Stop the Sonoma Coast State Parks Fee Proposal - Keep Access to Sunset Rocks

We, local and regional rock climbers of the San Francisco Bay Area, petition the California Coastal Commission (CCC) to deny the revised California State Parks Sonoma Coast Fee Proposal (Fee Proposal), which was originally voted against by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. Now, California State Parks has brought the fee proposal to the CCC under an appeal process. The recent revision to the Fee Proposal includes the construction of a fee collection entrance station (kiosk) at the location where climbers park and access Sunset Rocks. This proposed kiosk location eliminates the parking and access to Sonoma County’s premier climbing location for recreational climbers and groups with special use permits. These groups include organizations that teach rock climbing and outdoor stewardship to children and disadvantaged youth. Additionally, the revised Fee Proposal, if approved by the CCC, will install pay stations (kiosks) at Bodega Head, Goat Rock, and Willow Creek, as well as self-pay stations (Iron Rangers) at Stump Beach, Shell Beach, and Freezeout Creek.

We stand in solidarity with our Sonoma County Board of Supervisors in their original decision to deny the Fee Proposal. An attempt is being made by the California State Parks to bypass appropriate due process typically associated with such a project. In addition to eliminating reasonable access to the Sunset Rocks, the entire proposal (including all future plans for Willow Creek) is being conducted under a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) which is a limited California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental review process. As of this date, California State Parks has not supplied any existing data as to how new fees in a car-dependent coastline affects public access. Further, we believe that such a decision violates the very principles of the California Coastal Act. We ask the CCC to listen to the overwhelming public outcry and deny the Fee Proposal.