NAC Alert - California Parks Forward Meetings

As the Naturist Action Committees Alert posted below states it's important for ALL NATURISTS to step up and make your voice heard whether you live in California or not. If you live in the area of one of these meetings please consider attending and expressing your support for implementing clothing-optional use of our beaches and parks in person. If you can't attend, please take the time to write a letter, fax, or e-mail in support.
Thanks!
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NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
ACTION ALERT
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https://www.naturistaction.org
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Copyright 2013 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE: October 1, 2013
SUBJECT: California
TO: Naturists and other concerned citizens
Dear Naturist,
This is an Action Alert from the Naturist Action Committee. NAC is asking for your immediate involvement to support an effort to have the State of California create officially designated areas for clothing-optional recreation in state parks.
ACTION SUMMARY
1. Attend a public workshop of the California Parks Forward Commission and make public comments supporting accommodation for the responsible clothing-optional use of California State Parks.
2. Contact the Commission in writing to express your opinion.
BRIEFLY: CALIFORNIA PARKS FORWARD INITIATIVE AND COMMISSION
Brought into being largely as a response to last years scandal involving the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), the Parks Forward initiative is a privately funded program that presumes the cooperation of (and perhaps, ultimately, some degree of funding from) the governmental units it seeks to redirect. Those advancing the effort see Parks Forward as fulfilling mandates of Assembly Bill 1478 and Assembly Bill 1589 from the 2012 state legislative session.
Although Parks Forward claims to be independent from other entities, it owes its existence to a memorandum of understanding between and among the California Natural Resources Agency, the California Parks and Recreation Department and Resources Legacy Fund (RLF). RLF is a nonprofit organization that is arranging private funding for Parks Forward, at least in the beginning stages.
The initiative is led by a Parks Forward Commission, the members of which are appointed by the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency. The Commission met for the first time just last month and has taken its workshops on the road. Each workshop presentation has an opportunity for public comment.
ACTION 1: ATTEND ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING WORKSHOPS
NAC encourages you to make time to attend a Parks Forward workshop.
SAN RAFAEL -- Wednesday, October 2, 3:00-7:00 PM
Embassy Suites
101 McInnis Parkway
San Rafael, CA 94903
AUBURN -- Thursday, October 3, 1:00-5:00 PM
Holiday Inn Auburn
120 Grass Valley Hwy
Auburn, CA 95603
SAN DIEGO -- Monday, October 14, 3:00-7:00 PM
The San Diego Center for Civic Engagement
Deborah Hoffman Room
2508 Historic Decatur Rd, Ste 200
San Diego, CA 92106
ONTARIO -- Tuesday, October 15, 3:00-7:00 PM
Doubletree Ontario Airport
Lake Arrow Ballroom
222 North Vineyard Ave
Ontario, CA 91764
ORANGE COUNTY -- Wednesday, October 16, 3:00-7:00 PM
Crowne Plaza Anaheim
Mazatlan A Room
12021 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92840
LOS ANGELES -- Thursday, October 17, 3:00-7:00 PM
Radisson at USC
Grand Ballroom Center
3540 S. Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Each workshop is presented in segments. Youll have brief opportunities to comment. Heres where you point out that the inclusion and diversity suggested by the program will be well implemented through routine accommodation of clothing-optional recreation.
ACTION 2: WRITE TO THE COMMISSION
If youre unable to attend any of the workshops, you can still help. NAC asks that you write to the Commission. Leave your comments on the web site of the Parks Forward Commission. https://parksforward.com/questions
Those who will be at the workshops are also encouraged to write.
WHO SHOULD WRITE?
NAC is requesting ALL NATURISTS and other concerned individuals to contact the Parks Forward Commission on this important matter, regardless of your place of residence. California understands the importance of out-of-state visitors who come to enjoy the states beaches, lakes and streams. The opportunity to provide diverse recreational opportunities applies to those visitors, as well as to California residents. While all are encouraged to make their voices heard, the participation of Californians is, of course, particularly important.
