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Friends of Oceano Dunes wins another victory against the APCD

November 16, 2021

By KAREN VELIE

The court awarded Friends of the Oceano Dunes $121,241 on Monday for attorney’s fees and court costs for litigation the group filed objecting to the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control Board’s (APCD) agreement to implement its dust rule. The dust rule requires state parks to reduce the particulate matter blowing from the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area or face fines of $1,000 per day.

The court ruled that the agreement is void because it effectively changed Rule 1001 by making it tougher on State Parks without subjecting the change to a public hearing. Instead, the APCD Board adopted the agreement in “closed session” out of view of the public and without public input.

The ruling also allows State Parks or the public to seek reimbursement from the APCD for monies State Parks expended under the void agreement, which exceeds $10 million.

The APCD has faced multiple lawsuits pertaining to its dust rule and regulation of the Oceano Dunes off-road riding area, many of which they have lost. The APCD has incurred costs of approximately $2 million fighting the lawsuits.

Friends of the Oceano Dunes is a not-for-profit corporation expressly created to preserve camping and off-highway vehicle recreation at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. Friends represents approximately 28,000 members and users of the Oceano Dunes.


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Friends of Oceano Dunes being able to sue the government is one of the things that is holding this country back. Bogging any and all progress down in the courts has kept progress in this country down to a slow crawl while the rest of the world moves ahead at light speed.


-62

Many Local Folks Use the beach , As a man young We had Hours & hours of fun , 4 wheeling , Dirt Bikes , Yes The Folks From the valley Get out of Hand some times WE ALL Did & Do ..The beach sand will blow ..Why On Earth SLO County is the only place I have seen Others Blow into the area & the Door Closes behind them ..We are all Guests Here on Earth .. Some of my best times were on or Near the Beach, Heck even My Time as a leader of a Charity group. .. Near the Oceano Ramp .. Keep The Peace Man!


42

Board Member Title City/District

Karen Bright Council Member City of Grover Beach

Jimmy Paulding Council Member City of Arroyo Grande

Mark Dariz Council Member City of Atascadero

Bruce Gibson Supervisor 2nd Dist. Supervisor

John Hamon Council Member City of Paso Robles

Dawn Ortiz-Legg Supervisor 3rd Dist. Supervisor

Jan Marx Council Member City of San Luis Obispo

John Peschong Supervisor 1st Dist. Supervisor

Debbie Arnold Supervisor 5th Dist. Supervisor

John Headding Mayor City of Morro Bay

Lynn Compton Supervisor th Dist. Supervisor

Ed Waage Mayor City of Pismo Beach


0

Another popular good ol’ boys club. Talk about calling the kettle black! Nothing should be closed session ANYWHERE. If it’s good for the goose… these are the same folks that are bringing Cambria’s waste to Oceano. Oceano is their playground in their eyes.


-11

Where does the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control Board (APCD) get their money from?

Recall the Board and fire them all!


49

It’s fun when a couple local businesses a bunch of out of towners can band together to overthrow the will of the majority of the local population. You say 28K members, like that number is significant when I’m quite sure if you petitioned SLOCo residents, it would be vastly in favor of closing the dunes to vehicular traffic to preserve air quality and ecology.


-95

Then why are they using an non-elected entity, the APCD, to try and close the dunes instead of just putting it to a public election? Because they know the public would never vote to close the dunes perhaps?


40