Group pushes for Long Beach surfing plan

Dozens of Long Beach surfers packed the sixth floor of City Hall at Tuesday's council meeting to voice approval for a proposed summer surfing plan for the city's beaches.

Billy Kupferman, president of the Long Beach Surfer's Association, unveiled during a public hearing an update on last year's pilot program that outlines what beaches would be used for surfing and when.

The popularity of Long Beach surfing has exploded, Kupferman said, and the beaches have become dangerous as thousands of swimmers and hundreds of surfers of all skill levels hit the waves en masse.

"Summertime surfing has become more stressful than healthy or fun," Kupferman said.

In the plan, some stretches would be full-time surfing beaches, others would be open to surfers until noon, and other areas would be used largely for surf school. In the absence of swimmers and bathers, the plan lets lifeguards decide whether to allow surfing, but a yellow flag would signal surfers to exit the water. And this year, stretches of beach on the West End would rotate as surfing beaches during weekends.

Council members expressed approval of the plan but had questions and said they would need to work out the details in the coming months.

Council president Fran Adelson wanted to know roughly how many people who surf in Long Beach are residents, and wanted Kupferman's help in making sure that surfers are responsible for buying beach access passes.

"I want to make it very clear that we're not here looking to selfishly steal swimming space and give it to surfers," Kupferman said. "We love Long Beach as much as you do and don't want to take advantage."