By Star Staff
Ventura County Star
November 17, 20061
The California Coastal
Commission has unanimously supported a project to relocate a
crumbling bike path from Ventura's coastline and rebuild the
shore with cobble and sand.
A coastal construction permit was needed to move the damaged
bike and pedestrian trail on the seaward side of Shoreline
Drive about 65 feet inland.
The commission's approval late Thursday pumps new momentum
into a decade-long effort by outdoor enthusiasts, coastal
watchdogs and Ventura city leaders to relocate the eroding
path near the county fairgrounds and recreate a natural
habitat rather than erect a sea wall.
"This is a huge milestone," said Paul Jenkin,
environmental director of the Surfrider Foundation's Ventura
County chapter. He waited nearly 12 hours Thursday at the
commission meeting in Huntington Beach. "The hope is now
that this is approved, we can move full speed ahead to get it
completed."
Once the bike path and an adjacent parking lot are relocated
inland, 25,000 to 30,000 tons of cobblestones will be spread
at the water's edge, nourishing the rocky shoreline. Sand then
will be laid over the cobble.
The project cost is estimated at $4 million. The city has
about $2 million for the project and has applied for federal
and state grants to fill the gap. A construction timetable
remains uncertain.
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