North County Report: A Closer Look at New San Onofre Beach Lease Agreement

By now, all of you San Onofre State Beach lovers have heard that its beloved beaches, campgrounds and trails will continue to be open to the public for at least another 25 years. 

State officials recently celebrated the signing of a lease agreement between the California parks department and the U.S. military for continued public access of San Onofre State Beach. 

The parties officially signed the agreement last August, prompting a collective sigh of relief from the millions of people who frequent the beloved coastal area each year. 

San Onofre is part of Camp Pendleton, which is a military base owned by the U.S. Marine Corps, a component of the U.S. Navy. For the past 53 years the military has leased part of San Onofre to the California Department of Parks and Recreation for $1. Talk about a bargain. 

Some elements of the new lease are still in “active negotiation,” according to Capt. James Sartain, operations officer for Camp Pendleton. 

I got my hands on a copy of the new lease. It mentions in-kind contributions like an energy storage facility, military training access and more. 

The New Terms 

I previously reported that rent for San Onofre State Beach was expected to go way up, and it did.  

That’s because of a federal law that dates back to the 1970s requiring military land to be leased for an amount that is not less than the property’s fair market value. Only the Secretary of the Navy has the authority to deviate from that fair market price, the law states. A Navy policy enacted in 2013 also has similar requirements.   

The new agreement requires the State Parks Department to pay the military $3.2 million a year for 25 years. It also requires payment of “arrears rent,” or overdue rent, in the amount of $9.6 million. That’s a total of $89.6 million for the full term of the lease. 

Fortunately, the military is allowing the State Parks Department to provide in-kind contributions instead of paying cash. In-kind contributions are contributions of goods or services, instead of monetary contributions. 

Energy Infrastructure Projects: The agreement requires the State Parks Department to provide “government-approved and state-funded energy infrastructure projects to [Camp Pendleton], other Marine Corps activities and activities at San Onofre State Beach and Campground.” 

Mutually agreed upon projects will receive state funding from the California Energy Commission, or CEC, according to the agreement.  

The California Energy Commission announced one of these projects last December; a long-duration energy storage project at Camp Pendleton funded by a $42 million grant. 

“The project will provide electricity to the statewide grid and backup power to the base for up to 14 days during power outages,” according to a press release from the commission. “It will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing fossil fuel-powered back-up generation and demonstrate solutions that can be scaled and replicated to meet the state’s climate and clean energy goals.” 

The grant is part of the Long-Duration Energy Storage Program, which is funded by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s multi-billion-dollar plan to combat climate change. The project is the largest grant awarded under the program and is expected to be completed by summer 2027. 

Capt. Sartain, who represents Camp Pendleton, would not comment on the energy storage project, and instead reiterated that parts of the agreement are still being negotiated. 

Representatives for the State Parks Department did not respond to a request for comment about the project. 

Training Venues: The State Parks Department has agreed to provide four venues for military training on State Parks’ properties anywhere in the state. According to the agreement, training access will start four years into the lease and continue through the end of the lease. 

This term also requires that a Training Opportunities Working Group be established with representatives from the Marine Corps and the State Parks Department to select which State Parks they will use for training and to create a contract outlining the terms of the training access.  

Law Enforcement & Security Services: According to the agreement, the State Parks Department must also provide state law enforcement and security services for non-leased portions of San Onofre State Park and a large desert area near Twentynine Palms that doubles as an annual off-roading event and a Marine Corps training area. 

Lease Termination: Both the U.S. military and the State Parks Department can terminate the lease at any time with a year’s written notice. The only exception is if a national emergency is declared by the U.S. president or Congress that requires government use of the San Onofre property, the U.S. military can terminate the lease immediately and without notice. 

The government or U.S. military can also choose to sell or transfer the property with a year’s written notice. 

What Else I’m Working On 

You may remember a story I wrote last year about a family of five who was living in a family homeless shelter run by nonprofit Interfaith Community Services. 

José, Mercedes and their three children went from living in rental cars, U-Haul vans and motels to finally getting accepted into a shelter. 

Now, the family has found permanent housing. I’m working on a second story about the ups and downs they have endured to get here, and a special surprise they received to help make their new apartment feel like a home. 

In Other News 

• Some San Marcos residents are raising concerns about a proposed 150-bed substance use disorder treatment facility by Interfaith Community Services. Residents say it’s too close to several schools. (Coast News) 
• Nurses at Tri-City Medical Center recently held informational pickets, warning hospital officials of understaffing, workplace safety issues and stalled pay negotiations. (Coast News) 
• Oceanside’s City Council set beach restoration and homelessness as top priorities for the upcoming budget cycle. Both areas will get funding from a half-cent sales tax extension approved by voters last November. (Union-Tribune) 
• Five people were charged in connection with a suspected smuggling attempt that killed at least three migrants when a panga capsized off Del Mar. (Union-Tribune) 

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