SLO County Air Pollution Control District
NIPOMO, Calif. - The San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District announced that blowing dust and sand has caused deteriorating air quality in the Oceano Dunes and Nipomo Mesa area on Tuesday.
This blowing dust and sand is forecasted to occur from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. with the dust peaking between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Very sensitive residents such as infants, children and adults with respiratory or heart conditions may be adversely impacted by the dust.
The APCD is advising the public to reschedule outdoor activities to occurr when there is no visible dust in the air.
Oceano Dunes off-road vehicle enthusiasts file quiet title lawsuit
May 17, 2021
By KAREN VELIE
In an attempt to have portions of the Oceano Dunes dedicated for off-highway vehicle use, Friends of the Oceano Dunes filed a quiet title lawsuit on May 11 against multiple state and local government agencies.
According to the lawsuit, because off-road vehicle enthusiasts have recreated on the dunes for more than five years, without asking or receiving permission and without objection, they have the right to continue driving and camping on the dunes. People began driving on the dunes decades before three defendants named in the lawsuit California State Parks, the County of San Luis Obispo and the California Department of General Services purchased the property.
–Through a collaboration with Ecologic Partners, Inc. Ecologic and Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), the American Sand Association (ASA), has filed suit against the California Coastal Commission (CCC) to oppose all efforts to shut down motorized off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (ODSVRA). ASA and SEMA are joined in these efforts by other Ecologic members: Off Road Business Association (ORBA) and District 37 Competition American Motorcyclist Association (AMA District 37).
The ODSVRA was created in 1974 by an act of the California State Legislature and signed into law by the governor. It had the support of local environmental communities including the Sierra Club and Native Plant Society. With their help, areas of significant environmental concern were identified, and management prescriptions were implemented. As new environmental concerns were asserted over the years, The California Department of Parks and Recreati
State agencies battle over the future of the Oceano Dunes
March 15, 2021
By KAREN VELIE
Two California state agencies claim to have control over the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The California Coastal Commission and California State Parks have been fighting for years over which agency will decide the future of off-road vehicle use in the area.
The parent agency for the two, the California Natural Resources Agency, has let the tussle continue for years even though the conflict has cost the state of California hundreds of thousands of dollars and drawn threats of lawsuits.
Staff is recommending Coastal Commission board members vote to phase out off-road vehicle access over the next five years, and close State Park’s Pier Avenue entrance. The plan also calls for camping and street-legal vehicles to be limited to an area between West Grand and Pier avenues.
–The South County Chambers of Commerce on Friday wrote a letter to the California Coastal Commission asking for a new economic analysis of the Ocean Dunes impact on the local economy and regional representation on the commission. The Coastal Commission is March 18 and is expected to vote to phase out off-road vehicles on the dunes.
Opposition to voting without a completed economic analysis, nor regional representation on the commission
The South County Chambers of Commerce is honored to represent the South San Luis Obispo County business community and its tens of thousands of employees. Our mission is to create partnerships and opportunities to ensure businesses prosper. We wish to impress upon the Commissioners that you need not decide on the phased closure of the Oceano Dunes Off-Highway State Vehicle Recreation Area (ODSVRA) at the special meeting on March 18, 2021. In fact, doing so without a completed economic analysis, nor South Central Coast regional representation on the