Mission Accomplished!

Last night about 11:15 pm the CCC voted overwhelmingly 8-2 against the 241 Toll road! There were some great comments during the hearing yesterday including the following from Ralph Faust, retired Coastal Commission counsel in response to the TCA's attempts to sway the vote by bribing ooops I mean "offering" 100 million dollars in subsidies to parks throughout California.

"I can't say this more clearly, offers of money can't buy compliance with the Coastal Act."

Although by the end of the night there were only a few hundred supporters remaining the excitement and energy from what the Surfrider foundation as well as all the thousands of supporters that attended earlier in the day will be felt for long time!

Congratulations all, job well done!!!

Here is some video of the final vote.

California Coastal Commission Hearing on the 241 Toll road

So as you have read most of this week, today was the big hearing for the California Coastal Commission to make a decision on the 241 Toll road that would cut straight through Trestles and San O' state beach.

So after a very chilly morning surf, I went on down to attend the rally sponsored by The Surfrider Foundation in order to mobilize the troop. Surfrider was hoping for 1000 or so people to show up and give support and by my estimates there must have been at least 3000 and maybe as many as 5000 people all against the toll road! Although I could not stay for the entire day, the 3 hours I did spend there were amazing!

Many surf celebrities ranging from World Champion Shaun Tomson, to local hero's Taylor Knox and Holly Beck, to the former Transworld Media receptionist and now superstar MC of Action Sports Sal Masakella were all in attendance and it was cool to mingle with old school eco-hippies, surf stars, local groms, and eco-conscious business owners alike.

This goes to prove the fact that you can think globally and act locally! While I am a long ways from "Treehugger" status, it is no secret that I appreciate and care for our environment. Be it in my backyard, our state, country or globally.

I just wish I would have taken the kids out of school today so they could have experienced a grass roots movement to defend our environment first hand.

Here are some pics from the day:

Side by side images of the current day trestles and a rendering "after" should the 241 get approved.


These girls were getting "hassled" by the police because they were "protesting" in the wrong area...


The Crowd gets all Fired up!





How many rallies do you think this guy has been too? Looks like a seasoned veteran!


The State and the TCA brought in some Cal Trans Workers for the day.


By the way, they were on the State payroll for the day. hmmm

Do you feel lucky punk? Well do ya...?

Dirty Harry aka Clint Eastwood weighs in on Trestles. Check it.