City of Seal Beach, CA banned "Beachcombing" on the city beach

[soupfreak]

Heard about it, and had to read it for myself:

TITLE 9: PUBLIC PROPERTY, PUBLIC WORKS
AND BUILDING REGULATIONS

So tired of this garbage.

 

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[Albertaclipper]

9.05.015 Beachcombing:
No person shall dig into or under the surface of the city beach, or shall sift, screen or riddle the sand upon the city beach for the purpose of retrieving articles. This prohibition does not apply to city employees and agents engaged in the discharge of official duties. .........

As a guy living on the Prairies, up here in Canada, after reading this, it just makes me shake my head in disgust and bewilderment. As this is another example that makes me wonder what is happening to the Great USA. As a hobbyist like all of us on these forums, I know that you guys are not detecting on these public beaches with track hoes and dozers, and thereby destroying the surfs. The little holes, the sifting from detecting as the bylaw eludes to, does not cause any damage, the high tide 6 hours later will cover all tracks so to speak.

Saying that....

Is it because, in the event that the one detectorist out of 1000, walks the surf detecting, and does happen to find a ring lost by some poor soul last summer who was swimming; takes that ring and sells it for $50. Did the "elected civic officials" create this bylaw because they could not collect the $33 tax from the sale of the ring or any future found rings?

 

[foilfinder]

Doesn't the beach end at the water line?, if so there is an alternative but yea..It sucks.

 

[kcm]

"No person shall dig into or under the surface of the city beach, or shall sift, screen or riddle the sand upon the city beach for the purpose of retrieving articles."

Well, it doesn't say you can't swing a detector - only that you cannot dig. However, what's to stop you from swinging the detector and, when you get a good hit, you decide that you're tired of swinging and want to instead build a sand castle?

Yeah, I know, I know. But if THEY can be stupid, SO CAN I!!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Heard about it, and had to read it for myself:

TITLE 9: PUBLIC PROPERTY, PUBLIC WORKS
AND BUILDING REGULATIONS

So tired of this garbage.

Question for you: When you say you "heard about it", where did you "hear about it", that led to your finding this ?

Has anyone been booted or hassled ? I notice that verbage does not specifically say "metal detecting". But sure, someone can say we "sift" the sand, for purposes of retrieving articles. Seems pretty hard to wriggle out of. But I STILL WONDER if this was written with us in mind ?

Because awhile back, someone had posted a law or a news link about a So. CA beach that forbade digging holes! So some md'rs became "all up in arms" assuming that this (logically) applied to md'rs. We dig holes afterall, eh ? Doh!

BUT A CLOSER EXAMINATION of that story/rule revealed the following: Some college kids dug IMMENSE holes, like in a cave-like form. And the sand caved in and some drunken college kid suffocated in the sand cave. Hence it had nothing at all to do with detecting, despite a super technical reading. And I gaurantee you: that no one's stopped detecting that beach.

SO TOO do I wonder if this has its origins in something else, and that you're over-thinking over-worrying it.

Notice that the date of those rules is December 2004. Revised in 2013. I wonder if that wording was in the original 2004 version, or was only added in the 2013 revision ? BUT EITHER WAY: I have a strong suspicion that that beach has been detected many times ad-nauseum since 2004 or 2013, and probably without incident.

But if you have any info of anyone being hassled, let us know.

 

[boogeyman]

The heck with Seal Beach! Drive down to Newport or Laguna! Way better hunting!

They are losing revenue to us their beach screening tractor profits have been down lately. You notice they don't dump into the dumpsters anymore? It goes back to City Yard "To be recycled".

 

[soupfreak]

Heard about it at our chapter meeting (Route 66 Gold Miners) on Saturday. One of our members went to the city to actually get clarification. Apparently someone on the beach years ago stepped into a hole dug by a "beachcomber" (MD'er) and was injured. Hence the city did it's natural knee-jerk reaction and passed the rule.

Now, as far as the city enforcing the rule, it's hard to say. Even the person at city hall that our member talked to said the regulation was ridiculous. But this is what our litigious society brings forth.

 

[SeabeeRon]

Is this a "new" ordinance or has it been on the books for awhile and just noticed? I'd like to hear from someone who hunts Seal Beach or the area.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.....One of our members went to the city to actually get clarification......

Bingo. The fastest way to find someone to tell you "no md'ing", to your "pressing question".

.... Even the person at city hall that our member talked to said the regulation was ridiculous....

Right. And probably un-enforced and no one really cares. But hey, you asked, so they look it up on their books, find something from 2004, and dutifully tell you "no".

Moral of the story ? Don't ask silly questions of bored desk clerks.

