Encinitas committee backs longer surf-school permits, tighter safety rules and daily lifeguard oversight

The Commercial Serve Permit Ad Hoc Committee in Encinitas on Jan. 16 discussed changes to how the city will issue commercial surf-school permits, moving to longer agreements and adding objective safety measures and enforcement tools.

Dave Knapp, director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts, told the committee the council asked staff to consider longer permits to give surf operators business stability. "The agreement that we went through through the RFQ process was meant to be a 1 year plus 1 year agreement," Knapp said, then outlined options including a 3-year initial permit with a 2-year extension or a 3+3 model. Committee members and local instructors generally favored a 3+2 approach as a balance between certainty and oversight.

The committee and staff focused heavily on making the RFQ (request for qualifications) and scoring rubric more objective and safety-focused. Julie Gilliam and staff walked the group through the draft rubric, which would check required documents (business registration, insurance) and weight a school’s safety record and "good standing" heavily in scoring. Commission member Kimball, who researched other cities’ approaches, said a five-year effective term (3+2) is common and allows operators to invest in their business while providing periodic review points.

Mari…