Surfrider Ventura Chapter History
Surfrider Foundation Ventura County Chapter Timeline
1984 - Surfrider Foundation founded in Malibu and recognized as a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization. The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network.
1986 - Surfrider participated in the design process for Ventura County Fairgrounds redevelopment at Surfers’ Point and contracted a coastal engineer for a feasibility study to create a sand point in Port Hueneme according to this 1986 Making Waves national newsletter.
- There’s a follow-up story on each of those projects in this 1987 Making Waves newsletter. Note how it mentions the Fairgrounds redevelopment project plan allows for 50 years of natural erosion, yet within a couple of years after completion the need to move the bike path back was identified.
1987 - Port Hueneme sand point is built, then it disappears in a couple of days. Lessons learned in dredging and sand management on page 8.
- Note that on page 7 there are a few Ventura mentions, including a proposed low dam for the Santa Clara River that was later defeated. The Santa Clara River remains relatively untouched by development and the only remaining wild river in Southern California.
1988 - Surfrider pressures the Army Corps Of Engineers to abandon plans for a second breakwater at Ventura Harbor in favor of a rock jetty. (Plans for the rock jetty near the Santa Clara River were later abandoned.)
1989 - The bike path at Surfers’ Point was refurbished and two parking lots were built adjacent to the bike path by the Ventura County Fairgrounds as part of their redevelopment.
1990 - Rex Thomas started discussions with Surfrider HQ to establish a Surfrider chapter in Ventura.
1991 - The Ventura County Chapter is officially chartered by the Surfrider Foundation.
- The organizing meeting was held in August at the Ventura County Fairgrounds and the first public chapter meeting was in October at the E.P. Foster Library.
- Here’s the first mention of the Ventura Chapter in Surfrider's national Making Waves publication.
- Storm drain stenciling was one of the first projects the chapter took on. Check out the video above for a good story from Rex about it :)
1992 - Surfrider Ventura established one of the first, if not the first, Blue Water Task Force water quality testing programs in the Surfrider chapter network. People were getting sick from surfing and swimming in the ocean at times while there were no warnings or acknowledgment of the issue from public health agencies. Delia Gorey started the water testing program with an incubator in her garage and help from volunteers, who would collect ocean water samples from local beaches.
Surfrider Ventura has been addressing plastic pollution ever since a 1992 nurdle spill from a freight train along the Rincon Parkway at Seacliff. Later, the Blue Water Task Force found rocket fuel toxins at the beach at Seacliff after the derailment that included a shipment of rocket fuel for Vandenberg AFB.
1994 - In the 1990’s, chapter celebrations and fundraisers at Chart House, with help from Brian Brennan, were a major source of revenue and fun for the chapter.
1995 - Surfrider served as Ventura County coordinator for California Coastal Cleanup Day.
1996 - In the early 1990’s Surfrider Ventura was already identifying erosion issues with the Surfers’ Point bike path that was built too close to the ocean in the 1980’s. Surfrider Ventura was successful in working with multiple agencies to convince everyone that the bike path needed to be relocated inland with a nature-based solution instead of armoring the coast, which would make the beach disappear along with other negative impacts. 1996 Making Waves blurb.
1997 - Blue Water Task Force identified chronic water quality concerns at Rincon Point - this led to the formation of Heal the Ocean and a surf contest to support efforts for septic to sewer conversion which ultimately happened around 2010.
1998 - After years of continuous pressure from Surfrider, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors approved funding for the Environmental Health department to take weekly ocean water samples from local beaches and post advisories when bacteria levels are high in accordance with CA AB 411.
1999 - Paul Jenkin and Surfrider Ventura formed the Matilija Coalition in order to focus energy on the Matilija Dam issue. This is an alliance of community groups, businesses, and individuals committed to the environmental restoration of the Ventura River watershed starting with the removal of Matilija Dam. This alliance includes local, state, and national environmental groups with an interest in rivers, fisheries, and coastal resources. We are cautiously optimistic the Matilija Dam will be ready for removal by 2030, restoring the Ventura River and the natural migration of sand and cobble to Surfers’ Point and beaches down the coast.
Surfrider contributed funding to the Ventura County Fairgrounds for trash can lids to keep the seagulls from spreading trash.
2000 - March 30 - Growing the Beaches video presented to a packed house at Patagonia/GPIW in Ventura
Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt visited Matilija Dam and removed a ceremonial block of concrete. Ventura County initiated a Feasibility Study with the US Army Corps of Engineers kicking off the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project.
Surfrider supported $17 million from California Coastal Conservancy for the acquisition of three properties totaling 660 acres from the Southern California Edison Company at Ormond Beach wetlands.
