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STAFF REPORT. From the California Coastal Conservancy board meeting on Thursday, September 18th, 2025 at 10:00am, as a hybrid meeting. Full Staff Report from Consent Agenda Item #3F. Exhibit 2: February 15, 2024 Staff Recommendation
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Consideration and authorization to disburse up to $1,000,000 to the Coastside Land Trust to augment the Conservancy grant authorized on February 15, 2024 to construct priority components of Phase 2 of the Wavecrest Coastal Access Project at the Wavecrest property in Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County in order to expand the grant scope to include construction of the remaining Phase 2 components.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Staff recommends the Conservancy authorize a $1,000,000 augmentation to its existing grant to the Coastside Land Trust (CLT) for construction of priority components of the Phase 2 of the Wavecrest Coastal Access Project at the Wavecrest property (Exhibit 1) in Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County for a total authorized grant amount of $4,337,389 in order to expand the grant scope to include construction of additional components of the Phase 2 project. On February 15, 2024, the Conservancy authorized a grant for the following priority components of the Phase 2 project: at least 1 mile of Coastal Trail, a parking lot and restroom, and a beach stairway. At the time of the February 15, 2024 authorization, staff anticipated that $1,000,000 in Violation Remediation Account (VRA) funds would be put towards completing the Phase 2 project once available. This authorization augments the grant with the now-available VRA funds to be put towards constructing the remainder of the Phase 2 project as described in the February 15, 2024 staff recommendation (Exhibit 2).
This additional funding will enable construction of the remaining components of the Phase 2 project. These are: approximately 1.5 additional miles of trail, including 0.5 miles of Coastal Trail and spur trails to parking and beach access; an additional parking lot; and a second beach stairway, facilitating access to Redondo Beach on both the northern and southern sides of the property (see Exhibit 3). Construction costs can vary based on conditions during construction. There is a possibility that the costs of the second stairway will exceed the current cost estimate such that even with the augmentation, CLT will be unable to construct the second stairway. In that event, CLT will either find an additional source of funds to complete the second stairway or remove the second stairway from the Phase 2 project.
Construction began this summer for the Coastal Trail and parking lot portions of the priority components, along with restoration and preparatory work for future construction of the restroom and stairway portions. Restoration work to stabilize the stairway locations on the north and south sides of the gully was completed and a rocked pathway for transport of stair construction equipment to the beach was created on the north side. Stairway construction is anticipated to begin in the fall/winter of 2025-26. Additionally, the restroom foundation was laid and the restroom facility was ordered from the vendor. The restroom will be delivered and installed, along with a water fountain, in the summer of 2026.
Public access will be permitted beginning in November 2025. The parking lots and trails will be usable at this time, although the restroom facilities will not be installed and available until 2026. While not formalized, beach access will be possible using the northside rocked construction pathway until construction of the stairs begins. Restoration and stabilization of the north and south stairway locations will be protected through fencing and signage until construction can be completed.
PROJECT FINANCING
Coastal Conservancy (proposed authorization) $1,000,000
Coastal Conservancy (previous authorization) $3,337,389
Coastside Land Trust $453,391
Coastal Commission $200,000
Project Total $4,090,780
The table above reflects the anticipated total project cost for all phase 2 components. The anticipated source of Conservancy funding is an appropriation to the Conservancy from the Violation Remediation Account (VRA). The Coastal Act established the VRA within the State Coastal Conservancy Fund to hold penalties paid as a result of violations of the Coastal Act (See Public Resources Code Section 30823.). The VRA currently includes the $1 million penalty paid to address violations of the Coastal Act related to the failure to provide public access to the coast at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, which is adjacent to the project site.
CLT additionally received mitigation funds directly from the Coastal Commission, which will also be put towards stairway construction (reflected in table above) and maintenance (an additional $50,000). CLT has $453,391 in already-secured funds to contribute and will continue working to secure additional funds to complete the Phase 2 project.
Unless specifically identified as “Required Match,” the other sources of funding and in-kind contributions described above are estimates. The Conservancy does not typically require matching funds or in-kind services, nor does it require documentation of expenditures from other funders or of in-kind services. Typical grant conditions require grantees to provide any funds needed to complete a project.
More on Coastside Land Trust’s Wavecrest Coastal Trail Project on Coastside Buzz
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Author: mdrag
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