Geoffrey Drive Seawall

Month	March
Year	2023
Summary	The Coastal Commission found ‘substantial issue’ with a Santa Cruz County coastal development permit (CDP) for shoreline armoring and drainage infrastructure at the Black’s Point Beach portion of Twin Lakes State Beach fronting Geoffrey Drive. The development was first constructed under a County emergency permit and subsequently issued a CDP. The work includes bluff excavation, installing a concrete foundation on the lower bluff, an erosion control grid, drainage infrastructure and installing a chain link fence at the blufftop edge. The County did not approve the chain link fence in the follow-up CDP. The County’s CDP inadequately addresses the legality of the shoreline armoring and the impacts of the drainage infrastructure. The development is also located in the same bluff area that is currently under review for a prescriptive rights access easement based on historical use and there are open and active violations related to unpermitted development at this site including fending, signage, security guards remain unresolved. The Commission unanimously found ‘substantial issue’ with the County’s CDP. The issue will return for a ‘de novo’ hearing in the future.
Outcome
Outcome Description	The applicant’s lawyer offered ‘alternative facts’ to the staff report and argued that their development is only repair and maintenance - a common argument from those wishing to subvert Coastal Act requirements.
Why You Should Care	The County’s permit fails to comply with Coastal Act requirements on shoreline armoring and may negatively impact water quality. This is yet another example of an emergency armoring permit being left in place with inadequate review and unmitigated impacts.
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Decision Type	Appeal
Staff Recommendation	Substantial Issue Exists
Staff Report	https://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2023/3/W18a/W18a-3-2023-report.pdf
Lobbyist/Agent	Ira Harris
Opposition to Project	Surfrider Foundation
Coastal Act Policies	Chapter 3