One possible device that needs exploring is 

 financing land acquisition in advance of need 

 through discount bonds instead of conventional 

 interest-bearing bonds. With the discount bond, 

 interest accrues over the life of the bond and is 

 paid at maturity. A State or municipality issuing 

 the discount bond could thereby defer raismg the 

 tax rate to finance interest payments. Although we 

 know of no precedent for this kind of State-local 

 funding, some States and municipalities have 

 shown considerable ingenuity in working out 

 arrangements with private firms for plant construc- 

 tion, and there should be no great difficulty in 

 working out a discount bond arrangement. 



Constitutions or statutes of most States would 

 probably have to be amended to permit discount 

 bonds and, because of the lack of precedent, a 

 market would have to be cultivated. The Federal 

 Goverrunent might assist, at minimal cost to itself, 

 by insuring or guaranteeing such issues. 



B. Alternatives to Acquisition 



Although acquisition of land for outdoor recre- 

 ation and related purposes will continue to be 

 needed, it is often not necessary to buy all the 

 rights to open land in order for the public to enjoy 

 its benefits. Only the rights needed should be 

 purchased, such as the right of access, for example, 

 or development rights to protect a scenic vista. 



These less-than-full rights devices offer much 

 greater potential than has been realized. One of 

 the problems is that although the techniques are 

 known, few have had experience using them. 

 Demonstration projects and fuU reporting of case 

 histories are needed. Every recreation and open 

 space land acquisition program in the country is 

 being curtailed because of public fund limitations 

 for fuU-time acquisition. 



Zoning in the marine area is a means for 

 preserving opportunities for recreation without 

 undertaking the high costs of acquiring land. 

 However, zoning is a weak tool susceptible to 

 strong poUtical pressures in the absence of compre- 

 hensive plans for multiple use of large areas of 

 coastal lands and adjacent waters. The State 

 coastal zone authorities described in the Report of 

 the Panel on Management and Development of the 

 Coastal Zone provide a mechanism for developing 

 such comprehensive plans that can provide a 

 framework for zoning for recreation uses. 



Urban renewal in coastal and Great Lake cities 

 provides an opportunity torestore waterfronts and 

 frame their natural setting for aesthetic appeal. A 

 view of the ocean, a bay or estuary is an important 

 asset, as evidenced by the premium put on houses 

 and apartments with such a view. 



Many high-density parks estabUshed years ago 

 in or near metropoUtan areas can no longer be 

 used for swinuning or boating because of pollu- 

 tion. Upgrading of water quality will restore 

 intended uses of these areas. 



Another alternative to acquiring more land is 

 more intensive development of facilities on exist- 

 ing areas. More campsites, parking areas, and 

 picnic tables are needed in some recreation areas. 

 Care should be taken, however, to avoid destroy- 

 ing the natural assets of an area which attract 

 people in the first place. 



As noted in an earUer recommendation, the 

 potential for compatible outdoor recreation at 

 coastal National wildlife refuges and mihtary 

 reservations should be reviewed. 



Provision of adequate parking area for automo- 

 biles and trailers must go hand in hand with the 

 procurement of access for boating if large areas of 

 water are to be made available to the pubhc. 



The 1965 Oregon legislature action designating 

 the entire ocean shoreline public property as a 

 State recreation area, and the establishment of a 

 State seashore conservation area by the Washing- 

 ton legislature in 1967 are also cited as alternatives 

 to acquiring more land. 



Recommendation : 



Federal, State, and local governments should give 

 primary emphasis to acquiring access to the shores 

 for purposes of recreation. Zoning and other 

 regulatory methods tied to comprehensive plan- 

 ning developed by State coastal zone authorities 

 need to be employed vigorously. Steps short of 

 acquisition should be used to the extent feasible, 

 but when necessary, land should be acquired 

 through inventive financing arrangements that 

 recognize the need to move promptly. 



VIII. UNDERSEAS RECREATIONAL ACTIVI- 

 TIES AND THE NEED FOR SAFETY 

 MEASURES 



The rapid growth of recreation is creating 

 hazards in marine areas. This is attributable partly 



VII-250 



