Stop Beach Armoring in San Clemente
We already saved Trestles and San Onofre State Beach from a toll road, but now it's under threat again—along with more of San Clemente’s beaches! The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has filed a Coastal Development Permit to permanently retain the riprap boulders at Cyprus Shore Beach along Cotton’s Point. This riprap disrupts natural sand flow, makes erosion worse, and impacts the surf. The boulders are choking off beach access to San Onofre State Beach and taking up an enormous amount of beach space.
Now is the time to act! The California Coastal Commission will soon decide whether these boulders stay for good—or if they will be required to pursue more sustainable alternatives. We need your help to ensure they make the right decision.
Our key demands:
Save Cotton’s Point: Deny the permit to allow the “emergency” boulders to remain in place, destroying our precious beaches and surf breaks.
- Restore the Beach: OCTA must remove all the riprap from the beach entirely and restore the beach through nature-based solutions.
Let’s protect what matters: our coastline, public access, world class surf breaks, and a healthy future for San Clemente’s beaches. Add your voice and make a difference.
We will follow up with more information on how you can participate at the upcoming Coastal Commission hearing - please opt into notifications for more information.
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Stop Beach Armoring in San Clemente
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Stop Beach Armoring in San Clemente - Save our Beaches and Waves!
Dear California Coastal Commissioners,
I am writing to oppose OCTA’s Coastal Development Permit application for the retention of riprap armoring at Cyprus Shores Beach, also known as Cotton’s Point, in San Clemente placed under emergency permits in 2021 and 2022. These projects have far-reaching consequences for public access, beach health, long-term coastal resilience, and the health of the iconic Trestles surf break. This is another example of emergency armoring becoming a permanent, unsustainable, and poorly-planned solution.
I urge the Commission to:
I am writing to oppose OCTA’s Coastal Development Permit application for the retention of riprap armoring at Cyprus Shores Beach, also known as Cotton’s Point, in San Clemente placed under emergency permits in 2021 and 2022. These projects have far-reaching consequences for public access, beach health, long-term coastal resilience, and the health of the iconic Trestles surf break. This is another example of emergency armoring becoming a permanent, unsustainable, and poorly-planned solution.
I urge the Commission to:
- Require removal of unauthorized riprap and deny OCTA’s proposed coastal development to permanently retain the “emergency” riprap placed between 2021 and 2022.
- Require immediate restoration of Cotton’s Surf Break and Cyprus Shores Beach. The beach is public trust land that should be restored using nature-based solutions, such as dunes featuring native California plants/foliage, for public benefit.
- Require immediate restoration of coastal access to San Onofre State Park. This stretch of coast is an important and globally recognized surf resource and provides an important lateral beach access connecting to San Onofre State Park that must be protected.
This Commission saved Trestles from a toll road nearly twenty years ago. I hope you will continue to safeguard this iconic California beach and surf spot by rejecting OCTA’s proposal to permanently armor Cotton’s Point, which is part of the iconic surf breaks of Trestles. Continued armoring will exacerbate erosion, destroy our beaches, and degrade the waves that make this region so unique.
By denying this permit we can push for smarter, long-term transportation solutions—ones that don’t sacrifice our beaches and waves or waste hundreds of millions trying to hold back the ocean.
By denying this permit we can push for smarter, long-term transportation solutions—ones that don’t sacrifice our beaches and waves or waste hundreds of millions trying to hold back the ocean.
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Help us reach our goal!
551 people have taken action
Goal: 700 people
Stop Beach Armoring in San Clemente
We already saved Trestles and San Onofre State Beach from a toll road, but now it's under threat again—along with more of San Clemente’s beaches! The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has filed a Coastal Development Permit to permanently retain the riprap boulders at Cyprus Shore Beach along Cotton’s Point. This riprap disrupts natural sand flow, makes erosion worse, and impacts the surf. The boulders are choking off beach access to San Onofre State Beach and taking up an enormous amount of beach space.
Now is the time to act! The California Coastal Commission will soon decide whether these boulders stay for good—or if they will be required to pursue more sustainable alternatives. We need your help to ensure they make the right decision.
Our key demands:
Save Cotton’s Point: Deny the permit to allow the “emergency” boulders to remain in place, destroying our precious beaches and surf breaks.
- Restore the Beach: OCTA must remove all the riprap from the beach entirely and restore the beach through nature-based solutions.
Let’s protect what matters: our coastline, public access, world class surf breaks, and a healthy future for San Clemente’s beaches. Add your voice and make a difference.
We will follow up with more information on how you can participate at the upcoming Coastal Commission hearing - please opt into notifications for more information.
