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Q & A. Questions from Midcoast Community Council (MCC) Alum, Gregg Dieguez, to San Mateo County Harbor District General Manager, Jim Pruett, on July 11th, 2025.
You may also want to bookmark this Harbor District webpage Proposed Pillar Point Harbor Burnham Strip Parking Area where you will find updates.
- Dark Skies lighting is mandatory:
Concur, the proposed project will be required to meet or exceed Dark Skies recommendations.
- Access to recreation by visitors:
The Harbor District requires additional parking to accommodate visitors.
The current parking overflow parking on Hwy 1, regardless of the work being proposed by Caltrans, is illegal. Parking on the “shoulder” is permitted only in emergency situations. Simply parking on the shoulder, without an emergency, is a violation of California Motor Vehicle Code. Parking along the Hwy shoulder also encourages people to illegally cross (jaywalking) the highway at multiple locations, interfering with the flow of traffic and placing the pedestrians and vehicles at risk.
- Impermeable surfaces – Hwy 1 flooding:
Flood control on Hwy 1 is outside the responsibility of the Harbor District, but with respect to the proposed parking project, it will be required to be constructed with permeable surfaces. It may also incorporate improvements to the Deer Creek Outfall which is currently polluting Pillar Point Harbor, and take into account the County approved Ohlone Trail (also known as the Connect-the-Coastside Multi-modal Trail) on the Burnham Strip.
It is also the intent of the District to construct the parking area as a walking park that has parking included. Low lighting, height limit on vehicles, walking paths, benches, dog stations….
- Impact on traffic both Hwy 1 and in El Granada:
A traffic study will be required to address traffic impacts that may result from the parking area project. However, the project is expected to improve traffic by removing illegally parked vehicles from the hwy shoulder and vehicles from parking in local neighborhoods.
- What is the long term plan for Hwy 1 ?
While Highway 1 and any long-term plan associated with the highway is the responsibility of Caltrans, the recent effort by the Harbor District to have the Pillar Point Coastal Erosion and Sea Level Rise Study included in WRDA 2024 may have a significant impact.
The excessive erosion of the Coastside from Pillar Point to Pilarcitos Creek, which has put Hwy 1 at risk, as well as other Coastside assets, has been caused by the breakwater. The breakwater is a federal navigation project and any damage caused by the breakwater is the responsibility of the Federal Government to mitigate and prevent. This includes the erosion at Surfers Beach, Miramar, the condos, and beyond to Venice Beach. The WRDA 2024 Project is intended to address, mitigate, and prevent the coastal erosion. This project, once complete, may protect the Coast including Hwy 1 and the Coastal trail.
- Safety of Route for Bike trail; safer away from Hwy 1; go inland to Obispo:
The bike trail, while not the responsibility of the Harbor District, is already being addressed by the County. Not discussed or recognized at the MCC meeting this week was the approved Ohlone Trail that is being proposed by the County. The trail will be an extension of the trail recently installed south of Obispo, along the entire length of the Burnham Strip. https://bikesiliconvalley.org/news/2023/8/2023-project-of-the-year.
In addition to a walking/bike trail, there is an opportunity to address the bacterial pollution deposited into the harbor by Deer Creek. Currently the Harbor is under a TMDL issued by the California Water Board to reduce the bacterial load being received in Pillar Point Harbor. To do this, Deer Creek, a major source of bacteria, can be rerouted to run adjacent to the Ohlone Trail, acting as a natural filter and flood control, eventually having its outfall on Surfers Beach, redirecting the hundreds of cubic yards of sand that is currently being deposited inside the breakwater.
- Location of crosswalk for those carrying surfboards is 2000′ if have to go down to traffic light:
The District proposed crosswalk would be located on the south end of the parking area, but north of Sams. It would provide direct access to the Coastal Trail, Hotel Beach, Surfers Beach, and the launch ramp.
The Ohlone Trail, discussed above in #6 will also provide safe access to both crosswalks at Capistrano and Coranado.
- Maintain natural and rural character as much as possible. Avoid concrete urbanspace.
Agree! See number 3 above.
- Underutilized alternative spaces, regardless of jurisdiction.
This Harbor District does not have any under-utilized space under its jurisdiction.
- If revenue generation is a criterion, for whom and why? Who benefits?*.
This is not an applicable issue with the proposed parking area. Currently, no plans are being considered for paid parking.
- Cannot plan incrementally or box yourself into a conflicted mess. Must first know what Caltrans is planning in the face of sea level rise and stormwater:
The overall parking solution for the Coastside is beyond the authority of the Harbor District. However, the Harbor District is part of the solution and looks forward to working with other involved parties to find a solution.