 

[cudamark]

The other moral to the story is, to not leave holes that someone can get hurt in. I see it all the time and ask the person to refill their holes. The claim that the tide will come in an fill them automatically. Yeah, it will eventually, but, in the mean time, someone can twist an ankle. It doesn't take that much effort to refill the darn thing.....just do it.

 

[RustyGold]

I have hunted Seal Beach many times and when talking to one of the lifeguards we had a great chat about waves, the tide and beach cleaning. I showed him a jagged beer can that I had just dug up in front of him and he asked if he could have it. I guess he wanted to show somebody the good we're doing.
I asked him if MDing in Seal Beach was legal and he said it's on the books but not enforced. That was about two years ago.
I never leave holes in the sand. Half the distance takes me twice as long but so what.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I have hunted Seal Beach many times.....

Evidentally, you did not ask enough people there "can I ?" before you started. Shame on you.

.... he said it's on the books but not enforced....

And what ? No tickets? Fines ? confiscations ? Jails ?

 

[TommyB]

I've hunted Seal Beach many times. NEVER had a problem. Lifeguards and Police very friendly. I've even given my cards to the lifeguards to give
to anyone who lost something valuable. I turn in any keys I find. They are very appreciative of the fish hooks, wire and trash I remove from the sand.
Like Tom said, DON'T go asking if it is alright to detect !!!
By the Way, my son was a Huntington Beach state lifeguard years ago. NO ONE is supposed to dig any holes deeper than about a foot for that safety reason. The lifeguards don't want to accidently run over someone they can't see or get stuck in a big hole.
But you don't see the kids or families getting cited for that either.
Not a Problem at any SoCal beach to detect.
Oh, and I cover my holes.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

..... NO ONE is supposed to dig any holes deeper than about a foot for that safety reason. The lifeguards don't want to accidently run over someone they can't see or get stuck in a big hole......

Ah, common sense dictates that the statutes are going-after big holes like you say. The big-bonfire ones that college kids can dig, and then the next day, the beach ATV gets stuck in it! Or ones big enough from an md'r (and not filled in) that someone can twist an ankle in perhaps. So you might *think* that ... so long as you've fulfilled that spirit of the law, that you're ok, right ?

But neeeoohhh: If you read the link given above more carefully: it does not specify depth of holes, nor clarify that if-you-filled them in, that you are exempt. It merely says "holes", with no reference to depth. And even more distinctly mentions sifting for "retrieving articles". Hence when you say:

.....I've hunted Seal Beach many times. NEVER had a problem.....

That merely means you did not ask enough person's "can I?". In which case they would have looked up chapter and verse of this minutia, and informed you "no". Afterall, that's what soup-freak and others would worry about, so why not you ?

I realize you are torn with grief right now. But not to worry: Package up all your ill-gotten gain and mail it to me. I will absolve your conscience of all guilt. It's the least I can do for a fellow metal detector buddy in his time of sorrow and need

 

[Davers]

Bingo. The fastest way to find someone to tell you "no md'ing", to your "pressing question".



Right. And probably un-enforced and no one really cares. But hey, you asked, so they look it up on their books, find something from 2004, and dutifully tell you "no".

Moral of the story ? Don't ask silly questions of bored desk clerks.

A Stupid Law indeed. It's really common Sense .

When I first joined T-Net I was Real Worried about "Permission" in public places & a few others.

I have since become of Tom's mindset. "Just Do It"

I get all my hassle from "people" Wanna bees , HOA Types. The "Can I help you ? "Types

If I trusted them not to Strike my target I'd say 'yes please do, dig my holes for me'..

 

[H-2 CHARLIE]

I have scaned there 5 times and right of the water tower house is dirty of large nails pointing straight up along with a few 5 inch stainless surgical wire blades .

 

[RustyGold]

I think the water tower house is in Surfside on PCH, not Seal Beach but I don't know if that's an incorporated part of Seal Beach or not.

 

[stefen]

Winter storms historically (each winter) erode the beach and flood the waterfront..


Sand is bermed at the beachhead to protect the houses.

MDing this beach has always been then a let-down.


New statutes is a non-issue.

 

[yodi]

Wow California passed a stupid pointless law!?! I'm shocked, I give it 10 years before you all aren't even allowed to step off the pavement.

 

[G.I.B.]

I'm unable to locate a penalties section.

The what happens when you get caught portion.

The only thing I see is where you can appear in front of the city manager, and you can present testimony and such, but no mention of civil/criminal penalties, fines or punishment.

It appears to be a rule, but without any teeth and nonenforceable, unless I missed it somewhere.