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MCC NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021.
Haga clic aquí para leer este boletín en Español.
In this edition:
- Connect the Coastside
- Mirada Road / Medio Creek Bridge
- Quarry Park Pump Track
- El Granada Fire Station Lighting
Connect the Coastside – the First Five Years
Connect the Coastside’s (CTC) goal is to provide a Comprehensive Transportation Management Plan (CTMP) that delivers a safe and multimodal transportation system which preserves the character of the Midcoast while addressing the expected future transportation demands. Plans, policies, and measurements of traffic patterns and status provide the critical framework for the plan. The Coastal Commission will certify whether this submission meets the requirements defined by the CTMP.
Specific projects, from design to completion, provide the substance of change and improvement. Here is a summary of the recommendations for the first five years.
Crosswalks: In April, Caltrans plans to provide a pedestrian activated Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon at Highway 1 at Virginia Avenue in Moss Beach to alert traffic that a pedestrian is crossing. The MCC with the County will review this as a model for other community crosswalks.
Roadway: Complete the Caltrans Intersection Control Evaluations process for intersection of Highway 1 at Cypress Avenue and California Avenue. This determination leads to a decision to build either a roundabout or signal controlled intersection when such control is needed.
Stop Signs are missing from certain streets that enter Highway 1 in Montara, Moss Beach and Miramar. Stop signs will be installed.
Multimodal Parallel Trail (Class I): A design complete through Montara will be requested.
Bikeways (Class II) in Princeton and Miramar for Airport Street, Capistrano Road and Cypress Avenue will be designed to the 30% level.
Short-Term Bicycle Parking will be provided in all communities to promote the use of bicycles for local transportation.
Coastal Erosion and Climate Change Impact on Coastal Trail and roadways will be supported by OneShoreline.org.
The MCC will request an annual review of project status to keep the community informed of progress. More detailed information on the projects can be viewed here.
If you have questions or comments, please share them via the form on the Connect the Coastside website, or reach out to the Midcoast Community Council.
Medio Creek Replacement Bridge
The Medio Creek Bridge Replacement Project moved forward this past month with the County of San Mateo (the County) Board of Supervisors February 9th approval of the project’s Negative Declaration (Neg. Dec.). This decision came in spite of the Midcoast Community Council (MCC) letter of Jan. 13, 2021 noting several problems with the Neg. Dec. including the lack of an erosion study at that time. Community members overwhelmingly supported the bridge replacement in its current location, as opposed to moving it inland, or doing nothing at this time. Petitions totaling over 1,000 signatures were forwarded to the MCC by local residents.
On February 10th, the MCC issued a final letter on this project, partially reversing the initial letter of Oct. 14, 2020. The new letter supports the bridge replacement, with qualifications. This determination of support was based upon: the high level of community support; research done into successful coastal armoring elsewhere in California; the benefits of reestablishing a safer, more direct and scenic route for the Coastal Trail; the long timeframe required for a safe and well-considered re-route of the trail; and the fact that the CCC could best assess whether the new bridge would last perhaps 20 years, which appears to be adequate time to pay back the investment and re-invent the Coastal Trail in a new location.
The continuing concerns the MCC has relate to: 1) the potential for the armoring to worsen erosion in that area of the coast, causing damage to the bridge supports and/or the creek, and 2) the County’s failure to assess and plan for erosion north of the bridge on Mirada Road – because if that road fails, the bridge would be unusable in its current location.
The MCC held conversations with OneShoreline.org, a new county agency tasked with assessing sea level rise risks throughout the County, and asked that they extend their current study of the shoreline from Pillar Point Harbor, north to Maverick’s Beach and south to Surfers’ Beach to at least as far as Medio Creek and preferably to Roosevelt Beach. Director Len Materman was receptive to this concept and the MCC will continue to monitor the issue.
Now it goes to the California Coastal Commission (CCC) to move forward with plans and bids. Once the CCC has received the necessary materials and clarification from the County it will rule on the project. If approved, construction is expected later this year. Stay tuned for updates.
Quarry Park Pump Track
San Mateo County Parks Director Nicholas Calderon presented the final design of a new bike pump track at the February 10th MCC meeting. The project was approved by the SMC Board of Supervisors and is scheduled for installation by the end of this year. The pump track is part of the County of San Mateo Parks Department Master Plan for Quarry Park and will be located in a portion of the meadow within walking distance to the children’s playground and the one bathroom.
