18 Nov, 2009
Losing that Small Town Charm of California Beach Towns
Posted by: Beach Reporter In: beaches| california
Has your California beach town lost (or is it planning to lose) its small town charm? When you visit China with its smoke-filled cities, you can just envision what California could become– a vertical, high-rise, oceanfront mecca of polluted living. California and its South Coast region of L.A. actually had the worst pollution in the world during the 1960s. An aggressive program was created and implemented that is now used as a model for 71% of the world population in terms of vehicle standards for controlling pollution. California’s Air Resources Board (arb.ca.gov) now in its 41st year, proudly claims that pollutant levels have fallen in spite of California’s rapid growth–the population has nearly doubled, the number of vehicles on the road increased by 170%, and the number of vehicle miles traveled almost tripled. As I searched the air quality reports today, Bakersfield, Fresno, Hanford and Auburn air quality all were in the “moderate” range. The beaches and most of the state air quality was good.
What hasn’t improved is the drive time on roads. Each year commuter drive times, and trips for tourists on vacation only increase. Along the beaches, cars often come to a standstill during the summer months for a half hour or more as tourists hope to park and visit the coastal sands.
California’s growing pains is a mixed bag of good and bad for both residents and visitors. What’s often missing from the council meetings I watch in beach cities throughout California that spend most their time talking about new building construction, is the human factor. The majority of elected officials typically vote in favor of building projects without much discussion or support for the residents who want their officials to slow down and downsize because of the increased traffic, noise, and other problems that they are experiencing.
Issues of greatest concern:
- Traffic, parking
- Public transportation
- Water
- Noise
- Crime
- Quality of life
- Cost of living in added fees such as special districts, parking, etc.
While California’s quintessential beach towns slowly disappear in favor of high-rise cities on the oceanfront, some of the smartest methods for planning growth are offered in studies of the densely populated coastal cities around the globe. California beach communities and their city officials should take a good look at cities that offer the best quality of life, then study what measures are in place to make these places work. Water resources, public transportation, safety, and air quality, all are important. What residents see as troubling is lack of planning to ensure quality of life and long term sustainability that ensures health, safety, and community.
Beach cities with public transportation such as trains include Long Beach with the Blue Line to Los Angeles, San Francisco with BART, cable cars, buses and trains, and San Diego, with one of the most comprehensive public transportation systems in the nation. These are California’s three cities I can visit using trains, and planes, then get around on the public transportation without having a car. San Jose can actually qualify in this category, as well. Unfortunately the transportation system doesn’t completely fill these city’s needs, but it goes a long way in making life, and tourism visits more enjoyable.
