Jan 25, 2024 | Articles - Misc, California Coastal Coalition
CA OPC Released a Draft of the proposed CA State Sea Level Rise Guidance document for 2024. Public Comments are due by March 4, 2024 to Ben.Dorfman@resources.ca.gov with the subject line “Sea Level Rise Guidance – Public Comment”. A copy of the 105 page Draft CA SLR documented can be found at:
https://opc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SLR-Guidance-DRAFT-Jan-2024-508.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Dec 16, 2023 | California Coastal Commision News, Santa Cruz County: Coastal Access / Public Right-Of-Way, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
CCC disagreed with Court’s decision, that the 37 foot wide walkway along the beach in front of the “Island” properties was private, but that is irrelevant. The Rio Del Mar Island HOA and property owner at 202 Beach Dr. are in violation of their initial 1980 Coastal Development Permit and subsequent Amendments, which require the homeowners restore and allow for public access to the beach along the pathway in front of the homes in accordance with the Coastal Act. Cease & Desist Order is effective 12/23/23, the Rio Del Mar Island HOA must remove the barriers at both ends of the walkway, remove the non-native ice plant, pots, other debris and obstacles within 8 feet of the revetment rocks to allow for public access. The CCC also levied fines of $4.7 M which they felt should have been closer to $28 M. Property owners plan to appeal.
Oct 20, 2023 | Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Capitola / Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
CPOA endorses Manu Koenig (District 1) and Kim De Serpa (District 2) who have committed to supporting “the rights of coastal property owners” to protect their structures and properties from coastal erosion, and to guarantee that CPOA will have a “seat at the table” in every step from the Vulnerability Study to the proposed revisions of the Local Coastal Plan – Safety Hazards for Coastal Beaches and Bluffs (Land Use and Implementation Plan). Please contribute to their campaigns.
Sep 8, 2023 | California Coastal Commision News, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive
The Coastal Commission reluctantly approved in a vote of 6:4 a proposal submitted by three separate Pleasure Point property owners (parcels located at 3000, 3006 & 3020 Pleasure Point Drive) to repair the Sewer Peak public access and stairway, replace damaged pre-existing seawalls, remove debris and revetment rocks, and install a new seawall with a public pathway at the foot of the seawall and stairs down to the ocean bedrock and tide pools.
Sep 6, 2023 | California Coastal Commision News
On September 6, 2023 the Coastal Commission awarded $780,000 in Local Coastal Program (LCP) Local Assistance grant funds to the County of Santa Cruz to complete a series of technical studies on sea level rise (SLR) hazards, economic impacts, and adaptation pathways that will culminate in an LCP amendment on SLR. The County will now send out requests for proposals (RFPs) and award the contract by November, 2023. The contractor, once selected will meet with all of the major stakeholders, complete a coastal vulnerability study to identify those areas at greatest risk of flooding and coastal erosion with triggers and timelines for adaptation strategies, which will result in recommended revisions to the County’s LCP. As a result, It appears the County will have to delay the approval of the revised LCP until December 2025.
Aug 18, 2023 | Articles - Misc, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Capitola / Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
COA is investigating the feasibility of establishing a Political Action Committee and other funding alternatives to allow CPOA to raise funds and contribute to our chosen candidates for the County Board of Supervisors in our next election.
Jun 28, 2023 | California Coastal Commision News, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
The County Board of Supervisor’s just approved the submission of a grant application to the Coastal Commission to fund $733,000 to fund a sea level rise vulnerability assessment and preparation of related Local Coastal Program General Plan, which is expected to be awarded by CCC this summer. Then the County will select a Coastal Engineering Consultant to complete the Vulnerability Study and begin work on revising the LCP this fall.
Feb 23, 2023 | California Coastal Coalition
CPOA members have been asked to participate in the in the 2023 California Coastal Adaptation Needs Assessment sponsored by the University of Southern California (USC) Sea Grant and the Ocean and Coastal Policy Center (OCPC) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB. The link to complete the survey is https://ucsb.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bIq5VYOpors6CRo.
Feb 4, 2023 | Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Uncategorized
The recent January storms have accelerated the costal bluff erosion along the Opal Cliffs. In some locations, 3-4 feet of the bluffs edge has collapsed, compared to a seasonal average of one foot of bluff loss. The proposal for a uniform seawall along Opal Cliffs was opposed by the Surfriders, and rejected by the Coastal Commission. Yet the County and Costal Commission will not grant Emergency Permits to shore-up bluffs or repair existing seawalls and restack revetment rocks. Dangerous debris and concrete continue to fall down Opal Cliffs to the bedrock below, causing unsafe conditions for surfers and beach goers. CPOA has asked the County if they will continue to support the proposal for a uniform seawall given the recent storm erosion and opposition from the Coastal Commission.
Jan 11, 2023 | California Coastal Commision News, California Coastal News
Superior Court of CA has ruled against the CCC in their interpretation of “Pre-existing structures which are entitled to shoreline protection”. In the case of Casa Mira Homeowner’s Association (San Mateo) vs the CCC, the Court ruled the CCC exceeded the authority and limitations of the Coastal Act in their interpretation of section 30235, that only “Pre-existing Structures present before the passage of the Coastal Act (1977) were entitled to any shoreline protection”. The Court finds that CCC has mis-interpreted an ambiguous section of the Statue, and is attempting to add new language restricting any new shoreline protection for existing costal structures. The Court further stipulated that any existing structure (present tense) is entitled to shoreline protection if it is in danger of coastal erosion, provided that the shoreline protection device does not restrict public access to the beaches and shoreline.
