CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION
Dear Coastal Property Owners Association of Santa Cruz County member:
The California Coastal Commission (CCC) staff has recommended approval of the above project conditional upon their recommendations as can be found on page 11 of their staff report. The report can be found at:
http://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2007/12/Th13a-s-12-2007.pdf
The project now goes to the CCC hearing for evaluation by the Coastal Commissioners.
I am hopeful that you can express your support and/or any concerns you may have of the project.
Your attendance at the meeting would also go a long ways as coastal protection opponents such as the Sierra Club usually attend and comment at all CCC hearings.
Please note that the conditional approval includes taking back all public right-of-way along East Cliff Drive, except where no demonstrable public benefit would be gained (see pages 13-16). This could really change the character of East Cliff Drive with the road moved even closer to the small lot homes and businesses on the street. This would also adversely impact the usefulness of existing front yards (see pages 62-64).
In one case, the CCC is suggesting that the homeowner pay rent for that portion of the house that sits on the public right-of-way. This is really spot enforcement and lacks equality under the law. Almost every home in Santa Cruz County has a five foot public right-of-way in the front yard. Could you imagine giving up five feet of your front yard? Could you imagine someday being required to pay rent for the public right-of-way that exists on your front yard?
Other than the above concerns, we support this project as it will:
Improve lateral access by removing concrete ruble which currently covers a wide sandy beach
Preserve and improve access to the beach
Preserve and improve the pedestrian and handicap pathway
Preserve and improve the bicycle, skate, skate board, and scooter path
Preserve the motoring vista
Secure the sewer and water mains from dumping into the bay
Look as natural as the recently completed emergency repairs
Benefit both Santa Cruz County residents and our visiting public
Meets the Coastal Act’s primary mandate to preserve public access to the coast
Will not impact surfing
The Coastal Commission hearing will be held on
Thursday December 13, 2007 9:00AM at:
San Francisco City Hall
Legislative Chamber Room 250
1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
SUGGESTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN MATERIALS. Written materials should be submitted to Commission staff no later than three working days before the hearing. In the upper right hand corner of the first page of your submittal please identify the agenda item number & your name. Please summarize your position in two or three pages. You may attach any exhibits you feel are necessary. Please Note: You are discouraged from submitting written materials to the Commission on the day of the hearing, unless they are visual aids. It is difficult for Commissioners to carefully consider late submittals. The CCC address is:
California Coastal Commission
Central Coast District Office
725 Front Street, Suite 300
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-427-4863
Meeting rules and procedures can be found at
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/meetings/mtgrule.html
Thanks for all your support,
Keith Adams
President
Coastal Property Owners Association of Santa Cruz County
www.CoastalPropertyOwners.org
831-479-4200