Calif. officials’ proposal sparks outrage over drive-on beach in Humboldt County

Residents of a small coastal town in Humboldt County are protesting plans that a state conservation agency says are necessary to save a piece of the North Coast.

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On Wednesday, the California Coastal Commission unanimously approved a coastal development permit for Humboldt County to repair Centerville Road outside of Ferndale. The road, which sits next to Centerville Beach, is being eroded by the ocean, and the county plans to reconstruct a 900-foot segment of the roadby raising and building a new parking lot. 

But the decision came with a condition: The commission would issue the permit only if vehicle access to the beach is discontinued. That requirement has rankled local residents and government officials, including Humboldt County Planning Commissioner Iver Skavdal, who represents District 1, where the beach is located. Skavdal came to the meeting to express his frustration during public comment. 

“The Coastal Commission has attached a totally unrelated condition shutting down beach vehicular access to the project,” Skavdal said at the meeting. “There has been no community discussion as to why this is necessary. … This just appears to be a backroom deal stuck into the project, holding the project, the residents and the county hostage simply because you can.”

Outside of Oceano Dunes near Pismo Beach and a handful of remote beaches in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, Centerville Beach is one of the only places in the state where vehicles were allowed to access the beach. During the public comment section, several community members said it was vital to keep the beach open to vehicles. Dave Sirkovic, a longtime fisher, argued that banning vehicles from the beach would limit access for older and disabled people and fishers.

“I view this condition on the county to repair a county road as an act of extortion,” he said. “To staff, I have this to say: The California Constitution and California Coastal Act both prioritize the protection and survival of the commercial and recreational fishing and provides the absolute right of the people to fish.”

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McKinleyville Community Services District Board President Dennis Mayo recounted the lifesaving measures taken in 1952 by an off-duty firefighter who was able to save him from drowning. He said the only reason the firefighter was able to save him was that he was in already on the sand in his jeep. 

Encouraged by Coastal Commissioner Mike Wilson, who also serves as Humboldt County’s District 3 supervisor, the commission reached a compromise by changing some of the language in the proposal. Under the compromise, the county may seek a permit amendment with a controlled vehicle access plan at a later date, which the commission would consider.

The commission adopted Wilson’s amendment 9-1 (Commissioner Matt O’Malley opposed). The amended proposal then passed unanimously. Commissioner Ian Oglesby said he had “heard the passion in the room,” before voting in favor of a more flexible plan. 

“I do think it would be a major change to close it to that type of recreational use,” he said. “And at the end of the day, part of our job is to … enforce the Coastal Act and protect some of these habitats.”