In 2007, 44% of California Coastal Commission votes were pro-conservation, according to an annual analysis by conservation groups.The score was 60% in 2005, and 76% in 1997. The analysis has been prepared annually for the past 20 years.

Of the appointing authorities, the Senate Rules Committee appointments out-scored the Commissioner appointments made by the Governor and the Assembly Speaker this year with 72% pro-coastal average score for Senate appointees, 35% for Assembly appointees, and 24% for the Governor’s appointees.

The voting chart was prepared by California Coastkeeper Alliance, Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club, League for Coastal Protection, and California Coastal Protection Network. You can download the report, which outlines the individual issues and commissioner votes in 2007 from Coastsider.

The Coastside Land Trust is holding our monthly restoration event at our Francis Beach properties this coming Saturday, August 30th, 12:30 to 3pm.  We’re making good progress re-establishing native vegetation on these beautiful bluff top properties. The invasive species are now dry and our dry-summer adapted native species are coming into their own with blooms, seed setting and dispersal.

Lizard Tail, Purple Aster, Bee Flower, Yellow Lupine and Coyote Bushes are all finishing blooming, setting seed or starting to bloom. Once their seeds mature and dry, these natives have various methods of seed dispersal. For example the Yellow Lupine has seed pods that when dry, pop open, and the seeds are literally thrown out into the air to fall to the ground away from the parent plant. Others like the Purple Aster rely on the wind and birds for seed disbursal. We will spend the day discussing these seed disbursal methods and others, identifying native and invasive plants, and removing invasive plants.

Please join us. Check in at the Francis State Beach kiosk at Kelly and the Pacific Ocean, proceed north on the maintenance road to the maintenance sheds. Our properties are on the east side of the maintenance road. Refreshments, good humor and appreciation are provided for all ages and abilities.

Jo Chamberlain

The Montara Water and Sanitary District invites residents of Montara and Moss Beach to celebrate fifty years of success overcoming environmental challenges, together with five years of progress meeting local water needs, at a community party on Sunday, August 24, 2008 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel.

“The Montara / Moss Beach community has repeatedly demonstrated its determination to meet local needs through effective local government. This community party lets us thank the residents who are responsible for the continued success of our District,” according to Paul Perkovic, president of the MWSD board of directors.

A barbeque lunch featuring food and beverages donated by local businesses begins at 1 p.m., followed by an opportunity to tour District facilities and read about the history of the Montara Water and Sanitary District, the Point Montara Naval Anti-Aircraft Training Center (which formerly occupied the MWSD site), and the Point Montara Lighthouse and Hostel (most recently featured in news stories across the country for its traveling lighthouse).

Former State Senator Quentin Kopp will briefly address the community about 2:30 p.m., followed by presentation of proclamations honoring the Montara / Moss Beach community and MWSD for their accomplishments over the past 50 years, cleaning and disposing of wastewater and solid waste for the community, and over the past 5 years operating and improving the local water system while keeping water rates as low as possible.

Shortly after it was formed, the District constructed the most advanced wastewater treatment facility on the Midcoast to eliminate polluting the Pacific Ocean with the community’s untreated sewage. Five years ago, the District acquired the local water system, which had been neglected during decades of private ownership. More recently, MWSD installed the first solar power system to serve a Midcoast agency.

Please RSVP using the link on the MWSD web site, http://MWSD.Montara.org/ to assist in planning adequate food and beverages. All community members are welcome to attend, whether or not you RSVP.

Click for background on the district’s history and anniversary.

The Coastside Land Trust has appointed Beau Gill to the Board of Directors and added Shari Deghi as the organization’s Outreach Coordinator.

Beau Gill, a resident of Half Moon Bay, is a life long advocate for responsible land use. He was educated at Los Angeles Valley College and UCLA, and brings a background in public relations at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, commercial and fine art photography, and documentary film production to CLT’s Board of Directors.

Shari Deghi, a Half Moon Bay resident, moved to the Coastside in 1988, she was drawn by its natural beauty and abounding opportunities for environmental study with her wildlife biologist husband. She brings a breadth of experience to CLT, from Wall Street management to local community action with a number of non-profit organizations. As CLT’s new Outreach Coordinator, she will assist the Executive Director with event coordination, public relations and fundraising.

The Coastside Land Trust is dedicated to protecting the urban open space of the San Mateo County coast, for enjoyment now and for generations to come. Its primary focus is safeguarding scenic bluffs, open space, stream corridors and agricultural lands in and around the communities of Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Miramar, Moss Beach, Princeton-by-the-Sea, and Montara.

Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) broke ground yesterday for new and improved trails at Pillar Point Bluff, a 123-acre property it owns near Moss Beach. Long a popular destination for local joggers, dog-walkers and hikers, the informal network of trails just north of Half Moon Bay is undergoing much-needed restoration thanks to grants from the California Coastal Conservancy and gifts made through the Jean Lauer Memorial Land Protection Fund at POST.

When the trail improvements are complete this fall, two miles of paths lined with native plants and wildflowers will extend across the scenic bluff top, including a portion of the 1,200-mile California Coastal Trail. Two new access points to the property will also be constructed, as well as a wheelchair-accessible trail.

