Coastal recreation: designated state surfing reserves.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide information about what happens if a local government's application is denied, how the conservancy will decide which areas meet criteria, or funding specifics for signs and publicity.

Designating State Surfing Reserves

This law requires the State Coastal Conservancy to establish criteria for designating coastal areas as state surfing reserves and allows local governments to apply for this designation.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the State Coastal Conservancy to set up rules and a process by July 1, 2026, for naming parts of the coast as state surfing reserves.
• Allows local governments to ask the conservancy to make an area within their control a state surfing reserve if it meets certain criteria.
• Needs local governments to describe the proposed surfing reserve when they apply.
• Requires the State Coastal Conservancy to approve applications that meet the set rules and designate those areas as state surfing reserves.
• Asks the conservancy to put these designations in their publications or maps, and to work with local governments to make signs for approved surfing reserves.

Who It Names or Affects

• The State Coastal Conservancy
• Local governments that want to apply for a state surfing reserve designation

Terms To Know

State Coastal Conservancy

An organization in California that works on protecting and restoring the coastal areas.

Surfing Reserve

A special area of coastline set aside for surfing activities.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if a local government's application is denied.
• It’s unclear how the conservancy will decide which areas meet the criteria to become state surfing reserves.
• There are no details on funding requirements for signs and publicity.

Official Summary Text

AB 452, as amended, Irwin.
Coastal recreation: designated state surfing reserves.
The California Coastal Act of 1976 requires oceanfront land suitable for recreational use to be protected for recreational use and development unless present and foreseeable future demand for public or commercial recreational activities that could be accommodated on the property is already adequately provided for in the area. Existing law establishes the State Coastal Conservancy with prescribed powers and responsibilities for implementing and administering various programs intended to preserve, protect, and restore the state’s coastal areas. Existing law establishes surfing as the official state sport.
This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2026, the conservancy to establish criteria and an application process for purposes of designating an area of the coastline as a state surfing reserve, as defined. The bill would authorize a local
government, as defined, to apply to the conservancy for purposes of designating an area of the coastline within the jurisdiction of the local government as a state surfing reserve. The bill would require the local government to include in its application, among other things, a description of the proposed surfing reserve. The bill would require the conservancy to approve the application if the area of the coastline meets the established criteria. The bill would require, once the application is approved, the conservancy to designate the area as a state surfing
reserve and to include this designation, where appropriate, in publications or maps that are issued by the conservancy.
reserve. The bill would require the conservancy to, upon appropriation, publicize the state surfing reserve and partner with local governments to erect signs designating
an approved surfing reserve, and would authorize the conservancy to accept donations for these purposes.
The bill would authorize the conservancy to revoke the designation if the surfing reserve no longer meets the established criteria.
The bill would require the conservancy to transmit notice of the approval of a designated surfing reserve to the Ocean Protection Council for consideration and inclusion in the state’s 30x30 goal.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF