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Draft of LCP Strengthened by San Mateo Co. Board of Supervisors
 
October 20, 2006

Dear Friends,

This week also brought some good news we want to share. Thanks to the many CGF supporters who weighed in on the Local Coastal Program review, on Tuesday, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors made several important decisions that strengthened the draft Local Coastal Program Update. The next step is for the County to formally adopt the plan and send it to the California Coastal Commission for approval.

You can read more about the background of this important planning effort, and find links to other public documents about the Local Coastal Plan for San Mateo County, in our December 2005 Action Alert.

For the past year and a half, San Mateo Legislative Advocate Lennie Roberts and Board Vice President and Midcoast resident April Vargas have been working closely with County Supervisors to address issues that would weaken environmental protections and promote intensive growth. We are happy to report at a hearing held on Tuesday in Redwood City, our concerns were heard and changes we proposed to the plan were adopted. Specifically the plan now

• Removes residential uses from on the Burnham Strip, located in El Granada and partially owned by the Harbor District, and approved additional uses for this area as a vegetative storm water treatment system and underground storm water storage facilities. This has the potential to provide two benefits to Coastside residents: the treatment and storage of storm water runoff, thereby reducing the amount of polluted water entering Pillar Point Harbor, and providing the cash-strapped Harbor District with needed revenues.
   
• Removes the Big Wave development from the overall Local Coastal Program Update to be considered at a later date when there is sufficient time for the appropriate environmental reviews of this proposed group home and commercial facility.
   
• Approves a lot merger program for undersized lots in the Midcoast that are in common ownership. After an initial voluntary period of 18 months, the County will impose a mandatory merger program that will reduce the number of buildable lots. This will significantly limit increased density in the coastal zone and strengthen existing ordinances that specify the minimum lot sizes required for development.

All together, this plan provides increased environmental safeguards that balance ongoing resource protection with the needs of Coastside residents and visitors. The Board of Supervisors will come back in one month's time to adopt the final plan and then send it on to the California Coastal Commission, where it will be reviewed for compliance with the Coastal Act, certified and then become law. Many thanks for all of your support. Your emails, letters, phone calls and appearances at public hearings over the past seven years really made a difference!

Holly Van Houten
Executive Director

Page last updated September 13, 2010.