Meeting

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. Green Dot.png
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. Red Dot.png


Vote Chart for this Meeting

Coastal Commission Vote Chart

December 2021 Meeting


Green Dot.png = Positive Conservation Vote         Red Dot.png = Negative Conservation Vote

Commissioner Santa Cruz Rail Trail - Nighttime ClosureSanta Cruz Rail Trail - Seawall
CaroleGroom 2012.jpg Carole Groom Bad Vote Bad Vote
Nl12c hart.jpg Caryl Hart Bad Vote Bad Vote
DBochco.jpg Dayna Bochco Bad Vote Bad Vote
Donne.gif Donne Brownsey Good Vote Bad Vote
EffieT-S.png Effie Turnbull-Sanders Absent for Vote Absent for Vote
Rice.jpg Katie Rice Bad Vote Bad Vote
Escalante.jpg Linda Escalante Good Vote by Alternate Good Vote by Alternate
MeaganHarmon 2020 0116 color corrected.png Meagan Harmon Absent for Vote Absent for Vote
Mikewilson.png Mike Wilson Good Vote Bad Vote
RU.jpg Roberto Uranga Good Vote Bad Vote
Saraa.jpg Sara Aminzadeh Good Vote Bad Vote
200px-Steve Padilla1.jpg Steve Padilla Absent for Vote Absent for Vote