Commission hears two-year Beach and Pier Vision Plan kickoff and updates on dune restoration

The commission received a study-session update May 18 on the Parks and Recreation Vision Plan and a first briefing on a two-year Beach and Pier Vision Plan.

Tony Lopez, the city's senior park planner, said City Council adopted the Parks and Recreation Vision Plan on January 27 and that the new Beach and Pier Vision Plan will take roughly two years to complete. The study will address resilience, accessibility, governance, and long-term maintenance; staff will issue an RFP for a third-party community outreach team and coordinate with stakeholders including Beaches and Harbors, LA County, state agencies, and non-profit partners.

Key points: Lopez highlighted recently advanced dune restoration south of the pier, reporting that seeded areas are showing early germination. Commissioners urged the plan to prioritize water-quality analysis around the pier (including targeted studies to identify contamination sources), clearer interagency roles for storm-drain management, and interpretive signage and accessible elevated walkways to let the public experience dunes without damage.

Operational and funding questions: Commissioners asked whether beach parking revenue covers operating costs; Lopez said governance and finance work underway will clarify revenue shares and costs with state partners. He also said pocket parks contiguous with the beach are already included in the parks inventory and that the beach sand area (about 202.9 acres) is considered separately from park-acreage goals.

Next steps: Staff will continue stakeholder meetings, release the outreach RFP, and return with more detailed proposals and community-input plans. No formal action was required or taken by the commission at this meeting.