The residents and surfers know that we have TOO MUCH sand now. Too much sand destroys the natural flora and fauna. It kills the kelp and negatively affects the surfbreak. Believe me, it’s no fun sitting in that dark nasty stuff, either. True beach sand has higher silica content and lower carbon content, my daughter tells me.

We don’t need or want more bogus “replenishment” sand, which is really being put on the beach as armor for a few bluff top property owners who bought knowing the cliffs are unstable. The Coastal Commission has determined that sea walls can only be built in cases of emergency. So instead, sand has become big business and a political rallying cry, with lobbyists convincing cities and private entities, such as the Self Realization Fellowship, to pay them to lobby for more and more sand.

Recently in Leucadia, very poor quality construction dirt was transferred to our beaches from the Pacific Station development, downtown, where underground parking garages are being excavated and built. The City paid the developer and allowed him to dump this dirt on our precious shoreline.

We sincerely wish the City of Encinitas would opt out of SANDAG’s program, as well. We do NOT need more sand and we do not need to keep paying sand lobbyists, such as Steve Aceti and the California Coastal Coalition as private contractors, making their living by arranging to put more unwanted dirt on our cherished beaches.