Summary
City planner proposed splitting the consolidated beach code into multiple ordinances (behavior/permits and turtle lighting) and asked the committee to schedule workshops and identify issues to add or remove before a November meeting; staff offered to prepare commercial equivalencies for committee review.
City planning staff presented a first‑look at a reorganization and update of beach regulations into a proposed Chapter 95 and asked the Beach Stewardship Committee to schedule at least one workshop before the November meeting to review draft language, provide feedback and identify additional material to include.
"This is the first of what will be at least 4 public comment options," Brannenberry, city planner, told the committee. The staff proposal would split prior consolidated material into at least three ordinances: a chapter establishing beach rules focusing on behavior, conduct and public beach permitting; a separate marine turtle lighting ordinance; and a development/commercial regulation phase to follow.
Staff requested three tasks from the committee: confirm whether the committee wants a workshop, identify any missing content that should be included in this ordinance phase, and accept public comment opportunities. The planner noted some items related to commercial regulation and development remain for a later phase and that Senate Bill 180 may constrain certain development‑related standards until 2027.
Committee members stressed the desire for parity between public/noncommercial rules and commercial concessions, asking staff to present an "equivalent" set of commercial standards at the workshop so the committee could assess tradeoffs. Chair Stevens and others recommended a workshop format focused on problem definition ("what problem are we trying to solve?") and intent rather than legal drafting details.
Why it matters: the ordinance will set enforceable behavioral standards for beach use, tent/cabana sizes, permitting for organized recreation and will remove certain prior registration/wristband requirements for resort cabana service areas, affecting residents, visitors, hotels and concession operators.
Ending: Staff said they will schedule workshops (with public comment permitted) using Doodle scheduling, circulate dates to members and bring more detailed drafts and technical redlines to the workshop for line‑by‑line review.
