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PRESS RELEASE. From the San Mateo County Harbor District regarding the California Coastal Commission’s unanimous approval of the Living Shoreline model.
On Friday, February 12, 2021, the California Coastal Commission unanimously approved the Coastal Development Permit for the long-awaited Pillar Point Harbor West Trail Living Shoreline Project. The project will restore the West Trail and provide a safe accessible trail to the Mavericks Beach Area, create new beach and dune habitat using an innovative living shoreline approach, and provide lasting protection against coastal erosion and sea level rise.
The West Trail is located along the western edge of Pillar Point Harbor in western San Mateo County, California. The Trail connects a pedestrian pathway from the West Point Avenue access and parking area to the Pillar Point outer harbor and Mavericks Beach.
The West Trail has experienced chronic coastal erosion, resulting in degradation of the Trail and creating hazardous conditions for trail users as well as limiting access for emergency response.
The project includes the stabilization of the West Trail and stormwater system improvements. To protect and stabilize the trail, the proposed project will include the construction of a nourished beach with an elevated dune adjacent to trail. Buried beneaththe surface of the shoreline and dune will be a cobble berm (otherwise known as a dynamic revetment) and two rock fingers extending perpendicularly from the trail. The stormwater improvements will address the aesthetics, function, and maintenance needs of the existing storm drain system as well as provide water quality improvements to the harbor.
“The Harbor District is extremely proud of the West Trail Living Shoreline Project. The planning process began more than six years ago, and through excellent public participation and superior engineers and consultants, a Living Shoreline with an improved, safe and accessible trail with emergency access to the outer Harbor and Mavericks Beach area will be completed by the end of the year. The Living Shoreline is a new and innovative approach to combat coastal erosion and sea level rise, and can serve as a proof of concept to be applied in other regions of the California Coast,” said Jim Pruett, General Manager of the San Mateo County Harbor District.
“The West Trail Living Shoreline Project is a very important project for the Harbor District, San Mateo County, and the State of California. The Harbor Board is very grateful for the public’s support and the collaborative work done by many stakeholders over the last six years, resulting in the Coastal Commission’s approval of our project’s coastal development permit to protect the West Trail Shoreline and provide the opportunity to learn how living shorelines can benefit the California coastline,” said Virginia Chang Kiraly, President of the San Mateo County Harbor District Board of Commissioners.
With the Development Permit being issued, it is expected the project will be completed in the Fall/Winter of 2021.
For further information, please contact Jim Pruett, General Manager of the San Mateo County Harbor District at [email protected] or (650) 583-4400.
More Coastside Buzz on the
Mavericks Trail (“West Trail”) Living Shoreline Design
More on
Pillar Point Harbor West Trail Living Shoreline Project
On Friday, February 12, 2021, the California Coastal Commission unanimously approved the Coastal Development Permit for the long-awaited Pillar Point Harbor West Trail Living Shoreline Project. The project will restore the West Trail and provide a safe accessible trail to the Mavericks Beach Area, create new beach and dune habitat using an innovative living shoreline approach, and provide lasting protection against coastal erosion and sea level rise. The full Press Release can be viewed by clicking the link at the bottom of this page.
The San Mateo County Harbor District (District) is the Lead Agency and has prepared an Initial Study (IS) with the intent to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the proposed Pillar Point West Trail Living Shoreline project (proposed project).
The proposed project is located along the western edge of Pillar Point Harbor (Harbor) in western San Mateo County, California. The Pillar Point West Trail (West Trail or trail) varies in width from 8 to 18 feet and connects a pedestrian pathway from the West Point Avenue access and parking area to the Pillar Point outer harbor and Mavericks Beach. The project area has experienced chronic coastal erosion, resulting in degradation of the existing Pillar Point Harbor West Trail and creating hazardous conditions for trail users. The erosion threatens the structural integrity of the trail for public and emergency vehicle use. In addition, because the trail is the only access point to Mavericks Beach and is a popular trail for visitors, permanent closure of the trail is not favored. The proposed project would include the stabilization of the West Trail and stormwater system improvements. To protect and stabilize the trail, the proposed project would include the construction of a nourished beach with an elevated dune adjacent to, and east of, 300 feet of the trail. Buried beneath the surface of the shoreline and dune would be a cobble berm (otherwise known as a dynamic revetment) and two rock fingers extending perpendicular from the trail. The stormwater improvements would address the aesthetics, function, and maintenance needs of the existing storm drain system as well as provide water quality improvements to the harbor. Work would start in fall/winter of 2020 and last approximately four months assuming a 6-day work week. Copies of the IS/MND can be downloaded from the following URL: https://www.smharbor.com/initial-study-notice-of-intent-to-adopt-a-mitigated-negative-declaration or can be viewed at the Pillar Point Harbor, Harbormaster Office at One Johnson Pier Road, El Granada, CA 94016 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday through Saturday.
ANY INTERESTED PERSON may comment on the IS/MND for the proposed project. Comments must be in writing and received by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on August 21, 2020, which is 30 days after publication of this notice on July 22, 2020. Please send your written comments to: James Pruett, General Manager, P.O. Box 1449, El Granada, CA 94018 or by e-mail to: [email protected].
Contact
Pillar Point Harbor, Board of Harbor Commissioners
Virginia Chang Kiraly, President
Nancy Reyering, Vice President
Tom Mattusch, Treasurer
William Zemke, Secretary
Edmundo Larenas, Commissioner
James B. Pruett, General Manager
Trisha Ortiz, District Counsel
San Mateo County Harbor District
504 Avenue Alhambra, Ste. 200, P.O. Box 1449
El Granada, CA 94018
Phone: (650) 583-4400
Fax: (650) 583-4614
Author: Coastside Buzz
Me
Cool project but why are they driving over the rare coastal prairie above the trail? This will be nearly impossible to restore.