Harbor Village RV Park on SMC Planning Commission agenda Wednesday, Dec. 11 @ 9AM

The proposed Harbor Village RV Park has been the subject of multiple MCC agenda items dating back to 2015 - background & comments.

Planning Commission Dec 11, 2019:  Agenda
RV Park staff report & Mitigated Negative Declaration

UPDATE 12/11/19: Planning Commission heeded the concerns of the community and voted 4-0 (1 absent) to continue the item until date uncertain so the applicant can address a list of issues.     Meeting video. 

UPDATE 12/9/20:  Planning Commission hearing 12/9/20, (Item 4).
The project has been revised to reduce from 50 down to 47 RV spaces and the laundry/restroom relocated outside the view corridor. Landscaping is redesigned with mostly native species in a more natural arrangement, and a split rail fence is set back from Capistrano Rd.  A Clear View Easement will set a 5-ft height restriction for structures and landscaping to preserve the remaining slice of ocean view from southbound Hwy 1, however space for landscape screening of the RVs from Capistrano Rd has not been provided outside of the Clear View Easement, and the height of the existing tower sign at the highway would remain unchanged. 

     The Planning Commission conditionally approved the project 3-2.   The applicant (as well as the two "no" votes on the Commission) objected to conditions added to the motion to reduce the height of the existing tower sign and make room for better landscape screening of the RVs which would result in a net reduction of RV spaces to 44.  The applicant plans to appeal the decision to the Board of Supervisors.  The project is also appealable to the Coastal Commission.

Harbor West Trail Living Shoreline Project Update

SMC Harbor District 11/20/19 meeting features a Progress Update on the West Trail Living Shoreline Project. This is Phase 2 of the effort to restore and protect trail access from erosion along a 300-ft segment of Pillar Point Harbor west shoreline leading out to Maverick’s beach.  

11/20/19, 6:30pm (agenda) 
504 Ave Alhambra, Suite 200, El Granada 

The West Trail was partially closed off due to erosion in 2011, until a partial repair was completed in 2016.  Then District plans for 300 ft of hard armoring met with resistance from Coastal Commission staff who prefer soft natural solutions. See: 

Case Studies of Natural Shoreline Infrastructure in Coastal California, and
Toward Natural Shoreline Infrastructure to Manage Coastal Change in California.

A related project for harbor dredge material is Surfers’ Beach Pilot Restoration Project with an update presentation planned for the Dec 18 Jan 15, 2020, Harbor District meeting.