923
To: Carmel-by-the-Sea Planning Commission
From : Graeme Robertson-Resident of Carmel-by-the-Sea
Date:
January 21, 2015
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Subject: Beach Fires
1 appreciate the opportunity to comment on
the
Beach Fire matter. My family has
lived in Carmel for over 50 years. I attended Carmel River School, Carmel
Middle
School and graduated from Carmel High School in
1977.
My two younger
brothers also attended the aforementioned schools. My wife, Chris, and I have
raised our two sons, Andrew and Austin, in Carmel. There are many, many
wonderful attributesof our Village... too many to list here. However, the Crown
Jewel
is the Carmel Beach.
We
have enjoyed many wonderful family memories
on
the
Beach and we walk the Beach on a consistent basis. Our son Austin,
when he is home, surfs at the Beach several times a day. We gather with friends
and family at and on the Beach at all times of the year.
The
ability to gather a
group, spontaneously, for a spectacular Carmel sunset and beach fire is one
of
life's great pleasures. The entire Carmel Beach has always been a sacred
ground for our family and the broader community.
I think
we
can all agree that the Carmel Beach is a special place for all of us and
that we
care deeply about the care and maintenance of the Beach including its
long term viability. While there has been considerable work and analysis done
by the Forest and Beach Commission on the Beach Fire issue, I know it requires
significantly more input from a much wider group of community members which I
believe will produce a much better solution for
our
beloved Beach.
My
suggestion is:
-Rake the Beach several times a week during the busy months
-Employ Ambassadors
to
walk
the
Beach
to
educate the people who are
building fires on the clean-up rules
-Develop a one page handout explaining
the
rules on Carmel Beach. The
Rob
ullane
From
Sent
To
Subject
Margaret via Drop
box
Wednesday, January 21, 2015 11:09
M
Rob Mullane
Margaret Eaton shared Beach Fi
res
to
F&B.docx with you
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' t . P .
I
f .
t .J
From Margaret :
\
.i
lv
p f c:\. 1 1,
w
1 i;y-llu. Seo
Pl
anni
ng &
Building D&pt.
Dear Commissioner,
Please distribute the attached memo to the other Planning Commission
members. I submitted this memo (along with many others since then) last
February. The only change that I have been able to see since this memo was
written is that the security officers, when they are there, have managed to
stop most fires north of 1Oth.
The smoke from beach fires is a public nuisance. It is unhealthy for the
humans and animals that breath
it.
We support the City s efforts to reduce
this hazard and the other environmental problems that accompany it, most
notably the charcoal and the trash that gets left on the beach. This nuisance
needs to be abated.
Thank you for considering this request.
Maggie Eaton
Sustainable Carmel
To: The Forest and Beach Commission, Carmel, California
From: Maggie Eaton, 26215 Hilltop Place, Carmel, California 93923
Re
Fires on Carmel Beach
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Date: February 16 2014
Almost 20
years
ago, my
husband
and I bought a home on Carmel Point. We loved
going to the beach and would have suppers there on weekends using a campfire
or
the
hibachi to cook. At
that
time, it
was very pleasant and
we enjoyed
the
fact
that
people could have fires on the beach. That
pleasant
experience has gradually
disappeared . We no longer go to the beach
on weekend
evenings for picnic
suppers-there are too many people, too many rowdy parties, and way too many
fires. The smoke can be choking and there have been increasing incidents
where
even though we live 2 blocks from
the
beach
we
have to close our doors and
windows because of the smoke coming from
the
beach. I take my dogs out every
night, often walking above the beach, and have seen nights
where
the fires
were
so
numerous
that
I
cannot
count
them. Many
are
above
lOth,
too
big
and too close to
the beach bluff walls. I see fires built on the rocks by
the
Santa Lucia steps. Fires in
th ese places encourage others to
repeat
the violation. I have seen people building
fires with wood logs so large that they
are
thrown down the bluffs, often falling
short of
the
beach and
tearing
up the vegetation. There are now well-worn paths
on
the bluffs
that
people use to
transport
heavy things onto the beach. There
is
also
such an accumulation
of
charcoal
and
partly
burnt
wood pieces
that the
sand is and
remains
black/gray
above the tide line. I understand that the City crews
attempt
to
remove this wood and charcoal but it is an impossible task given the large areas of
charcoal fields
and the
small size of
the
charcoal pieces.
