Politics & Government

Surfer's Beach Erosion: Big Topic of Discussion at Upcoming Meetings

Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

The Midcoast Community Council will address the erosion problem at Surfer's Beach and how Highway 1 in that area needs to be protected, especially with the upcoming winter rainy season on the horizon. 

A representative from San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley’s office will be at the meeting to field questions and talk about grant funding and letters sent to Caltrans and federal, state and local lawmakers about an emergency plan to shore up the road embankment and protect this stretch of Highway 1 along Surfer's Beach.

Horsley met with Caltrans representatives to discuss a project that the San Mateo County Public Works Department is interested in pursuing that utilizes $200K in grant funding to design a structure that would project the roadway, fix the coastal trail at Surfer's Beach and provide safe pedestrian access to the beach.

According to a letter sent to Horsely on Oct. 15 from Caltrans District Director Bijan Sartipi, Caltrans will "continue to monitor, evaluate and take steps to insure that Highway 1 remains serviceable and the traveling public is safe" and will work through their encroachment permit process to advance this project.

At the Granada Sanitary District offices, on the third floor of 504 Avenue Alhambra in El Granada.

Friday, Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and San Mateo County Harbor District will provide an update on the status of the North Half Moon Bay Shoreline Improvement Project at Surfer's Beach and will discuss the work ahead.

The erosion rate along the shoreline from Pillar Point to Miramontes Point has accelerated since the Army Corps built the breakwater from 1959-1961 to form the harbor.

Topics of discussion will include steps needed to take to get through the alternative development and preliminary project modeling phase of the project as well as some of the environmental and regulatory issues that the project faces since it's in the Monterey Bay Sanctuary.

"We are now working through some of the environmental and regulatory concerns and are looking for public feedback on some of the alternatives that are analyzed and the projects that are modeled,” said Mark Bierman of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “We are looking forward to hearing from the public and discussing our schedule and what we need to do in the short term to get out of the modeling phase and into implementation and funding."

At the Oceano Hotel & Spa, in the Montara Room, 280 Capistrano Road in Princeton.


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