The Avalon City Council on Oct. 1 directed staff to restrict tents on the beach: No tents on Middle Ranch or South Beach. No tables would be allowed. Property could not be left on the beach overnight.
An ordinance will be brought back to the council at a future date.
Discussion
The discussion was brought to the meeting at the request of a council member, according to the staff report.
“In summer of 2024, the City received complaints regarding large camping tents and pop-ups on beaches along Crescent Avenue. Specifically, residents and visitors noted the tents restricted access to the beach, inhibited enjoyment of the view, and were erected for many consecutive days without continual usage,” wrote Assistant City Manager David Maistros.
Maistros told the council that the City code prohibits tents or temporary shelters on the beach. He said a number of cities prohibit tents on the beach.
He said the options were to enforce the existing ordinance (which would mean dealing with umbrellas) or changing ordinance.
Maistros said Avalon doesn’t have large enough beaches to deal with some of these things.
“I have no problem getting rid of the tents,” said Councilmember Michael Ponce.
Mayor Anni Marshall said she would favor tents of a certain size.
Ponce said tents would still take up space and block access
Marshall said people’s possessions need to fit inside the tent.
“Why do you need the tent?” Ponce asked.
Council Member Mary Schickling said people without tents or umbrellas put out towels and take up just as much space. “Do we limit the space?”
“At the end of the day, they take the towels off the beach,” Ponce said.
Marshall argued that people want to enjoy the beach without exposing themselves to skin cancer and need shade.
Maistros said from a size standpoint, umbrellas make sense. He said you can’t leave them on the beach overnight. He said city staff would take on cleaning of the beach.
Councilmember Yesenia De La Rosa asked if Avalon could limit the time for leaving something on the beach to an hour.
Maistros said it would be difficult from a code enforce standpoint
According to Maistros, tents might be appropriate on some beaches but not others.
Marshall said no tents. She said canopies should not have sides. She suggested that for this year the city just deal with Middle Beach.
De La Rosa said: “No tables.”
“In reality, people don’t come to the beach and bring tables and chairs unless they have rented the space,” Ponce said.
“You should not have a function on the beach without a permit from the city,” Ponce said.
Schickling favored canopies on the beach.
Maistros thought the city would mostly deal with umbrellas with a space limit of 6X6.
Marshall said she wanted cooperation from Love Catalina to let people know what they can’t take to the beach. She said she did not want Code Enforcement to take on more responsibility because they were “jammed”.
“All these ordinances that you looked at are valid,” Campbell said, apparently referring to ordinances mentioned in the staff report to the council.
Marshall suggested rules for Middle Beach and South Beach.
Summarizing the council discussion, Maistros said Avalon would allow baby tents, with a maximum area of 6X6, would prohibit tents on Middle Beach and South Beach. No tables. Nothing left over night.
Campbell suggested adding “they shall not be unattended” to any ordinance.
Ponce said when Avalon passed a no smoking on the beach ordinance, city didn’t post the ordinance on the beach.
Schickling asked about the blanket mass that’s unattended for hours.
Marshall said that was the same thing.
Maistros said the city would have to set a period of time. “We’ll come up with some language to address that,” he said.
