Surfer’s Beach Shoreline Protection Project: Community Meeting Feb 26

Community Meeting hosted by Supervisor Horsley, Thurs, Feb 26, 7PM
GCSD meeting room, 504 Ave Alhambra, 3rd floor, El Granada

Permit application is ready to submit to the Coastal Commission to protect the highway at the eroded section at Surfers’ Beach, with goal for construction summer 2015.  Project elements include rock armoring, Coastal Trail connection, and a stairway to the beach. Press release.
Slide Presentation - Meeting Video - Surfers’ Beach page

7th St Coastal Access at Planning Commission Feb 25

SMC Planning Commission Feb 25 Agenda includes two fence permit applications which would allow a private property owner to continue to fence off a portion of the coastal end of 7th St in Montara for his private use, albeit a smaller area with less obtrusive fencing than before. See Montara Coastal Access page for more background on this issue. Online petition has 400+ signatures, including many personal comments.

PLN2014-00302 (Public Works Dept) would remove a large portion of the existing 6-ft+ wall across the end of 7th St, but would allow some of the encroaching "fence" to remain in the right-of-way, blocking public access and views, for the private benefit of the neighboring property owner.  MCC comments - CCC staff comments - Planning Commission staff report

PLN2015-00020 (Westerfield) would allow a new private fence within the public right-of-way in order to add 300 sq.ft. of coastal bluff to the neighboring property owner's front yard.  MCC comments - CCC staff comments - Planning Commission staff report - modified fence plan

Additional comments/images on both permits

UPDATE:  On 2/25/15 the Planning Commission unanimously approved both permits with the following modifications: bollards instead of guardrail, and the remaining 10.5-ft of old fence encroachment replaced with 4-ft-high wire mesh to match the new fence.  Wide community opposition to private encroachments in public rights-of-way accessing the coast fell on universally deaf ears among County staff and Planning Commissioners.

UPDATE 3/12/15:  New encroaching fence PLN2015-00020 appealed to Board of Supervisors by Montara resident.

UPDATE: April 28 appeal hearing was continued at request of Supervisor Horsley to pursue a proposed compromise on placement of new encroaching fence.  Comments from public: Lisa Ketcham - slides;  Dave Olson

Big Wave Project appealed to County Supervisors

A group appeal of the Big Wave Project to the Board of Supervisors was filed today.  The Appellant organizations are Committee for Green Foothills, Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, San Mateo Chapter of Surfrider Foundation, and the Pillar Ridge Homeowners Association.

The Appellant organizations would like to see whether any of the issues listed as basis for the appeal can be resolved at the County level before the project comes before the Board of Supervisors.  The process would include the Applicants, Appellants, County Planning staff, and Coastal Commission staff (if they are able to come).  It is hoped that Supervisor Horsley would be wiling to convene this group.  This has worked well in the past with some other contentious development projects, and could work for Big Wave.

MCC Meeting January 28, 7pm

Montara Coast 7th St. fence removal/guardrails:
Planning App -- MCC comments --  images

Montara Coast new 7th St. fence encroachment:
Planning App, MCC comments

Pillar Point RV Park: MCC letter -- images

Consent Agenda: Minutes for 1/12/15 and 1/17/15
MCC Policies & Procedures 1/28/15 Update

Location: GCSD meeting room, 504 Ave Alhambra, 3rd floor, El Granada

UPDATE:  1/28/15 meeting Video -- Minutes
Coastal Commission staff comments on 7th St fence permit applications: removal/guardrails -- new fence encroachment