The City of Pacifica has completed construction on
a wet weather flow equalization basin (EQ Basin) in
order to comply with the San Francisco Regional
Water Quality Control Board’s Cease and Desist Order
(CDO) to eliminate capacity related sanitary sewer
overflows by January 1, 2019. Wet weather flows are
diverted to the equalization basin through a system of
overflow weirs that passively divert excessive flows
from the City’s existing collection system into an
influent conveyance pipeline. The 2.1-million-galloncapacity EQ Basin was constructed beneath the Pacifica Community Center parking lot at 540 Crespi
Drive, with underground conveyance piping along
Linda Mar Boulevard and Arguello Boulevard.
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
LIVABLE SHARP PARK: PUBLIC FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE | 6-9 The City is in the process of completing Phase II of
the Sewer System Master Plan Update and the Sharp
Park Station Odor Control Upgrade, which will make
the site compatible with any proposed future redevelopment. Other wastewater projects include the relocation of mainline and forcemain at the Sharp Park pump station, as well as an upgrade to the Sharp Park
pump station itself, completed in 2019-2020.
STORMWATER
Pacifica’s storm drainage system consists of a collection system and two pump stations. This drainage system acts to convey drainage to area creeks or the
ocean. Two areas in the City, Linda Mar and lower
Sharp Park, are too low to allow drainage to a creek or the ocean and are served by pump stations to prevent
street flooding. The City’s system services 290,000
linear feet of storm drain pipes, and 989 inlets.3
ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) currently provides gas
and electric services to Pacifica homes and businesses in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area. The utility company obtains its energy supplies from power plants and natural gas fields in northern California and delivers electricity through high voltage transmission
lines. Electrical power is delivered to homes via various distribution feeders located throughout the city.
Peninsula Clean Energy is an alternative renewableenergy electricity provider. Both providers offer clean energy options including significant shares of
3 San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program. Annual Report, 2007-08. August 29, 2008.
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions-free power generation. The availability of electricity and gas services is not expected to become an issue during the Sharp
Park Specific Plan planning horizon since all homes
are located within urban infill areas close to existing development.
SOLID WASTE
Solid waste collection and recycling services in Pacifica and in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area are provided by Recology of the Coast, a division of Recology. Recology, based in San Francisco, operates a number of landfills, waste transfer and materials
recovery facilities, including the recycling yard at 1046 Palmetto Avenue in Pacifica. Recology emphasizes
waste reduction and diversion and is the largest compost facility operator by volume in the United States.
In Pacifica, Recology of the Coast currently provides
curbside pick-up of garbage, recyclables, and green
waste for both residential and commercial customers.
The City has enacted an ordinance requiring all food
vendors to use biodegradable or compostable service ware. Both Pacifica and San Mateo County have recycling divisions that provide information to help
residents and businesses reduce and divert waste
from landfills.
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
6-10 | CHAPTER 6
Residential recyclable waste is collected every other
week. Organic waste is collected every week on the
regular garbage day from Pacifica homes. There is no
door-to-door hazardous waste collection service in
Pacifica but residents may drop off household hazardous waste at the Recology of the Coast’s Recycling Yard at no cost.
These existing services are sufficient to meet the
needs of the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area.
Guiding Policy
6-G-6 Adequate Infrastructure. Manage utility
infrastructure and waste management
systems that are adequate to protect the
health and safety of all current and future
Sharp Park residents and businesses.
Implementing Policies
6-I-13 Water Conservation. Require new
development to meet or exceed the City’s
water conservation requirements.
6-I-14 Recycled Water. Where purple pipe is
accessible to new development, require the
use of recycled water for irrigation where
authorized by the NCCWD.
6-I-15 Utility Provider Coordination. Maintain
and enhance public utility systems in
partnership with utility providers, such as
the NCCWD.
6-I-16 Stormwater Management. Maintain or
enhance stormwater management systems,
including infiltration planters or rainwater
harvesting systems at feasible locations
within the public right-of-way to reduce
storm water runoff volume.
6-I-17 Sharp Park Pump Station. Complete Sharp
Park Pump Station upgrade and odor
control project.
6-I-18 Solid Waste. Protect the quality of the
environment by managing solid waste
generated in the community, and continue
to provide and improve recycling programs.
GREEN/CLIMATE-FRIENDLY
INFRASTRUCTURE
Environmentally sustainable development focuses on
a “whole systems” approach to the siting, orientation,
design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition of buildings and landscapes.
Benefits of green infrastructure include natural
resource conservation, energy efficiency, improved
health of employees and residents, and increased
economic vitality. In 2020, the City of Pacifica
adopted the 2019 California Green Building Code
(CalGreen). California requires applicable projects to
meet the CalGreen Mandatory Provisions (“CalGreen
Mandatory”) found in Title 24, Part 11. CalGreen
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LIVABLE SHARP PARK: PUBLIC FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE | 6-11 Mandatory includes green building thresholds in the
areas of site development, water efficiency, energy
efficiency, green materials, and indoor air quality.
Other green building strategies to be employed in
the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area include policies
to support electric vehicle charging and bicycle use,
energy and water usage; reduction of waste; and a
greener public realm.
Guiding Policy
6-G-7 Sustainable Design. Incorporate green
building, design, and infrastructure
strategies that improve the environment.
Implementing Policies
6-I-19 Signage and Wayfinding. Provide signage
and wayfinding at commercial and
residential developments to increase public
awareness of electric vehicles and bicycles
and support existing users.
6-I-20 Recycled Water. Continue to work with
the NCCWD to expand recycled water for
irrigation of public landscaping and promote
awareness of its residential recycled water
program.
6-I-21 Screening. Evergreen shrubs and trees
should be used as screening devices
along property lines, around mechanical
equipment, and to obscure grillwork and
fencing associated with service areas and
parking garages.
6-I-22 Energy Conservation. Encourage private
property owners to partner with the City to
reduce carbon and energy consumption.
6-I-23 Reuse and Recycling. Divert waste from
landfills by promoting reduction, reuse,
recycling, and composting of materials
during construction and through building
materials selection.
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6-12 | CHAPTER 6
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Environmental and Coastal
Resources
7 As an oceanfront neighborhood, resiliency of Sharp
Park will be key in building a community with the
capacity to anticipate and plan for the challenges
of the future. Protection and enhancement of Sharp
Park’s economic, ecological, recreational, and other
community resources is essential to maintain good
health, safety, and enjoyment of all Sharp Park residents, workers, and visitors.
This chapter establishes goals and policies that, in
combination with General Plan and Local Coastal
Program policies and other local, state, and federal
regulations, mitigate the potential negative effects of natural and man-made environmental hazards and
coastal resiliency issues.
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
7-2 | CHAPTER 7
7.1 HABITAT AND WILDLIFE
VEGETATION AND HABITAT
Pacifica’s varied topography creates a range of habitats in the city, including intertidal areas, beaches, ridges, coastal headlands, woodlands, grasslands,
scrub, creeks, and wetlands. While most of the Sharp
Park area is urbanized and there is little risk of disturbing habitat on land, the beach at Pacifica Beach Park and the rest of the coastline is considered sensitive estuarine and marine wetland habitat.1 Pollution,
contaminated runoff, and trash from urban uses may
be inadvertently swept into the ocean, causing harm
to the habitat. The Sharp Park Golf Course, while
not directly in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area,
it is considered an environmentally sensitive habitat area, which means that any development along the southern border of the Sharp Park Specific Plan
Area may be limited or require additional mitigation/
impact studies.
SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES
Several species known to occur in the Sharp Park
Specific Plan Area are accorded “special-status” due
to their recognized rarity or vulnerability to various
causes of habitat loss or population decline. Some
of these receive specific protection, as defined in
federal or State endangered species legislation
(“Endangered Species”). Other species have been
designated as “sensitive” based on adopted policies
and expertise of state resource agencies or organizations with acknowledged expertise (“Threatened Species”). A variety of special status species have
the potential to be found in or near the Sharp Park
Specific Plan Area, including the San Francisco
garter snake, the Bumblebee scarab beetle, the San
Francisco Bay spineflower, the hoary bat, and the
saltmarsh common yellowthroat. Figures 7-1 and 7-2
display sensitive habitat and known records of the
occurrence of special-status species in or near the
Sharp Park Specific Plan Area.
1 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Wetlands Inventory website. U.S.
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C., http:// www.fws.gov/wetlands/, 2019.
The San Francisco garter snake is a federally listed
Endangered Species, and its habitat area covers
many areas of Pacifica. The federally listed California red-legged frog is a Threatened Species and may be
found just outside the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area
to the east, and within the Sharp Park Golf Course
to the south. In these areas, project-level review and
in-depth biological analysis would be required to
study any potential impacts from development.
Guiding Policies
7-G-1 Biological Resources. Protect and improve
the quality of biological resources and
identified habitat areas in the Sharp Park
Specific Plan Area.
Implementing Policies
7-I-1 Habitat Preservation. Preserve sensitive
habitats and special status species. If
Endangered or Threatened Species are
discovered prior to or during construction
of a development project, require project
proponents to consult a qualified biologist
for proper action and to develop adequate
measures to avoid or mitigate impacts.
7-I-2 Native Plants. Encourage both public and
private entities to plant native or locallyadapted street trees and landscaping in conjunction with installation of green
infrastructure, including living walls, rain
gardens, permeable pavement, and green
roofs, as development occurs.
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FRANCISCO BLVD
OCEANA BLVD
PALMETTO AVE
PALOMA AVE
BEACH BLVD
CLARENDON RD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
MOANA WAY
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTON WAY
TALBOT AVE
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA AVE
SHOREVIEW AVE
SHELL ST
CARMEL AVE
LAKEVIEW AVE
PACIFIC AVE
PALOMA AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
Sharp Park
Beach
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Oceana
High School
Ingrid B.
Lacy Middle
School
City
Hall
Library
Palmetto
Park
CLARENDON RD
FRANCESAVE
Pacifica
Beach
Park
Eureka
Square
Shopping
Center
Pacifica Pier
BEACH BLVD
Pedestrian
Bridge
ÆÃ1
0 1,000 2,000 4,000
Feet
Federally Listed - Endangered Species
San Francisco Gartersnake
Other Species
Hoary Bat
Pappose Tarplant
Saltmarsh Common Yellowthroat
San Francisco Bay Spineflower
American Peregrine Falcon
Bumblebee Scarab Beetle
Potential Environmentally
Sensitive Habitat Areas
Wildlife Movement Corridor*
High Value/Further Analysis
Needed Prior to Development
Highways
Study Area Parcels
Sharp Park Specific Plan
Figure 7-1: Sharp Park Sensitive Species
* 100-400 ft wide corridor needed between
Milagra Ridge and Sharp Park/Sweeney Ridge.
CNDDB version 11/2019. Please Note: The occurrences shown on this map represent the known locations of the species listed here as of the date of this version. There may be additional occurrences or additional species within this area which have not yet been surveyed and/or mapped. Lack of information in the CNDDB about a species or an area can never be used as proof that no special status species occur in an area.
Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service 2019; National Marine
Fisheries Service, 2019; National
Park Service, 2019; California Dept of Forestry, 2019; California Natural Diversity Database, 2019;
California Native Plant Society,
2019; California Dept of Fish &
Game, 2019; FEMA, 2019; ESA, 2009; City of Pacifica, 2019; San Mateo County, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.
Figure 7-1: Sensitive Species
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FRANCISCO BLVD
OCEANA BLVD
PALMETTO AVE
PALOMA AVE
BEACH BLVD
CLARENDON RD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
MOANA WAY
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTON WAY
TALBOT AVE
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA AVE
SHOREVIEW AVE
CARMEL AVE
LAKEVIEW AVE
PACIFIC AVE
PALOMA AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
Sharp Park
Beach
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Oceana
High School
Ingrid B.
Lacy Middle
School
City
Hall
Library
Palmetto
Park
CLARENDON RD
FRANCESAVE
Pacifica
Beach
Park
Eureka
Square
Shopping
Center
Pacifica Pier
BEACH BLVD
Pedestrian
Bridge
1 0 250 500 1,000
Feet
Vegetation
Annual Grassland
Coastal Mixed Hardwood/Oak Woodland
Eucalyptus
Beach/Intertidal
Urban
Wetlands
Estuarine and Marine Wetland
Sensitive Habitat Areas
Potential Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas
Wildlife Movement Corridor
Sharp Park Specific Plan
Figure 7-2: Sensitive Habitats
Source: California Dept of Fish & Game, 1988,
2003; California Dept of Forestry, 2005;
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,National
Wetlands Inventory, 2019; FEMA, 2019; ESA, 2009; City of Pacifica, 2019; San Mateo County, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia,
2019.
Figure 7-2: Sensitive Habitats
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
RESILIENT SHARP PARK: ENVIRONMENTAL AND COASTAL RESOURCES | 7-5
7.2 ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
and San Bruno.2 Other nearby active faults are the
San Gregorio and Hayward faults. These three faults
pose the greatest threat of significant damage to the
Sharp Park Specific Plan Area and have experienced
movement within the last 150 years.3
Figures 7-3 and 7-4 show potential seismic and geological hazard locations in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area. Though risk of fault rupture is low in the
Sharp Park Specific Plan Area, the strongest ground
shaking anticipated to occur in Pacifica would come
from the San Andreas Fault and could cause strong to
very violent ground shaking. According to the United
States Geological Survey, liquefaction from seismic
events may result in very high liquefaction risk to the southern portion of the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area
near Lakeside Avenue and Clarendon Road.4
Most of the western Sharp Park neighborhood is
on relatively flat land and is not prone to landslides.
However, across Highway 1, Eureka Square Shopping Plaza and apartments along Talbot Avenue have landslide potential. All of the coast in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area is subject to severe beach
and cliff erosion, described in more detail in the next section—Coastal Resilience—of this chapter.
2 An “active” fault is defined by the State of California as a fault that has had surface displacement within Holocene time (approximately the last 11,000 years). 3 A strike-slip fault is a fault on which movement is parallel to the fault’s strike or lateral expression at the surface (Bates and Jackson, Glossary of Geologic Terms, second edition,1984).
