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KPBS Midday Edition

No More Free Ride For Businesses Operating At Oceanside Beaches

 A busy beach day in Oceanside, May 2014.
Alison St John
A busy beach day in Oceanside, May 2014.

No More Free Ride For Businesses Operating At Oceanside Beaches
No More Free Ride For Businesses Operating At Oceanside Beaches GUESTS: Johnathan Graves, owner, Baja Body Heather Cameron, owner, Cameron Fitness

HIS IS KPBS MIDDAY EDITION. I MAUREEN CAVANNAUGH. YOU WANT TO TEACH AT THE BEACH YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. THE OCEANSIDE CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY LAST NIGHT -- UNANIMOUSLY TO REQUIRE PERMITS FOR PEOPLE CONDUCTING 35 CLASSES. OCEANSIDE WAS ONE OF THE LAST COASTAL COMMUNITIES THAT DID NOT REGULATE CAST -- CLASSES AT THE BEACH. YOU WILL GOT AND STRUCK IT, SURFING SCHOOLS AND MULTILEVEL MARKETING CENTERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OUTDOOR LOCATION. JOINING ME TO TALK ABOUT WHY THE NEW RULES WERE ENACTED ARE MY GUESS GUESS, JONATHAN GRAVE, OWNER OF THE BAJA BODY GYM IN OCEANSIDE. JONATHAN WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. AND HEATHER CAMERON OWN CAMERON FITNESS. WELCOME. THANK YOU. AND FOR HAVING ME. DONOVAN, LET ME START WITH YOU. YOU WANTED OCEANSIDE CITY LEADERS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF CLASSES OPERATING AT THE BEACH. WHAT PROBLEM DID YOU SEE THAT NEEDED THEIR ATTENTION? WASN'T SEEING THIS HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OPERATING, IT WAS THE FACT THAT WHEN I INQUIRED ABOUT GETTING MY OWN PERMIT TO DO SOME FUN CLASSES OUT SIDE, THEY HAD TOLD ME THAT, ACTUALLY, THERE IS NO PERMANENT -- PERMIT IN PLACE. THE BUSINESSES SHOULDN'T BE THERE BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ENFORCED. AT THIS TIME, I HAD SPENT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY AND TIME OPENING MY OWN BUSINESS, WHICH WAS PRETTY ARDUOUS. IT WAS DIFFICULT AND PUSHED. MANY MONTHS. I HAD TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO DO ALL THESE. FOR ME TO GO THROUGH THAT AT THE REGULAR BUSINESS, GOING THROUGH THEIR WHOLE PROCESS THAT THEY ASKED ME TO DO, AND I DID, AND THEN TO TURN AROUND AND SEE SOMEBODY COMING TO THE AREA AND THIS LARGE INFLUX OF OUT LIKE CONSTRUCTORS FROM OTHER CITIES COMING TO THE AREA AND OPENING UP BUSINESS, JUST THE NEXT DAY -- IT WAS NOT -- WAS DISCRIMINATORY. IT WASN'T RIGHT TO THE CITIZENS OF OCEANSIDE, IT WASN'T RIGHT TO THE TAXPAYERS OF OCEANSIDE AND CERTAINLY WASN'T RIGHT TO THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN EXISTING HERE AND HAVE FLOURISHED. JONATHAN -- SORRY TO INTERRUPT -- OF YOUR BUSINESS -- DO YOU THINK YOUR BUSINESS HAS SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF HAVING UNREGULATED BEACH FITNESS GROUPS? IT'S NOT SO MUCH -- I'M SURE IN SOME LEVELS HERE OR THERE -- I MEAN, COMPETITION IS DEFINITELY THE ALL AMERICAN WAY.THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. WHAT MY CONCERN WAS THE FAIRNESS OF THE OVERALL PROCESS THAT OCEANSIDE HAS IN PLACE. IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, THEY WERE LOOKING THE OTHER WAY WHILE ASKING SOME PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH HOOPS TO GET A LICENSE AND GET THEIR DOORS OPEN AND NOT REQUIRING ANYONE TO DO ANYTHING ELSE. IT GOT TO THE POINT WEAR IF YOU WENT ON THE BEACH UNCERTAIN DAYS, THERE WERE HUGE NUMBERS OF CLASSES GOING ON AND EVERYTHING FROM YOU'LL GOT TO SURF CAMPS TO A GUY EVEN SELLING PRAYER. THERE WAS ALSO DAY CAMPS FROM OTHER COUNTIES SHOWING UP, OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY. DAY CARE CENTERS, BOYS CLUB IN THOSE THINGS. THEY WERE DUMPING THEIR KIDS BECAUSE THEY COULD. IT WAS A REAL ISSUE. BECAME NOT SO MUCH A DIRECT ISSUE ABOUT MY WHOLE BOTTOM LINE, IT BECAME MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS TO SAY OCEANSIDE IS CHANGING FOR THE BETTER. YOU ARE PUTTING ALL THIS MONEY INTO THE CITY, ALL THIS MONEY INTO CHANGING PEOPLE VIEW OF IT AND MAKING IT A BETTER