Panel votes against six-lane freeway near Trestles
Whoever said that representative democracy is a fraudulent concept, epitomised by hermetic conversations amongst the elites? No one? Anyway, what matters is this: at the local level, democracy actually does kinda work.
Best evidence I’ve seen in a while comes from Del Mar, California, where the Save Trestles campaign scored a major win in its efforts to prevent a six-lane concrete behemoth of a road from being built through San Onofre State Beach, in North San Diego County. If built, the toll road (whose construction was backed by the Governator), would intersect the Interstate 5 freeway right at Trestles, posing a danger to wildlife and potentially ruining the world-class break.
Here’s how it happened. Before a boisterous 3000-strong crowd of surfers and environmentalists, the California Coastal Commission ruled eight votes to two AGAINST the road, arguing it was NOT in compliance with the California Coastal Act, which regulates development along the state’s beaches. No efforts were spared to apply public pressure. The fourteen-hour marathon session brought together many recognisable surf industry names. The Hobgood brothers and 1977 world champ Shaun Thompson rocked up, as did hundreds of activists bussed over by Vans, Reef, Billabong and others.
The result was the fruit of years of campaigning, much of it led by the Surfrider Foundation. “This toll road project has been going on for over a decade and will continue along with many others like it,” said Surfrider Executive Director Jim Moriarty. “Save Trestles isn’t a campaign or a slogan; it’s a lifestyle. This is your lifestyle. Embrace it.”
Yes, embrace it, vote on it, make some noise and organise to make sure they give a shit. Democracy at work, baby.
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