4 United States Geological Survey, 2000 & 2006
Like many Bay Area communities, Sharp Park faces
hazards such as earthquakes, wildfires, landslides,
and more. Proximity to the ocean also means unique
considerations for flooding, tsunami, sea level rise,
and other coastal resiliency issues, addressed in
Section 7.3. Human activities, such as use of hazardous materials or air quality degradation, can also create hazards. Proper planning for hazard
mitigation, recovery, and adaptation is an essential
part of a resilient and sustainable Sharp Park. The
Sharp Park Specific Plan addresses known public
health risks due to geologic and seismic conditions,
contaminated sites, and toxic air contaminants and
includes policies designed to reduce the potential
risks associated with anticipated buildout within the
Sharp Park Specific Plan Area.
The City of Pacifica, in conjunction with the County of San Mateo and other local jurisdictions in the county,
updated its annex to the existing Multi-jurisdictional
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJ-LHMP) in 2021.
This plan, which was initially developed in 2005 and
updated every five years, identifies local policies and actions to reduce the risk to life and property from
natural hazards such as flooding, earthquakes, tsunami, and wildland fires, including within the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area.
SEISMICITY AND SEISMIC HAZARDS
The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most seismically active regions of the United States. There are approximately 30 known faults in the Bay Area that
are considered capable of generating earthquakes.
The San Andreas Fault Zone is the predominant fault
system in California and has generated some of the
largest and most destructive earthquakes in history.
The San Andreas Fault is the closest active fault to
the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area, about a mile and
a half away, transecting the northeastern tip of Pacifica and crossing the cities of South San Francisco
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BEACH BLVD
PALOMA AVE PALOMA AVE PALMETTO AVE
TALBOT AVE
OCEANA BLVD
CLARENDON RD
MOANA WAY
FRANCISCO BLVD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTON WAY
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA AVE
SHOREVIEW AVE
SHELL ST
CARMEL AVE
PACIFIC AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
Sharp Park
Beach
FRANCES AVE
Pacifica Pier
Mori Ptoint
800
400
600
500
900
200
700
300
600
500
600
500
100
100
700
700
100
700
700
700
0 750 1,500 3,000
Feet
Figure 7-3: Sharp Park Liquefaction Zones and Fault Lines Liquefaction Potential
Very High
High
Medium
Low
Very Low
Water
San Andreas Fault Line
San Andreas Alquist-Priolo Zone
500' Contour
100' Contour
Highways
Study Area Parcels
Sharp Park Specific Plan
City Limit
Source: ABAG, 2003; US Geological
Survey, 2019; ESA. 2009; City of
Pacifica, 2019; San Mateo County,
2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.
Figure 7-3: Liquefaction Zones and Fault Lines
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FRANCISCO BLVD
OCEANA BLVD
PALMETTO AVE
PALOMA AVE
BEACH BLVD
CLARENDON RD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
MOANA WAY
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTON WAY
TALBOT AVE
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA AVE
SHOREVIEW AVE
CARMEL AVE
LAKEVIEW AVE
PACIFIC AVE
PALOMA AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
Sharp Park
Beach
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Oceana
High School
Ingrid B.
Lacy Middle
School
City
Hall
Library
Palmetto
Park
CLARENDON RD
FRANCES AVE
Pacifica
Beach
Park
Eureka
Square
Shopping
Center
Pacifica Pier
BEACH BLVD
Pedestrian
Bridge
ÆÃ1
100
200
100
200
200
0 250 500 1,000
Feet
Slope Failure Threat
Few Landslides
100ft Contours
Highways
Study Area Parcels
Sharp Park Specific Plan
Figure 7-4: Sharp Park Slope Failure
Source: Paci c Institute, 2009; FEMA Revised
DFIRM, 2017; US Geological Survey, 1997; ESA, 2009; City of Pacifica, 2019; San Mateo County, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.
Figure 7-4: Slope Failure 2.c
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
7-8 | CHAPTER 7
The California Building Code, MJ-LHMP, General
Plan, and Local Coastal Program help to protect new
development from risks pertaining to soil instability,
seismic activity, and other geologic hazards.
FIRE HAZARDS
Fire hazards in Pacifica include both urban and wildland fires. Urban fires involve the uncontrolled burning of built structures due to human-made causes; wildland fires affect grassland, forest, and brush
(and the structures on them), and can result from
either human or natural causes. Climate change has
extended California’s fire season and encouraged
the spread of wildfire beyond the rural and heavily
vegetated areas that were once widely considered
to be most vulnerable. According to the MJ-LHMP,
the City of Pacifica’s risk ranking for wildfire is rated as “medium”, the result of assessment of the likelihood of occurrence for wildfire, along with its potential impacts on people, property and the economy.5 Because Sharp Park is largely urbanized, the entire
Sharp Park Specific Plan Area faces moderate risk
of wildfire. Policies in the General Plan 2040 and
the MJ-LHMP apply to the Sharp Park Specific Plan
Area. The City’s main challenges regarding fire hazards are:
— Actively Managing the Urban-Wildland Interface. Pacifica’s residents enjoy close contact with open ridges and woodlands. This brings with it
the risk of proximity to wildland fires. Preparedness is essential, and the North County Fire Authority’s fire prevention activities, especially its
Vegetation Management Program, are important.
— Maintaining and Enhancing Evacuation Routes.
It is critical that road capacity exists for local residents, workers, and visitors to evacuate in case of an environmental disaster, including fire.
5 MJ-LHMP, 2021.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND AIR
TOXICS
Urban infill and redevelopment plans, such as the
Sharp Park Specific Plan, often have to wrestle with
public health risks associated with hazardous materials and toxic air contaminants which resulted from past activity. Soil, water, and air contamination is
often the result of long-term storage of hazardous
materials, as well as ongoing processes specific to
certain industries. In the Sharp Park Specific Plan
Area, most risk associated with hazardous materials and toxic air contaminant exposure is the result of the operation of a small number of auto-oriented
service uses and proximity to Highway 1. This risk
and exposure is described in the following section,
along with policies designed to reduce the risk associated with buildout of the Specific Plan.
Contaminated Sites
Within the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area, the only
site currently undergoing remediation for hazardous
materials is an auto body shop at 1518 Francisco Boulevard.6 It is listed as an open-verification monitoring Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) cleanup
site by the State Water Resources Board for potential gasoline contaminants.7 Contamination does not
render these sites unusable but may require time
and funding for cleanup.
Disturbance of a previously contaminated area
through grading or excavation operations could
expose the public to health hazards from physical
contact with contaminated materials or hazardous
vapors. Areas where historic or ongoing activities
have resulted in the known or suspected release of
hazardous materials to soil and groundwater, and
where current clean-up activities monitored by the
State Water Quality Control Board or the California
Department of Toxic Substances are ongoing, are
listed in Figure 7-5.
6 CalEPA Cortese List Data Resources. https://calepa.ca.gov/sitecleanup/corteselist/ accessed 9/2019. 7 State Water Resources Control Board Geo Tracker. https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/ accessed 9/2019.
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!(
!(
!(
!(
!(FRANCISCO BLVD
OCEANA BLVD
PALMETTO AVE
PALOMA AVE
BEACH BLVD
CLARENDON RD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
MOANA WAY
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTON WAY
TALBOT AVE
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA AVE
SHOREVIEW AVE
CARMEL AVE
LAKEVIEW AVE
PACIFIC AVE
PALOMA AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
Sharp Park
Beach
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Oceana
High School
Ingrid B.
Lacy Middle
School
City
Hall
Library
Palmetto
Park
CLARENDON RD
FRANCES AVE
Pacifica
Beach
Park
Eureka
Square
Shopping
Center
Pacifica Pier
BEACH BLVD
Pedestrian
Bridge
ÆÃ1
0 250 500 1,000
Feet
Cleanup Status
!( Open - Eligible for Closure
!( Open - Remediation
!( Completed - Case Closed
Highways
Study Area Parcels
Sharp Park Specific Plan
Figure 7-5: Sharp Park Hazardous Material Sites
Source: Dept of Toxic Substances Control, 2019;
California Water Resources Board, 2019; City of
Pacifica, 2019; San Mateo County, 2019; Dyett &
Bhatia, 2019.
Figure 7-5: Hazardous Material Sites 2.c
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
7-10 | CHAPTER 7
Air Quality
Toxic air contaminants (TACs) are air pollutants that
may cause or increase mortality or serious illness,
or that may pose a present or potential hazard to
human health, and are linked to both short-term
(acute) or long-term (chronic and/or carcinogenic)
adverse human health effects.
A challenge for the Plan is to ensure adequate buffers between sensitive receptors and existing and potential sources of TACs. Potential stationary TACs
can include dry cleaners using perchloroethylene
(perc dry cleaners), gas stations, autobody shops,
film processing services, and others. Another significant, common source of TACs is onroad motor vehicles, such as trucks and cars (mobile TAC sources).
Mobile TAC sources in the Sharp Park Specific Plan
Area include Highway l due to the associated car and
truck traffic. Based on 2017 recommendations from
the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air
District), installation of indoor air quality equipment is required for development projects within 500 feet
of mobile TAC sources.8 The 2019 California Building
Code requires that all new development or structures undergoing renovation install air filters rated at a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) 13
or higher, or an equivalent mechanism.9 The Sharp
Park Specific Plan also includes policies to reduce
emissions from mobile TAC sources by promoting
mixed uses, alternative modes of transportation, and
reduced number and length of vehicle trips through
various transportation demand management measures, as described in Chapter 4, Mobility and Parking. Over an extended time period, as the fleet of privately-owned vehicles in the state transitions to
non-polluting vehicles—mobile TACs will become a
lesser concern.
While the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area includes a
few permitted stationary sources, only one exceeds
TAC risk thresholds, as shown in Figure 7-6. The
8 BAAQMD CEQA Guidelines, 2017. https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ planning-and-research/ceqa/ceqa_guidelines_may2017-pdf.pdf?la=en 9 (§150.0(m)12) , the CBC applies to buildings with three or more units. 2212 Beach Boulevard contains a diesel generator
that surpasses TAC significance, however, there is a
significant buffer zone around the generator. While
the level of TAC varies with the age of the generator
itself, when possible, older generators should be retrofitted to reduce TAC levels.
NOISE
In an urban environment, noise from everyday
human activity is expected, but excessive noise can
detract from quality of life and even have harmful
effects on health. Noises vary in their scope and
volume, ranging from individual occurrences such as
leaf blowers, to the intermittent disturbances of overhead aircraft, to the fairly constant noise generated by traffic. These effects are particularly disruptive for noise-sensitive land uses, such as schools, churches,
hospitals, senior living facilities, and residential
neighborhoods. Buffering noise levels through
design techniques can help minimize noise-related
land use conflicts.
The most significant traffic noise in the Sharp Park
Specific Plan Area is generated by vehicular traffic
along Highway 1. Existing noise levels are shown in
Figure 7-7. The Plan’s intensification of land use will result in a modest addition of residents and jobs; but
most traffic increase and subsequent increases in
noise levels will be regional in nature. Future noise
levels resulting from analysis of projected traffic are shown in Figure 7-8.
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!(
!(
FRANCISCO BLVD
OCEANA BLVD
PALMETTO
AVE
PALOMA AVE
BEACH BLVD
CLARENDON RD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
MOANAWAY
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTONWAY
TALBOT AVE
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA
AVE
SHOREVIEW AVE
CARMEL AVE
LAKEVIEW
AVE
PACIFIC AVE
PALOMA AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
Sharp Park
Beach
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Oceana
High School
Ingrid B.
Lacy Middle
School
City
Hall
Library
Palmetto
Park
CLARENDON RD
FRANCES AVE
Pacifica
Beach
Park
Eureka
Square
Shopping
Center
Pacifica Pier
BEACH BLVD
Pedestrian
Bridge
ÆÃ1
2073 22446
108648
0 250 500 1,000
Feet
Figure 7-6: Air Quality
Freeway Health Risk Screening
Required Buffer from Hwy 1
Ambient Risks
!( Stationary sources Exceeding
BAAQMD Threshold
!( Stationary Sources
Sharp Park Specific Plan
Figure 7-6: Air Quality 2.c
Packet Pg. 568 Attachment: Attachment C - Draft Sharp Park Specific Plan (May 2022 Version) (5015 : General Plan Update and Sharp Park Specific Plan
FRANCISCO BLVD
OCEANA BLVD
PALMETTO AVE
PALOMA AVE
BEACH BLVD
CLARENDON RD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
MOANA WAY
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTON WAY
TALBOT AVE
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA AVE
CARMEL AVE
LAKEVIEW AVE
PACIFIC AVE
PALOMA AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
Sharp Park
Beach
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Oceana
High School
Ingrid B.
Lacy Middle
School
City
Hall
Library
Palmetto
Park
CLARENDON RD
FRANCES AVE
Pacifica
Beach
Park
Eureka
Square
Shopping
Center
Pacifica Pier
BEACH BLVD
Pedestrian
Bridge
ÆÃ1
0 250 500 1,000
Feet
Existing Road Noise Levels
55 to 60 dB
60 to 65 dB
65 to 70 dB
70 to 75 dB
75 to 80 dB
Highways
Sharp Park Specific Plan
Figure 7-7: Existing Noise Contours
SHOREVIEWAVE
Figure 7-7: Existing Noise Contours
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FRANCISCO BLVD
OCEANA BLVD
PALMETTO AVE
PALOMA AVE
BEACH BLVD
CLARENDON RD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
MOANA WAY
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTON WAY
TALBOT AVE
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA AVE
SHOREVIEW AVE
CARMEL AVE
LAKEVIEW AVE
PACIFIC AVE
PALOMA AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
Sharp Park
Beach
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Oceana
High School
Ingrid B.
