12 • 04 • 2023
Del Mar Balloon Ban
On December 4, 2023, the Del Mar City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to ban the sale, use, and distribution of all balloons filled with a gas lighter than air.
After successful campaigns to pass similar balloon ordinances in Encinitas and Solana Beach, Surfrider's San Diego County Chapter turned their focus on the neighboring City of Del Mar. The chapter's Rise Above Plastics committee worked with both the Del Mar Sustainability Advisory Committee and city staff in order to prioritize helium balloon restrictions. Thanks to a concerted volunteer effort and support from Del Mar's staff and City Council, the ordinance passed both its first and second readings without opposition. With Del Mar joining Encinitas and Solana Beach to phase out helium balloons, Surfrider San Diego has helped reduce balloon releases across 12 miles of San Diego's coastline. The chapter will continue to use these ordinances as models for other San Diego cities to follow.