Open Space
We are blessed to have our beaches, access to the ocean and of course our open spaces, all treasures for which many other locales can only cast an envious glance towards us. These factors are a part of what helps to create our feel of a small beach town community. Historically we have managed to preserve these key assets, but in our drive to reach full build out within our city, we risked losing key portions of our open space. Keeping San Clemente true to its culture and values means many things, including the need to preserve our open spaces.
However, we need to be mindful of what exactly constitutes open space. In simple terms, an asphalt parking lot in North Beach does not constitute open space. The Playa del Norte proposal is true to our culture and values in that it preserves ocean views, supports small business, maintains access to Metrolink, promotes pedestrian activities and actually increases parking access next to the beach. This is the kind of revitalization that is consistent with our core values and therefore should be supported.