Lacy Middle
School
City
Hall
Library
Palmetto
Park
CLARENDON RD
FRANCES AVE
Pacifica
Beach
Park
Eureka
Square
Shopping
Center
Pacifica Pier
BEACH BLVD
Pedestrian
Bridge
ÆÃ1
0 250 500 1,000
Feet
Future Road Noise Levels
55 to 60 dB
60 to 65 dB
65 to 70 dB
70 to 75 dB
75 to 80 dB
Highways
Sharp Park Specific Plan
Figure 7-8: Future Noise Contours Figure 7-8: Future Noise Contours 2.c Packet Pg. 570 Attachment: Attachment C - Draft Sharp Park Specific Plan (May 2022 Version) (5015 : General Plan Update and Sharp Park Specific Plan
SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
7-14 | CHAPTER 7
Guiding Policy
7-G-2 Hazard Protection. Minimize the potential
for loss of life, injury, property dam-age,
and economic and social disruptions from
natural and human-made hazards and
noise.
Implementing Policies
7-I-3 Emergency Power. Evaluate options for
ensuring emergency power at critical and
community facilities, including microgrids,
solar capture and battery storage,
distributed energy, and back-up generators.
Consider the ability to reduce utility costs
and carbon emissions in the assessment.
7-I-4 Stationary Noise. Collaborate with Caltrans,
and other responsible agencies to develop
and implement strategies to address noise
impacts from permanent sources such as
freeways.
7-I-5 Noise-Sensitive Uses. Require residential
and other noise-sensitive land uses,
especially in noise-impacted areas, to
design buildings intelligently to minimize
exposure (e.g., by locating bedrooms away
facing from noise sources), and meet
State interior noise standards. If windows
must be closed 100 percent of the time to
achieve this standard, a fresh air ventilation
system must be utilized. For projects within
the 60-65 dBA contour shown in Figure
7-8, standard dual pane windows are
acceptable to meet the standard, consistent
with the California Building Code. For
projects where ambient noise conditions
exceed 65dBA as shown on Figure 7-8,
require an acoustical study to demonstrate
that interior noise standards can be met
based on site and architectural design.
7-I-6 Impact Minimizing Design. New
commercial uses that create noise, fumes,
light, or odors shall be designed to minimize
any impacts on adjacent sensitive uses.
These commercial uses shall provide
adequate ventilation within the structures
that house them so that doors and windows
are not left open for the purpose of
ventilation resulting in nuisance emissions.
7-I-7 Hazardous Site Remediation. Require
remediation and cleanup of any
contaminated sites in the Sharp Park
Specific Plan Area to levels required for the
proposed new land use, where hazardous
materials have impacted soil, surface water,
or groundwater. Remediation and cleanup
will be in compliance with federal and
State standards. Documentation of the site
investigation and cleanup must be provided
to City staff during development project
review.
Double-pane windows, above right, lower ambient noise volumes indoors more than single-pane windows, above left.
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
RESILIENT SHARP PARK: ENVIRONMENTAL AND COASTAL RESOURCES | 7-15
7.3 COASTAL RESILIENCE
infrastructure, prepare for sea level rise and climate
change impact, and preserve economic vitality. The
LCLUP strives to designate land uses and intensities
suitable to the unique circumstances of each coastal
area, adequately meet the needs of the City’s residents and visitors and be consistent with California Coastal Act policies. Sharp Park falls within the West
Sharp Park subarea of the LCLUP.
COASTAL RESOURCES
In addition to coastal businesses, homes, and civic
resources, Sharp Park contains a wealth of recreational resources, including views to the Pacific Ocean. These resources are described below:
Pacifica Municipal Pier
Sharp Park is home to one of the best recreational
fishing piers in the state. Because of the number
and quality of the fish caught off Pacifica’s shores,
the 1,140-foot pier has earned a number one ranking among anglers in the Bay Area. Although fishing can be good year-round, many consider the summer
months to be the best when salmon and striped bass
can be caught. No admission is charged and no fishing license is required at the Pacifica Municipal Pier.
The pier fronts directly on Sharp Park Beach, an
area that can see strong winds and punishing waves
which can cause closure of the pier with little notice.
Sharp Park’s coastal locale drives economic opportunity, neighborhood appeal, and factors affecting quality of life. Sharp Park is within the Coastal Zone, the area west of Highway 1 that is home to
approximately 12 percent of Pacifica’s population;
the location of a majority of older and more affordable housing stock; five of six of Pacifica’s hotels that generate significant revenue for the City; more than
half of Pacifica’s commercial businesses, which provide community vitality and tax revenue; significant public and civic facilities, infrastructure and habitat; and significant historical and public recreational
assets including beaches, coastal trails, the Beach
Boulevard promenade, parks and the golf course.
While many of these assets are defined by proximity
to the coast, they are also at risk due from coastal
hazards, including flooding due to sea level rise,
coastal erosion, and tsunamis. The loss or disruption
of these assets could have far reaching impacts and
affect everyone in Pacifica, not just those living or
doing business in Sharp Park.
LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM
All land west of Highway 1 within the Sharp Park
Specific Plan Area falls within the Coastal Zone.
Local Coastal Programs (LCPs) are planning tools
used by local governments to guide development
in the coastal zone, in partnership with the Coastal
Commission. There are two components of the LCP
– the Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) and the
Implementation Plan (IP), often comprised of zoning
regulations.
The Coastal Zone features a wide variety of land
uses, including public recreation areas, distinct residential neighborhoods, visitor-serving and neighborhood commercial development, and sensitive wildlife habitats. The varied types of development of
each coastal sub-area and the geographic relationships between them are an inherent and vital part of the character of the City. Pacifica’s LCLUP includes
policies that protect human life, property, and critical
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
7-16 | CHAPTER 7
The pier has lights, fish cleaning stations, benches,
restrooms and a coffee house/snack bar directly in
front of the entrance. Free parking is located on adjacent streets and in a nearby lot. Handicapped parking is also available, with pier accessibility via a ramp leading to the south side of the pier.
Sharp Park Beach
Sharp Park Beach extends from Mori Point along the
west side of the Sharp Park levee to just north of
the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area. Sharp Park Beach
has picnic facilities, a pier with a cafe, fishing, a walking promenade, vista point parking and nature trails.
Cormorants, phalaropes, loons, terns and murres
fish the waters; shorebirds patrol the beach; songbirds and ducks can be found in the marsh area; and hawks and kestrels soar the uplifts and hunt in the
woods nearby.
Promenade
The wide, paved promenade runs atop the Beach
Boulevard seawall for about a half mile as it connects
the trails of Mori Point with Pacifica Pier. The Promenade provides access to several coastal access points, described in Chapter 4, Mobility and Parking.
Public access to recreation is one of the Coastal Commission’s primary goals. Pacifica’s LCLUP includes policies that maximize opportunities for the public to
travel to and along the shoreline, and to recreate on
the beach and in the ocean. These policies are incorporated by reference in this Specific Plan.
COASTAL HAZARDS
Sea Level Rise
Climate change is happening now. The accumulation
of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere is
causing and will continue to cause global warming
and resultant climate change. Sharp Park is susceptible to significant impacts due to sea level rise caused by climate change. High tides and severe storms will Seawall along Beach Boulevard Table 7-1: Sea Level Rise Projections for
Pacifica
LOW (17%
CHANCE)
MED -HIGH (0.5%
CHANCE)
EXTREME
(N/A)
2050 1 ft. 2 ft. -
2100 3 ft. 6 ft. 10 ft.1
Notes:
1 SLR of 6 ft. at 2075 was considered in place of 10 ft. at 2100 to assess potential impacts under the Extreme scenario. This was recommended by the technical consultant, ESA, because of the lack of erosion and flooding data for 10 ft. of SLR. challenge and change Pacifica’s existing shoreline
and could affect existing coastal developments,
coastal habitats, coastal access and recreation.
To date, there have been a variety of studies and
analyses conducted on the threat of coastal flooding
and erosion to the City and its residents, including
the Sea Change San Mateo County (2017), Our Coast
Our Future (2016), Pacific Institute Study (2009), and
Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan (Draft
2015).
In 2018, the City prepared a Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and a Sea-Level Rise Adaptation Plan. The Vulnerability Assessment used the best
available science, or most recent peer-reviewed science validated by qualified experts in the scientific community, to determine the potential exposure of
assets to flooding and erosion hazards under sea
level rise scenarios selected for study, shown in
Table 7-1.
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Packet Pg. 573 Attachment: Attachment C - Draft Sharp Park Specific Plan (May 2022 Version) (5015 : General Plan Update and Sharp Park Specific Plan
SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
RESILIENT SHARP PARK: ENVIRONMENTAL AND COASTAL RESOURCES | 7-17 The Vulnerability Assessment tabulated asset exposures within seven coastal sub-areas to facilitate more focused development of adaptation strategies
and policies. The analysis of the West Sharp Park
neighborhood combined the portion of the West
Sharp Park neighborhood along the public sea wall
and retaining wall with the Sharp Park Golf Course,
West Fairway Park, and Mori Point subarea, as the
entire stretch of shoreline is publicly owned, and
fully government-owned shoreline may have different policy or funding considerations. Hazards identified as part of the Vulnerability Assessment for the Sharp Park, West Fairway Park and Mori Point subarea include wave overtopping and run-up, flooding due to sea level rise and flooding due to significant
rainfall events or coastal storms, and coastal erosion.
Drawing upon Vulnerability Assessment findings,
the 2018 Adaptation Plan was prepared to inform
City decision making about a variety of sea level rise
adaptation policy options to address these hazards,
which were then evaluated and selected by Pacifica
City Council. These decisions informed general and
subarea-specific Coastal Resilience policies in the
City’s Local Coastal Program.
Shoreline Protection and Wave Overtopping
In 1984, the City of Pacifica constructed an 18-22-
foot-tall seawall with a rip rap revetment and promenade along Beach Boulevard north of the Pacifica Pier. The southern section of the seawall was constructed in 1987 using a differing design. The structure has required maintenance on several occasions to repair areas where beach erosion has undermined
the structure. The backshore along the Sharp Park,
West Fairway Park and Mori Point sub-area is low
enough such that assets and property are subject
to wave run-up and overtopping under existing conditions. Beyond the south end of the seawall, the City currently manages a sand berm to limit wave
run-up and overtopping at the end of Clarendon
Road. South of Clarendon, the backshore consists
of an earthen berm levee managed by the City and
County of San Francisco that spans south to the
headlands of Mori Point, and which was constructed
in 1980 to protect the Sharp Park Golf Course. These
shoreline protections are shown in Figure 7-10.
In Fall 2020, the City of Pacifica initiated the Beach
Boulevard Infrastructure Resiliency Project, an infrastructure protection and improvement project that aims replace the current seawall and outdated infrastructure while building climate resilience into the most vulnerable segment of the City of Pacifica’s
shoreline. The project is considered critical to the
public health and safety of the citizens and visitors
in and around the historic West Sharp Park neighborhood and serves to create a multi-benefit solution to protect public infrastructure, recreational activities, numerous homes, businesses, and the community at
large, from further impacts due to continued coastal
erosion.
Hydrology and Flooding
While there are no existing creeks or bodies of
water within the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area, it can
experience flooding, typically caused by some combination of high tides, large wind-driven waves, or storm surge. Areas mapped in Figure 7-11 as prone to
coastal flooding include the low-lying areas of Sharp
Park Beach, the coastline along Beach Boulevard,
and the edge of Beach Boulevard.
Wave Overtopping Warning
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Packet Pg. 574 Attachment: Attachment C - Draft Sharp Park Specific Plan (May 2022 Version) (5015 : General Plan Update and Sharp Park Specific Plan
FRANCISCO BLVD
OCEANA BLVD
PALMETTO AVE
PALOMA AVE
BEACH BLVD
CLARENDON RD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
MOANA WAY
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTON WAY
TALBOT AVE
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA AVE
SHOREVIEW AVE
CARMEL AVE
LAKEVIEW AVE
PACIFIC AVE
PALOMA AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
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Beach
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Oceana
High School
Ingrid B.
Lacy Middle
School
City
Hall
Library
Palmetto
Park
CLARENDON RD
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Pacifica
Beach
Park
Eureka
Square
Shopping
Center
Pacifica Pier
BEACH BLVD
Pedestrian
Bridge
ÆÃ1
Severe Beach
Erosion
Severe Beach & Cliff Erosion
0 350 700 1,400
Feet
Figure 7-10: Sharp Park Coastal Protection Structures
Coastal Structures
Coastal Armor
Levee
Sharp Park Specific Plan
Highways
Study Area Parcels Source: ESA, 2009; City of Pacifica, 2019; San Mateo County, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.
Figure 7-10: Coastal Protection Structures 2.c
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FRANCISCO BLVD
OCEANA BLVD
PALMETTO AVE
PALOMA AVE
BEACH BLVD
CLARENDON RD
PACIFIC AVE
SALADA AVE
MOANA WAY
CARMEL AVE
SAN JOSE AVE
BRIGHTON RD
MONTECITO AVE
SANTA ROSA AVE
SANTA MARIA AVE
HILTON WAY
TALBOT AVE
MIRADOR TER
KOHALA AVE
SHOREVIEW AVE
CARMEL AVE
LAKEVIEW AVE
PACIFIC AVE
PALOMA AVE
Pacific Ocean
EUREKA DR
Sharp Park
Beach
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Oceana
High School
Ingrid B.
Lacy Middle
School
City
Hall
Library
Palmetto
Park
CLARENDON RD
FRANCES AVE
Pacifica
Beach
Park
Eureka
Square
Shopping
Center
Pacifica Pier
BEACH BLVD
Pedestrian
Bridge
ÆÃ1
Severe Beach
Erosion
Severe Beach & Cliff Erosion
Sanchez
Creek
Watershed
Unnamed
Watershed
0 250 500 1,000
Feet
Figure 7-11: Sharp Park Hydrology and Floodzones
Flood Zones
0.2% Annual Chance Flood Zone
1% Annual Chance Flood Zone
1% Annual Chance Coastal Flood Zone
Tsunami Evacuation Area
Watershed
Sanchez Creek
Unnamed
Creek
Highways
Study Area Parcels
Sharp Park Speci c Plan
Source: Pacific Institute, 2009; FEMA, 2017; ABAG,
2009; US Geological Survey, 2009; ESA,
2009; City of Pacifica, 2019; San Mateo
County, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.
Figure 7-11: Hydrology and Flooding
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
7-20 | CHAPTER 7
The only section of coastline protected by levees is
the Sharp Park Golf Course area and Laguna Salada,
which drains a 1,200-acre watershed. Waves overtopping the levee along the golf course resulted in significant flooding in 1983 and 1986.10 Since that
time, the levee has been reinforced, reducing overtopping risk in the area.
