Editor’s note: The following letter was addressed to Hayden Sohm, area superintendent for the State Parks and Recreation Dept.
Thank you for a speedy reply and copies of the California Administrative Code. In receiving the code, my problem is with Section J of Code 4301 Definitions, regarding special events My take on surf contests as special events is that I don’t feel they fulfill the “best interest” of Parks and Recreation for the general public. I feel they impinge significantly on the public right to use their beaches. You might say that my criticism is unwarranted, but I hope to persuade you to the contrary.
These contests may or may sometimes not be held under a guise of charitable giving. The fundamental criticism to contests is public use versus monetary awards or prizes or rewards. Money is being traded from a public nonprofit use, which I feel has been held for the public use. Everyone is for charity, but under that guise, contest promoters, advertisers and contestants hope to gain in a monetary way.
I think you have to regard this situation as the highest and best use because that is also the way contest organizers view their window of opportunity. That opportunity is during the summer months from April to September of course. This is the period when the public looks forward to hitting the beach. The surf for the most part is best from August at full moon time and then it is best at the September full moon time. That is the peak of the summer.
These times I feel should be reserved for the public. The public who want to surf–give them the time. We are not in it for monetary gain. Rights to public surf beaches should not be purchased with entrance fees to surf in a contest. The surf contests take place at the most desirable and impacted areas of use by the general public.
Lastly, look at the numbers. At the best of periods you have a few contestants using the waters at limited and designated times. Whereas the public use is significantly greater and there are no time limits. Greater use for the greatest number for a scarce resource!
I think the public trust should lean toward these larger numbers of use and not have that use subsumed by entrance fees, advertisements and monetary gains as entitlements to use our public beaches.
I guess we are talking about priorities for best use. As an alternative, I suggest contests at the less impacted surf areas during the season or at a time of the marginal surf periods or off season.
Mitchell Lachman