Recognize the view above?  Probably not.  And we want to keep it that way. 

More than 500 Seacliff residents have signed our door-to-door (paper) petition and now it's online for easier access to make sure your voice is heard.

This is an AI-generated image of Seacliff’s Upper Lot and Meadow (AKA the Field), the beautiful and pristine area near the stairs to Seacliff Beach. The image shows the potential impact of the move of overnight camping by State Parks from the beach-level to Seacliff’s Upper Lot and Meadow.

We greatly respect California State Parks and all they do. We also understand that new campsites are needed to replace those damaged at Seacliff by years of storms. However, replacement sites should be located where camping infrastructure already exists or where it can be expanded. Campsites, whether it be for RVs, motorhomes, trailers, tents or yurts, don’t belong in a neighborhood.

Camping at beach-level  is very different than camping directly in a neighborhood. Allowing dozens of RVs, trailers, motorhomes and tents to camp directly adjacent to homes and the neighborhood recreation area is a bad idea for many reasons including:

• There Are Better Options Nearby to Serve Campers, Businesses and Residents: New Brighton State Beach is a six-minute drive away from Seacliff and Porter Sesnon is even closer. Both can provide more suitable camping and easily replace all the lost Seacliff campsites. These alternative sites also increase the likelihood that visitor revenue will go to Seacliff businesses. Best of all, those alternative locations (or the Sunset Beach option further south) don’t negatively impact the quiet, residential character and quality of life that defines Seacliff.
• The Meadow Shapes Seacliff’s Character: The Meadow (near the parking lot and stairs to the beach) isn’t anyone’s “backyard.” It’s Seacliff’s front yard and gateway to the Pacific Ocean. Much of the meadow is resident-maintained and used daily by neighbors and visitors for recreation, dog walking, ocean viewing, and nature exploration. The Meadow is Seacliff's last remaining iconic landmark after storms damaged the Cement Ship and led to the pier's removal. The meadow is green space and should not be paved over.
• Opposed By the Many, Not the Few: There are only 20 homes directly across the street from the Meadow but over 1,700 Seacliff residents and friends have signed petitions opposing camping confirming that the idea of a commercial-scale campground is rejected by the entire community.
• It’s Bad for Our Health: The health impacts of campground emissions are well documented by the EPA, Center for Disease Control and others. Generators, campfires, charcoal grills, and vehicle exhaust produce invisible fine particulate matter containing known/suspected carcinogens linked to increased risks of respiratory disease, asthma attacks, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Seacliff’s onshore airflow will blow these harmful chemicals directly into resident’s open windows.
• It’s Bad for Our Ears: A campground introduces noise pollution in the form of engines, vehicle doors, camp setup, loud conversations, barking dogs, music, and maintenance activities. Even with quiet hours, the campground’s arrivals, departures, and normal operations would alter Seacliff’s existing sound environment and change its peaceful character.
• It’s Bad for Animal Residents: Light pollution is created by camper’s “porch” lights, flashlights, vehicle headlights, LED awning lights, and additional commercial parking lot lighting. Dark skies help maintain the natural nighttime environment that many resident species depend on. Artificial nighttime lighting disrupts the migration, breeding and sleep habits of birds and nocturnal animals living around/in the meadow, increasing exposure to predators upsetting the ecosystem.
• Campgrounds Near Neighborhoods Don’t Work Well Elsewhere: There are well-documented issues from other California campgrounds located near neighborhoods. Examples include Fort Ord Dunes, Carpinteria State Beach and Morrow Strand State Beach where residents have consistently complained about smoke, noise, engine rumble and exhaust, and overflow traffic.
• Reduced Day-Use Parking Means Neighborhood Spillover: State Parks plans on reducing beach level day-use parking so more visitors will park in the upper lot. This, plus campers' parking needs, would create parking spillover and congestion on Seacliff's neighborhood streets.
• Experts Say It Devalues Our Neighborhood: Many Seacliff real estate experts predict a decline in property values caused by adjacent camping. Ben Strock, one of the area’s most respected realtors, says: “I can confidently state that placing camping directly in a view corridor will negatively impact property values. Homes could see a 15% to 20% decline in value. Camping would create obscured ocean views, and increased noise, smoke, trash, safety concerns and traffic. Significant devaluation is eminent and the Seacliff housing market receives zero benefit.”
• And, It Conflicts with the Seacliff State Beach General Plan (SSBGP): Each State Park operates under a General Plan authored by California Department of Parks and Recreation. The SSBGP covered this issue when it was authored in 1990. The Plan states that "The suggestion for RV camping on the unpaved parking area near the residential area would be unacceptable to Aptos residents living nearby" and “The general plan proposal for RV camping is not intended to reduce day-use parking spaces or create a new permanent campground.” The Plan is clear, suggesting camping on Seacliff’s bluff is inconsistent with the adopted plan.

Despite all of this, camping in our neighborhood is still a very real possibility according to State Parks’ Seacliff Resilience Plan. The corresponding State Parks’ Camping Feasibility Study is underway to determine the best replacement location for Seacliff’s beach-level RV campsites.

The Seacliff Improvement Foundation (SIF) Board of Directors agrees that camping directly adjacent to neighborhood homes will not improve life in Seacliff. If you agree, please join the 1,700+ Seacliff residents and friends who have already signed Seacliff Stong’s door-to-door and this online petition. 

Please join Seacliff Strong in urging State Parks to make the right decision: Relocate the lost RV campsite to appropriate, non-neighborhood locations and protect the integrity of the Seacliff neighborhood. Adding your signature to this petition will help protect Seacliff's character and peaceful environment for all of its residents.