A pump station is used to manage the water level in
Laguna Salada, but pumping is restricted to maintain
minimum water levels in order to protect habitat in
Laguna Salada, and drainage from Sanchez Creek
and Laguna Salada to the ocean can be insufficient
to prevent lowland flooding during high tide/high
flow events. The City also has a portable pump station deployed along Clarendon Road to pump stormwater from swales out to Clarendon Road and over the beach berm to the ocean. If the sea level rises
enough during a rainstorm, inundation and flooding
due to the backup of stormwater channels and outfalls will have a significant impact on the lower part of the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area. Risk of flooding
and water pollution is minimized through the implementation of stormwater management practices consistent with the Pacifica General Plan, Local Coastal Program, and the Pacifica Green Infrastructure Plan.
10 PWA, 1992.
Tsunami
A tsunami can occur after a significant earthquake
beneath the ocean. Coastal flooding, potentially
severe structural and environmental damage, and
threats to human health and safety can occur as a
result of a tsunami. Travel times, the degree of warning, and the magnitude of the wave will vary depending on the source and initial strength of the tsunamigenerating event. Tsunami hazards occur for the low-lying portions of Pacifica, which include a significant portion of the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area.
Figure 7-11 shows portions of the Sharp Park Specific
Plan Area are within a tsunami evacuation zone.
San Mateo County has an established emergency
protocol for tsunamis. As part of this program, the
City has installed a tsunami warning system, consisting of three solar powered alarm towers, one of which is located in the Sharp Park neighborhood.
This also system links to a San Mateo County alert
system that can also reach email and cell phones.
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
RESILIENT SHARP PARK: ENVIRONMENTAL AND COASTAL RESOURCES | 7-21 Coastal Erosion
Erosion is the wearing away of soil and rock by processes such as mechanical or chemical weathering; mass wasting; and the action of waves, wind, and
underground water. Excessive soil erosion can eventually lead to damage of building foundations and roadways. According to a study done by the U.S.
Geological Survey following the heavy winter storms
of 1982–1983, the entire coastline of San Mateo
County contains areas susceptible to severe erosion
and slope failure.11 This study lists specific impacts
to Pacifica’s coast, which include wave surging over
the seawall, cliff erosion, and severe beach erosion.12 In 2009-2010, erosion caused by winter storms
resulted in evacuation and eventual City-mandated
demolition of apartment buildings on the 300 block
of Esplanade Avenue, 1.4 miles north of the Sharp
Park Specific Plan Area.
Figure 7-12, the Coastal Vulnerability Zone Map,
shows the extent of projected erosion in the Sharp
Park Specific Plan Area, evaluating using Pacific
Institute coastal erosion maps (2009) and Draft San
Francisco Coastal Regional Sediment Management
Plan (CRSMP, 2015.)13 While the erosion scenario
does not account for existing shoreline protection
structures, the map highlights the importance of the
existing structures and the vital need for them to be
maintained to protect those vulnerable areas. These
maps are not a substitute for site-specific erosion
analyses but do show important information necessary to make general planning-level decisions about the vulnerability of portions of the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area. The Pacifica General Plan and Local Coastal Program contain policies that help to protect
new development from coastal erosion, which would
apply in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area.
11 USGS, LaJoie, Kenneth and Mathieson, Scott, 1982-1983 Coastal Erosion: San Mateo County, California
12 USGS. 1982-83 El Niño Coastal Erosion Map: 3 of 26 Sharp Park. Accessed 9/2019. https://archive.usgs.gov/archive/sites/walrus.wr.usgs.gov/elnino/SMCO-coast-erosion/03sharp_e.html 13 PWA 2009; Pacific Institute 2009
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Packet Pg. 578 Attachment: Attachment C - Draft Sharp Park Specific Plan (May 2022 Version) (5015 : General Plan Update and Sharp Park Specific Plan 3DWK
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Disclaimer: This map is not detailed to the parcel-scale and should not be used for navigation, permitting, regulatory, or other legal uses. The erosion scenario does not account for shoreline protection.
Coastal Vulnerability projections were sourced from publicly available data and existing models not created by the City of Pacifica.
Figure 7-12: Coastal Vulnerability Zone Map Figure 7-12: Coastal Vulnerability Area Map
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Implementation
8 While the Sharp Park Specific Plan provides a comprehensive framework and set of policies, achieving the full development potential of the of the plan will
face market and feasibility challenges that will require a range of efforts and actions on the part of the City, property owners, developers and other involved
parties.
These include carrying out the necessary regulatory
measures, securing funding and delivering infrastructure improvements, and committing to funding operations and maintenance on an ongoing basis.
This chapter details many of the actions that will be
required for effective implementation of the Plan.
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SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
8-2 | CHAPTER 8
8.1 GENERAL PLAN AND
ZONING ORDINANCE
CONSISTENCY
GENERAL PLAN
The Sharp Park Specific Plan was prepared concurrently with the City’s General Plan update. As a result, the Specific Plan land use framework and
buildout are reflected in the General Plan. The General Plan provides an overall policy framework for Sharp Park, and the Specific Plan provides detailed
policy guidance, zoning, and implementation measures. The Specific Plan is consistent with the General Plan and helps to implement its goals and policies, establishing guidelines and standards to create a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented community hub,
providing detailed streetscape, development, and
design standards and guidelines, and providing a
funding strategy to ensure that these improvements
can be made.
ZONING ORDINANCE
While the General Plan establishes a policy framework, the Zoning Ordinance prescribes standards, rules, and procedures for development. The Zoning
Ordinance translates plan policies into specific use
regulations, development standards, and performance criteria that govern development on individual properties. The Specific Plan provides regulations for new overlays, use and development standards,
and density and intensity limits, consistent with the
Specific Plan’s land use classifications and development standards included in Chapter 3: Land Use and Chapter 5: Urban Design. The City must also bring the
Citywide Zoning Map into conformance with the Plan.
8.2 IMPLEMENTATION
PROGRAM AND
PHASING
Implementation of the Sharp Park Specific Plan will
require action by several different departments
within the City, including the City Manager’s Office,
City Attorney’s Office, Administrative Services (which
includes the Finance Division), Planning, Public
Works, Parks, Beaches and Recreation, Fire, and
Police. Ultimately, much of the look and feel of the
Sharp Park Specific Plan Area will be determined
by the architecture, landscaping, layout, and maintenance of individual developments, as prescribed by the design standards and guidelines articulated
in Chapter 5. However, the City must take the lead in
coordinating the needed area-wide actions that will
enable complete implementation of the Specific Plan
and its vision. In order to successfully implement the
Sharp Park Specific Plan, necessary public improvements will need to be funded and constructed in a timely fashion consistent with future development
in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area. Phasing of
improvements and projects will be based on development cost, market factors, and available financing.
Many of the infrastructure improvements will be contingent on the need created by new development and will happen concurrently with new development.
Estimated costs are included where available; cost
estimates are preliminary, and there may be additional costs associated with improvements as streetscape, traffic, and infrastructure plans develop over time.
PHASING
Phasing of improvements and projects will be based
on development cost, market factors, and available
financing. Many of the infrastructure improvements
will be contingent on the need created by new
development and will happen concurrently with new
development. A recommended phasing strategy is
outlined below, though as market conditions may
change in the future, the actual phasing strategy may
differ.
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Proposed Phasing Strategy:
— Streetscape and public realm improvements
along Palmetto Avenue to stimulate development
in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area’s “core.”
— Leverage publicly owned sites at 2212 Beach
Boulevard and the Sharp Park Library. Redevelopment of these sites is crucial for the activation Palmetto Avenue and Sharp Park neighborhood
as a whole.
— Redevelopment of other privately owned sites
along Francisco Boulevard and east-west connections/public realm improvements from Francisco Boulevard to Palmetto Avenue. — Redevelopment of privately owned sites at
Eureka Square.
ONE-TIME CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
PROJECTS
This section summarizes the identified infrastructure
and public realm improvements (refer to Chapter
5 for more detailed descriptions). Specifically, this
strategy is focused on public realm improvements,
such as bicycle and pedestrian improvements, lighting and landscaping improvements, wayfinding and signage, etc.. The list of capital improvement projects should be periodically updated as projects are completed and new projects emerge as priorities.
The Sharp Park Specific Plan vision identified a
range of public realm improvements, as shown on
Table 8-1, including Park/Plaza improvements, roadway improvements, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and streetscape and landscaping improvements. Total costs amount to nearly $10 million as shown in Table 8-1.1
Where appropriate, this financial
strategy considers the City’s needs as a whole.
1 Caltrans maintains authority over highway right-of-way and would bear responsibility for underpass improvements at Clarendon Road.
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CATEGORY OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT BY AREA ROADWAY BIKE/PED STREETSCAPE/ LANDSCAPING TOTAL Palmetto Avenue
Street Furniture (benches, trash receptacles, bike
racks)
$50,000
Wayfinding & Directional Signage $5,000
Mid-Block Bulb-out for Landscaping / Street Trees
(approx. 50)
$625,000
Paloma Avenue
Sidewalk Improvements $250,000
Bike Route Improvements - Signage $5,000
Crossing Improvements $100,000
Street Parking $50,000
Low Impact Pedestrian Scale Lighting / Landscaping $100,000 San Jose Avenue
Sidewalk Improvements $250,000
Low Impact Pedestrian Scale Lighting / Landscaping $100,000 Clarendon Road
Bike Route Improvements - Signage & Bike Parking $30,000 Wayfinding & Directional Signage $5,000
Street Trees in Tree Wells $150,000
Intersection Improvements (Flashing Beacons /
Xwalks)
$25,000
Underpass Improvements $1,000,000
Traffic Improvements (Narrow Lanes) $500,000
Francisco Boulevard
High Visibility Xwalks $25,000
Curb Extensions $125,000
Wayfinding Signs $5,000
Beach Boulevard
Bike / Ped Crossing Improvements $50,000
Enhancements to Existing Trail - Pavement Markings /
Lighting
$125,000
Oceana Boulevard
High Visibility Xwalk $25,000
Curb Extensions $125,000
Sidewalk Improvements $250,000
Bike Route / Transit Improvements $50,000
Subtotal/Total $1,550,000 $1,435,000 $1,040,000 $4,025,000 Source: Dyett & Bhatia; City of Pacifica
SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
8-4 | CHAPTER 8
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CAPITAL OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
TYPE OF
IMPROVEMENT
PARK
IMPACT OR
IN-LIEU FEE
PARKING
IN-LIEU
FEE1
ROY DAVIES
TRUST
C/CAG
MEASURE M
CDBG
FUNDING
CAL ATP OTHER BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT2
GENERAL
FUND
Roadway3 X X X
Bike/Ped X X X X
Streetscape/
Landscaping
X X X
Notes:
1. The parking in-lieu fee could be recast as a transportation demand management in-lieu fee and used to help fund bicycle and pedestrian improvements that reduce the need for parking in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area/
2. The City could evaluate the interest of Sharp Park area businesses to form a Business Improvement District to fund streetscape/landscaping maintenance.
3. Underpass improvements will be the responsibility of Caltrans.
Source: Dyett & Bhatia; City of Pacifica; Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
ATTAINABLE SHARP PARK: IMPLEMENTATION | 8-5
8.3 INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING PLAN
OVERVIEW OF FUNDING SOURCES
AND FINANCING MECHANISMS
There is a range of funding sources and financing
mechanisms that may be available to fund improvements and ongoing maintenance in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area. Whether a particular funding
source is appropriate for a given improvement or
cost category depends on several factors, such as
whether the funding is needed for capital improvements or ongoing operations and maintenance, the type of improvement, whether the improvement
benefits the City overall or a smaller geographic
area, how the combined burden of fees or assessments and taxes affect development feasibility, and the timing of funding sources versus the need for
improvements. It is also important to consider and
plan for the long-term fiscal implications of capital
improvements.
Table 8-3 presents a recommended strategy to
address capital and operations and maintenance
costs. The City already makes use of some of these,
while others are options for future consideration.
Existing and Potential Funding Sources for
Capital Improvements
Development Impact Fees
Development impact fees are charged to new private development to fund a range of public infrastructure improvements that are necessary to serve the new development. A development impact fee is
a one-time charge on new development designed to
cover a “proportional-share” of the total capital cost
of necessary public infrastructure and facilities. The
creation and collection of impact fees are allowed
under AB 1600 as codified in California Government
Code Section 66000, known as the Mitigation Fee
Act. To the extent that required improvements are
needed to address both “existing deficiencies” as
well as the projected impacts from growth, only the
portion of costs attributable to new development
can be included in the fee. Consequently, impact
fees are typically only one of many sources used
to finance a city’s needed infrastructure improvements. Fees can be charged on a jurisdiction-wide basis or for a particular subarea of the jurisdiction.
In a smaller city like Pacifica, a citywide fee program may be appropriate.
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Currently, the City charges a park facilities impact
fee based on the total number of bedrooms (note
this fee is different from the City’s parkland in lieu
fees described below which can be charged to subdivisions). The fees were last updated in 2012 and the City plans to update them in 2022 to better align
the fees with future growth, needed improvements,
and current costs. Currently the park development
impact fee fund has a balance of approximately
$500,000; the annual revenue stream is variable
depending on the level of development activity in
the City.
As part of the realization of the Sharp Park Specific
Plan vision, there will be capacity for 270 net new
housing units. This new residential development,
when it occurs, as well as new development elsewhere in the city, will contribute to park impact fee revenue. If the envisioned development does not
materialize as expected, associated impact fee revenue may not be received by the City.
Park In-Lieu Fee (Quimby)
Park and recreation improvements may be funded
through the Quimby Act requirements (for parkland
acquisition) through the residential subdivision process, consistent with the Quimby Act. Revenues can be spent on land acquisition or park improvements.
Currently the City of Pacifica charges a parkland
in-lieu fee for residential subdivisions based on the
total number of bedrooms per unit. The fees were last
updated in 2012 and the City plans to update them in
2022 to re-establish the City’s parkland level of service and current land values and improvement costs.
