The cost of beach-going going up

Marisa O’Neil

A day at the beach will cost more next summer, at least for visitors

to Crystal Cove State Beach and maybe Corona del Mar.

State budget cuts have forced the California State Parks to at

least double the day-use fees for the beach starting July 1,

spokesman Roy Stearns said. The fee hikes could either control crowds

at local beaches or send them searching for a cheaper alternative.

“From the city’s perspective, increased parking and day-use fees

cause people to park more on public roads and other areas to avoid

fees and hoof it into the parks, which can be somewhat of a problem,”

Newport Beach Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff said.

Fees will vary throughout the State Parks system according to

location and season.

Parking at Crystal Cove State Park will go from $5 to $10, Stearns

said.

Though the California Department of Parks and Recreation owns

Corona del Mar State Beach, the city of Newport Beach operates it and

sets its day-use fees. The City Council may decide to raise those

fees in line with Crystal Cove to eliminate overcrowding at the

cheaper site.

“At $5, Crystal Cove is still attractive,” Kiff said. “If it goes

up to $10, it would be more attractive go up to Corona del Mar. We

might have to raise those fees to manage the crowds. But even if they

went up to $8 or $10 [at Corona del Mar], that could send people into

side streets for parking.”

On a busy summer day, Kiff said, Corona del Mar State Beach’s 300

parking spots can fill up by 10 a.m., forcing people to wait for cars

to leave or to park in crowded residential streets.

Orange County runs parks in Sunset Beach and Newport Harbor. Their

entry fees range from $2 for weekdays to $10 for major holidays,

according to the Orange County Parks Web site.

Annual passes for the State Parks, popular with surfers and others

who go to the beach more than a dozen times a year, will likely go

from $75 to $125 in the Orange County area.

State Parks has reduced its budget by nearly $20 million since

2001 and must reduce its operating budget by another $15 million in

the next year, Stearns said. So far, they have managed the cuts

through reorganization, hiring freezes and reducing their work force.

Added fee revenue should cover the $15 million as well as seasonal

personnel and maintenance costs, he said.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.