There’s been some controversy over a 4 to 3 vote by MROSD to buy an acre and half with a “rundown mountain cabin” adjacent to its land in Los Gatos.  The idea is that it will improve parking and access as well as provide a place for MROSD’s local ranger to live.  Those voting against thought it might not be such a hot idea to spend $1 million of the District’s $15 million budget on the dump when there might be cheaper solutions to the access problem and the rest of the cash could be spent on . . . open space.

According to the Mercury News story, one board member “fretted” during the meeting over whether this would become a public relations disaster.

“This is just unfathomable,” said Terry Gossett, a Moss Beach engineer and member of the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association. “It is a misuse of the funds from taxpayers. It is being used to take care of their own instead of the public, who are the customers.”

The article fails to mention that Gossett’s an implacable foe of the District in any event.  It’s not clear that he’d prefer to spend that money buying larger tracts from private landowners on the Coastside. 

On Tuesday night, the La Honda Fire Brigade got a call from a concerned citizen who said that that in the Cuesta La Honda Sub-division in La Honda was too dangerous to pass over.  A fissure had opened up about 50 yards above a land movement that had occurred in 1998 as a result of an El Niño-driven storm.

The 1998 land movement ultimately resulted in the destruction or removal of nine homes.

During recent rains the land started to move again. New fissures were seen developing a few weeks ago. At that time SMCO Public Works made temporary repairs to Scenic Drive so that it could remain passable.

At about 6:30 Tuesday night the La Honda Fire Brigade received the call. This new fissure extends under a home at 230 Scenic, a home that was basically untouched by the 1989 incident.  After consultation with a Sheriff’s Deputy at scene the Fire Brigade requested San Mateo County Public Works to again close the road.

Over the night there was additional movement in this slide to the point where the road is buckled in numerous places, a 6-inch water main separated and was forced to the surface of the road. The rear deck of the home at 230 Scenic is being pulled away from the house.

The Fire Department has requested that San Mateo County building inspectors evaluate the homes on the perimeter of the slide as well as the home that is now partially inside the slide. Utility lines near the intersection of Scenic and Canada Vista are also sagging as a result of the movement of an electric pole. PG&E has been requested to the scene.

All pictures were taken on March 30 at about 7pm.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an edited version of a press release from Larry Whitney of the La Honda Fire Department.

Not long ago the San Mateo County Mosquito Abatement District annexed the coastside and is now out here every day, working to prevent mosquito and West Nile outbreaks.  The district has assigned an officer to cover the coastside from Daly City all the way down to about Santa Cruz.

Abatement officer Kim was out near the Half Moon Bay Airport today, and agreed to answer a few questions about how they treat standing water to stop mosquitos.

She told me about several approaches they have at their disposal, and noted that they decide which to use based on the conditions at each specific site. For example, if mosquito larvae are within a day or so of leaving the water, they apply a thin film of refined mineral oil to the water’s surface.  This drowns the mosquitos.  The oil is very fine, and evaporates with a couple of days.

Earlier in the larvae’s life cycle, the district can apply a growth hormone specific to mosquito larvae.  It keeps the larvae from developing into adults.

Another tool in their arsenal is a bacteria that attacks mosquito larvae.  It, too, is said to be specific only to mosquitos.

The Abatement District offers several services to homeowners, including free mosquito fish.  These fish love to eat mosquitos and make great additions to outdoor ponds.

They also offer to deal with yellowjackets, identify insects, and want to hear from you if you spot any dead birds.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I called the County about a dead crow in my yard a couple of years ago. They came out to collect it that day.

A law has been introduced in the California State Assembly, written by the California Water Association, which would rewrite the state’s eminent domain laws to make it far more difficult for the public to take over private water systems, according to the Monterey Herald.

The CWA represents 42 private water companies in the California, including California American Water Co.  Cal-Am owns the water system in Felton, which a local group is trying to take over. It previously owned Montara’s water system, which was taken over by the Montara and Sanitary District.

“Who else but Cal Am would propose such a change?” asked Ron Weitzman, spokesman for Monterey Friends of Locally Owned Water (FLOW), a fledgling group examining the possibility of a public takeover of Cal Am’s Peninsula water district. “The bill would be a big blow to the condemnation efforts of our local FLOW and any other group working toward the same end.”

The Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) has appointed two new members, Charlene C. Kabcenell of Portola Valley and Larry Jacobs of Pescadero, to its Board of Directors.

Charlene Kabcenell is a retired vice president of Oracle Corporation.

Larry Jacobs is president and CEO of Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo, Inc. Established in 1980 by Jacobs and his wife, Sandra, Jacobs Farm grows organic culinary herbs, edible flowers on 200 cultivated acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.

Click “read more” for press release.

This year, five of the eight Sustainable San Mateo County award recipients were on the Coastside. The annual Sustainable San Mateo County awards honor individuals and organizations demonstrating sustainability in action. The local winners were:

• Jacobs Ranch/Del Cabo, Inc.


• Pietro Parravano, Harbor Commissioner


• Surfrider Foundation San Mateo County


• Elkus Youth Ranch: Honorable Mention


• Hogg Residence, Half Moon Bay, Green Building Awards: Honorable Mention

From the Sustainable San Mateo press release:

Jacob’s Ranch/Del Cabo, Inc. began as organic herb farms in Pescadero. It has expanded into one of the largest organic herb farms in the country and was the inspiration for a venture into Mexico that has turned into an even bigger business. CEO Larry Jacobs and his wife Sandra Belin partnered with Mexican farmers, forming a coop of more than 200 small family farmers growing organically and selling worldwide.