A big push for this amenity came from a crowd of hundreds of bicycle enthusiasts who showed up to advocate for a bike pump tract at the January 2020 Midcoast Community Council meeting after San Mateo County Parks shut down an unauthorized pump track, built over the 2019 holidays on the Mirada East section of Quarry Park, due to safety concerns. Design of the approved pump track, called the “Flying-X” has multiple routes to ride, a series of rollers to pick up speed and several banked turns. The design will also feature a beginner pump track and a skills trail around the flying-X and beginners pump track with obstacles meant to strengthen balance and maneuverability.
Building costs will not come from the Midcoast Park and Recreation Building Fund (currently at $497,319), but instead will come from the Granada Community Services District’s (“GCSD”) Parks and Recreation Reserve ($100,000) with a $6,500 grant from REI. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer with final completion in the fall of 2021.
At the MCC meeting, residents did voice concerns over parking limitations as park visitors frequently fill the small lot on the weekends. Overflow parking can crowd 30 or more cars in the narrow roadways of the neighboring streets. Mr. Calderon responded by voicing that the plan includes expanding the existing gravel lot for ten more parking spaces and committed to continuing talks with El Granada resident and park advocate, Fran Pollard, to identify additional parking areas and perhaps limit parking to only one side of adjacent roadways.
Exterior Lighting at New El Granada Fire Station #41
Coastsiders were excited about the new 12,425 square foot, 3-bay fire station at 555 Obispo Road, on the corner of Coronado Street and Obispo Road in El Granada (EG), but some were disappointed by the exterior lighting. Illumination from the ten new light poles lit up not only the driveway, walkway and landscaping of the new fire station but also the night sky.
Frustrated by the loss of their view of dark skies they previously enjoyed over the undeveloped parcel, nearby residents turned to the MCC for help. Residents comments of it “looks like a prison yard” or “Walmart parking lot” inspired representatives of the Midcoast Community Council to conduct a field survey of the fire station lighting at 6 pm (after dusk) on January 12, 2021, to see for themselves the impacts to dark skies. They were dismayed to see over a dozen tall light poles with brightly lit LED fixtures. Many of the poles exceed a height of thirty feet, tall enough to extend above the retaining wall and create a source of light pollution between homeowners and their view of the harbor and the Pacific Ocean.
On January 27th, the MCC presented this issue to the public and took comments, then voted to approve a letter to Jonathan Cox (Coastside Fire Protection District), Summer Burlison (SMC Project Planner) and Mike Crivello (SMC Code Compliance Manager) to modify the exterior lighting to meet the San Mateo County Planning Commission Conditions of Approval of July 19, 2017, based on the adopted mitigation measures from the certified 2017 Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR). Conditions of Approval took into consideration comments from residents to ensure lighting was in compliance with Section 8.18 of the San Mateo County Midcoast LCP (Local Coastal Program) Policies, to ensure that lighting would not detract from the natural, open space or visual qualities of the area and be limited to the minimum necessary for safety. These comments from residents prior to construction found that neighbors were concerned lighting would be a significant change, with one resident writing that “backyard stargazing would no longer be an option” as the view facing the west/southwest, once previously “nice and dark,” would be significantly impacted by the lighting of this project.
The FEIR agreed with these comments from residents but stated that these impacts would be lessened because the project would undergo design review by the San Mateo County Planning Commission for conformance with all policies of the San Mateo County LCP. MCC is asking why the new fire station has a dozen tall LED light poles, 2 floodlights, multiple wall sconces and various other area lights. Why didn’t the lighting plan for the new fire station mirror the nearby streetlights with lower intensity and amber color? Why was extensive exterior lighting not analyzed in the Initial Study or Final Environmental Impact Report not included in project plans approved by the county and instead added during construction?
SMC Planning Commissioner, Lisa Ketcham, provided clarification to council members stating, “Unfortunately there was no opportunity for public input on a lighting plan for the new El Granada Fire Station. Instead, the lighting plan was deferred to the building permit phase with no public awareness of what was proposed until the lights were turned on.”