PLACE. BUT, THE KIND OF MENTALITY OF WORKING IN THE PUBLIC PARKS OF OCEANSIDE ALSO NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THAT CHANGE. I WANT TO GET HEATHER INTO THE CONVERSATION. HOW DID YOU GET DARTED AS A FITNESS INSTRUCTOR ON THE BEACH? I STARTED ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO ON THE BEACH. I HAD TRAINED IN DIFFERENT FITNESS FACILITIES AND OUT OF MY HOME IN OTHER PEOPLE'S HOMES. STARTED OF FREE STROLLER CLASS FOR MOM STATION HERE FROM THE MILITARY. THEY WOULD COME TO OUR CITY AND NOT HAVE FAMILY OR FRIENDS AND BE STUCK AT HOME WITH KIDS, YOU HAD IS DEPLOYED. IT PROVIDED A REALLY WELCOMING PLACE FOR THEM. I TEAMED UP WITH A PSYCHOLOGIST WHO ASKED ME IF I WOULD START A CLASS SPECIFICALLY FOR HIS CLIENTELE TO HELP THESE MOMS FEEL WELCOME IN OCEANSIDE AND FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES GETTING FIT. ICE ART OF THE CLASS FOR HIM. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR CONFIDENTIAL REASONS, I WASN'T ABLE TO READ A SHOUT TO THEM PERSONALLY. IT DIDN'T WORK SO WELL WITH THEM THAT ENDED UP BRINGING A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY TO MY CLASS TO ENJOY THE FACT THAT IT WAS FREE AND FOR EVERYBODY AND THEY COULD BRING THEIR KIDS. A LOT OF SINGLE INCOME MOMS WOULD COME AND THEY STILL DUE, TO THIS DAY I STILL HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME ORIGINAL MOM THAT COME TO CLASS. WE HAD A CLASS THIS MORNING AT 930 AT THE PIER. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GET FIT WITHOUT SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY. TO YOU BOTH AT LAST NIGHT MEETING? YET. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE ATMOSPHERE WAS LIKE? PRETTY BUSINESS AS USUAL. IT WAS MORE OF A CONCERN ABOUT -- OF CONCERN ABOUT AN IDEA OF SURF CAMP USA HAS BEEN OPERATING, A VERY GOOD BUSINESS HAD A CONCERN ABOUT WANTING TO HAVE THOSE APPLY FOR PERMITS HAVE CERTAIN MERIT-BASED SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO JUST FIRST-COME FIRST SERVE. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT ARE NOT. JONATHAN, OUTLINE WHAT THE NEW RULES WOULD DO. BUT NOW, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S REALLY A PILOT. THERE ARE RULES, BUT THEY ARE TRYING TO TEST OUT TO SEE WHAT IT IS. THE WOLVES ARE SOMEONE NEEDS TO HAVE A BUSINESS LICENSE. THEY NEED TO HAVE INSURANCE. THE NEED TO INDEMNIFY THE CITY AND THEY NEED TO GET A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE A BUSINESS ON PUBLIC GROUND. DOES THE ORDINANCE REGULATE HOW MANY BUSINESSES CAN GET EACH PERMITS? THEY MADE A MENTION ABOUT SURF CAMPS BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT I HAD HEARD. HEATHER? WHY DO YOU THINK WORKING OUTDOORS AND THESE CLASSES HAD BECOME SO POPULAR? I WAS READING AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS. SOME PEOPLE SAID THERE WERE SO MANY CLASSES OPERATING ON THE BEACHES IN OCEANSIDE, SOMETIMES, IT WAS HARD FOR PEOPLE ACTUALLY TO JUST HANG OUT AT THE BEACH. THERE ARE SOME GROUPS THAT ARE FAIRLY LARGE. THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT HAS UP TO 100 PARTICIPANTS. MY CLASSES ARE USUALLY BETWEEN 10 TO 15 PEOPLE PER CLASS ON SATURDAY MORNINGS. I DO HAVE A LARGER GROUP UP TO ABOUT 35 PEOPLE. IN GENERAL, I OFFER CLASSES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, SO I AM ABLE TO HAVE THE CLASSES REMAIN SMALL AND I ALSO HAVE A STUDIO IN DOWNTOWN OCEANSIDE WHERE I OFFER CLASSES INDOORS, AS WELL. PEOPLE CAN CHOOSE WHICH CLASS YOU WANT TO GO TO. POPULAR THESE DAYS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WORK INDOORS AND ARE STUCK IN AN OFFICE ALL DAY, A CUBICLE -- THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THE FRESH AIR THAT THEY WANT, NOT ABLE TO SEE THE SUNSHINE THAT WE LIVE HERE FOR. AFTER WORK, THEY CAN COME OUT AND GET A GOOD WORKOUT BEFORE THEY GO HOME. CLEANSE THEMSELVES OF A STRESSFUL DAY AND GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES HAPPY. OVERALL, IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME CHILDLIKE AGAIN. WHEN YOU PLAY OUTSIDE