MCC Meeting May 11, 2016

AGENDA for May 11, 2016, 7:00 PM at GCSD
              504 Ave Alhambra, 3rd floor, El Granada
Supporting documents:

Resource Conservation District (RCD) presentation - website

Cypress Roundabout Feasibility: MCC letter (approved) - MCC fund balance
     Roundabouts, a safer choice: FHWA
     Mar 2016 Sandis feasibility study for Big Wave
     2015 DKS for CTMP (roundabout & signal cost estimates)
     2014 Hexagon traffic study for Big Wave (Exec Summary)
     2011 Nelson-Nygaard roundabout for Hwy 1 Safety & Mobility Study

Consent agenda:   Minutes for April 13, 2016
Preservation of public ocean views from Highway 1 (continued to May 25).
Letter in support of coordinated effort to eradicate invasive
     jubata/pampas grass in the Midcoast. [Replies from NPS, GCSD]
Letter of support for Coastside Beach Shuttle grant application

UPDATE:  5/11/16 meeting Video - Minutes

La Costanera Coastal Act Violations Elevated to State Enforcement Level

Entrenched lack of code compliance by La Costanera restaurant seems to have halted their attempts to legalize unpermitted outdoor patios and daytime hours for the after-5pm “dinner house”.  Both these goals conflict with the original 1977 restaurant permit which depends on a shared public beach parking arrangement due to inadequate private parking for the capacity of the restaurant.

On April 25 the Coastal Commission issued a “Notice of Intent to Commence Cease and Desist Order and Administrative Civil Penalties Proceedings” against the property owner, Amidi Group, for long-standing and repeated violations of the coastal access provisions of the Coastal Act due to unpermitted development and non-compliance with the terms of their Coastal Development Permit. 

On April 26 the Board of Supervisors considered an appeal of the Planning Commission denial of Use Permit amendment to allow use of the patios. The Board chose to delay their decision for six months to see if the restaurant could address all outstanding violations (exterior paint and drainage issues) and not add any new ones during that time (no patio use or daytime events). HMB Review article - prior post

MCC Meeting Apr 13, 2016

Agenda for April 13, 2016, 7:00 PM at GCSD
              504 Ave Alhambra, 3rd floor, El Granada

Devil's Slide Ride handout.  Sister Cities presentation

Connect the Coastside (Comprehensive Transportation Management Plan):
MCC comments (approved) - presentation
Report - Appendices - background

Portola Trail Committee

Consent agenda:
Minutes for March 23, 2016
Comments to Board of Supervisors in support of Planning Commission denial of Use Permit amendment to legalize use of La Costanera restaurant outdoor patios (PLN2015-00297) - background

UPDATE:  4/13/16 meeting Video  --  Minutes 

Pilot Surfers' Beach Sand Replenishment Project

Although the Army Corps has not yet formally announced the results of their 2009-2015 analyses of methods to mitigate increased coastal erosion caused by Pillar Point Harbor east breakwater, it is clear they won’t be recommending a federally funded project due to inadequate cost/benefit ratio.  This table summarizes the design measures analyzed and conclusions of their 2015 Coastal Engineering Appendix. Their preferred alternative was to move 150,000 cubic yards of harbor dredged material to Surfers' Beach and southward to the Miramar revetment (figure).

In 2015 the Harbor District initiated a Pilot Surfers’ Beach Sand Replenishment Project as a reduced (half) scale of the Army Corps preferred alternative. The pilot project involves a one-time placement of 75,000 cubic yards of upland sand from inside the breakwater onto Surfers’ Beach above the mean high water line (80-140 ft width available) and thus not in the Marine Sanctuary. (slide presentation)

The District is seeking grant funding from CA Div of Boating & Waterways with the goal of construction in spring/summer 2017, over 4-6 weeks, then monitoring for two years. If the monitoring program finds that the project is effective and does not cause unacceptable environmental impacts, then a larger beach nourishment project would be pursued in the future. 

Current federal regulations do not allow placement of dredged material in the Marine Sanctuary, but their Management Plan is under review and updates are expected in 3-5 years that could allow for permitting larger-scale beach nourishment using a harbor dredge source (Marine Sanctuary letter of support and minutes of Beach Replenishment Committee meeting May 2015).

More info and documents about Surfers’ Beach Erosion here.