Big Wave Hearing at Planning Commission Nov. 12

SMC Planning Commission will consider approval of development permits for the Big Wave North Parcel Alternative at a Public Hearing Wednesday, November 12, 2014, 5:00 PM, at El Granada Elementary School.

Agenda - Staff Report - EIR Addendum - [meeting video]

MCC regular meeting for November 12 is canceled. MCC will hold a special meeting Monday, November 10, at 5pm, to approve comments to the Planning Commission.

Major project revisions have been made since the County’s informational presentations and EIR Addendum last August.  With no reduction in square footage, the number of buildings has been reduced from 9 to 4 larger ones.  The Business Park is now proposed as 3 buildings, totaling 162,000 s/f, consisting of 108, ~1500 s/f business condominiums.  The Wellness Center, previously 70,500 s/f in 4 buildings plus a 27,000 s/f industrial/storage building for commercial lease income, now incorporates all of that in one 97,500 s/f building, with the public commercial uses on the ground floor in front and the entrance to the Wellness Center hidden away in the back by an indirect route around behind the Business Center.

The footprint of each building would fill an entire block in Princeton.

The parking lot is longer than the distance all the way across Princeton from the beach to the Stanford/Airport intersection.

Coastside Design Review Committee (CDRC) special meeting Monday, November 3 will consider these major design revisions.

Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Addendum was circulated for public comment during August. (MCC 8/27/14 comments)  

Comment to the Planning Commission can be emailed to: 
planning-commission@smcgov.org

For questions, contact Project Planner Camille Leung: CLeung@smcgov.org

UPDATES

11/4/14:  Coastside Design Review Committee, at their November 3 special meeting, voted 2-1 to recommend denial of the Design Review Permit. This is not a denial of the project as a whole, but a recommendation to the Planning Commission.

11/6/14: Final EIR Addendum (33MB) includes comments received, response to comments, and the October project re-design.

11/10/14:  MCC comments

11/12/14:  Planning Commission was presented with yet another project design at tonight's hearing (not the 4-building version in the staff report), with buildings divided again into 8. They decided to allow time for Design Review, MCC, Coastal Commission staff, and the public to see clear detailed and firm plans and weigh in before they consider a decision. They will consider the new plan at their January 14 meeting, which is the next available opportunity due to booked December meetings and the holidays. Large turnout tonight with many speakers on both sides of the issue.
Planning Commision Nov 12 meeting video

Public Reception for Coastal Commission Nov. 12

County of San Mateo will host a public reception for the California Coastal Commission during their November meeting being held in Princeton. 

Wednesday, November 12, 6:00 PM (or upon conclusion of the day’s agenda)
Half Moon Bay Yacht Club, 214 Princeton Ave, Princeton
Light Hors d’oeuvres, No Host Bar

This is a social event for the Commission and the public.  No lobbying, distribution of materials, signage, or other communication about Commission business should occur at the event.  Because space is limited, attendance will be allowed on a first come/first served basis. If you wish to attend or want more information, please call to RSVP at 650-363-4568.  

Harbor West Trail, 3-Year Emergency

The Harbor District claims a beach nourishment solution cannot be considered for Pillar Point Harbor’s eroded West Shoreline (Mavericks) Trail due to the urgency and lack of any concurrent dredging project.  The only good news is the Phase 1 project has been scaled back from 300 feet of armoring to the more limited culvert area.

The condition of the trail became urgent in 2011 when it was partially closed off at the eroded culvert.  There was no effort to get permits to repair the trail and protect the 300 feet of eroded shoreline in 2012 and 2013 while the Harbor District was obtaining urgency permits to do maintenance dredging of the boat launch ramps.  At CCC staff site visit in January 2012 for the dredging project, the West Trail was not visited or mentioned.  The only District proposal for dredge disposal was upland on Perched Beach which furthers their plans for bulkhead/fill/development for that area.

Launch ramp dredging didn’t need to be an urgency permit situation -- it has been a regular maintenance item since the 1990’s.  By leaving the easily foreseeable task until it became urgent, the District was able to coerce the permitting authority to give permission to dispose of the dredged material on Perched Beach. 

Even with that District goal accomplished in mid 2013, and full knowledge of how long and complex the permitting process is, the West Trail culvert permit application was not submitted till a year later, with the note that the project must proceed ASAP regardless of wet weather construction impacts this winter (that could so easily have been avoided with pro-active planning).

There is still hope for beach nourishment, instead of hard armoring, to protect and enhance the West Shoreline Trail, but the Harbor District needs to expedite Phase 2 planning and permitting before we face an expanded emergency.

Prior post (2013) with background on the trail and erosion.
8/28/14 Coastal Commission letter re incomplete permit application
10/7/14 reply by Harbor District's engineering firm.