Pietro Parravano, San Mateo County Harbor District Commissioner, has shown leadership at the local up to the international level working for permanent systemic change in the area of sustainable ocean resource use and protection. His work has included education, mobilization of stakeholders, policy change, and coordination and leadership on sustainable practices and programs.

Surfrider Foundation San Mateo County embodies the principles of sustainability in several ways: improving and sustaining environmental quality by recognizing that the diversity and ecological integrity of the coasts are necessary to the well being of the whole earth; promoting equal, free, and open access to County beaches for all people; educating the community about water quality, pollution, coastal ecology and biodiversity; and supporting businesses that embody sustainable practices in accordance with the CERES (formerly Valdez) Principles.

The Cargill South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project was hailed by environmentalists as the “holy grail.” Senator Dianne Feinstein said, “Cargill is clearly doing a major public good and deserves deep appreciation.” The project frees up 16,100 acres for use by local, state and federal wildlife agencies, increases Bay tidal wetlands by nearly 50 percent, and preserves 25 square miles of open space. It also improves water quality, flood control and provides crucial habitat for endangered species. At the same time Cargill’s investment in technology and productivity shrinks their industrial footprint by over 60% but preserves nearly 400 permanent, living wage jobs.

“Getting Green at Central” is a grass roots effort at Central Elementary School in Belmont that has inspired the whole school to recycle everything from aluminum to tennis shoes-and in the process saved enough money to build a new play structure. They have received worldwide recognition for their efforts, including the President’s Environmental Youth award, and they have inspired many other schools to follow their example.

Receiving honorable mention, Elkus Youth Ranch in Half Moon Bay for nearly a quarter century has been offering opportunities for students and teachers to experience environmental science, California history, animal care and agriculture programs. The ranch hosts about 9000 visitors annually-with a special welcome for urban, disabled and inner city youth.

The 2005 Green Building Award winner, d’Souza/de la Torre Residence in Belmont (Architects: David Arkin & Anni Tilt, Arkin-Tilt Architects; Builder: Ebcon Development, Inc.; Owners: Gladwin d’Souza & Martina de la Torre) is being honored for the holistic approach to sustainable design. The project incorporated recycled materials, sustainable site selection and uses, innovative heating and cooling systems (both passive and active) and included multi-functional use of space to reduce the overall building size.

Receiving Honorable Mention is the Hogg Residence in Half Moon Bay (Architect: John Hermannsson, Architect A.I.A.; Builder: Spectrum Development; Owners: Alec & Michelle Hogg). Commendable was the complete re-use of the existing structure and the owner’s and architect’s commitment to look at all options, carefully consider material selections, and maintain sensitivity to the community and surroundings.

Click “read more” to see Surfrider’s press release on its award.

Slowly, for nearly a decade, volunteers have been removing invasive plants from the beaches of Half Moon Bay’s 170 acres of state beach so that native plants, such as the California poppy, can return to our open spaces. Each parcel must be weeded repeatedly until the seeds of the invaders have been eliminated.

“We’ve seen a lot more rabbits up at Francis Beach because now they have the type of ground cover they can hide in,” said Ken Robertson, a volunteer with the Half Moon Bay Dune and Restoration Project. “Everything feeds on everything else. We’ve noticed a big turnaround in the ecosystem.”

There’s a wonderful article on this labor of love by the Half Moon Bay Dune and Bluff Restoration Project at the San Mateo County Times web site.

I found these great photos of the coastside taken from a kite on montarabeach.com, and even more photos can be found at photographer Matt Brocchini’s site. You can click on the pictures for a slightly larger version.

Matt Brocchini

Montara State Beach

Matt Brocchini

Surfers Beach and Pillar Point Harbor

[Based on POST press release] The Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) has acquired 183 acres of scenic land between Lobitos and Tunitas creeks four miles southeast of Half Moon Bay. The land, which is adjacent to POST and MROSD property, was bought from a private owner for $2.25 million.

The property is adjacent to POST’s Lobitos Ridge property across the creek, and the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, managed by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). POST says that the property is a likely addition to the Purisima Creek preserve, which already contains 7.2 miles of trail from Skyline Ridge down to the property. Another 4-mile trail addition could extend through the new acquisition, continuing out to the coast, where it would connect with the California Coastal Trail.

POST hopes that a donor will make a major contribution for the right to name the parcel.

Click “Read more” to see POST’s press release.

The cost rebuilding the Hetch Hetchy water system is continuing to grow, creating new concerns about the cost and new demands to tear down the O’Shaughnessy Dam, which sits across the Tuolumne River in Yosemite National Park and return its reservoir its natural state. The increased cost of this project will show up on County Coastside Water District water bills.

The projected cost has grown 20 percent to $4.3 billion, and suburban customers of San Francisco-owned system will be asked to pick up part of the tab.

Under the plan approved by San Francisco voters in 2002, San Franciscans would see their $14.43 monthly water bill for a typical four-person household rise to $40.85 a month by 2015 to cover the costs of the city bonds.

The remaining $2 billion cost of the Hetch Hetchy rebuilding was to be picked up by the system’s wholesale customers outside the city. In 2002, officials estimated that a typical four-person household outside San Francisco that received Hetch Hetchy water would see their monthly bill rise from $32 to $71 by 2015.

Not all of the Coastside would be equally affected. Coastside County Water District gets 70% of its water from Hetch Hetchy and related systems owned by San Francisco, according to CCWD General Manager Ed Schmidt. Montara Water and Sanitary District gets no water from the San Francisco system.