Peninsula groups work for beach-friendly Fourth

Private citizens, community groups and local and state government agencies are working together to encourage safe and responsible celebrations on Long Beach Peninsula and other Washington beaches over the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.

The “Beach-Friendly Fourth” campaign is intended to help ensure the safety of people and wildlife, as well as the cleanliness of beach areas and wildlife habitat during and after the holiday.

The Beach-Friendly Partners welcome visitors over the holiday, with the following reminders:

Use existing campgrounds and lodgings – it’s illegal to camp on the beach.

Respect burn bans – if no ban is in place, fires must be 100 feet from dunes and vegetation and no larger than 4 feet by 4 feet.

Use only legal fireworks, and observe legal fireworks hours – 9 a.m. to midnight July 4.

Respect neighborhoods and private property.

Drive safely on the beach, and be aware of tides.

Use restrooms, not dunes.

Pick up all garbage – pack it in, pack it out.

For years, many thousands of visitors have ventured to the Long Beach Peninsula to enjoy the national holiday. Conditions in summer of 2015—including very hot inland temperatures, the holiday falling on a Saturday and wholesale bans of fireworks in various Oregon and Washington communities— resulted in an estimated 100,000 people coming to the area. Many illegally camped on the beach, built beach bonfires during a statewide burn ban, engaged in rowdy behavior and left tons of trash behind. Parking issues, large noisy parties and illegal fireworks affected residential areas.

As concern mounted, local citizens organized into a group called, “Not a Ban – A Better Plan.” They surveyed community concerns and held community meetings joined by State Parks and other organizations.

“The first thing was to get everyone together so that we could identify the major concerns and formulate a plan,” said Bonnie Lou Cozby of the Better Plan group. “Information through consistent messaging was an obvious first step. Responsible tourism needs to come into play. Providing clear expectations regarding behavior, along with information on the existing regulations, allows visitors and residents to self-regulate, which makes everyone happier. Working together to protect what draws people here and providing resources to help with safety ensures a better future.”

Additional signage, posters and visitor information is available around the community and at beach entrances. Washington State Parks is freeing up some resources to produce informational materials, increase staff hours on the beach during the holiday weekend and help with cleanup costs. The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Fish and Wildlife enforcement are putting resources into the effort as well.