Surfrider Foundation San Diego Chapter History
1991 – Chapter formed.
1991 – First “Paddle For Clean Water” organized by Gary Sirota and Donna
Frye.
1996 – Paddle For Clean Water gains national attention as it is held during the
Republican National Convention and receives extensive media coverage.
2002 – Surfrider challenged the issuance of a waiver for the City of San Diego
that would allow them to continue discharging sewage from the Point Loma
Treatment Plant only treated to advanced primary standards. This case was
settled and that settlement resulted in three studies, which gathered much
needed data and now play a pivotal role in policy decisions relating to
wastewater discharge.
2003 – First “Hold On To Your Butt” Day held in Mission Beach and Pacific
Beach.
2005 – “Rise Above Plastics” campaign started in San Diego by Scott Harrison.
2006 – First “Hold On To Your Butt” ashcan program rolled out in Ocean Beach
in response to the beach smoking bans.
2007 – Surfrider and San Diego Coastkeeper won suit against City of San Diego
for chronic sewage spills; City was forced to invest almost $1 billion in its sewage
infrastructure through 2013.
2007 – San Diego City Council passed a motion it initiate the implementation of
Indirect Potable Re-Use (IPR) in San Diego. Mayor Jerry Sanders vetoed the
City Council’s motion; however, for the first time ever the City Council overturned the Mayor’s veto on a major decision.
2007 - Surfrider and San Diego Coastkeeper supported the passage of the 2007
Municipal Stormwater Permit for the City of San Diego. Included in the permit
were provisions for Low Impact Development and site design standards. These
types of provisions are some of the most effective ways to reduce future urban
runoff. Stricter stormwater permits translate into cleaner water.
2007 - In 2001, Surfrider and Cal Beach Advocates sued the city of Solana
Beach over the way they permitted seawalls. Many bluff-top homeowners were
waiting for dire circumstances and applying for emergency permits in order to
avoid the CEQA process. This case was settled, resulting in a mitigation policy
which accounts for recreational and biological resources; in other words, surfing
resources are now taken into account. All residents will be put on notice that the
bluff is in fact collapsing.
2008 - At the request of Surfrider and San Diego Coastkeeper, a stakeholder
process (a chance for public comment) and a residential over-watering ordinance
were added to San Diego’s Jurisdictional Urban Run-off Management Plan
(JURMP). This addition was monumental in that it made residential over-watering
illegal. A reduction in over-watering will lead to less urban-runoff, which means
cleaner oceans, waves and beaches!
2008 – “Know Your H2O” program started in San Diego by Belinda Smith.