T he beloved cliffside benches are returning to Sunset Cliffs, ending a local quality-of-life furor that incensed walkers, joggers and sunset worshippers. Over the next few weeks, 15 ipe wood benches will be installed around Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, coinciding with the removal of existing guardrail benches that were condemned as hazardous last year. Some of the benches had already been removed in 2009 by city workers without notice or input from neighbors, triggering a wave of backlash. Some of the removed or condemned benches had been created at the hands of locals as impromptu memorials to lost family members, neighbors and friends. “We are hoping that these [new] benches will be around for a long time,” said Ann Swanson, who chairs the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council. “I am delighted that they are here and look forward to getting the rest of them installed.” District 2 City Councilman Kevin Faulconer hosted an “unveiling” of the first completed bench Sept. 24, flanked by city staff and community members. In his remarks, Faulconer applauded the local community for its help in creating safer, strategically-placed benches. “Local residents picked the design, the materials and all of the locations that are here throughout the beach area. They were designed for San Diegans by San Diegans,” Faulconer said. When locals take a seat on the benches, it will be because of the tireless work of the park’s council and the community over the past year. In addition to nine public workshops, discussion of the new benches dominated four straight Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council meetings from last September through November and prompted the creation of a special bench committee. “It’s exciting to be a part of the process,” Swanson said. “We worked well with the city and [City] Council office and it is just wonderful that it is now becoming a reality. A lot of people from the community participated in our bench committee.” Residents also walked Sunset Cliffs to pick out locations for the new benches. Kathleen Hasenauer, deputy director of the city’s Park and Recreation Department, said this was an integral aspect of the new bench process. “Sunset Cliffs Natural Park volunteers and Park and Recreation staff carefully considered the bench locations to take advantage of the scenic vistas, retain the view shed, afford opportunities to rest at appropriate distances and to have site furnishings that enhance the park setting,” Hasenauer said. The 15 new benches will be spread out across the park. Ten benches will be located at parking lots 1, 2, 3 and 4 and at 733 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. (two benches per site). Five more benches will have a home on Adair Street Kiosk, 1083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., 1024 Cordova St., 969 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. and 883 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. “These new benches are going to become a new tradition,” Faulconer said. The total cost of the new benches is about $45,000. Of that total, $17,000 came from donations, $20,000 from the District 2 infrastructure fund and $7,800 from other city funds. Condemned benches will be tagged with removal information once installation of the new-bench phase is completed. After the old benches are tagged — including those created by locals as memorials — individuals who installed them will have seven days to remove them. Following the seven-day period, city staff will remove the existing benches and take them to Rose Canyon Operations Yard, where they will be stored for 30 days unless claimed.