erosion of the beach sand. This option would protect coastal resources while preserving park amenities by reconfiguring them. There is no evidence that the current protection measures currently in place have caused the erosion of beach sand at either Goleta Beach or any down coast beaches. The California Coastal Commission permits armoring in order to protect public access and recreational uses. This beach is visited by over 1.4 million visitors annually. Beach nourishment A third strategy is that of beach nourishment (a ‘soft’ approach). Nourishment consists of depositing sand on top of the beach in order to expand its width. This approach is not extremely expensive and is already being done at Goleta Beach. In addition to the direct transporting of sand to the beach, it would also be helpful if sediment built up in upriver basins (behind dams) be removed and placed slightly downstream to be naturally washed down to the ocean. The mouth of the slough should be kept open by periodic dredging as blockage causes eutrophication. The Northern Gold Coast Beach Protection Strategy is an example of a successful execution of this technique. Between 1992 and 1999, the Gold Coast City Council worked with experts on a proposed plan to stop beach erosion. Options originally considered included groynes, breakwaters, and others but the City Council finally chose to dredge sediment from the nearby Gold Coast Broadwater, pump it through large pipes, and deposit it along five kilometers of coast. In addition, they planned a near-shore artificial reef to protect the project. Between 1999 and 2000, the plan was carried out with 1.1 million cubic meters of sediment being transported from the Broadwater to the beach (Jackson, 2004). Further dredging of nearby areas provided sand that was used to fill large geotextile sandbags that were dropped nearshore to create the reef. Since then, the beach has been monitored with coastal imaging technology and has fared well. Due to the significant differences in the coastline and tidal conditions, this alternative may not be applicable at Goleta Beach. The area in dispute is currently fully armored with large boulders to the west of the restaurant building and has been so for a number of years. Another option on this project is to request the Coastal Commission to permit the existing rocks. There is no scientific evidence that the current protective measures have resulted in loss of sand to down coast