County’s Midcoast LCP update could still strain resources

The Examiner looks at the December 6 county Board of Supervisors meeting to discuss proposed revisions to the Local Coastal Program (LCP)for the unincorporated Midcoast (Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada). The proposal will reduce the number of new houses that can be built each year from five percent to three percent of total homes.  Over the course of thirty-three years, the number of houses will increase from 3,700 to about 7,000. Both of the Midcoast’s two water systems are already at full capacity.

The Examiner talks to Montara Water and Sanitary District directors Scott Boyd and Kathryn Slater-Carter. Both say that Montara and Moss Beach have already reached the limits of the their water supply.

Boyd, who can remember the area’s former water utility having to truck in water a little more than a decade ago, said the proposal is unrealistic. Much of the water and sewer system currently in place — including many privately owned lines — are so old and dilapidated they can hardly handle the current demand, Boyd said.

“I guess I’m disappointed,” said Kathryn Slater-Carter, vice-chairwoman of the Midcoast Community Council and director of the Montara Water and Sanitary District, of the proposal. “They’re making decisions on buildout numbers and groundwater capacity before they even have their groundwater report.” The county’s groundwater report is due in December, but officials couldn’t say Tuesday if it will be complete by Dec. 6.

Meanwhile, the more growth-oriented Coastside County Water District, which serves El Granada, says, "Bring it on."

“The district believes that as the community’s future need for water supply is identified, it will be able to satisfy the requirement of all applicable regulatory agencies,” Schmidt said. “The current CCWD Board of directors is committed to providing a safe and reliable supply of water to meet the communities’ future needs as identified by the County of San Mateo and the city of Half Moon Bay.”

As long as it can make more improvements to its infrastructure, of course. CCWD already buys 70% its water from San Francisco.

Neither MSWD or CCWD has new connections to sell.  New homes in MWSD must use wells.  New home builders in CCWD must either dig wells or buy connections on the open market, which currently sell for about $35,000.