November 29, 2000 - Over 100 people packed in for a Public Workshop On Managed Retreat at Surfers Point - the support for the “Surfrider Alternative” led to the project being the preferred alternative in the EIR.
Surfrider initiated “Surf Flicks” movie nights at Ventura College that continued until at least 2007 raising the funding to support the chapter for many years
2001 - January - Santa Barbara Channelkeeper launched the Ventura River Stream Team Program in partnership with the Ventura Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. Stream Team engages volunteers in conducting monthly water quality sampling at 15 sites on the Ventura River as well as its major tributaries. The goal is cleaner, healthier water and a more environmentally responsible citizenry that is actively engaged in addressing the pollution problems plaguing our waterways – which eventually discharge onto the beach.
2002 - Surfrider joined the coalition opposing Measure A which would have allowed development of Ventura Hillsides.
California and the World Oceans conference held in Ventura - Surfrider presented/promoted Surfers Point managed retreat.
2003 - City of Ventura received Clean Beaches funding from the SWRCB to divert dry weather flows from the storm drain system discharging at C-St and the Promenade into the sewer system. This was in response to our Blue Water Task Force monitoring and advocacy.
2005 - Clean water victory as Puretec Industrial Water Treatment Plant finally closes after pressure from Surfrider, Paul Jenkin and others since 1997. The company was discharging 100,000 gallons of industrial wastewater into Sanjon Barranca daily for years. This was the first lawsuit by the newly formed Ventura Coastkeeper.
Surfrider brought rebar from Surfers Point to City Council who hired a welder to cut off and remove hazardous rusty steel during minus tides. This continued for many years.
2006 - Surfers’ Point managed retreat / nature based solution project receives final approval from the CA Coastal Commission. Construction begins in 2010.
After significant technical research and field visits to a proposed housing development on 15 acres upgradient of County Line Beach, Paul Jenkin and John Wingate write “Comments to the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration” for Project: SD04-0024; Applicant: Skylark Investments; a.k.a. Crown Point Estates at Malibu; a.k.a. County Line Beach Development addressed to the Ventura County Planning Division. An additional letter was addressed to the land developer containing issues of environmental concern to beach goers and offered a few resolutions that were later conveyed to the developer at site meeting.
2007 - Surfrider Ventura launches an Ocean Friendly Gardens chapter program that aims to help reduce urban runoff and conserve water. Paul Herzog, Cynthia Hartley, Laura Oergel, and Laura Bauer are a few people who helped to elevate this program to have a major impact through their efforts and collaboration with the City of Ventura.
2008 - Surfrider Ventura helped to convince the Ventura City Council to adopt a Green Streets policy.
October 2008: Surfers and concerned citizens expressed alarm about unusually muddy water flowing down the lower Ventura River into the ocean. Stream Team (see Jan. 2001) volunteers worked to identify the source over several months; measuring water quality parameters and walking the lower reaches only to find that the river bed was choked with fine sediment. Channelkeeper wrote a letter to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB) requesting inspections of agricultural operations along the western bank of the Ventura River and Surfrider volunteers approached the City of Ventura with the same concerns. Both City staff and LARWQCB contacted the facility to discuss irrigation runoff issues and necessary BMP improvements.
2010 - Surfrider exposed and killed the City’s “Edgewater” proposal to develop the land adjacent to the Ventura Pier. State Senator Strickland had introduced SB1001 that would eliminate the deed restrictions imposed by State Parks when they transferred the property to the City of Ventura.
Surfrider commented on the hwy 101 HOV widening project - loss of parking along the highway led to construction of a new parking lot near Oil Piers. Around this time, Larry Manson worked to get several different authorities to unify the policy about legal hours for parking along the Rincon/PCH. Our gripe was that dawn patrol surfers parking on the Rincon Parkway could get ticketed for going surfing too early! There was no rhyme or reason for legal parking hours; generally overnight parking was being discouraged, but 2-3 different AM hours posted a different locations as to when you could show up. In 2024, while we are still waiting for a unified policy, enforcement seems to be minimal.
Surfrider joined the coalition to prevent development of 6,000 acres in Canada Larga a tributary to the Ventura River north of Ventura. That property is in negotiation for acquisition for open space as of 2024.
2011 - Surfers’ Point managed retreat / nature based solution project phase one is completed. The Chapter adopted the dunes and volunteers established native plants and weeded non-natives for the following 8 years.
Surf Brewery opens and pledges 5% for the ocean! (RIP Surf Brewery) Topa Topa has been another big donor to the chapter over the years, in addition to offering their space for chapter meetings.
March 2011 - Ventura River Stream Team volunteers spend a Saturday mapping trash in the Ventura River estuary. With an estimated 200 people living in the river-bottom (at the time) both 'trash' and human waste impact water quality near the rivermouth (i.e. Surfers' Point). On April 5, 2011, Santa Barbara ChannelKeeper sent a letter to the City of Ventura and responsible agencies documenting the results, which were included in a photographic report of 35 illegal dump sites.