Sharp Park Specific Plan Parking In-Lieu Fee
The City recently updated its Sharp Park Specific
Plan Parking In-Lieu fee to a maximum of up to
$40,260 per space, with indexed annual increases.
This fee may be paid by an applicant in lieu of providing the required parking onsite. Any revenue that is collected is intended to be put towards a parking
structure that would serve the Sharp Park area. The
City may want to evaluate the possibility of reframing the in-lieu fee such that revenue can be spent on a broader range of transportation demand management improvements. For example, to the extent that bicycle and pedestrian improvements reduce
the need for parking in the Specific Sharp Park Specific Plan Area, it would be appropriate to spend fee revenue on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
improvements.
Roy Davies Trust
The Roy Davies Trust fund was established and
funded in 2006 with funds designated “to be kept
in a segregated account for the benefit of the Pacifica Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department. The funds are to be used to help acquire, build, remodel,
improve, support, and maintain, the equipment,
buildings, grounds, yard, gardens and landscaped
areas of various parks, beaches, and recreation
areas located in Pacifica, to conduct related educational and recreation programs for the benefit of the general public…”
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The Fund principal can only be used for the purposes specified and can only be appropriated by a 4/5 Council majority. The fund balance at the end
of FY2020-2021 was $3.1 million. The Adopted
Budget includes use of Roy Davies Trust funds
totaling $600,000 to perform playground equipment improvements ($330,000), Edgemar Park upgrades ($60,000), a fitness court at Frontierland
Park ($160,000), and the initial phase of Beach Boulevard Park/Plaza improvements ($50,000). The City has considered use of Roy Davies Trust funds for a
portion of the costs to create a pocket park as part
of the Civic Center rehabilitation project approved
by the Planning Commission in 2021. There may
also be other improvements envisioned in the Sharp
Park Specific Sharp Park Specific Plan Area, especially the Public Plaza at Eureka Square, that would be appropriate uses for the Roy Davies Trust fund
revenue.
Measure M Regional Funding
The City/County Association of Governments of San
Mateo County (C/CAG) sponsored Measure M, which
was approved by the voters of San Mateo County in
2010. Measure M imposes an annual fee of ten dollars ($10) on motor vehicles registered in San Mateo County for transportation-related traffic congestion
and water pollution mitigation programs, including
the Safe Routes to School program. The revenue
is estimated at $6.7 million annually over a 25-year
period. Per the Expenditure Plan, 50 percent of the
net proceeds will be allocated to cities/County for
local streets and roads and 50 percent will be used
for countywide transportation programs such as
transit operations, regional traffic congestion management, water pollution prevention, and safe routes to school.
Local Tax Measures
Increases in local taxes, generally, can be considered as a mechanism to bolster the General Fund.
Subject to a vote, cities can use a variety of existing or new funding sources to fund infrastructure directly. For example, in addition to local sales tax
increases, transient occupancy taxes, utility user
taxes, and (local option) real estate transfer taxes
(charter cities only) all can be created or increased
for this purpose. By enhancing General Fund revenues, the City gains the ability to divert some funds to infrastructure projects. A commitment to fund specific types of projects can be made in the ordinances that create new taxes or can be made as a matter of
city policy. City funding can be used to fund infrastructure using a “pay-as-you-go” approach, as a source of reimbursement, or to support a municipal
bond issue (e.g., to fill an initial funding gap associated with development impact fee programs or land secured financing programs).
The incidence of burden falls to those paying the
taxes or rates. For example, sales taxes are paid by
residents, businesses, employees, and visitors, while
transient occupancy taxes are primarily paid by visitors. The rationale for this payer burden is that these residents, businesses, employees, and visitors will
benefit from the investments made in infrastructure
and development.
At this point, the Sharp Park Specific Plan Funding
Strategy does not rely on increases in other local
taxes.
General Obligation Bonds
A general obligation bond is a type of municipal
bond that is secured by a state or local government’s
pledge to use legally available resources, most typically including property tax revenues, to repay bond holders. Credit rating agencies often consider a
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general obligation pledge to have very strong credit
quality and frequently assign them investment grade
ratings. In California, cities must secure a two-thirds voter approval to issue general obligation bonds.
The incidence of burden of general obligation bonds
is on all property owners in the issuing jurisdiction
proportional to the value of their property. General
obligation bonds are generally restricted to fund the
acquisition or improvement of real property. .
Developer Dedications, Contributions, and Exactions
Under the Subdivision Map Act, developers may be
required to dedicate land or make cash payments
for public facilities and infrastructure improvements
required or affected by their project. Dedications
are typically made for road and utility rights-of-way
fronting individual properties, parkland, and land for
other public facilities directly required by their projects (e.g., payments for a traffic signal). Significant new development is required to generate meaningful
amounts of revenue or in-kind improvements.
In the case of the Specific Plan, it is expected that
certain developments will be required, as a condition of approval, to dedicate the right of way adjacent to their properties and make or fund necessary improvements for street frontage and utilities. In
addition, developers may elect to provide dedications or one-time payments for other project infrastructure requirements, improvements, or mitigations in lieu of participation in one or several of the financing mechanisms identified herein. For example, developers may want to dedicate park and open space improvements in-lieu of associated impact fee
requirements. In such cases, the City will determine
and approve, if appropriate, the terms and conditions
associated with such dedications or contributions.
Development Agreements
A development agreement (DA) is a legally binding,
voluntary agreement between a local government
and developer authorized by State statute (Government Code Section 65864 et seq.). A DA is a means for a developer to secure certain terms for a particular development project for an agreed-on period (often long-term approvals) in exchange for special
considerations by the city (or county), generally
including infrastructure improvements, amenities, or
other community benefits that cannot be obtained
through the normal conditions applicable to the project. These arrangements tend to be available during times of strong market performance. In weaker markets or locales it may be difficult to obtain such private financing.
The City could consider requesting in-kind improvements as part of development agreements, meaning the developer could build/provide identified improvements.
Grants
Grants provide external funding from regional, state,
and federal sources but reflect local priorities, and
many grants require local matches. Apart from local
match requirements, there are significant staff costs
associated with grant funding, including staff time
during the application process and during the administration of the project. Grant funding is often limited to capital improvements with maintenance responsibilities falling to the local jurisdiction.
The landscape of grant opportunities is constantly
changing, and throughout the implementation of the
Specific Plan, it will be important to identify appropriate opportunities. Further analysis to align available grant resources with specific improvements is needed to determine which grants are worth
pursuing.
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Community Development Block Grant Funding
CDBG funds are provided as grants to fund housing activities, public works, community facilities, and public service projects serving lower-income people,
either through the “Community Development” or
“Economic Development” programs. Through the
“Community Development” component, public
improvements such as ADA-compliant public realm
improvements may be funded.
California Proposition 68: Parks, Environment, and
Water Bond
In June 2018, California voters approved $4 billion
in state general obligation bonds for state and local
parks, environmental protection projects, water infrastructure projects, and flood protection projects. The City could evaluate the feasibility of applying for a
grant to obtain funding (or partial funding) for the
Sharp Park public realm improvements.
California’s Active Transportation Program (ATP)
MTC administers California’s ATP for the Bay Area,
tapping state and federal funds to support programs
that make walking and biking better travel options
for Bay Area residents. The program allows cities,
counties, transit agencies and other public agencies
to compete for grants to build bicycle/pedestrian
paths, install bike racks, and other projects or programs that make walking or biking easier, safer, and more convenient. The City of Pacifica could consider
applying for the next grant cycle.
California’s Local Streets and Roads Program (LSRP)
Through SB 1, the Local Streets and Roads Program
dedicates approximately $1.5 billion per year in new
formula revenues apportioned by the State Controller to cities and counties for basic road maintenance, rehabilitation, and critical safety projects on the local streets and roads system. Several of the “roadway”
improvements may be eligible for LSRP funding.
POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES FOR
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
Business Improvement District
A Business Improvement District is a public/private
sector partnership that performs a variety of services to improve the image of a jurisdiction and to promote individual business districts. BIDs carry
out economic development services by working
to attract, retain and expand businesses. Allowed
improvements include streets/parking, parks, trash
receptacles, street lighting, decorations, and security facilities and equipment. Services may include marketing, economic development, security, sanitation, and promotion of tourism. A BID is typically operated
by a non-profit entity.
There is an existing Hotel BID in the City funded by
a $1 per day surcharge on hotel stays. This BID could
potentially be expanded to help fund maintenance of
public realm streetscape improvements (e.g., landscaping), or a BID funded by businesses in the Sharp Park Specific Sharp Park Specific Plan Area could be
formed.
Parcel Tax
Parcel taxes are excise taxes on real property based
on either a flat per-parcel rate or a varying rate
depending on use, size, or number of units on each
parcel. Parcel taxes can be used for any municipal
purpose, including parks. Parcel tax rates are normally weighted in some capacity, such as by size of parcel, density of parcel, or demographics of parcels.
Rates also often vary by land use depending on the
nature of the services to be funded.
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While parcel taxes are often used to finance bonds,
parcel tax revenue also can be used to fund annual
operations and maintenance expenses. A parcel tax
may be considered as a long-term solution to operations and maintenance on a systemwide basis. A parcel tax is subject to constitutional requirements
for voter approval,
General Fund
The General Fund, which is a governmental fund, is
the City’s main fund that accounts for the vast majority of city operations, including but not limited to police services, recreation, planning, building inspection, library, engineering, parks maintenance, street maintenance, and general administration.
Cities in California typically rely on General Fund revenue to fund a range of operations and maintenance, including parks. However, the use of existing General
Fund revenue is limited by current demands to support general municipal operations.
Corporate/Organization Partnerships and
Volunteers
City staff and other volunteer-based organizations
could explore philanthropic and nonprofit opportunities for in-kind services or donations. The potential use of volunteers could help offset certain maintenance or operating expenses. Potential cost savings from these efforts are not certain enough to reflect in this strategy but should be considered.
8.4 ADMINISTRATION AND
MONITORING
Each of the identified capital improvements will
require ongoing operational and maintenance (O&M)
support, as indicated on Table 8-4. While precise
O&M estimates associated with each of the improvements are not provided here, it is important to consider and potentially scale capital improvements so that the associated O&M expenses are manageable
and sustainable. When capital improvements and
regular maintenance do not occur or are underfunded, it becomes a problem of deferred maintenance which can degrade the function, aesthetics, and longevity of an improvement.
Presently, the City’s Public Works Department
spends approximately $2.5 million each year out
of the General Fund on roadway, street trees,
street lights, and park O&M. Like cities across the
state, increasing pension obligations and general
increases in operating costs are putting upward
pressure on the City’s streets and parks-related O&M
expenditures, which may require greater investment
from the General Fund if other funding sources are
not identified.
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TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT BY AREA INCREASED MAINTENANCE
REQUIRED
FREQUENCY OF
MAINTENANCE
ESTIMATE OF
ADDITIONAL HOURS
Palmetto Avenue
Street Furniture (benches, trash receptacles, bike racks) 5 years Wayfinding & Directional Signage + Monthly 2
Mid-Block Bulb-out for Landscaping / Street Trees (approx. 50) + Monthly 2 Paloma Avenue
Sidewalk Improvements + Monthly
Bike Route Improvements - Signage 10 years
Crossing Improvements 10 years
Street Parking 10-15 years
Low Impact Pedestrian Scale Lighting / Landscaping + Quarterly 20 Bulb-outs for Landscaping / Street Trees + Quarterly 20 San Jose Avenue
Sidewalk Improvements 15-20 years
Low Impact Pedestrian Scale Lighting / Landscaping Quarterly 20 Clarendon Road
Bike Route Improvements - Signage & Bike Parking 10 years Wayfinding & Directional Signage 10 years
Street Trees in Tree Wells + Quarterly 10 years
Intersection Improvements (Flashing Beacons / Xwalks) Yearly Underpass Improvements Yearly
Traffic Improvements (Narrow Lanes) 5-10 years
Francisco Boulevard
High Visibility Xwalks 10 years
Curb Extensions 20 years
Wayfinding Signs 10 years
Beach Boulevard
Bike / Ped Crossing Improvements 10 years
Enhancements to Existing Trail - Pavement Markings / Lighting + Monthly 2 Oceana Boulevard
High Visibility Xwalk 10 years
Curb Extensions 20 years
Sidewalk Improvements 20 years
Bike Route / Transit Improvements 5-10 years
Source: Dyett & Bhatia; City of Pacifica
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
STAFF-PROPOSED CHANGES TO JANUARY 2022
DRAFT GENERAL PLAN (REDLINES)
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – Economic Sustainability
Chapter 3 – Community Design
Chapter 4 – Land Use
Chapter 5 – Circulation
Chapter 6 – Open Space and Community Facilities
Chapter 7 – Conservation
Chapter 8 – Safety
Chapter 9 – Noise
Chapter 10 - Implementation
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The 2040 General Plan is a policy document for the long-range development of the City of Pacifica. It provides the direction for the future growth of the City and articulates a vision of what Pacifica aspires to be. The Plan draws its ideas from residents, business owners, elected officials, and City staff and translates these ideas into a set of policies and actions for present and future generations.
This introduction to the General Plan provides an overview of the document. It highlights key themes, gives the reader a background to the planning process and the requirements for the Plan, describes how the Plan is organized, and explains how it will be administered after it is adopted.
1.1 Purpose and Planning Process
PURPOSE
Purpose of the General Plan
The Pacifica General Plan is a policy document mandated by State law to address issues related to physical development and conservation of resources. The Plan embodies the expressed goals of residents, business owners, and elected officials and establishes concrete and achievable actions within the planning period.
Broad objectives such as “create economic development,” “preserve open space,” and “support sustainable practices” are translated into policies, maps, and specific actions that are tangible and can be implemented.
The Plan is designed for a range of users, from City staff to residents. Where greater specificity is needed, the City will rely on specific plans, an updated Zoning Ordinance, and subdivision and other regulations to implement its policies.
