DEL MAR, Calif. — A group of longtime Del Mar residents are fired up against a fence at the railroad tracks that could impact their beach access and view.
"They want to decapitate that entire bluff down to track level. That is a travesty. They want to turn Del Mar into an industrial zone,” said Del Mar resident John Stahl.
Some are upset that plans from the North County Transit District to add fencing along the Del Mar Bluffs are moving forward for safety reasons.
"We need to respect it and take care of it and not pump 2,000 holes and 800,000 pounds of concrete into it. It's already fragile,” said Bobby Polarek, who is against the fencing.
Several longtime Del Mar residents stood strong holding up "Don't Fence Us Out" signs saying a fence will drastically impact tourism.
"That's a lot of money. That is going to block a lot of tourism here. Fences don't boost tourism right?" said environmental activist Sunshine Carr.
Since the mid-1990s, the North County Transit District says it and the City of Del Mar have had ongoing discussions about railroad trespassing and the need to create safe and legal access along the railway on the Del Mar bluffs. They report four people have died there since 2016. Still locals love to cross the tracks.
"A lot of ppl use this access for a quick way to go down to 11th St. to go surfing. I see all my high school friends,” Carr said.
The neighbors say the tracks have been a prime pathway since the late 1800s.
"People have been crossing the tracks here every day for over 100 years,” said Al Tarkington, who has lived in Del Mar since 1970 and in the same house since 1978.
The group of neighbors created their own website in an effort to stop the fencing project.
In a Statement, the North County Transit District writes:
"NCTD continues to work with the City of Del Mar and the California Coastal Commission on developing a solution for the railway along the Del Mar bluffs that promotes rail safety, ensures reliability, and provides safe access," says Colleen Windsor of NCTD.
"I think a quick fix is a cheap shot. There needs to be real solution like safe crosswalks, education, public service announcements and more signs,” Carr says.
Carr says she's lived in Del Mar all her life and says the bluff area is too sacred to be fenced in.
"We have a voice, you know it's not just some airy fairy hippie dippy thing, this is reality,” Carr said.
Despite safety risks, residents want the area to remain the way it is.
“This is not going to last forever, we really need to preserve it,” Carr said.
The North County Transit District lists fencing drafts are already underway, an agreement is to be reached with NCTD, the Coastal Commission, and the City of Del Mar by the end of the year, and by Summer 2022, refined concepts and final presentations are expected to be completed.
Watch Related: SANDAG, NCTD Get $10.5M grant from state to reinforce Del Mar Bluffs (March 2021)