A possible mountain lion was seen in the bluffs above the Pillar Ridge Manufactured Home Community in Moss Beach at about 4pm, according to the County Sheriff.

The Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM) today announced that its Manager John “Jack” F. Foley III will be retiring in May 2010 with 7 years of service to SAM, bringing his 45-year career in public service to an end. The Board of Directors has launched a state-wide search to find a successor. 

“Jack and our team have accomplished a great deal over the past seven years. SAM has improved its collection system, its plant performance and has been recognized for excellence in safety and in financial reporting during Jack’s tenure,” said Marina Fraser, SAM Vice-Chair. “Under his leadership, we’ve made tremendous strides with our Recycled Water Program.  We’ve already begun to take steps in the transition and I am looking forward to a successful recruitment and hiring of a Manager who can continue SAM’s positive progress,” added Fraser.  

Foley, who joined SAM in May 2003, said, “This is an excellent time for this transition as SAM is performing so well right now. I am confident that the new manager will bring steadfast energy, skillful leadership and fresh ideas to SAM’s continued service on the Coastside.” Foley will continue at SAM through April 2010 to ensure a smooth transition. 

About Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM)

SAM is a public agency created to meet the wastewater collection and treatment services requirements of each community within its three member agency boundaries. The City of Half Moon Bay, Granada Sanitary District, and Montara Water and Sanitary District formed SAM in a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JPA) on February 3, 1976. SAM’s service area includes a population of approximately 22,000 people.

What are the real costs of saving blufftop real estate from natural erosion?

As the bluffs continue to erode under the apartment buildings in Pacifica, the potential futility and cost to the public of armoring the coastside becomes more clear.

Engineers have come up with some potential solutions to erosion that is threatening several Pacifica apartment buildings, reports Julia Scott in the County Times.

These will likely include a plan to stitch the top of the bluff together by installing a series of long "nails," or steel rods, deep inside the bluff, securing them in place with industrial-sized applications of grout, and then stretching a long concrete wall across the outside of the bluff that would be camouflaged to look like the natural face of the cliff. In addition, O’Connor wants to permanently protect the bottom of the cliff with a thick steel retaining wall sunk 30 feet into the beach. It would extend five or six feet above the beach, preventing the ocean from undermining the boulders already there. [...]

Neither [Esplanade co-owner Farshid] Samsami nor his wife returned calls Tuesday. Considering the cost of the boulders was estimated at $400,000, a long-term fix could easily surpass $1 million, although costs will be shared among the owners of all four buildings if they agree to a partnership.

"They can’t just leave it unrepaired because it’s going to threaten the neighbors and the road. They do have some responsibility to prevent this from impinging on others," O’Connor said.

Just before Christmas, Scott wrote an excellent summary of the issues involved in saving land and buildings that would wind up under water if nature were allowed to run its course.

Gary Strachan is retiring after 34 years as a park ranger, 25 of those serving in State parks on the coast, reports Julia Scott in the County Times.

"Gary’s a force on the coast. He probably wants to have his ashes scattered out there," said Paul Keel, parks superintendent for San Mateo County. "He cares about what he’s doing. He makes it a part of who he is. When you meet somebody like that, you just kind of know it. People get it when they meet someone who means what they say and cares about what they do."

Strachan has spent a lot of time thinking about how to best protect and share the wonders of the park with the public and the scientific community. He expanded the park’s volunteer program, recruiting more than 235 volunteer docent naturalists to take 50,000 people on guided walks of Año Nuevo. He spent eight years working with nonprofits and private foundations to raise $3.8 million to convert an old farmhouse and dairy barn into a marine museum — even as his own park’s operating budget shrunk along with others across the state.

He is also a committed environmentalist when it comes to protecting rural coastal lands from development, becoming a major behind-the-scenes player in working with open space groups and nonprofits to broker land deals with the state. He played a crucial role in adding 20,000 acres of open space to the South Coast, including Cascade Ranch and part of Butano State Park. The land acquisitions dramatically expanded hiking trail connections from Año Nuevo to the surrounding area.

Strachan is confident that Año Nuevo will be left in good hands, even if the state cannot afford a full-time replacement at the moment. But he does worry — a lot — that at a time when budget cutbacks threaten the future of State Parks, public support is also at an ebb.