This General Plan aims to achieve the following purposes:
• Outline a long-range vision that reflects the aspirations of the community; • Establish goals and policies to guide development and conservation decisions by the Planning Commission, City Council, and City staff;
• Provide a basis for determining whether specific development proposals and public projects are in harmony with the City’s long-range vision;
• Reflect Pacifica’s current planning and economic development efforts;
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• Allow City departments, other public agencies, and private developers to design projects that enhance the character of the community, promote public health, preserve environmental resources, and minimize hazards; and
• Provide the basis for establishing and setting priorities for detailed plans and implementing programs, such as the Zoning Ordinance, subdivision regulations, specific and area plans, and the Capital Improvement Program; and
• Ensure that statewide goals established by the Legislature are achieved, including those in the California Coastal Act that affect the Coastal Zone.
Why Update the General Plan?
The City of Pacifica last comprehensively updated its General Plan in 1980. In the more than 40 years since then, many of its goals have been carried out, including a Zoning Ordinance with regulations to protect slopes and preserve open space, and the revitalization of the Rockaway Beach area. Many issues facing Pacifica are enduring but the legal environment governing land use, environmental preservation, housing, and other planning issues have changed. New priorities have emerged with a new generation of Pacifica residents and stakeholders. The General Plan update has provided for a comprehensive assessment of current conditions and; it allows today’s residents to express a vision for the future. This updated plan can provide an opportunity to eliminate obsolete text and policies, ensure legal conformity, and address today’s challenges.
PLAN PREPARATION PROCESS
Community Building: Visioning and Key Issues
In order for the General Plan update to address community needs and values, a comprehensive effort of obtaining the input of residents, business and property owners, City staff, and elected officials was central to the update process. The visioning phase of the General Plan update process was initiated by the City of Pacifica in the spring of 2009 and revisited in summer of 2019. At different stages of the plan-making process, residents, property and business owners, organizations, and public agencies were invited to interviews, surveys, workshops and open houses to provide input. The initial stage of community involvement included the following elements:
• General Plan Outreach Committee (GPOC). The City convened a committee of citizens with the responsibility of stimulating broader community involvement in the process. Committee members were expected to attend all community workshops and bring others to join them, and to raise awareness about the General Plan update.
• Community Interviews. Consultants met with 35 members of the community selected to represent a broad range of interests and provide local knowledge. The interviews took place in April 2009 and were conducted one-on-one or in small groups of up to four people. To gain perspective on the key issues and opportunities to be addressed in the Sharp Park Specific Plan, interviews were conducted with 17 stakeholders, including small-group discussions and individual interviews with developers, nonprofits, and Sharp Park residents, in Fall 2019. • Community Forums. In 2009, over 225 community members participated in community forums that focused on the community vision and prioritization of draft guiding policies for the General Plan and LCLUP. In the summer of 2019, five neighborhood meetings were held to re-familiarize
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community members with the Plan Pacifica process including the 2014 General Plan draft.
Participants were asked to share their values, concerns, or responses to changing contexts; their visions, priorities, and issues for the city at large; their ideas and concerns for specific neighborhoods where the meetings were held; and for the Sharp Park area. Over 200 community members attended at least one of these meetings. This input was critical in reaffirming the key themes and initiatives of the 2040 General Plan and developing a vision and priorities for the Sharp Park Specific Plan. There were also other Specific Plan-focused community forums. These included two online surveys in Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 with more than 450 responses. These also included a concepts workshop at the Pacifica Coastside Museum, in which participants learned about different options for achieving the goals and vision for Sharp Park and discussed their preferences, in January 2020.
• Joint City Council/Planning Commission Workshops. A joint study session of the City Council and Planning Commission was held on May 11, 2015, to discuss the 2014 Draft General Plan. The results of the community reintroduction/visioning meetings and staff recommendations for General Plan changes were presented at additional joint study sessions of the City Council and the Planning Commission on August 26 and September 3, 2019. Council and Commission members and members of the public were given the opportunity to provide feedback. • Newsletter. An initial newsletter was mailed to Pacifica residents and businesses to introduce the process and its goals.
• Media and Press Releases. The City has provided press releases to generate local media coverage of the General Plan update in advance of each opportunity for community involvement. • City Website. Frequent updates and interim documents were available on the City’s website throughout the planning process.
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Community forums were held to get feedback from Pacifica residents about what they valued most, what they wanted to see change, and what their preferences were regarding key policies and alternative land use scenarios.
Analysis of Existing Conditions
The plan-making process involved City staff working closely with land use, traffic, market demand, and other consultants to analyze existing conditions and development opportunities. Interim reports were prepared to document findings of technical analysis. These findings were integrated in the Existing Conditions and Key Issues report, published in July 2010 and presented to a joint City Council/Planning Commission workshop in September 2010. In response to questions from Council and Commission members, the report on traffic conditions and the transportation chapter of the Existing Conditions report were revised and released in May 2011. Existing conditions were revisited in 2019 to account for any changes since then. The 2019 update included an online community survey and presentation to the Planning Commission.
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Evaluating Choices
The next phase of the update process involved development and discussion of alternative land use plans and key policy issues. The alternative land use concepts illustrate a range of choices—inspired by the priorities articulated during the community-building phase and informed by the existing conditions analysis. These were presented for discussion at a third community forum, held January 29, 2011, at Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School. The meeting featured presentations on alternative concepts for future residential and commercial development, and key issues of sustainability and open parks and open space, followed by small-group discussion periods. The ideas and community feedback were published as the Land Use Alternatives and Key Policy Issues report, released in May 2011, and presented at public meetings of the Planning Commission and City Council in August and September of 2011.
Based on projected growth, the consulting team offered recommendations for each land use choice, and for how to proceed with key policy issues. Planning Commission and City Council heard testimony from members of the public, and registered their agreement or disagreement with each choice. This guidance from elected officials resulted in Preferred Plan concept maps, which were completed in January 2012. The City Council and Planning Commission provided guidance to update key policies in the General Plan at two joint study sessions in August and September 2020. The Preferred Plan combines the most desirable aspects of the alternatives, with modifications based on community feedback. The adopted Preferred Plan Concept continues to provide the foundation for this General Plan.
Draft and Final Documents
The final phase of the update process includes the preparation of the Draft Pacifica 2040 General Plan, and the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), for public review and adoption. The phase began with an opportunity for community members and resource agency representatives to comment on the proposed project at a scoping meeting for the EIR, held on August 13, 2020. Drafting the General Plan involved establishing detailed policies to help the City achieve its goals for development, conservation, public facilities and services, and other issues, over the next 20 years.
The Draft General Plan, and Draft EIR will be circulated for public review prior to public hearings. After Commission and Council action, the final version of the General Plan will be prepared.
1.2 General Plan Requirements
California's tradition of allowing local authority over land use decisions means that cities have considerable flexibility in preparing their general plans. However, though land use policies are not mandated, the issues to be addressed in the Plan are prescribed by State law. California Government Code Sections 65300 et seq. establish requirements for the content of General Plans, as well as for their adoption and subsequent amendments. Together, State law and judicial decisions establish three overall guidelines for general plans:
• The General Plan Must Be Comprehensive. This requirement has two aspects. First, the general plan must be geographically comprehensive. That is, it must apply throughout the entire incorporated area and it should include other areas that the City determines are relevant to its planning. Second, the general plan must address the full range of issues that affect the city's physical development.
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• The General Plan Must Be Internally Consistent. This requirement means that the general plan must fully integrate its separate parts and relate them to each other without conflict. “Horizontal” consistency applies both to figures and diagrams as well as general plan text. It also applies to data and analysis as well as policies. All adopted portions of the general plan, whether required by State law or not, have equal legal weight. None may supersede another, so the general plan must resolve conflicts among the provisions of each element.
• The General Plan Must Be Long-Range. In order to avoid incremental planning decisions which may occur over many years, and may eventually conflict with each other, the General Plan must be long range. The General Plan is intended to take a long-term view of development and considers issues that may impact the community for the next ten or twenty years.
The City of Pacifica General Plan includes six of the seven elements required by State law: Land Use, Circulation, Open Space, Conservation, Safety, and Noise. The seventh required General Plan element is the Housing Element. Because the Housing Element is required by State law to be updated at specific times—more frequently than the rest of the General Plan—it is published as a separate document. However, the Housing Element is written to be consistent with the rest of the General Plan. The City will undertake a planning and community engagement process to update the Housing Element and accommodate its 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA 6) of 1,892 housing units following adoption of the other required elements of the General Plan. Adoption of a Housing Element to reflect RHNA 6 must occur by January 31, 2023. Until such time, the City’s existing Housing Element which accommodates its 5th Cycle RHNA (RHNA 5) allocation will remain in effect and in compliance with State law. Pacifica’s General Plan also includes two optional elements that address local concerns: Economic Sustainability and Community Design.
Table 1-1 shows the relationship between required General Plan elements and their location in the Pacifica 2040 General Plan. The table also shows the relationship between elements of this General Plan and elements in the 1980 General Plan which this Plan replaces.
Table 1-1: Correspondence Between Required Elements and General Plan Elements Required
Elements
Element in 1980 General Plan Current General Plan Element Land Use Land Use Chapter 4: Land Use
Circulation Circulation Chapter 5: Circulation
Open Space Open Space and Recreation Chapter 6: Open Space and Community Facilities
Conservation Conservation Chapter 7: Conservation
Safety Seismic Safety & Safety Chapter 8: Safety
Noise Noise Chapter 9: Noise
Housing Contained in a separate volume Contained in a separate volume Not required Community Design Chapter 3: Community Design Not required Scenic Highways Covered in Chapter 3: Community Design Not required Community Facilities Covered in Chapter 6: Open Space and Community Facilities
Not required Historic Preservation Covered in Chapter 7: Conservation
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Not required Not included Chapter 2: Economic Sustainability Coastal Zone Land Use Policies Covered in Local Coastal Land Use Plan Source: Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.
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Circulation, Open Space, and Conservation are among the required topics for General Plans.
Planning for the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, and other transportation modes helps meet State requirements for “complete streets.”
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
The Planning for Healthy Communities Act (SB 1000) requires General Plans to include consideration of environmental justice in preparing policies and implementation programs, and in creating the physical framework for development. The problems of environmental justice that the General Plan can address include procedural inequities and geographic inequities. • Procedural inequities might include “stacking” commissions or committees with individuals who ignore the interests of minority and low-income residents, holding meetings at times and places that minimize the ability of low-income residents to participate, using English-only communications when non-English speaking populations may be affected by land use decisions, and requiring lower levels of mitigation for projects affecting low-income and minority populations.
• Geographic inequities might include providing fewer public services, transit services, and parks for minority and low-income residents than for middle- and upper-income residents.
SB 1000 requires a local government to prepare an Environmental Justice (EJ) Element or integrate EJrelated policies into other elements when both of the following conditions apply: The concurrent adoption or next revision of two or more other General Plan elements, and when a local jurisdiction identifies one or more disadvantaged communities (DACs) within its General Plan planning area.
While Pacifica does not have any communities that meet the criteria for disadvantaged communities as defined by the California Environmental Protection Agency under SB 1000, the General Plan addresses environmental justice and any disproportionate burdens, especially related to pollution burden and vulnerability to climate change in Chapter 7 (Conservation). Chapter 6 includes policies to ensure that inequalities in public facilities and service levels are not related to race, ethnicity, or income status.
In 2016, Governor Brown also signed into law Assembly Bill 2616 (AB 2616), amending the Coastal Act to give the Coastal Commission authority to specifically consider environmental justice when making permit decisions. This legislation also cross-references existing nondiscrimination and civil rights law in the Government Code and requires the Governor to appoint an environmental justice Commissioner.
The General Plan addresses environmental justice in the context of parks and public services in Chapter 6 (Open Space and Community Facilities). Chapter 8 (Safety) includes policies to ensure that public facilities and service levels are not related to race, ethnicity, or income status.
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COMPLETE STREETS
The California Complete Streets Act (AB 1358) requires all cities and counties to plan for the development of multimodal transportation networks in their general plans, beginning in January 2011. “Complete Streets” meet the travel needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways, and of all modes of travel (walking, cycling, driving, etc.). Pacifica’s General Plan responds directly to the Complete Streets Act in Chapter 5, Circulation.
CALIFORNIA’S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS LEGISLATION
Pacifica’s new General Plan is being updated at a time when issues of sustainability, global climate change, and smart growth are being actively addressed at the State and regional levels. New legislation and regional planning efforts have informed this Plan update, and showed how local communities can play a part in confronting these larger challenges.
California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and subsequent update, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2016 (SB 32), directed the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop a strategy to meet specific targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions. The resulting CARB Scoping Plan outlined the combination of policies, programs, and measures necessary to reduce statewide GHG emissions to 40 percent below the 1990 levels by 2030. AB 32 required California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and SB-32 continues that timeline to reach the targets set in Executive Order B-30-151990 levels by 2020, the equivalent of reducing emissions by 15 percent below current levels and 30 percent below projected business-as-usual levels. Many of the measures identified in the scoping plan would, when implemented, contribute to emission reductions statewide as well as in local communities.
Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (SB 375) The Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 promotes better integration of transportation and land use planning throughout California. The statute complements AB 32 by requiring CARB to develop regional GHG emission reduction targets for passenger vehicles. Following SB 375, CARB established targets for the years 2020 and 2040 for each region covered by the state’s 18 federally-designated metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), including the San Francisco Bay Area. Pursuant to this Act, each of California’s MPOs must prepare a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) outlining how the region will meet its GHG reduction target by integrating land use planning, transportation planning and funding, and housing needs. The SCS has been incorporated into the regional transportation plan, now known as Plan Bay Area 2050.The SCS has been incorporated into the regional transportation plan, now known as Plan Bay Area 2040.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is leading the effort in the Bay Area in partnership with other regional agencies and local governments, and they will continue to work together to develop the Plan Bay Area 2050 update.
Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency Legislation (SB 379) Passed in 2015, SB 379 requires the safety elements of general plans to be reviewed and updated to include climate adaptation and resiliency strategies. The review and update must consist of the following components: 1) A vulnerability assessment that identifies the risks climate change poses to the local
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jurisdiction and the geographic areas at risk from climate change; 2) Set of adaptation and resilience goals, policies, and objectives based on the information specified in the vulnerability assessment; and 3) Set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives identified in the adaptation objectives. The City of Pacifica received a Local Assistance Grant from the California Coastal Commission (CCC) and California Coastal Conservancy, which provided funding to the City of Pacifica to hire a consultant to conduct technical analyses and prepare a vulnerability assessment and adaptation plan.
