Deadline Barely Beat To Keep Public Access at San Onofre State Beach

A popular destination in California, San Onofre State Beach was nearly turned back over to the Navy.

Sep 19, 2012; San Clemente, CA, USA; Professional surfer Kelly Slater cuts back during the Hurley Pro at Lower Trestles on San Onofre State Beach. / Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY Sports

Over the weekend, the status of public access to San Onofre State Beach was in peril. The most recent three-year lease was expiring and there were only hours left for a deal to be reached before the public would lose out.

But, right ahead of the deadline, a new deal was struck between California State Parks and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton on a lease agreement. 

Public access will still be allowed for a quarter century, as a new 25-year lease has been worked out. The cost of the lease will be about $3 million annually, per Fox 5 San Diego.

“California just signed a new deal with our federal partners to keep San Onofre open as a state park for another 25 years,” wrote California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday night. “San Onofre’s beaches, hiking and biking trails, and campgrounds will continue to welcome visitors for years to come.”

This continues a deal that has been in place since 1971. As part of President Richard Nixon’s Legacy of Park program, San Onofre was leased to the state of California.

The land is part of Camp Pendleton, which is owned by the United States Navy. For $1, as part of Nixon’s program, the California Department of Parks and Recreation held the land on a lease.

That lease expired originally in 2021, but a three-year extension was agreed to. That extension was set to expire on August 31st, 2024 and without a deal, the land would revert back to the Navy.

Reportedly seeking a massive increase in payment compared to the original deal, there were concerns that nothing would be reached as the deadline got closer and closer.

“Despite commitments from California State Parks and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton to maintain public access at San Onofre, anxiety within local coastal communities about the lease negotiations and its potential to impact access, at least temporarily, has been steadily and palpably growing,” as shared by Surfrider.

All of that anxiety and anxiousness has now dissipated with a deal being agreed upon. A new generation of people will now be able to enjoy the wonders of San Onofre near San Clemente in San Diego County.