Community Corner

Are Reservations for a Beachside Fire Ring in La Jolla a Good Idea?

The city of Encinitas may start to take reservations for fire pits at the beach; would you like to see the same system in La Jolla?

In La Jolla Shores, beachgoers camp out all day to hold one of the six fire rings for a beach bonfire. Would you be willing to pay a fee and make a reservation for one of the 185 fire pits in San Diego, like the city of Encinitas is proposing for its fire pits?

Encinitas may start taking reservations for a few of its popular beachside fire rings, where people sometimes arrive before sunrise to stake out the limited number of spots, it was reported Monday.

Under the proposal to be considered by the city council later this year, Encinitas residents would be charged $25, non-residents $75 and commercial event organizers $100 to book a beach fire ring with a picnic table or a table at nearby Cottonwood Creek Park for a day, U-T San Diego reported. Only two or three of the eight fire rings at Moonlight Beach would be up for grabs with advance reservations, city senior parks management analyst Michael Stauffer told the local paper.

The fire pits in San Diego have been endangered in years past. Private donations had kept them open for several years. In 2012, the city said it cost $120,000 to upkeep the fire pits annually.

Is this something you think would benefit users of the fire pits in La Jolla? Would you may $25 to reserve a space? Tell us in the comment section below.


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