A Southern California court ruled Monday that the California Coastal Commission was wrong when it tried to ban off-road vehicles at Oceano Dunes.
Nonprofit organization Friends of Oceano Dunes won the victory in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Ventura.
The backstory: The Coastal Commission voted to ban off-road vehicles at Oceano Dunes in 2021, with the prohibition set to take place last year.
- The commission cited a local Native American group’s concerns that off-roaders were destroying its land when it made the decision.
- Friends of the Oceano Dunes subsequently sued the Coastal Commission and won an initial victory in the San Luis Obispo Superior Court in 2023 before the commission appealed.
The big picture: The panel of three appellate judges ruled that the Coastal Commission overstepped its authority to ban off-road vehicles.
- The ruling stated that San Luis Obispo County is the only government agency that has the power to ban off-road vehicles at Oceano Dunes.
- “We conclude the Coastal Commission did not have the authority to phase out off-road vehicle use by unilaterally amending the Oceano Dunes coastal development permit because the local coastal plan permits such use,” the judges ruled. “The local coastal plan states that one of its goals is to ‘maximize public recreational opportunities’ – including off-road vehicle use – at Oceano Dunes.”
What they’re saying: “A recent study showed that Oceano Dunes’ visitors from outside San Luis Obispo County generate more than $500 million in economic impact annually. Closure would devastate the south County economy for years,” Friends of Oceano Dunes said in a statement. “Friends’ Board of Directors remain committed to pursue all legal remedies to protect beach driving, camping and OHV recreation at Oceano Dunes SVRA the way it has been occurring for the last 100 years.”