On
the higher
tide
days, my
dogs and I
walk
and play closer to the bluffs where the charcoal is
most
plentiful. On
these
days,
my
dogs legs become so black with charcoal that I need to
shampoo
them when we
return
home to prevent black smudges all over the house. Charcoal
does not
wash
off with just water.
Also,
increasingly,
the
beach
has
become littered
with
trash
on
Saturday,
Sunday,
and Monday mornings from those who have used the beach the night before. This is
happening throughout the year,
not
just in
the
summer
or
on holidays. Because of
that
trash
and the
fact
that
my dogs will
eat abandoned trash
(melted chocolate
After years ofwitnessing these problems, I started photographing. And for over a
year
and since I joined Sustainable
Carmel
I have been going periodically to the
beach
on
weekend evenings and handing
out
a Sustainable Carmel bookmark
that
lists the beach
ru
les. I
ask that
people take their
trash away
with them and I give
them a trash bag if needed. l also remind people to follow the beach fire rules.
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Many people in these encounters have told me that they
are
not aware
of
any beach
rules.And while most people say they will comply, it is clear that too many do not.
Some
are
even scornful of the approach and they tell me
that
they use the fire to
burn
their
trash or
that
they
bury
both
their
fires and trash. At first I
thought these
were jokes but l have seen (and photographed) evidence that people are doing just
that.
I have reached a major conclusion from these beach walks and patrols-- that beach
fires and
trash are
linked: there
are
too many people
now
using the beach because
fires are allowed. More and more of the
trash
left
on
the beach is related to the
fires-cut
clothes hangers used as food
skewers
plastic and Styrofoam packages
that contained raw meat charcoal lighter, fire extinguishers, etc. Further (from my
conversations with beach users building fires),
these
people most often do
not
live
in Carmel (or live here only part time). This
means
that they do not see
what the
beach looks like after they leave
and
combined with
the
fact
that there
is no
enforcement of beach
rules
these visitors have little incentive to make the effort
to
leave the beach clean. Also, given the
trash
left behind, it is clear
that
much
of
the
picnic shopping supplies
are not
coming from Carmel shops. The plastic
shopping
bags
now banned
in Carmel), the large quantit ies of plastic cups,
cutlery
beer
soda water, and paper supplies etc indicate that our beach picnickers are shopping
at
places like Safeway or big box stores. I conclude from this
that it
would be difficult
to make a case for any economic benefit to Carmel of allowing beach fires to
continue
unabated
as they
are now
.
It breaks my
spirit
to see how
trashed
the beach has become and how the joy of
being there has diminished. y neighbors and I now
spend
too much time on the
beach grousing about the degradation and the mess. I am nostalgic for the days
when beach fires were few and the sand was clean. But unfortunately, those days
are gone. The harm I witness (wild animals and dogs scavenging at the picnic sites,
the piles
of trash
some of which gets washed
out
to
sea
the smoke pollution,
and the
charcoal fields, plus the costs and time of beach
trash
collection) has exceeded any
benefit that I can identify of allowing an increasing number ofvisitors to build fires
and
then
walk away from the mess
they
have created.
All of these photos below were taken between the Santa Lucia steps and the next
steps to the north
t
3th Avenue
Trash next
to
several beach fires, Sunday, 9 AM April 2012 note charcoal next
to
stone wall where another fire had burned
just under
hanging vegetation)
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Part of the charcoal debris field near the stone walls north of the Santa Lucia
Steps
mber 2013
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-
..
...
.
.... - .
;
--
-
. .
.
....
:
_
.
,
..
-
Fires
on
the rocks
.
..
-
:
..
. ..
This fire had pieces of burned plastic in it. Note the footprints of sea birds which
scavenge pi.cnic sites early every morning
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.
pig
roast
late
M
in Sept 2013 wher