The City Council approved and adopted Coastal Resiliency Policies in 2018. These policies are included as part of Chapter 8, Safety, and in Chapter 6, Coastal Resiliency, of the LCLUP.
1.3 Planning Context
REGIONAL LOCATION
Pacifica is within the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metropolitan area, and at its northern end is just 10 miles from downtown San Francisco. The cities of Daly City, South San Francisco, and San Bruno border the City on the north and east, and include urban development up to the City’s borders. Much of the land to the southeast and south is preserved as units of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, State and County parks, and the San Francisco watershed, and rural and agricultural land is prevalent to the south.
The Pacific Ocean borders Pacifica to the west. Access to Pacifica is primarily via Highway 1 (SR 1, or Coast Highway) and State Route 35 (SR 35, or Skyline Boulevard.) Figure 1-1 shows Pacifica in its regional context.
PLANNING BOUNDARIES
The Planning Area
The Planning Area is the geographic area for which the General Plan establishes policies about future urban growth and natural resource conservation in Pacifica. The boundary was determined in response to State law requiring each city to include in its General Plan all territory within the boundaries of the incorporated area as well as “any land outside its boundaries which in the planning agency’s judgment bears relation to its planning” (California Government Code Section 65300).
The Planning Area comprises 8,625 acres, or about 13.5 square miles, including all of the City of Pacifica (8,019 acres) as well as 606 acres of unincorporated land south of City limits on the slope of San Pedro Mountain. Nearly half (47 percent) of the Planning Area is preserved as open space. Another 16 percent of the Planning Area is vacant or undeveloped, and five percent is agricultural. Urban uses make up 32 percent of the Planning Area, 70 percent of which is residential.
The Coastal Zone
Land west of SR 1, as well as the Shelldance Nursery property and some land east of SR 1 south of City limits, is part of the Coastal Zone, subject to Pacifica’s Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) and the policies of the California Coastal Act. Pacifica’s Coastal Zone comprises approximately 1,286 acres of land, or about 15 percent of the Planning Area. It includes a high proportion of the City’s commercial land and visitor destinations. The Planning Area boundary, Coastal Zone boundary, and City limits are shown in Figure 1-2.
INSERT Figure 1-1: Regional Location
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INSERT Figure 1-2: Planning Boundaries
1.4 Plan Themes and Key Initiatives
Several themes for the General Plan were identified based on input by the public and from key stakeholders and City staff. The importance of these themes was underscored by analysis of existing conditions, and key initiatives were developed collaboratively through the planning process. These themes guide many of the policies in each Plan chapter.
• Open Space Preservation and Trail System Expansion. Pacifica’s hillsides, beaches, and other protected open space are prized by community members for their scenic, recreational, and habitat values. Continued preservation is seen as a key accomplishment over the next 20 years. The Plan identifies priorities for open space preservation and strategies to protect open space while allowing limited development, to be clustered and designed to fit into its natural setting. It also proposes an enhanced trail system connecting the coastline and ridges throughout Pacifica. • Sustainable Development and Practices. Pacifica residents want to allow a responsible amount of development while ensuring that habitat and the community’s unique, small-town character are protected. Residents also want to see green building and other sustainable practices promoted by the City. The Plan aims to set a good land use balance and to promote sustainable site planning and design, water conservation, waste reduction, and use of alternative transportation modes.
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The Plan identifies strategies to preserve open space, and proposes an enhanced trail system connecting the coastline and ridges throughout Pacifica (top). Habitat protection and restoration will be a top priority for open space (bottom).
• Creating a Destination for Tourism. Throughout the update process, community members and stakeholders emphasized the need for more economic activity. There is a widely shared sense that Pacifica has the potential to attract more tourists, and that this should be a key component of the City’s economic development strategy. The Plan includes strategies to enhance tourism by leveraging Pacifica’s natural assets, creating more attractive places in visitor-oriented districts, marketing, and pursuing destination hotels and inns at key sites, including Rockaway Beach and Quarry.
• Shopping Area Revitalization and Walkable, Mixed Use Areas. Pacifica residents desire more attractive and successful commercial areas, and also envision the development of walkable, mixeduse areas with good transit access. The Plan seeks to support commercial revitalization and redevelopment at key locations, advancing the City’s fiscal health, its quality of life, and its sustainability all at once.
• A Unique, Vital Center for Pacifica. Many community members expressed interest in creating a center for Pacifica, to provide a community gathering place and strengthen the City’s identity.
Palmetto Avenue was most often pointed to as having great potential to grow into such a vital, unique district. The General Plan establishes the goals for the Sharp Park neighborhood and
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supports the Sharp Park Specific Plan, which provides detailed land use strategies, urban design guidance, and connectivity improvements and other policies to enhance the area. With implementation of the Specific Plan, new stores and restaurants that cater to residents and stay open later, cultural and entertainment activities that draw people from afar, and an increased population base will infuse Sharp Park with vitality that will also draw new businesses and visitors.
The Specific Plan includes improvements to enhance Palmetto as a pedestrian-oriented mixed use area, anchored by new development at the Old Wastewater Treatment Plant site which will link the district to the Promenade and the Ocean. New civic facilities, such as a new Library/Learning Center, could be valuable assets to this area as well.
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Compact, mixed-use development at key locations should stimulate tourism and revitalize shopping areas (top).
New development is required to provide park land to serve local residents, or pay fees that help the City provide needed recreational amenities (bottom). • Diversity of Housing and Population. Only a small amount of new housing—about 990 units—is expected to be developed during the planning period. Residents are proud of the diversity of housing in the community, and want to ensure that this is carried on. In addition, many observed that new housing types should help provide additional options for residents as they age. The Plan aims to make Pacifica more accessible and ensure adequate housing options for people of all ages and incomes by providing enough sites at a higher density, and creating opportunities for mixed use development in transit-accessible locations.
• Recreation Facilities and Activities for Youth. Pacifica has limited recreation facilities, and community members expressed concern about the lack of things to do, especially for youth. The Plan identifies top priorities for recreation improvements, with an emphasis on improving park land that exists and providing some small new parks. Creating more accessible and vibrant commercial areas with a sense of place that appeals to visitors will also help make Pacifica a better place for young people.
• Infrastructure Improvements. The need for the City to maintain and improve streets, sidewalks, and other infrastructure was a clear consensus point for the community. The Plan supports completion of planned highway improvements and seeks to set priorities for sidewalk and street repairs based on location and safety.
• Protection from Natural Hazards. Pacifica faces a variety of natural hazards, including fires, earthquake-induced landslides, flooding, and coastal erosion. The Plan establishes a land use pattern that reflects hazardous conditions, such as steep slopes and coastal bluffs, and includes policies to improve public safety services and emergency management. The need to respond over the long term to coastal erosion will be an ongoing challenge for the City.
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1.5 Development Under the Plan
Development resulting from application of land use designations and assumed densities under the General Plan is referred to as “buildout.” Buildout is calculated based on assumptions about new residential and non-residential development that could be built under the Plan’s land use designations and their respective densities and intensities.
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND POPULATION
Table 1-2 tracks the existing and additional housing units and population expected under General Plan buildout. As shown, approximately 14,520 units existed in the Planning Area as of 2020 according to the California Department of Finance.
Land use designations in the general plan are projected to result in an additional 990 units. In total, General Plan buildout will result in approximately 15,510 housing units in the Planning Area.
According to the California Department of Finance, Pacifica had a population of approximately 38,330 in 2020. Assuming that average household size remains stable, buildout of the General Plan would accommodate a population of approximately 40,990 in the Planning Area, or an increase of approximately 2,720 new residents.
Table 1-2: Residential Development and Population
Existing (2020)
Net New at
Buildout (2040)
Total at Buildout
(2040)
Housing Units 14,520 990 15,510
Population 38,270 2,720* 40,990
Source: Department of Finance, 2020; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020. *Assumes vacancy rate of 3.8% and 2.86 people per household, based on 2015-2019 ACS rates.
NON-RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT
Table 1-3 summarizes the additional non-residential floor area and jobs projected to result under General Plan buildout. Pacifica currently has nearly 2 million square feet of non-residential floor area, not including schools or public facilities. The General Plan is intended to accommodate an additional 620,330 square feet of non-residential floor area. At buildout, the Planning Area will accommodate approximately 7,6310 jobs.
Of the 1,470 new jobs, more than three quarters (1,250 jobs) would be service-related and less than onequarter would be retail jobs, with no anticipated growth in the wholesale/trade sector.
Table 1-3: Non-Residential Development and Employment
Existing (2020)
1 Net New at Buildout
(2040)
2, 3
Total at
Buildout3
Non-Residential Sq. Ft. 1,945,770 620,330 2,566,100
Jobs 5,840 1,470 7,310
Retail 1,890 230 2,210
Service 3,780 1,250 5,030
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Wholesale/Trade 170 -
170
Source: San Mateo County Assessor's Office, 2019; City of Pacifica, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.
Notes:
1 C/CAG 2040 Model baseline estimates are used for estimates of jobs by sector. Existing non-residential square feet is based on San Mateo County Assessor data, and does not include schools or other public facilities. 2 Net new development assumes the following job generation ratios by land use classification: 400 s.f./job in Mixed Use, Retail, Office/Commercial, and Visitor-Serving Commercial classifications; 800 s.f./job in Service Commercial classifications; 1,200 s.f./job in Low Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial classifications; and 800 s.f./job in the Public and Semi-Public classification.
3 Numbers may not add up due to rounding.
1.6 Relationship to Other Plans and Regulations
The General Plan provides the basis for all of the City’s regulations, policies and programs that relate to issues addressed in the Plan. In addition to requiring that the Plan be internally consistent, the State also requires “vertical consistency”—i.e., consistency between the General Plan and other City actions. This requirement means that the City’s zoning and subdivision ordinances, specific plans and redevelopment plans, all development approvals, public works projects, and open space implementation programs have to be consistent with the General Plan.
The State’s General Plan Guidelines provide the following rule for defining consistency: “An action, program, or project is consistent with the general plan if, considering all its aspects, it will further the objectives and policies of the general plan and not obstruct their attainment.” This rule gives the City flexibility in implementation. Because the Plan is both general and long-range, there are many circumstances where future City actions will be addressed only generally in the Plan.
CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING
The City’s Zoning Ordinance is one of the most important tools for implementing the Plan. Following Plan adoption, zoning must be revised to be consistent with the General Plan, as needed. Requirements for consistency between the General Plan and zoning can be broken down into three aspects:
• Uses and Standards. The General Plan’s land use classifications are more general than the Zoning Ordinance classifications. For example, the Plan has five categories for residential use, while the zoning ordinance may have more. Multiple zoning districts may be consistent with a single General Plan residential classification, as long as all of the densities and unit types allowed in each zoning district are also permitted in the relevant General Plan category. • Spatial Correlation. The Zoning Map should reflect the general pattern of land use depicted on the Plan Diagram. However, the two need not be identical. Boundaries of land use classifications depicted on the General Plan Diagram are typically more precise in developed areas and more generalized in undeveloped properties. For new development areas, details will be established through adoption of master or specific plans, and establishment of zoning. • Timing. The General Plan has a 20-year horizon, while zoning focuses on the immediate appropriate uses for individual sites.
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The General Plan update has been conducted in tandem with the update to Pacifica’s LCLUP, covering land use and related issues for the portion of Pacifica within the State’s Coastal Zone.
THE GENERAL PLAN AND THE LOCAL COASTAL LAND USE PLAN
The California Coastal Act requires every city and county lying partly or wholly within the Coastal Zone to prepare a Local Coastal Program (LCP). The LCP consists of two parts: a Local Coastal Land Use Plann (LCLUP), which specifies the intended uses of land within the Coastal Zone; and, an implementation plan comprised of the zoning ordinances; zoning district maps; and other actions which taken together implement the local coastal land use plan and Coastal Act provisions. These provisions seek to ensure that public access to and along the shoreline is maintained; that water quality, marine life, and environmentally sensitive habitat areas are protected; and that coastal visual resources and special communities are preserved. The Coastal Act calls for certain land uses within the Coastal Zone to have priority over other uses: recreation and visitor-serving uses, fishing, boating, and other coastal-dependent uses, and public works and industrial facilities needed to support priority uses.
The General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) LCLUP Local Coastal Land Use Plan updates have been conducted in tandem. While they are two separate documents, much of the descriptive text and many of the policies are overlapping. Policies that are included in both the General Plan and the LCLUP are marked with a ✳ in the General Plan. All policies in the LCLUP are also in the General Plan.
Detailed discussion of Coastal Act requirements and goals is included only in the LCLUP, while issues that are not relevant to Coastal Act requirements and goals are covered only in the General Plan. As part of this effort to keep the two plans as close as possible, the term “Planning Area” is used to refer to the General Plan’s Planning Area, while the term “Coastal Zone” is used to refer to the area subject to the LCLUP. The two plans each have different organizational structures, to match each Plan’s purpose.
SHARP PARK SPECIFIC PLAN
The Sharp Park Specific Plan, developed concurrently with the General Plan, is the blueprint for development and preservation on the blocks surrounding Palmetto Avenue and Beach Boulevard between Paloma Avenue and Clarendon Road, as well as adjacent areas of potential change east of Highway 1.
Currently, Sharp Park is the city’s civic core and is home to many unique businesses, as well as the iconic Pacifica Pier. Many community members have expressed interest in creating a vital center for Pacifica There is significant opportunity for mixed-use buildings, new housing and higher intensity development that will help the city address issues of housing affordability and create a center of gravity with more opportunities to shop, dine, and gather for the broader Pacifica community as well as visitors. The goal of the Sharp Park Specific Plan is to formalize this vision for Sharp Park and put in place an implementation program that will help realize change in the area through detailed development standards, public realm improvements, and design guidelines for new developments. The Specific Plan is cross-referenced throughout the General Plan, but the Specific Plan itself should be consulted as specific projects within the Specific Plan boundary are proposed.