WITH YOUR FRIENDS, AS A KID, IT'S THE SAME FEELING. THE BEACH, THE FRESH AIR AND THE SUNSHINE. HOW CAN YOU NOT BE HAPPY AFTER THAT? HEATHER, WHAT YOU THINK OF THESE NEW PERMIT RULES? I'M ACTUALLY HAPPY ABOUT IT. I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS THE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ABOUT IT AND I SAT DOWN IN A MEETING WITH THE CITY OFFICIALS TWO SUMMERS AGO AND I KNEW THIS WAS COMING. IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME AND A MATTER OF HOW THEY WERE GOING TO REGULATE IT AND HOW TO GO ABOUT IT. I'M ACTUALLY HAPPY ABOUT IT. I THINK WE BOTH MENTION THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A RULE ABOUT IT. THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER COMING TO OUR CITY. I AM A LOCAL, I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT 14 YEARS. THE, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE REGULATION AND I CAN'T WAIT TO TURN IN MY APPLICATION AND BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO GET THE PERMIT. [ LAUGHTER ] JONATHAN, HAS THE CITY TALKED ABOUT HOW IT WILL ENFORCE THESE NEW RULES? NO. WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO IS, THINK WHAT THEY SAID ON PAPER, HE DIDN'T TELL ME THIS -- IT'S JUST WHAT I READ -- THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERBAL WARNING AND ISSUE A CITATION. THEN, THEY LEFT SOMETHING AMBIGUOUS, AS TO THOSE WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO BE REPEAT OFFENDERS OR JUST DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO ANY OF THE WARNINGS OR CITATIONS. THEY WILL THEN BE ESCORTED OFF, OR SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS THAN THAT -- I DON'T KNOW -- IT WAS AMBIGUOUS WHAT CONSTITUTES A REPEAT OFFENDER. THINK WHAT THEY ARE DOING ON THIS FIRST SEASON IS TO SEE HOW IT WORKS. AND, SEE WHAT AREAS NEED IMPROVEMENT, WHAT AREAS DON'T NEED CHANGING AND GO FROM THERE. DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE WAS TOO MUCH CONTROVERSY AT LAST NIGHT CITY COUNCIL MADE ABOUT -- COUNCIL MEETING, BUT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO THINK THE BEACHES PUBLIC SPACE AND SHOULDN'T BE REGULATED EVEN THOUGH IT'S REGULATED AND MOST OTHER COMMUNITIES UP AND DOWN THE SAN DIEGO COASTLINE. WHAT DO YOU SAY, JONATHAN, TO PEOPLE WHO SAY -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BEACH. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A BUCK OR TWO AND HAVE A YOGA CLASS WHEN WE WANT TO HAVE ONE. RINSES, THESE ARE TARGETING FOR -- THE DIFFERENCES, THESE ARE TARGETING FOR-PROFIT. I LOVE THE IDEA OF FITNESS ON THE BEACH. IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY AND WE SUPPORT LOCAL. PART OF THE PROCESS WAS JUST LIKE WHAT HEATHER SAID IT WAS ABOUT, PROTECT THING LOCAL BUSINESSES -- PROTECTING LOCAL BUSINESSES, AS WELL. I'VE BEEN INUNDATED WITH PHONE CALLS, LETTER THAT MY DOOR. THIS KIND OF COMMENT HERE OR THERE IS THIS WHOLE PROCESS STARTED. I NEVER MEANT TO BE THE FACE OF THIS. I JUST SAID, FAIR IS FAIR. IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE ME DO THIS, YOU CAN'T HAVE ALL THIS. YOU'VE BEEN HURTING BUSINESSES HERE PAYING TAXES AND THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING ANYTHING. ON TOP OF THAT, WHAT GOT THE BALL ROLLING FOR THE 80 WHAT THE CITY IS NOT PROTECT DID. THESE PEOPLE COME IN TO MAKE A PROFIT. IF ANYONE GET HURT, WILL THEY GO AFTER? THE CITY. THAT MEANS THE TAXPAYERS -- OF OCEANSIDE. IT WAS JUST -- IT WAS ONE OF THOSE TYPE OF WAKE-UP CALLS. LOOK, HOW MANY BUSINESSES THERE ARE? IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME THE STORE -- BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR WHAT EVER HAPPENED, THAT THE CITY THERE'S GETTING SUED. DONIPHAN, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THIS WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME, I AGREE WITH YOU. I'VE BEEN DIGGING WITH JONATHAN GRAYS, OWNER OF BAJA BODY JIM IN OCEANSIDE AND HEATHER IS CAMERON WHO OWNS CAMERON FITNESS. THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU.

