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PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. From Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) on October 9th, 2026. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: October 9, 2026 – November 9, 2026
The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) has prepared a Comprehensive Use and Management Plan (Plan) for Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve and performed an environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The environmental review examines the nature and extent of any potential adverse effects on the environment that could occur if the Plan is implemented. Midpen has prepared an Initial Study (IS) with Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the proposed project, and, pending public review, expects to determine from this study that the proposed project would not have a significant effect on the environment.
The Plan documents, CEQA Notice of Intent, and complete information regarding this project are available at: openspace.org/PCR-Plan
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: October 9, 2026 – November 9, 2026
Any schedule updates will be provided on the project website, shown above. Public comments regarding the correctness, completeness, and/or adequacy of both the Draft IS-MND and Plan are welcome and must be received before the end of the public review period. The Draft IS-MND and Plan are available online on the project website, accessible at the link above. Printed copies of the Draft IS-MND and Plan are available for review at the following locations:
| Midpen’s Administrative Office: 5050 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA 94022(650) 691-1200 |
| Half Moon Bay Library: 620 Correas St., Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 |
| Project Contact: Project Manager, Brittany Wheatman, PurisimaCEQA@openspace.org and PurisimaPlan@openspace.org or 650-772-3646 |
Midpen is creating a comprehensive plan to responsibly guide public access, restoration and land management at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.
The Comprehensive Use and Management Plan brings together new public access projects, environmental restoration projects, wildfire resiliency, agricultural uses, and other ongoing land management uses into a unified, long-term vision for this preserve. These new and ongoing projects are designed to serve both people and ecosystems at this popular preserve.
Under the Comprehensive Plan, four new projects are proposed that would provide enhanced public access and recreation opportunities within the preserve.
- Construction of the new Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail
- Construction of the new Verde Road parking area that will serve as an access point to the Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail
- Expansion of the existing North Ridge Parking Area and the creation of a connection to the Bay Area Ridge Trail
- Implementation of multimodal access and transportation demand management strategies
In conjunction with the new public access projects, the Irish Ridge Restoration Plan will aim to improve the ecosystem in a section of the preserve that has been degraded by the presence of invasive species. Restoration of this section of the preserve will help enhance wildland fire resiliency in the future.
This comprehensive plan brings together years’ worth of technical studies, resource analysis, community feedback and regional collaboration with partners. The community and partners will continue to have multiple opportunities for feedback and participation in the process of creating the comprehensive plan.
Goals and Objectives
The Comprehensive Use and Management Plan aims to address the distinct visions and goals of new restoration and public access projects at the Preserve while confirming the objectives of ongoing programs and activities. The Plan identifies recommended actions to implement Board-approved projects while acknowledging and continuing the ongoing uses within the Preserve. The goals listed below set the framework for the components, focus, and preparation of the Comprehensive Use and Management Plan:
Goals for this project include:
- Guide the long-term land management, operations and public access actions and activities in balance with protecting and enhancing natural resources and sustaining existing agricultural uses on the San Mateo County Coastside.
- Consolidate new and existing uses, programs, and operations at the preserve into a single planning document that provides a cohesive approach for implementing ongoing actions with proposed improvements.
- Streamline the planning and environmental review process for several projects taking place in Purisima Creek Redwoods by creating a single, comprehensive plan for the preserve.
- Create new trail alignments in support of regional trail connections, such as the Bay Area Ridge Trail, California Coastal Trail, Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail, and future proposed Bay to Sea Trail.
- Provide new and expanded parking areas at the preserve, where parking demand often exceeds availability during peak visitation hours.
- Improve the ecological values of the preserve that have been degraded by invasive species, including high fire prone species, by enabling large-scale restoration projects to take place.
More on the Midpen Purisima Creek Redwoods on Coastside Buzz
More on Midpen Open Space on Coastside Buzz
Author: mdrag
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