Ms. Ketcham, also a resident of the coast points to a bigger picture with community frustration stemming from a lack of proper procedure during the approval process, “Community objections to the excessive exterior lighting at the new Fire Station underscore the need for CDRC” (Coastside Design Review Committee) to “purview for development nestled in or adjacent to Midcoast residential neighborhoods. CDRC would have publicly reviewed the lighting plan during that discretionary phase and ensured that it did indeed blend with the nighttime neighborhood character and natural environment.”
The MCC will continue to follow this issue and is hopeful that modifications will be made soon by the fire department to reduce the number, height and intensity of the lights perhaps by changing the tall walkway light poles to 4-foot bollards, lowering the driveway poles to a height below the retaining wall, adding shields, and changing the intensity and color to match the existing amber streetlights of El Granada so as to match the original zoning intent of the El Granada Gateway for low intensity development at the Burnham Strip and to preserve the view corridor for residents. The MCC also asked to review the replacement lighting features prior to installation to ensure public comment and that only necessary safety lighting be lit continuously after dark.
Get Involved
- Attend a virtual Midcoast Community Council Meeting, scheduled on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month, or watch past meetings.
- Attend or live stream a virtual San Mateo County Board of Supervisors Meeting.
- Let us know how we can improve this newsletter by providing feedback and ideas here.
Midcoast Community Council Website
Midcoast Community Council Facebook
Midcoast Community Council (MCC) Newsetter ~ Premier Issue Nov. 2020
NEWSLETTER. Midcoast includes Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, Princeton and Miramar.
MCC is an advisory committee to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. They are the Midcoast’s only political voice. Midcoast is 1.5% of the total population of San Mateo County.
The City of Half Moon Bay is a different jurisdiction whose borders end, generally, at Frenchmens Creek.
Midcoast Community Council Members 1991 – 2024
Gregg Dieguez: 11/2020 to 12/2024
Dan Haggerty: 11/2020 to 12/2024
Jill Grant: 11/2020 to 12/2024
Len Erickson: 11/2018 to 12/2022
Dave Olson: 11/2018 to 12/2022
Claire Toutant: 11/2018 to 12/2022
Michelle Weil: 11/2018 to 12/2022
Premier Issue, November 2020.
Midcoast Community Newsletter
- Current Issues
- Featured Topic: Transportation Planning
- Welcome Message from Supervisor Don Horsley and the Midcoast Community Council
- Communicate / Get Involved / Give Feedback
Current Midcoast Issues
Wildfires
The CZU Lightning Complex Fire burned over 86,000 acres and is now 100% contained. On September 9th, Supervisor Don Horsley and County Manager Mike Callagy hosted a virtual meeting update on the wildfires. In addition to an update on current status and the impact on CalFire, Kellyx Nelson, Director of the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) provided an update (video link) on pursuing resources for larger-scale fuel load reduction work on the Midcoast. Ms. Nelson and Sheena Sidhu, Conservation Programs Manager at RCD, also provided additional information at the MCC meeting on October 14th. In addition, the Board of Supervisors held a study session earlier that day to address Fuel Load Reduction and Weed Eradication.
Wildfires Links:
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San Mateo County Wildfire Recovery Website
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Coastside Community Emergency Response Team (CERT): coastsidecert.com/
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Receive emergency alerts from San Mateo County: smcalert.info
- Evacuating for a wildfire: readyforwildfire.org
CalFire Resources
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Evacuation info: Zonehaven
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CALFIRE CZU email updates: tinyurl.com/czulightning
- CalFire Community Wildfire Prevention & Mitigation Report
COVID-19
As COVID-19 continues to spread in the community, the response effort keeps moving forward with help from local partner organizations and guidelines set by the State of California.
- The San Mateo County Immigrant Relief Fund provides financial assistance for residents who have been economically impacted by COVID-19 and are not eligible for state or federal assistance. Learn more about eligibility and pre-apply online here.
- Click here to learn more about the Small Property Owner assistance program.
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Learn more about how San Mateo County is responding to COVID-19, and click here for data updates from San Mateo County Health.
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For information about COVID-19 testing, click here.