2012 - Surfrider Ventura helped to convince Ojai City Council to pass the first plastic bag ban in Ventura County.
2014 - Surfrider Ventura establishes a monthly beach cleanup at Surfers' Point / C Street after having cleanups at a variety of locations less consistently. It became clear there was a consistent need for cleanups at Surfers' Point. Surfrider was able to team up with the City of Ventura, who helped to promote the cleanups through various outlets, and we average over 100 volunteers each month.
2014 - Surfrider Ventura helped to restore historical beach access at Fruitstands, near the Santa Clara River.
Surfrider Ventura convinced the City of Ventura to approve curb cuts to help reduce urban runoff.
2015 - Surfrider convinced Ventura City Council to remove the City artificial turf from turf rebate program.
2016 - The Hold OnTo Your Butt (HOTYB) Campaign began in the Ventura Chapter to raise awareness of the toxicity and damage to the environment from cigarette butt filters, which are made from plastic cellulose acetate. As of August 2024, over 815,000 butts had been kept out of the environment and recycled as a result of the installation of 100+ HOTYB outdoor ashcans around Ventura County and from collections of butts at beach cleanups.
2017 - The Blue Water Task Force ocean water quality testing program was revived in Ventura and continues now to help supplement water testing from November through March when the County of Ventura scales back their weekly testing.
2018 - Surfrider’s ‘Plastic Free Ventura’ campaign is launched on Earth Day in an effort to help prevent plastic pollution at the source.
2020 - After years of pressure from Surfrider, the Ventura City Council passed the first expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam (aka Styrofoam) ban for restaurants and retailers in the county.
COVID slows down chapter operations as all meetings go virtual. The Ventura Chapter stays active by hosting monthly chapter meetings on Zoom and encouraging solo beach cleanups.
2021 - Respect the Rincon Parkway program is established by Joy Downing Riley. Respect the Rincon Parkway is a community program dedicated to preserving the 14-mile wildlife corridor, known as Rincon Parkway on Highway 1. In order to protect the coastline for marine life, locals, and visitors, our initiatives include reporting pollution and performing beach cleanups.
2022 - Surfrider Ventura establishes three monthly cleanups, one at Surfers' Point, one at the Rincon Parkway, and one at Ormond Beach / Lagoon.
2023 - Surfrider Ventura helped to prevent a massive new development project proposed for the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
Surfrider Ventura helped to update the regional ag waiver to monitor more farm discharges into local waterways.
Surfrider Ventura helped to convince the Port Hueneme City Council to pass a plastic reduction ordinance.
Surfrider Ventura helped to convince the Oxnard City Council to pass a plastic reduction ordinance.
Respect the Rincon Parkway highlights: Installed 8 ashcan containers at Rincon Parkway Day Use section removing 800 - 1600 cigarette butts per month. Removed 450 pounds of fireworks debris in July 2023 from cove near Solimar.
Surfrider Ventura helps to convince the Ventura County Fairgrounds to stop their nightly fireworks over the ocean during the County Fair. After 9 years of documenting the how bad plastic and toxin filled fireworks were for our oceans, waves, beaches and marine life and urging the Fairboard to stop the nightly firework shows during the Ventura County Fair, in 2023 the CEO of the Fair Board and Board of Directors wrote “Thank you for documenting and providing this information. We did not have fireworks last year [2022] and we plan to continue that practice this year! ......... If fireworks are ever considered again, it would absolutely be a requirement of 100% plastic-free.” Happily... they are no longer having firework shows at the Fairgrounds and are now using drones and light shows instead."
2024 - Surfers Point Managed Shoreline Retreat Phase 2 construction begins September with over $16M grant from the State Coastal Conservancy.
List of Chapter Chairs
Jan 2024 - current Alexandra Wall
Jan 2022 - Dec 2023 Andy Dosev
April 2018- Jan 2022 Laura Oergel
Jan 2016-April 2018 Sadie Iverson
Jan 2014-Jan 2016 Dan Glaser
Jan 2012-Jan 2014 Sean Toren
Jan 2010-Jan 2012 Vince Kinsch
Jan 2008-Jan 2010 John Wingate
Jan 2006-Jan 2008 Dave Fishman
June 2004-Jan 2006 Phil Naumoff
2002-2004 Curt Montague
2001 Betsy Haygood (Co-Chair 2002)
Jan 1997- Jan 2000 Paul Jenkin
Jan 1995- Jan 1997 Brian Brennan
Jan 1993-Jan 1995 Bruce McDonald
Oct 1991- Jan 1993 Rex Thomas