Friends of Oceano Dunes has filed a fourth lawsuit, Tuesday, challenging the California Coastal Commission’s effort to close Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (“SVRA”) to off-road vehicles, which was voted on March 18 by the CCC.
In it's latest lawsuit, Friends alleges that the Coastal Commission violated it's own regulations when it purported to adopt “revised findings” on August 12, 2021.
The “revised findings” were for the Commission’s March 18, 2021 action ordering the end of off-highway vehicle (OHV) use at the park.
Friends claims the Commission is not legally allowed to change the reasoning that it adopted at the March 18, 2021 hearing five months after the fact.
Friends’ president Jim Suty stated, “Friends will not stop fighting for our rights to camp and ride OHV on the beach and dunes near Oceano. Our tradition and culture is more than 100 years old. The California coast already has 99.9% of the beaches closed to camping and OHV. There is no fairness or balance.”
The not-for-profit corporation further argues that the Commission attempted in August to file papers to create a better record for it's March 2021 decision and believes the law doesn’t allow that.
This is the fourth lawsuit filed by Friends of Oceano Dunes.
The other three are still pending before the San Luis Obispo Superior Court.