Read the rest at the County Times.

The National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory for 4am to 2pm Thursday.

Swell heights will gradually increase along the coast very late tonight and Thursday with swell heights peaking between 15 and 16 feet with 14 second swell periods Thursday. The arrival of the swell  train will coincide with a high tide of 6.1 feet at 11:07 am Thursday  morning at the Golden Gate… But coastal flooding is not expected to  be a primary issue. Some swell sets along west facing beaches could reach as high as 17 to 19 feet during the day.

The NWS expects this to be a fairly short lived event with swell heights to drop below 15 feet by Thursday evening.

A high surf advisory means that high surf will produce rip currents and localized erosion on beaches.

San Mateo Co.Planning Dept.
Attn: Camille Leung, Planner
455 County Center, 2nd Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
[email protected]

Re:  Big Wave Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)
 
While I support the needs of the developmentally disabled, I have the following concerns about the adequacy of the DEIR for the Big Wave Project:

•  Visual Impacts:  Without story poles showing the potential visual impacts of the project, it is impossible to determine the project’s impacts on scenic views.  Four 50-foot tall office buildings would be grossly out of scale with the surrounding natural setting and nearby buildings.

•  Traffic: The DEIR defers any traffic mitigations caused by the project’s 2,123 daily trips to some time after full occupancy.

•  Water and Sewer: There is no guaranteed source of water and no guaranteed disposal of sewage, even though the site is served by public water and sewer agencies.

•  Geology:  The DEIR defers analysis of potentially significant impacts of violent shaking during earthquakes, liquefaction, and differential settlement under the buildings until future studies.

•  Hazards: The housing for developmentally disabled people would be located in a Marine Industrial zone, where all but the most hazardous chemicals are allowed.  Additional hazards from flooding, tsunami inundation, and adjacent airport operations make this a problematic site for an at risk population.

•  Affordability and Economic Viability: There are no enforceable income or affordability restrictions on purchase of housing co-op shares or condos.  The project relies on shaky financial assumptions to support the “affordable” housing.

•  Phased Development: The Office Park’s estimated construction period of 30-36 months in the DEIR is not realistic, given the developer’s intent to phase each building’s construction after rental or sale of each previously constructed building.  Wetlands restoration would not be done until after all construction is complete, which would allow stormwater runoff to carry sediment and other pollutants into the Pillar Point Marsh.

•  Isolation and Employment: Wellness Center residents would be isolated from community resources with reduced opportunities to mingle with the community at large.  Many of the Big Wave programs such as raising organic crops do not depend upon this site being developed.

•  Wetlands destruction: The owners of the property have destroyed wetlands under the guise of agriculture. Over 90% of the State’s wetlands have been lost.  The wetlands at Big Wave should be restored.
 
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The National Weather Service San Francisco as issued a freeze watch from late Monday night through Tuesday morning.

A very cold air mass will move out of Canada and into the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas by Monday night causing temperatures to plummet Tuesday morning. As the sky cover decreases through the night. Temperatures are expected to fall below freezing for several hours. Most areas will experience temperatures in the mid to upper 20s for a few hours.

A freeze watch means sub-freezing temperatures are possible. These  conditions could kill crops and other sensitive vegetation. Be prepared to cover plants…If possible…With cloth sheets or blankets to protect them from freezing. For anyone or anything sensitive to cold, proper shelter should be provided.

If you’ve been wondering what happened to our rainy season, the National Weather Service has your answer.

A very wet and windy weather pattern is setting up next week beginning late sunday night and lasting into the latter part of the week. A series of storms will set up over the pacific and push into california throughout the week.  The result of these storms will be strong winds with copious rain amounts…Along with large waves near the coast and heavy snow accumulation for higher elevations. Potential impacts from these storms include:

• Urban and small stream flooding along with possible flash flooding and debris flows.  
• High winds that can down trees and power lines producing power outages.  
• Hazardous driving conditions due to very slippery road conditions.  
• Dangerous near shore conditions due to high surf from large waves.

A northwest swell of 14 to 18 feet and gale force winds will lead to high surf and choppy seas beginning Friday at 10am to Saturday at 4am, according to the National Weather Service.