Health & Fitness

County Will Cancel the Sale of Moss Beach Park

San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley explains in a letter addressed to Midcoast residents that "the County has the legal standing to cancel the sale and return the land and park to its previous owner."

San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley says that the County will cancel the sale of Moss Beach Park after a Pacifica developer bought the property in an online tax auction this summer. The nonprofit Coastside Preservation and Recreation Inc. was negligent for years on paying its property taxes on the parcel, which was approved for sale in April by the county Board of Supervisors.

All buyers on the auction site are required to agree to a disclaimer that the county can reverse the sale before the deed is recorded, according to a report in the Half Moon Bay Review.

The San Mateo County Tax Collector’s Office agreed on Friday afternoon to cancel the sale of the Moss Beach Park, provided the property’s outstanding tax bill can be paid within about two weeks.

The community now faces coming up with $8,000 to pay the outstanding tax bill. The Pacifica buyer would receive a refund.

A meeting to discuss the park is scheduled for Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. at Farallone View Elementary School, 1100 Le Conte Ave, Montara. Bring your family to show support for Moss Beach Park. San Mateo County Supervisor Horsley and members of Congresswoman Jackie Speier's office will attend as well as other special guests. Refreshments will be served. For further information contact
Mark Verlander at mark@verlanderdesign.com or call him at (650)- 563 4087.

Here's the letter of explanation from Horsely:

Dear Midcoast Residents,

Your passionate testimony at the Midcoast Community Council meeting, the phone calls to my office, and the dozens of emails I have read this week, have made one thing very clear- we need to save Moss Beach Park. For the past week, my office has been working diligently with County Counsel and the Tax Collector’s Office to determine what we can do to fix this problem. After reviewing the details of what led to the sale and the conditions of the sale we have determined that the County has the legal standing to cancel the sale and return the land and park to its previous owner.

During a meeting I held with the Tax Collector’s Office and County Counsel this morning, the Tax Collector’s Office agreed to cancel the sale provided that the outstanding property tax, amounting to $8,035.79, is paid in full by September 16. With just over two weeks to collect these funds, it may be tight but I know that together we can do it.

On Wednesday, September 4 at 7:00PM there will be a town hall meeting at the Farallone View Elementary School to discuss the Moss Beach Park. I am looking forward to attending this meeting, speaking with the community about the future of the Moss Beach Park, and discussing how to raise the funds needed to pay the outstanding property tax bill. Together, we can preserve this vital community asset. Thank you for all of your help and involvement in this matter and I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday night.

Sincerely,

Don



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