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| Permanence of San Onofre State Park |
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MYTH: San Onofre is not a “permanent” part of the California parks system because the federal government owns the land. FACT: President Nixon, Governor Reagan, and the California Legislature have all made clear that San Onofre is to forever remain a state park. When President Nixon presided over the creation the state park at San Onofre, he declared that, as soon as it is possible for the federal government to declare the property surplus, the lease will be terminated and the property “will be deeded to the State of California for park purposes.”(1) Governor Reagan agreed: “This expanse of acreage, San Onofre Bluffs [sic] State Beach, now has its future guaranteed as an official state park.”(2) The intent to permanently preserve the land as a park is reflected in California law, which provides that “if the Camp Pendleton Marine Base in the County of San Diego ceases to be used as a federal facility, it shall be converted to an open-space area or greenbelt that shall be administered by the [Parks] [D]epartment.”(3) State law further provides that “[a]ll real property acquired for park and recreation purposes by the state which was formerly part of Camp Pendleton shall be used solely for park and recreation purposes and no part thereof shall be declared surplus or disposed of.” (4) (1)President Richard Nixon, Press Statement, March 31, 1971. (2)California Governor Ronald Reagan, Press Statement, April 3, 1971 (emphasis added). (3)Public Resources Code section 5096.400 (emphasis added). (4)Government Code section 11011.7 (emphasis added). |