POST purchased the bulk of Pillar Point Bluff from private owners in 2004 for $2.7 million. The acquisition was made in partnership with the California Coastal Conservancy, which contributed $1 million toward the purchase with an eye toward installing a segment of the Coastal Trail. The Conservancy has since contributed another $528,650 to POST to cover the entire cost of trail planning, design and improvements as well as the first year of trail management and continued habitat restoration on the land. Once completed, the new trails will be patrolled by the San Mateo County Parks Department through a management agreement with POST.

You’re invited to open house aboard National Marine Sanctuary Research Vessel “Fulmar” at Pillar Point Harbor’s 75th anniversary celebration, Saturday, Aug 16 from 10 am to Noon

Visit with NOAA Captain Dave Minard and staff from Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary to learn about research that is conducted in the North-Central California national marine sanctuaries: Gulf of the Farallones, Monterey Bay, and Cordell Bank. Step aboard and see various kinds of navigation and other equipment used in at-sea operations to study our oceans, and more effectively manage and conserve our marine resources.

Pillar Point Harbor is at the end of Capistrano Road, just north of Half Moon Bay.

I received word that a candidate from San Carlos has taken out papers to challenge the incumbent for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. His name is Nicholas Pegueros and he has a website up at http://www.votenick.org If you live in Ward 7, which includes parts of Redwood City, San Carlos and much of the northern San Mateo coast, including Half Moon Bay. Nick appears to be in favor of recreation on open space lands, including mountain biking and dogs. I really like the dogs part. 

Several interesting philosophical questions have come out of discussions at CCWD and Jim Larimer’s recent postings on the Review’s website.

At the CCWD discussions on our third recent water rate increase, part of the “Blame” for the increase was put on the higher cost for the El Granada pipeline. As expected, the “Blame” for this increase was placed at the feet of those “No-growth environmentalists”.

Let’s examine this premise.

Larimer’s argument on this and other projects is, in essence, “here is a perfect, community supported, beneficial, smart growth project. It is being appealed and delayed by the no-growthers.  All delays and extra costs are therefore their fault.”

Did I get that right, Jim?

What Jim leaves out is that the projects he backs (Wavecrest, the El Granada pipeline, etc.) always have a fatal flaw. These projects do not conform to California laws.  Jim Larimer does not recognize the necessity to adhere to all California laws in planning a successful and beneficial project.

The Pipeline project had such a fatal flaw.  The larger pipe that was proposed without connection limits was considered by the Coastal Commission to be growth-inducing. The CCWD members of the time, including Ken Coverdell, were apprised of that. They chose to ignore the Coastal Commission and press forward anyway.  And then, of course, everything just stopped.

Four years later, after the Coastal Commission stepped in and took over the appeal, Jim Larimer was elected to the CCWD Board. The Board, as one must remember, has the sole power to propose or modify projects. The public can give opinions; only the Board decides. Upon taking office, Jim made clear his opinion of the Coastal Commission and its laws. He fought the CCC by refusing to answer their questions, and refusing to make the project compliant.  He even posted a letter in the Review attacking those who proposed the simple solution of putting connection limits on the bigger pipe. They were “putting the community in danger”. When asked what danger he was talking about, he refused to clarify the remark.

After two more years of delays under Larimer’s watch, the CCC finally overrode him and imposed the connection limits he and the original project proposers had refused to accept. Six years were wasted by the original Board’s refusal to submit a conforming project.  Now Jim blames the watchdog group for pointing out that the project was poorly planned and contained fatal flaws that led to the delays.

What our community needs are well-planned projects that conform to California law and can be approved by the Coastal Commission.  How much easier life would be for the community if Jim and the CCWD Board would simply do the right thing up front. We know it’s not done out of ignorance of the law; it’s simply done out of disrespect for the law.  Jim’s experience has illustrated for us all the importance of following the law and the CCC’s recommendations.

Ric Lohman

The Coastal Commission is preparing for budget cuts driven by Gov. Schwartzenegger’s proposal to cut 10% from the state’s “bureaucracy”, reports the Capitol Weekly. Layout notices have been sent to 46 members of its 125-person staff.  The staff says that there is a possibility to 19 to 25 layoffs.  At one time, the commission had a staff of 200.

“Budget cuts at these levels will devastate the Coastal Commission and critically impair implementation of the Coastal Act. The commission will not be able to work with local governments on LCP (Local Coastal Plan) issues...,” Susan Hansch, the commission’s budget expert and chief deputy director, wrote in a July 8 memo to the commission’s employees.
...
The fundamental issue is that the commission is charged by law with protecting coastal lands, and it must make far-reaching decisions that often affect millions of dollars and the stewardship of the state’s majestic landscape.

“I don’t believe the system is designed to allow less scrutiny,” said Andi Culbertson, an urban-planning consultant in Santa Ynez. “The time frames for processing projects have gone up and up because the staffing has gone down and down. They are barely able to make their own statutory time frames.”

So what happens if the numbers of staff members get cut still more?

“There are only so many white mice and they can go only so fast. The Coastal Act is a very labor-intensive law, very evidence-intensive, and there is an awful lot of work to do,” Culbertson said.

The article is pretty heavy on quotes from land use consultants and other folks who make their livings from coastal development and who aren’t shedding any tears for the commission’s staff.