The Loma Prietan
May/June 2004
Development Updates on the Half Moon Bay Coast
by Owen Bailey of the Sierra Club Great Coastal Places Campaign
Wavecrest Rears Its Head Again
The on-again off-again Wavecrest project, which is intended to build hundreds of houses and a school along Highway 1 south of Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County, looks to be slinking forward.
Starting about five years ago developers began pushing for houses, schools and more commercial retail space than previously existed in the entire town of Half Moon Bay, all sprawling southward along Highway 1 toward Santa Cruz.
The project has been considered and put off by the Coastal Commission on at least three prior occasions due to numerous undisclosed wetlands on the property, past efforts to illegally fill in wetlands, efforts to destroy a creek onsite, and the fact that the Wavecrest property is home to dozens of bird species and is the most important raptor over-wintering site in San Mateo County. Development of the site would fragment the habitat and drive away the hawks and owls living there.
Of note this time around: the commercial portion of the project has apparently been dropped. However, the project still lacks detailed drawings, raptor studies, wetlands analysis or even a project description. All the while, the developers are demanding a May 2004 Coastal Commission hearing on the undefined proposal. Wetlands enthusiasts continue to provide the Commission with hundreds of photos of creeks, ponds, and wetlands on areas now proposed for houses, roads, a school, a boys and girls club and new baseball fields. You can view these photos at wavecrest.sanmateo.org.
Pacific Ridge Project
The Half Moon Bay Review is reporting a breakthrough in negotiations involving the long running battle by Alianto Homes to construct the Pacific Ridge project above Terrace Avenue. Four years ago the Commission approved a 126-house project but required that for every new house built, the City of Half Moon Bay must retire at least one of the thousands of open buildable lots lying throughout the city.
The latest project, which will include 63 foothill homes, includes an agreement by the developer to pay the city $2.8 million dollars for a lot retirement program.
The California CoastWatcher is the Sierra Club's online monthly newsletter about what's happening along the coast. For the complete CoastWatcher inventory and for subscription information, check out www.sierraclub.org/ca/coasts/.
Would you like to join Sierra Club's Great Coastal Places Campaign? Interested in learning more about threats to the coast and opportunities for protection? Go to sierraclub.org/ca/coasts/.