Coastal Commission Approves San Clemente Beach Armoring
The California Coastal Commission unanimously approved a permit to place riprap and sand along San Clemente's coast to protect a rail line.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Surfing
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The California Coastal Commission voted 11-0 to approve a permit allowing the Orange County Transportation Authority to place about 50,000 tons of riprap along San Clemente's coast over 10-15 years. The permit also includes 690,000 cubic yards of sand for beach nourishment and a seawall protecting part of the railroad.
Why it matters
The LOSSAN Rail Corridor has been vulnerable to coastal hazards since 2021, and the permit is intended to protect it from storms, sea level rise and climate change. Parts of San Clemente's beaches have narrowed from 200 feet to 80 feet over the past decade, a trend the project's effects on beach width will continue to test.
The permit authorizes about 50,000 tons of riprap over 10-15 years and 690,000 cubic yards of sand for nourishment. The project depends on $305 million in state and federal grant funding that has not yet been secured.
The players
California Coastal Commission
The state agency that regulates land use and development along California's coastline and approved the permit.
Orange County Transportation Authority
The regional transit agency that operates the rail corridor and will place the riprap and sand under the permit.
Southern California Regional Rail Authority
The agency that operates regional commuter rail in Southern California and has received similar Coastal Commission permits since 2021.
The details
The commission voted unanimously at a meeting in San Francisco to approve the permit, which allows OCTA to retain and place riprap to keep the rail line from slipping into the ocean. The amended permit requires a beach width assessment within five years of the project.
Timeline
Since 2021: The rail line became increasingly vulnerable to coastal hazards.
Past decade: Parts of San Clemente's beaches narrowed from 200 feet to 80 feet.
Thursday: The commission voted to approve the beach armoring project.
Next 10-15 years: OCTA places riprap along the coast.
Within five years of the project: A beach width assessment is required under the amended permit.
Surfing Landscape
Under the California Coastal Act, the commission has issued 15 track stabilization permits to OCTA and the Southern California Regional Rail Authority since 2021, a pattern this San Clemente permit extends. Local surfers and beachgoers have argued that riprap erodes the beaches that surf breaks depend on.
Beachgoers and surfers in San Clemente may see sand and rock placement on the coast over the coming years as riprap is installed. The permit's beach width assessment within five years will determine how much sandy beach remains for public use.
The takeaway
Shoreline protection for infrastructure can reshape the beaches that residents and surfers use, so the promised beach width assessment will be the key measure of whether the project preserves public access.
What happens next
OCTA will begin placing riprap along the coast under the permit, and a beach width assessment is required within five years of the project.
Further reading
Explore more on the surfing scene and the coastline that shapes it.
Live Poll
Should your community accept losing beach space to protect public infrastructure from erosion?