The Oceanside City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to require people who use the city's parks and beaches to make money — like the folks who offer surfing lessons or yoga classes in those idyllic locations — to pay for a city permit to operate there.

City consultant Peter Weiss said before the meeting that Oceanside is one of the few coastal cities that does not require permits for this type of activity.

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“Because we don’t have a process, we’re seeing more increased public use of our public parks and beaches," Weiss said. "We just want to make sure the people who are trying to use the parks and the beach and the amphitheater for personal use still have access to it.”

The ordinance will require surf camps, fitness instructors and other commercial operations that use the city beaches and parks to obtain a $175 annual special permit and carry insurance. Participants in their activities also will have to sign city liability waivers.

A fitness group works out at Oceanside Pier, summer 2012
Promise Yee
A fitness group works out at Oceanside Pier, summer 2012

Weiss said the regulations put restrictions on the number of surf camps allowed at city beaches.

Denny Cooper of Surf Camps USA asked that two camps be allowed at the Oceanside Harbor beach, and the council agreed to work with groups using parks and beaches.

Weiss said the rules are minimally restrictive and will be evaluated at the end of the summer.

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Other North County cities and state parks have varying regulations for group use, including requiring groups to go through a request-for-proposal process or obtain a special operations permit, similar to Oceanside’s proposal.

Corrected: March 28, 2024 at 3:47 PM PDT
Promise Yee is a North County freelance writer. Contact her at promise805@hotmail.com. Twitter: @promisenews. Facebook: promise.yee.1.