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OWN VOICE. From Melinda MacNaughton of El Granada Advocates, on January 29th, 2026.
Here is the email for people who want to help protect the site so they can get on an update list and information about how to help: monarchsite3111@gmail.com.
Go to EG Advocates to write a letter to the County to help protect the site, right now.
“I have been volunteering for Xerces Society for the Western Monarch Count.
I just found out in October that El Granada has had a verified Xerces Monarch overwintering site since 1988. (A legit overwintering site like Natural Bridges or Pacific Grove) But this is news to many of us now!
1988 was the first time someone recorded significant data here. Apparently, back then we had trees so full of monarchs that the trees were orange. One resident reports they not only clustered on branches but they clustered on the bark of the trunks.
This site is on Cabrillo Unified School District land.
The County has designated this area for development, during the Cycle 6 California Housing Element Process.
Part of it has already been re-zoned for multifamily housing….a change from single family homes.
The San Mateo County Planning Commission was informed by the public at the last December 10th, 2025 meeting (Melinda speaks at 1:15:17) about the verified Monarch site, the seasonal wetland, the presence of endangered red legged frogs, and potentially the endangered California garter snake. The Commission were not aware (as most of them live over the hill), and they said these were important and valid concerns, so they put a biologist consultant on the job to do a survey for the EIR draft update.
The Xerces Society has reached out to local non-profits to make them aware of the importance of protecting this area as the monarch population is in severe decline. Habitat loss and pesticides are the major reasons for their decline. It is imperative to preserve as many overwintering sites as possible and to find more. Xerces has asked me to spread the word and reach out to the community to make them aware of this news and tell them to send letters to the Planning Commission asking them to allow this site to be protected as it holds endangered and threatened species habitat.
The numbers are in! This includes El Granada’s count. This annual effort provides vital insight into the status of migratory western monarchs (link here). The Xerces Society will present key findings from the overwintering season, including count totals, volunteer participation, population trends, factors influencing this year’s numbers, and notable conservation wins in 2025, and this year’s results in the broader context of monarch recovery efforts.
Western Monarch Numbers Remain at Historic Low; January 29, 2026.
Inappropriate Tree removal affects Monarch Habitat in Ventura: (link)
BEST TIME TO REMOVE TREES
Remove during end September through end November (to avoid removing habitat during most BIRD nesting and BAT maternity season).
FOR MONARCHS (if it is a suspected overwintering site) best time to trim trees is the last week of September. Monarchs start arriving in October.”
~ From Melinda MacNaughton, EG Advocates.
More on the Rezoning of El Granada due to the State’s Cycle 6 Housing Element on Coastside Buzz
SMCo County Rezoning Proposal: The County’s Housing Element Rezoning Program will rezone 35 parcels constituting roughly 24 acres in the unincorporated Colma, Broadmoor, Harbor Industrial, and Midcoast areas to allow 100% residential development by-right on all identified sites, at densities ranging from 70 to 120 units per acre, with a minimum density of at least 30 units per acre, in order to meet the County’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation, as required by State law.
The County has insufficient developable sites to meet its RHNA without rezoning. To comply with State law, the County’s Housing Element incorporates Program HE 11.2, which commits the County to rezone 35 parcels constituting roughly 24 acres in the unincorporated Colma, Broadmoor, Harbor Industrial, and Midcoast areas to allow 100% residential development by-right on all identified sites, at maximum
densities ranging from 70 to 120 units per acre, with a minimum density of at least 30 units per acre.
For the parcels located in the County’s Urban Midcoast, changes to zoning and General Plan land use designations constitute a Local Coastal Program amendment that must be reviewed and approved by the California Coastal Commission. The Coastal Commission will be engaged early in the process, but the amendments cannot be formally submitted to the Commission until after Board of Supervisors’ adoption. The Coastal Commission’s timeline is unpredictable.
REZONING PROGRAM TIMELINE
- Project Kickoff August 2025
- Information Gathering, Data Collection, Analysis Sept. – Dec. 2025
- Outreach, Public Meetings Sept. 2025 – Feb. 2026
- Draft Amendments Oct. 2025 – Feb. 2026
- Environmental Review Sept. 2025 – July 2026
- Final Amendments May/June 2026
- Planning Commission Hearings March 2026 – July 2026
- Board of Supervisors Hearings March 2026 – July 2026
- Coastal Commission Submittal and Certification July 2026 – Dec. 2026
Public Scoping Session with San Mateo County’s Planning Commission on the Housing Element Rezoning Program Including 6 CUSD Parcels in El Granada with Coastsider’s Public Comment; . Staff Report: “Public Scoping Session to solicit comment on the scope of an Environmental Impact Report being prepared for the County’s Housing Element Rezoning Program, Program 11.2 of the County’s adopted Housing Element, which proposes rezoning and associated General Plan land use designation amendments, as well as adoption of objective design and development standards, to allow high-density multifamily residential uses in the entirety of unincorporated Colma and on three parcels in Broadmoor, five parcels in the Harbor Industrial Area (unincorporated Belmont), and six parcels in El Granada, in order to meet the County’s obligations under its Regional Housing Needs Allocation, as required by State law.”
Cabrillo Unified School District Reaches Out to San Mateo County to Rezone 6 Sites for High Density Residential in El Granada; April 18, 2024
San Mateo County Plannning Commission
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors (BoS) Agendas
The Supervisors meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at 9:00am, as a hybrid meeting.
Author: mdrag
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