Supervisor’s roadmap for Moss Beach Park

The future of Moss Beach Park was the topic of Wednesday’s (9/4/13) Town Hall meeting at Farallone View School in Montara, hosted by volunteers of Friends of Moss Beach Park.  A full house listened and applauded as Supervisor Don Horsley assured the crowd of his commitment to update County policy to enable the County to own and maintain local “pocket” parks, starting with Moss Beach Park. 

Supervisor Horsley laid out the series of steps necessary for the County to acquire the park in perpetuity, with fine-tuning of some details still to be worked out.  The tax auction buyer has been notified that the sale will be canceled and his money refunded.  The park will initially be returned to its previous owner, Coastside Preservation & Recreation – with some fresh faces on that Board.  Ample offers of private donations have been received to pay off the $8,000 property tax bill, though the entity to whom to make those donations has yet to be worked out.  County Parks policy changes and the transfer of Moss Beach Park to the County are expected to take place by year-end. 

Q&A with the audience followed:  The County will cover liability insurance, make any needed safety upgrades, and move forward with the restroom installation.  Community input will be sought via the "Friends of" group, MCC, etc. for any upgrades and changes to the park, such as the asphalt area for basketball.  The local Cub Scout group who has been maintaining the park asked to be allowed to continue their service.  County Parks’ staff would open, close and clean the restroom on their daily rounds through the Coastside. 

The suggestion that Montara Water & Sanitary District acquire the park struck a seemingly deep controversial note in the audience, at which point the Supervisor cut off that discussion, saying he wanted to take one step at a time, that the County was in a position to move quickly to save the park, and that if some other local arrangement were proposed in the future, it could be considered at that time.

UPDATE:  9/4/13 Town Hall meeting video courtesy of Montara Fog

Supervisor Don Horsley on Moss Beach Park

Dear Midcoast Residents, 

Your passionate testimony at the Midcoast Community Council meeting, the phone calls to my office, and the dozens of emails I have read this week, have made one thing very clear- we need to save Moss Beach Park. For the past week, my office has been working diligently with County Counsel and the Tax Collector’s Office to determine what we can do to fix this problem.  After reviewing the details of what led to the sale and the conditions of the sale we have determined that the County has the legal standing to cancel the sale and return the land and park to its previous owner. 

During a meeting I held with the Tax Collector’s Office and County Counsel this morning, the Tax Collector’s Office agreed to cancel the sale provided that the outstanding property tax, amounting to $8,035.79, is paid in full by September 16.  With just over two weeks to collect these funds, it may be tight but I know that together we can do it.

On Wednesday, September 4 at 7:00PM there will be a town hall meeting at the Farallone View Elementary School to discuss the Moss Beach Park.  I am looking forward to attending this meeting, speaking with the community about the future of the Moss Beach Park, and discussing how to raise the funds needed to pay the outstanding property tax bill.  Together, we can preserve this vital community asset.  Thank you for all of your help and involvement in this matter and I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday night. 

Sincerely,
Don

UPDATE 8/31/13:  The Shenkman family, owners of Sam’s Chowder House, have offered to pay the entire $8,000 property tax bill for Moss Beach Park.

UPDATE 9/4/13:  Bill Hill, treasurer of Moss Beach Park non-profit, explains what happened to park funds and why property taxes weren’t paid.

Moss Beach Park sold at auction

Open letter from Neil Merrilees, Midcoast resident and San Mateo County Parks Commissioner, discusses what happened and what might still be done to save the park.

UPDATES:  

  • Story in the HMB Review: 8/27, 8/29

  • Online petition

  • Impassioned public comment during first hour of 8/28 MCC meeting: view on Local Access PCT, cable channel 27 at 8pm on 8/29, or 10am on 8/30.

  • MCC 8/29 email to Board of Supervisors.

Community volunteer research taking shape:

  • 1975 deed includes covenant running with the property for park, recreation and community service purposes open to the general public forever.

  • Online auction included wrong photo of property.

  • Terms of Sale for online auction.  

HMB Review reports on County Counsel’s research to determine if the sale could be reversed.

Supervisor Dave Pine replies to MCC email:  "County counsel and others are working hard to find a way save the park.  It is also important that we review and revise our processes for selling property due to tax delinquencies to be sure this sort of inadvertent land transfer does not occur in the future."

MCC Meeting August 28, 7pm

Regular Agenda:

Consent Agenda: 8/14/13 MCC Minutes -- 8/28/13 Treasurer's Report --
Letter to Harbor Commission with attachment
Letter to Coastside Fire Protection District

Location: Granada Sanitary District (GSD) meeting room,
504 Ave Alhambra, third Floor, El Granada.

UPDATE:  
Urgency item: Moss Beach Park - email to Board of Supervisors
8/28/13  MINUTES  --  VIDEO #1, #2

Photo courtesy of HMB Review:

Devil’s Slide Trail Project Meeting Aug 29

San Mateo County Parks & Recreation Commission will hold a Special Meeting to consider 90% project plans for the Devil’s Slide Trail Project.  At this public meeting, the Commission will hear a presentation and receive public comment on the plans.  The Commission will make recommendations on the project plans to the Board of Supervisors.

Thursday, August 29, 2013,  7:00 – 9:00pm
Cypress Meadows, 343 Cypress Ave, Moss Beach

The project involves conversion of the former roadway into a segment of the California Coastal Trail. Project includes roadway surfacing, signage, accessibility improvements, habitat protection and overlooks. The 90% project plans include revisions based on public comments and staff review. View plans and staff report here. Submit email questions or comments here.