‘Very happy.’ Off-road riders, business owners react to Oceano Dunes OHV ruling

For the past 30 years, Kingsburg resident Shannon Byrd and her family have made multiple three-hour journeys to Oceano to go off-road riding at the Oceano Dunes.

Byrd and her family visit Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area up to five times a year, she said Friday near Post 2 on the beach.

She views the popular park in southern San Luis Obispo County as a “second home.”

Byrd said she was worried most of the park would close to off-highway vehicle use in 2024 as the result of a 2021 decision by the California Coastal Commission.

When she learned of a landmark ruling by San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Tana Coates that the Oceano Dunes can remain open to off-roading beyond 2023, Byrd said she was relieved.

“Everybody brings their kids here, and they grow up here, and we don’t want to lose that,” Byrd said.

Why were Oceano Dunes set to close to off-road riding?

Friends of Oceano Dunes, a nonprofit organization that advocates for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts’ right to use the park, sued the Coastal Commission several times in recent years to keep the Oceano Dunes open to OHV use.

On Wednesday, Coates ruled in favor of Friends of Oceano Dunes, finding the Coastal Commission acted “without, or in excess of (its) jurisdiction” when it unanimously voted to prohibit off-road riding at the dunes.

The Coastal Commission did not analyze how closing the Pier Avenue entrance in Oceano could impact how many miles vehicles traveled, Coates found.

That meant the Coastal Commission violated the California Environmental Quality Act when it voted to close to the Pier Avenue vehicle entrance to the dunes.

The Coastal Commission previously argued off-roading was harmful to sensitive areas of the dunes, citing increased dust pollution in disadvantaged communities downwind, harm to endangered shorebirds and negative impacts to Native American cultural and spiritual sites, according to its March amendment.

Local businesses react to SLO judge’s ruling

Frankie Jarosz, an employee of Steve’s ATV Rentals in Oceano, said Friday that she’s relieved the dunes will stay to OHV use open past 2023.

Jarosz started working at the store, which specializes in all-terrain vehicle rentals, in 2019. She was with the business when it shuttered during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jarosz believes more of the beach at the Oceano Dunes should be opened to off-roading OHV use.

“There’s a lot of accidents,” Jarosz said. “There’s just so many people, and it’s crowded on the weekend, so we should give them more space.”

Currently, OHV use is allowed is four of six zones of the dunes.

Byrd also said drivers need more space to enjoy the dunes.

“They’ve really cut things off, and they’ve limited people,” Byrd said. “Everybody wants the beach, and they’re back to back to back and there’s just not enough parking because they’ve closed so much off.”

Gail Marshall, who has owned and operated Arnie’s ATV Rentals on Pier Avenue for nearly 30 years, said she’s glad to see the dispute between the Coastal Commission and Friends of Oceano Dunes settled for the time being.

“I was very happy for the next generations coming up,” Marshall said. “I raised a child there on the beach. I spent many years on the beach, and I felt bad about the different generations that will never know what we got to experience.”

Marshall said the OHV riding community at the Oceano Dunes is close-knit, and said the beach’s closure would have been bad for local businesses that service that community.

“It definitely would have put me out of business,” Marshall said. “I just want to thank Friends of Oceano, because it was them that put this big fight up for years to keep the beach open.”

What’s next?

According to spokesperson Sarah Christie, the Coastal Commission is reviewing the ruling and will discuss it at its Aug. 9 and 10 meeting.

On Wednesday, California State Parks spokesperson Jorge Moreno told The Tribune via email that the agency “respects the ruling to continue off-highway vehicle recreation at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.”

“We remain committed to protect the natural and cultural resources found in Oceano Dunes for future generations, and to ensure that all Californians have equal access to the park and its diverse recreational opportunities,” Moreno added.