The Loma Prietan
May/June 2003
What's Happening on the Coastside?
by Cordell Koland
First, the good news:
Coastal Trail
The City of Half Moon Bay will soon begin construction on three undeveloped sections of the existing Coastal Trail, which runs the five-mile length of Half Moon Bay through and adjacent to Half Moon Bay State Beach. The trail is a popular recreational destination that overlooks a scenic section of coast, most of which has remained undeveloped despite the growth trend on the Coastside. The trail can be used for walking, running, cycling, and in-line skating.
Railroad right-of-way
The City of Half Moon Bay has also announced that it has completed the purchase of a large section of the long-abandoned Ocean Shore Railroad right-of-way, which is of particular historical and scenic value. Funds were made available through a grant from the State of California and from individual contributions raised by the Half Moon Bay Open Space Trust. The section in question runs roughly parallel to the ocean and lies south of Kelly Avenue and the Francis Beach section of Half Moon Bay State Beach, a popular year-round camping and recreational area. Although no plan has been officially discussed, there is much interest in creating a trail that would run parallel to the Coastal Trail.
Pacific Ridge
In a surprise November decision, a San Mateo County Superior Court judge upheld a previous decision of the Coastal Commission and rendered a serious blow to the Pacific Ridge development, which lies east of Highway 1, just north of Highway 92 in Half Moon Bay. The development was slated for 126 homes and would have added greatly to the enormous traffic problem north of Highway 92. The decision requires the developer to purchase development rights to 126 equally sized lots on the Coastside. This creates an economic burden for the developer estimated to run around $4 million.
This is a very important decision with statewide impact on the commission's mitigation powers. Just prior to the decision, a majority of commissioners had actually decided to give up on the lawsuit but failed to execute a surrender settlement before the judge rendered his rulings. By such a slender thread did we prevail.
And now the bad news:
Monsters on the San Mateo Coast
No, we're not talking about Godzilla or King Kong, but huge houses that are proposed for coastal San Mateo County south of Half Moon Bay. For those who love the coast, there are few more precious areas than the 50-mile stretch of coast between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. It includes a rare combination of scenic vistas, coastal agriculture, and open space, punctuated by a few rural buildings and the beautiful Pigeon Point Lighthouse. The development of very large homes, which would be out of place in this landscape, is a major threat.
A recent and lamentable trend has been the
proposed building of huge, visible houses on agricultural land. Not only
will these MacMansions eclipse the scenic wonders of the area, but they
also may jeopardize agriculture. If coastal land is priced for mansions,
it becomes economically out of reach for farmers to purchase. The San
Mateo County land use plan for the coast was established to protect
agriculture and open space, but it is under fire. We need an ordinance
that has clear and well defined size limits to keep new buildings in
line with the character, resources, and infrastructure of the rural San
Mateo Coast.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Write the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and ask that they establish limits on coastal house sizes in this area, as there are in every other county zoning district. Write to the supervisors at:
County Government Center
Hall of Justice & Records
400 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063
Attend the Great Coastal Places meeting from 7:00 - 9:00 pm on Monday, May 5, at the
Miramar Lodge, 2930 N. Cabrillo Hwy., Half Moon Bay.
RSVP 415/665-7008 or email savethecoast@sierraclub.org