- MCC is a key stakeholder! Who makes collective and collaborative decisions for SM County, Caltrans, GCSD, Harbor District, Neighborhood, Visitors, day care and schools, HMB, MCC? What is the planning and review process?
It is the District’s understanding that this is what the permitting process is for.
The Harbor District has and will continue to work with SM County, Caltrans, GCSD, the public, MCC, CCC, HMB, OneShorline, Waterboard, Fish and Wildlife, Marine Sanctuary, etc.
More on Harbor District’s Burnham Strip Parking Project Process
San Mateo County Harbor District’s Request for Proposal (RFP) for Burnham Strip Overflow Parking Lot Project; March 12, 2025
More on the San Mateo County Harbor District on Coastside Buzz
San Mateo County Harbor District Board Meetings ~ 3rd Wednesday @ 10:00am
Watch remotely. Comments and questions by email.
Please note that email correspondence sent to or from members of the Harbor Commission via the District’s website are considered public records and may be subject to disclosure and additional distribution pursuant to the Public Records Act and the Brown Act.
Harbor District Agendas and Remote Meeting Links
Harbor District Pacifica Coast TV Videos
2025 Board of Harbor Commissioners Contact Information:
Please note that email correspondence sent to or from Members of the Harbor Commission via the District’s website are considered public records and may be subject to disclosure and additional distribution pursuant to the Public Records Act and the Brown Act.
To email the entire Harbor Commission, click here.
Kathryn Slater-Carter ~ District 3
Position: Chair
Term: 2023-2027
Email: kslater-carter@smharbor.com
George Domurat ~ District 2
Position: Vice Chair
Term: 2023-2027
Email: gdomurat@smharbor.com
William Zemke ~ District 1
Position: Secretary
Term: 2021 -2025
mail: wzemke@smharbor.com
Tom Mattusch ~ District 4
Position: Treasurer
Term: 2021-2025
Email: tmattusch@smharbor.com
Virginia Chang Kiraly ~ District 5
Position: Commissioner
Term: 2021-2025
Email: vchang-kiraly@smharbor.com
District Office: 504 Avenue Alhambra, Ste. 200, El Granada, CA 94018
Mailing Address: PO Box 1449, El Granada, CA 94018
Phone: (650) 583-4400 Fax: (650) 583-4614
Pillar Point without the harbor.
Shoaling will be dredged soon.
More on the MCC on Coastside Buzz
Midcoast Community Council (MCC) Meetings ~ 2nd & 4th Wednesdays @ 7:00pm
The MCC is an elected Municipal Advisory Council to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, representing unincorporated Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, Princeton, and Miramar.
Regular MCC meetings are on the 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM at Granada Community Services District (GCSD) meeting room, 504 Ave Alhambra, third floor, El Granada. Meetings are in hybrid format and the public is encouraged to attend remotely. All MCC meetings are open to the public, and are agendized and posted according to the requirements of the Brown Act.
MCC Agendas and Zoom Links
Regular meeting agendas are posted 72 hours in advance.
Special meeting agendas are posted 24 hours in advance.
Comments by email, remotely or in person.
Archived MCC meeting videos on PCTv
Lots and Lots of Documents! Check out the menu bar. Thanks to exMCC’s Lisa Ketcham for an incredibly well curated website archive on local planning issues.
Subscribe to MCC agendas via email, send email to MCC-Agendas+subscribe@googlegroups.com
2025 Midcoast Community Councilmembers
MCC: midcoastcommunitycouncil@gmail.com
P.O. Box 248, Moss Beach, CA 94038
Claire Toutant, Chair – 3rd Term Ends: Dec. 2026
Phone: 650-676-5847
Email: midcoast.claire@gmail.com
Kimberly Williams, Vice Chair – 1st Term Ends: Dec 2026
Email: midcoast.kimberlyw@gmail.com
Connie Santilli, Secretary – 1st Term Ends: Dec 2028
(just installed; email to come)
Kevin Sniecinski, Treasurer – 1st Term Ends: Dec 2028
(just installed; email to come)
Scott Bollinger – 1st Term Ends: Dec 2026
Phone: 650-773-4425
Email: scottbollingerMCC@gmail.com
Gus Mattammal – 1st Term Ends: Dec 2026
Phone: 650-451-5335
Email: midcoastgus@gmail.com
Chris Rogers – 1st Term Ends: Dec 2028
(just installed; email to come)
Author: mdrag
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