Send a letter, a fax or an e-mail. Phone calls will likely be ineffective in this specific context.
California State Department of Parks & Recreation
P.O. Box 942896
Sacramento, CA 94296
E-MAIL: director@parks.ca.gov
Send a copy to:
California Department of Natural Resources
Natural Resources Agency
1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1311
Sacramento, CA 95814
FAX: (916) 653-8102
E-MAIL: secretary@resources.ca.gov
NAC encourages you to send copies of your faxes and paper mail to:
NAC, PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903.
Send copies of your e-mails to: CA@naturistaction.org
WHAT SHOULD YOU SAY?
When you speak or write:
a) Be polite.
b) Be known. Give your name and address. If you are a California resident or a frequent visitor to California, be sure to point that out. Anonymous letters have very little impact.
c) Be focused. Keep your correspondence brief and on target.
d) Be positive. Remember that were trying to ENCOURAGE this independent commission to do something.
e) Be clear. Say that you SUPPORT the designation of clothing-optional areas in units of the State Park System.
f) Be sure to make a request that your correspondence (letter, fax, e-mail) be included in the permanent public record of the Parks Forward Commission.
Additional talking / writing points:
1) Clothing-optional recreation is a diverse use thats well supported by the public, yet recent Parks Department policy against clothing-optional recreation is completely out of sync with public sentiment and the expressed preferences of California residents. A public opinion survey on this topic was commissioned in 2009 by the Naturist Education Foundation and was conducted by the prestigious polling firm of Zogby International. In that statewide poll:
79 percent of Californians believe people should be allowed to enjoy nude sunbathing on a beach or other location that is designated for that purpose.
60 percent of Californians say that they are not offended by the nonsexual nudity of others.
62 percent of Californians agree that the California Department of Parks and Recreation should exercise the legal authority it presently has to designate clothing-optional areas in state parks.
View details of the 2009 NEF California Poll:
www.naturisteducation.org/nef.ca.poll.2009/
2) On March 25, 2013, a state oversight agency, the Little Hoover Commission, issued a comprehensive review of the California State Park system. Among other conclusions, the report says that DPR lacks the flexibility to be responsive to the diversity of its users and supporters. We must encourage the Commission to respond positively to the deficiencies identified by the report.
3) Our focus is not exclusively on San Onofre State Beach or any other individual park. Although San Onofre was the first State Park unit at which DPR killed its policy for managing clothing-optional recreation, it has not been the last. Ticketing for mere nudity in State Park units has spread throughout the entire state of California.
4) A positive response from California Parks for those who seek clothing-optional recreation does NOT require a new legislative solution. Title 14, Section 4322 of California Code of Regulations already gives DPR the power and authority to set aside areas for clothing-optional use. To accommodate diversity and accomplish inclusion California Parks must do what it is already allowed to do TODAY.
MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Action Alert on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee.
www.naturistaction.org
Select "Alerts" and find this NAC Action Alert under Current Alerts, or use this convenient shortcut: www.naturistaction.org/caparks Among the material on the NAC site, youll find:
details of the 2009 NEF California Poll
the complete text of the Little Hoover Report
the complete texts of CA 2012 AB 1478 and AB 1589
the complete text of the Parks Forward memorandum of understanding
a typical Parks Forward workshop agenda
PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!
The Naturist Action Committee is the volunteer nonprofit political adjunct to The Naturist Society. NAC exists to advance and protect the rights and interests of naturists throughout North America. Fighting for the clothing-optional recreational use of public land is expensive. To do its job, NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you.
After you've made your plans to attend a Parks Forward workshop and/or contacted the officials at the Commission and the Natural Resources Agency, please take a moment to send a donation to:
NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: www.naturistaction.org/donate/
Thank you for choosing to make a difference!
Naturally,
Bob Morton
Executive Director
Naturist Action Committee
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Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Dir. Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Allen Baylis - rab@baylislaw.com
Board Member Charles Harris - carlopianoforte@gmail.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
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