Coastal Trail Emergency Detour
The pedestrian bridge over Arroyo de en Medio in Miramar along the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail was closed on Monday, July 27, 2020 and will remain closed for at least a year as it is replaced with a new bridge. The immediate closure was initiated by a re-assessment that deemed the bridge structurally unsound. The detour for this section of trail is along Highway 1, where k-rail barriers have been added to separate bicycle and pedestrian traffic from motor vehicle traffic.
Plans for a replacement bridge are in the works, and the proposal will be presented in more detail at the MCC meeting on December 9th, 2020. The MCC website has a detailed timeline of the history of the bridge, as well as current plans and correspondence.
Bicycle Pump Track in Quarry Park
Progress on the pump track for bicyclists in Quarry Park, a project planned for operation in early 2021, has been delayed by COVID-19 and wildfires. Community members who want to receive updates and participate in the design of the pump track can sign-up on the Quarry Park Pump Track Email List.
The MCC web page for Quarry Park has up-to-date pump track information.
Featured Topic: Transportation Planning
Connect the Coastside
Connect the Coastside (CTC) Transportation Plan is a County project required to by the 2012 Local Coastal Program update to provide a Comprehensive Transportation Management Plan (CTMP) and to provide a broad program to improve safety and mobility for Midcoast residents, businesses and visitors. First started in 2014, the CTC will extend the findings of the Highway 1 Safety and Mobility Studies (Phase 1 and Phase 2) completed in 2012.
Next Steps – SMC Planning Department
In January 2020, a public draft was released for review. Read the executive summary of the public working draft. After an extended period with surveys, public meetings and updates to the MCC, the SMC Planning Department provided a document (CTC Outreach Summary Report) reflecting the community input it received and framing next steps. The document contains a six page summary and seven appendices.
A slide overview presentation was made at the September 23, 2020, MCC meeting, discussing key items of the report and identifying next steps before CTC goes through final County review and is submitted to the California Coast Commission for certification.
For questions about this project, please contact: Joe LaClair, [email protected], 650-363-1865, or Katie Faulkner, [email protected], 650-363-1882
Next Steps – MCC
The MCC discussed Connect the Coastside at several meetings and held a public study session on July 29, 2020. Information background links were provided as input to the study session:
Additional documents for public comment were presented at the September 23 MCC meeting.
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Itemized comments from the public at MCC Meeting Addressing Connect the Coastside
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Comments in response the County’s Summarized Report on Outreach and Next Steps
For questions and further comments, contact Len Erickson, MCC Chair, [email protected]
Message from Supervisor Don Horsley
Thank you for your interest in the Summer edition of the Midcoast Newsletter. Through responses to the Midcoast Mobility Survey released earlier this ye
ar, we heard community interest in a newsletter to improve communication with Coastside groups and community members. We hope to generate an inclusive and informed dialogue, and we welcome your feedback. Click here to contact my office with any questions, comments, or ideas for future newsletters.
Thank you,
Don Horsley, Supervisor, District 3
Message from the Midcoast Community Council
Thank you for reading this newsletter that we’ve developed in collaboration with the County of San Mateo. One of the primary purposes of the MCC is to contribute to our Midcoast community’s awareness of local issues, and we hope you’ll learn something new from each edition. We also seek to serve as a voice of the community, so our hope is that it further opens up the lines of communication between you, the MCC, and our representatives at the county level. In this era of COVID, we unfortunately have to rely on digital means of communication, but we are here to represent you in our shared effort to preserve the small-town character of the Coastside. You can always reach the MCC Councilmembers via email here.
How to Get Involved
- Attend a virtual Midcoast Community Council Meeting, scheduled on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month, or watch past meetings.
- Attend or live stream a virtual San Mateo County Board of Supervisors Meeting.
- Are you a resident on the Midcoast? Interested in design and architecture? Consider applying for an opening on the Coastside Design Review Committee at San Mateo County. See current vacancies here.
- San Mateo County Parks:
- Stay tuned for feedback opportunities on a pump track at Quarry Park. Read the plan and join the pump track email list here.
- Learn more and provide feedback for the Tunitas Creek Beach Improvement Project.
- The Draft Unincorporated San Mateo County Active Transportation Plan is ready!
Visit https://walkbikesmc.org/ to view and learn more about the Draft Plan.
- Let us know how we can improve this newsletter by providing feedback and ideas here.
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Author: Coastside Buzz
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