The City Council last month voted unanimously to accept grants totaling $47,897.33 from the Orange County Coastkeeper and the California Coastal Conservancy. The council authorized City Manager Patrick Gallegos to implement the contract. The money will be used to get beach access mats and beach wheelchairs.
This was a Consent Calendar item. Consent items are voted on collectively, without discussion, unless a council member pulls one or more items for further discussion. Nothing was pulled from this week’s consent calendar.
“In an effort to increase beach accessibility, the Marine Safety Department sought and successfully applied for two (2) grants to enhance access for individuals with mobility limitations,” wrote Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey in the staff report for the Feb. 23 meeting.
“The first grant award will fund the purchase and installation of new beach access mats at the1st Street beach area,” Bailey wrote.
“The City currently provides beach access mats at the 8th and 10th Street parking lot access points. These mats are heavily utilized whenever deployed, demonstrating a clear need for additional accessible entry locations,” Bailey wrote.
“The second grant award will fund the purchase of a powered track wheelchair. The Marine Safety Department currently maintains two (2) non-powered beach wheelchairs that require manual assistance to traverse the sand. These wheelchairs are used more than 100 days per year. The addition of a powered wheelchair will significantly improve independent access for beachgoers with disabilities,” Bailey wrote.
“Upon completion of the purchases and installation, the Marine Safety Department will host a Grand Opening event in Spring 2026 to highlight the improvements and acknowledge grant partners,” Bailey wrote.
“The project is expected to remain within the awarded amount,” Bailey wrote.
