City Wants Input on Sand Dune Fencing

If you have an opinion about fencing at Sand Dune Park or adding reservation time slots for dune workouts on Sunday or prior to 8 a.m. on weekdays, you'll want to attend one of two meetings designed for public input on the matter.

Two separate meetings will be held on Wednesday Dec. 7 and 14, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., in the Police and Fire Community Room at 400 15th Street so that staff can gather input to present to City Council for decision-making on the proposed new fencing and reservation time slots.

City Council decided to seek public input about installing a 6-foot high vinyl coated chain link fence for the top and bottom of the sand dune at Sand Dune Park instead of approving the proposed fencing at its October 18 meeting.

The October agenda indicated that the fence would cost $42,000 to $50,000, and be paid for from the Capital Improvement Fund since the amounts are not is accounted for in the fiscal year 2011-2012 budget.

The dune is presently enclosed by a rented portable fence that helps keep out unauthorized dune users who have not made a reservation through the Parks and Recreation department's reservation system. According to a Warrant Register presented at the Oct. 18 council meeting, the portable fence costs the city $77.03 per month.

The proposal on the Oct. 18 agenda would keep temporary chain link fencing on the sides of the dune and add the new fencing at the top and bottom of the dune and extend it beyond the dune workout area to protect access to an endangered plant habitat that flanks the huge sand dune.

In Sept. 2010, council began discussing a $199,500 permanent fence around the dune at a study session that included discussion of facility improvements at eight parks and City Hall, as well as a review of the .

Public use of the dune became problematic for the city and they closed the dune at the end of summer 2009. Neighbors complained of increased noise, traffic, littering and site degradation as the dune's appeal grew, attracting visitors from far outside the city and even the county.

In April 2010, after study sessions were held, city council opted to implement rules that included a dune reservation system.  

The dune was reopened under those new regulations on Aug. 2, 2010. 

Jan Dennis, Manhattan Beach historian and resident, told Manhattan Beach Patch on video in April 2010 about the history of the dune.

Input from the Dec. 7 and 14 meetings will be presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission on Jan. 23, 2012.

For more information about the dune fencing and reservation system, call Parks and Rec at (310) 802-5448.