2021/December
From ActCoastal
| Year | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Month | December |
| Location | Virtual |
| Description | The Coastal Commission’s December meeting took place December 15 - 17 and featured a jam-packed agenda. Key issues included several votes involving shoreline armoring in Pismo Beach, Solana Beach and San Pedro, as well as the Santa Cruz Rail Trail and the Farallon Islands Invasive House Mouse Eradication Project. The Commission also adopted the Local Government Working Group’s 2021 Work Plan for sea level rise adaptation. The meeting resulted in two vote charts regarding the Santa Cruz Rail Trail and one regarding shoreline armoring in San Pedro. Notably, the Coastal Commission held an election on Wednesday morning and Commissioner Donne Brownsey was elected to the Chair position and Caryl Hart was elected Vice Chair. |
Issues voted on at this Meeting
Click on an issue to read full description
| Issue | Summary | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz Rail Trail - Nighttime Closure | On Thursday, the Coastal Commission approved a consistency determination for a proposed 7.5 mile multi-use pedestrian trail that will run from Wilder Ranch State Park to Davenport in Santa Cruz County along the railroad corridor. The project was broady supported by local agencies and the general public. The staff recommendation included two controversial conditions to the proposed project; those included a prohibition on shoreline armoring for the trail and for unrestricted 24 hour access to the trail. This vote would have limited nighttime access to the parking lots and trail item The vote was motioned by Commissioner Caryl Hart and seconded by Carole Groom and failed in a split 4-5 vote. | 
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| Santa Cruz Rail Trail - Seawall | On Thursday, the Coastal Commission approved a consistency determination for a proposed 7.5 mile multi-use pedestrian trail that will run from Wilder Ranch State Park to Davenport in Santa Cruz County along the railroad corridor. The project was broady supported by local agencies and the general public. The staff recommendation included two controversial conditions to the proposed project; those included a prohibition on shoreline armoring for the trail and for unrestricted 24 hour access to the trail. The applicants convinced the Commission at the hearing that a seawall was necessary for a portion of the trail in Davenport and that condition was removed and replaced with language encouraging analysis for a long term plan to remove the armoring if possible in the future. This item resulted in extensive deliberations and two vote charts - one for the vote on the seawall change in conditions and one for the vote on unlimited access. Both votes were motioned by Commissioner Caryl Hart and seconded by Carole Groom. | 
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