ROCKAWAY BEACH SPECIFIC PLAN
The Rockaway Beach Specific Plan Area contains approximately 150 acres of land including and surrounding the existing Rockaway Beach community in Pacifica. The overall goal of the plan, adopted in
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1986, is to stimulate and attract quality private investment in the area, thereby improving the City’s economic health and tax base while strengthening the overall image and attractiveness of the area. The total potential development for the Rockaway Beach Specific Plan Area was determined to be 2,305,000 square feet of visitor- and business-oriented commercial use. The Rockaway Beach Specific Plan remains consistent with the General Plan.
COASTAL REGIONAL SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN
A consortium of State and federal agencies, including the California Department of Natural Resources and the US Army Corps of Engineers, is organizing a series of Regional Sediment Management (RSM) plans.
The primary focus is on facilitating the movement of excess clean sand to areas experiencing high levels of erosion. Goals include restoring and preserving beaches; sustaining recreation; enhancing public safety; and restoring coastal habitats. The San Francisco Littoral Cell Coastal RSM Plan is currently being developed for the coastline between the Golden Gate and Pedro Point Headlands. The Plan’s purpose is to assist communities by providing information for decision-makers and offering recommendations specific to the coastlines of San Francisco, Daly City and Pacifica.
1.7 Guide to Using this Document
PLAN ORGANIZATION
The Plan is organized as follows:
1. Introduction. This chapter summarizes the key themes and initiatives of the Plan. It covers the Plan’s purpose, process, planning context, State requirements, relationships to other plans, plan organization, and requirements for administration of the Plan.
2. Economic Sustainability. This chapter, an optional General Plan Element, describes the economic context and sets out goals and policies to stimulate retail and tourism-related development, maintain fiscal health, and support other efforts to enhance the City’s economy.
3. Community Design. This chapter, an optional General Plan Element, includes urban design policies to improve the city’s visual quality and livability, including its neighborhoods, mixed-use areas, hillside and coastal areas, and scenic routes.
4. Land Use. This chapter describes the existing land use pattern and provides the physical framework for land use and development in the City. It enumerates development demand and capacity, and provides detailed descriptions of land use issues by sub-area. This Element is required by State law.
5. Circulation. This chapter includes policies, programs, and standards to maintain efficient circulation for all modes of travel. It identifies future street and traffic improvements, and addresses walking, biking, transit, and parking to enable a multi-modal circulation system. This Element is required by State law.
6. Open Space and Community Facilities. This chapter outlines policies relating to regional open spaces and beaches, the trail system, coastal access, City parks and recreation, schools, and community facilities. Open Space is a required General Plan subject under State law; Community Facilities are included because they logically relate to Pacifica’s Open Space.
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7. Conservation. This chapter includes policies relating to hydrology and water quality, biological resources, agriculture and coastal sediment, air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, and historic and archaeological resources and conservation. It also addresses water supply, sewerage, solid waste management, and recycling, as well as stormwater management and sustainable site planning. This Element is required by State law.
8. Safety. This chapter addresses the risks posed by seismic and geologic hazards, flooding, hazardous materials, and wildland fires. It also includes policies on public safety services and emergency management, as well as the unique challenges of adapting to climate change, especially sea level rise (SLR). This Element is required by State law.
9. Noise. This chapter includes policies to limit the impacts of noise sources through land use planning, site planning, building design requirements, and other measures. This Element is required by State law.
10. Implementation. This chapter describes the implementation process in general terms and the major actions to be undertaken by the City.
Table 1-5 shows how the General Plan Elements correspond with chapters in the LCLUP.
Table 1-5: Correspondence Between General Plan Elements and Local Coastal Land Use Plan Chapters
General Plan Element Related LCLUP Chapter
Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Economic Sustainability --
Chapter 3: Community Design Chapter 4: Environmental and Scenic Resources, Chapter 5: Natural Hazards
Chapter 4: Land Use Chapter 2: Land Use
Chapter 5: Circulation Chapter 3: Public Access and Recreation Chapter 6: Open Space & Community Facilities Chapter 3: Public Access and Recreation Chapter 7: Conservation Chapter 4: Environmental and Scenic Resources Chapter 8: Safety Chapter 5: Natural Hazards
Chapter 6: Coastal Resilience
Chapter 9: Noise --
Chapter 10: Implementation --
Source: Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.
POLICY STRUCTURE
Each chapter of the Plan includes background information to establish the context for policies in the chapter. This background information is followed by two sets of policies, which together articulate a vision for Pacifica that the Plan seeks to achieve:
• Guiding Policies are the City’s statements of its goals and philosophies.
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• Implementing Policies represent commitments to specific actions. They may refer to existing programs or call for establishment of new ones.
Policies provide guidance for development review, infrastructure planning, community facilities and services, and protection for the city’s resources, by establishing planning requirements, programs, standards, and criteria for project review. Explanatory material or commentary in italics accompanies some policies to provide further clarification of their application to particular sites or situations. The use of “should” or “would” indicates that a statement is advisory, strongly recommended but not mandatory; details will need to be resolved in LCP implementation. The use of “shall” or “must” indicates that a statement is mandatory. Where the same topic is addressed in more than one chapter, sections and policies are cross-referenced. Many of the Coastal Act policies are translated into Plan policies, as indicated in policy commentary. As shown earlier, policies identified with a ✳ in the General Plan are included in both the General Plan and the LCLUP.
MAPS, DIAGRAMS AND LAND USE CLASSIFICATIONS
Maps and diagrams in the General Plan illustrate policies relating to land use, circulation, conservation, and public facilities. The Land Use Diagram, other figures, and the Land Use Classifications (in Section 4.2 of the General Plan) are also adopted parts of the Plan.
GLOSSARY AND LIST OF ACRONYMS
The Plan concludes with a glossary to define important terms and concepts, and a list of acronyms that may appear in the preceding chapters.
1.8 Plan Administration
The General Plan is intended to be a dynamic document. As such, it will be updated periodically to address site-specific or comprehensive needs, to respond to new State or federal law, or to modify policies that may become obsolete or unrealistic over time.
AMENDMENTS TO THE PLAN
The Plan may be amended from time to time, but opportunities for amendments to mandatory elements of the General Plan are limited to four times per year under state law (Gov. Code § 65358). Each amendment may make an unlimited number of changes to the Plan. However, this restriction does not apply to optional elements (such as Community Design), to certain amendments necessary to develop a local coastal program, to amendments needed to comply with a court decision, or amendments to allow for the development of certain specified affordable housing developments.
ANNUAL REPORT
Government Code section 65400 et seq., requires that City staff submit an annual report to the City Council on the status of the General Plan and progress in its implementation. This report is submitted to the Governor’s Office on Planning and Research and the Department of Housing and Community Development. The report must include an analysis of the progress made in meeting the City’s share of regional housing needs (identified in the Housing Element) and local efforts to remove governmental
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constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of affordable housing under Government Code section 65583(c)(3). Also, the report must include the following information:
• The status of the General Plan and the progress made in implementing it; • The number of housing development applications received in the prior year; • The number of units included in all development applications in the prior year; • The number of units approved and disapproved in the prior year; • A listing of sites rezoned to accommodate the portion of the local government's share of the regional housing need for each income level that could not be accommodated on sites identified in the inventory required by Govt Code §§ 65583(c)(1) and 65584.09, and any additional sites that may have been required to be identified by Govt Code § 65863; • The number of applications submitted under Govt Code § 65913.4(a), the location and total number of developments approved under Govt Code §65913.4(b), the total number of building permits issued under Govt Code § 65913.4(b), and the total number of for-sale and rental units by income category constructed using the process provided in Govt Code § 65913.4(b); • The progress made in adopting or amending the General Plan or local open-space element in compliance with its obligations to consult with California Native American tribes, and to identify and protect, preserve, and mitigate impacts to specified places, features, and objects (see Govt Code § 65400(a)(2)(K); and
• Specified information regarding density bonus applications received and granted under Govt Code § 65915 (see Govt Code § 65400(a)(2)(L)).
Any mitigation monitoring and reporting requirements prescribed in the General Plan EIR should also be included in the annual report. Finally, the report should also include a summary of all general plan amendments adopted during the preceding year, a description of upcoming projects or General Plan issues to be addressed in the coming year, and a work program.
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This General Plan seeks to establish a long-term framework for employment growth and fiscal stability for Pacifica. Together with other General Plan initiatives, this will help ensure the City’s economic success. The Economic Sustainability chapter contains policies and actions that provide direction for improving the City’s business and tourist attraction strategies; improving the ratio of jobs to employed residents; and supporting business activities that can meet the needs of the community and of visitors to the City.
2.1 Vision and Priorities
A successful economic development plan must be guided by a clear vision, long-range planning and continuous commitment. This vision includes a City government that is receptive to working with business owners to facilitate expansion of commercial enterprise, and visitor/tourist uses; flexible land use policies that encourage mixed-use development and promote jobs for all residents; investment in new and maintenance of existing infrastructure; and a close partnership with business owners, governmental agencies, and stakeholders.
Ideas and priorities for economic development in Pacifica have been discussed throughout the General Plan Update process. Almost every participant identified Pacifica’s need for a stable economic base and source of tax revenue as a critical concern. Policy statements related to economic sustainability have received broad support from the community, particularly the ideas of enhancing the appeal and vibrancy of Palmetto Avenue and the Promenade, including redevelopment of the old Wastewater Treatment Plant; and revitalizing shopping centers. Improved fiscal stability was also widely agreed upon as an important goal.
As a means toward that end, developing a stronger tourism sector was broadly supported. These ideas form the basis of the guiding and implementing policies for economic development.
2.2 Regional and Local Economic Context
DEMOGRAPHICS
Some basic demographics serve as good economic indicators of a city’s workforce quality and economic opportunity (Table 2-1). A high percentage of Pacifica’s population is of workforce age—approximately two-thirds. Nearly 46 percent of residents over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree or higher, which is well above the statewide percentage (34 percent), but slightly below that of San Mateo County (51 percent).1 1 U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 Five-year Estimates
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A high percentage of households own their homes, and the City’s median household income is slightly above the San Mateo County median. Overall, Pacifica residents are well-educated with good financial resources.
Table 2-1: Demographic Indicators of Economic Conditions Population between 18 and 64 64%
Population over 25 with a bachelor’s degree or higher 46% Average household size 2.82 persons
Percent of ownership housing 71%
Median Household Income $125,500
Median Household Income as a percent of San Mateo
County overall
102%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 Five-year Estimates
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT CHARACTERISTICS
Employment by Industry
Employment by industry in Pacifica closely follows that of San Mateo County overall. The American Community Survey’s five-year estimate (2015-2019) shows Educational Services, Health Care, and Social Assistance as having the highest percentage of employment in both jurisdictions (22 percent and 20 percent, respectively). The next largest industry sector is Professional, Scientific, Management, and Administrative services, at 16 and 20 percent for the City and the County respectfully, followed by retail trade and arts/entertainment. Table 2-2 shows employment by industry.
Table 2-2: Employment by Industry, San Mateo County and Pacifica San Mateo County City of Pacifica
Total
Percen
t Total
Percen
t
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 2,060 1% 64 0% Construction 21,395 5% 1,479 7%
Manufacturing 32,363 8% 1,521 7%
Wholesale trade 8,685 2% 370 2%
Retail trade 37,676 9% 2,061 10%
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 23,713 6% 1,535 7% Information 18,894 5% 802 4%
Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and
leasing
31,461 8% 1,491 7%
Professional, scientific, and management, and
administrative and waste management services
81,965 20% 3,428 16%
Educational services, and health care and social
assistance
81,965 20% 4,752 22%
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Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation
and food services
40,832 10% 1,961 9%
Other services, except public administration 20,498 5% 1,163 5% Public administration 13,483 3% 1,025 5%
Total 414,747 100% 21,682 100%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 Five-year Estimates Labor Force Participation and Unemployment
On average, from 2015 to 2019, Pacifica’s unemployment rate has been 2.2 percent, slightly lower than San Mateo County overall, and significantly better than the statewide average of 4.8 percent2 (see Table 2-3).
Table 2-3: Labor Force and Employment Rates for Population Over 16, San Mateo County and Pacifica
Population Over 16 San Mateo County Pacifica
In Labor Force 69% 69%
Employed 66% 67%
Unemployment Rate 3.7% 2.2%
Unemployment Rate Among College
Graduates
1.4% 0.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 Five-year Estimates
PLACE OF WORK
Pacifica is expected to continue to function as primarily a “bedroom” community serving employment centers in San Francisco and along the Peninsula. In fact, only 14 percent of Pacifica’s employed residents work locally, with the rest commuting to other jurisdictions (see Table 2-4). While the percentage of residents who work in Pacifica is low, and demonstrates the need to create more jobs for local residents, Pacifica’s place of work pattern is not out of step with that of San Mateo County as a whole, illustrating the regional nature of commuting and employment dynamics in the Bay Area.
The most common place of work for Pacifica residents was elsewhere in San Mateo County (36 percent) and in San Francisco (35 percent).3
Table 2-4: Place of Work for Workers 16 Years and Older, Pacifica and San Mateo County Workers Over Age 16 San Mateo County Pacifica
Worked in Place of Residence 19% 14%
Worked outside Place of
Residence
80% 86%
2 U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 Five-year Estimates 3 U.S. Census Bureau Center for Economic Studies, OnTheMap Application 2018.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 Five-year Estimates
2.3 The Future Economy
RETAIL AND TOURISM PROSPECTS
Retail and tourism are two areas of economic interest for Pacifica. Strengthening the City’s performance in these areas could create jobs, increase the tax base, and enhance quality of life for residents. This section and the relevant policies that follow address Pacifica’s long-term retail and tourism prospects and propose actions the City can take to improve performance in these sectors.
Due to its fairly isolated geography and access constraints, consumer demand for retail in Pacifica is currently driven primarily by local economic and demographic conditions (e.g., population, employment, and income). The City’s numerous shopping centers are distributed throughout the various neighborhoods and are primarily patronized by local residents; many shopping centers are also older and somewhat underutilized. A small amount of retail demand comes from visitors to Pacifica, particularly from those visiting the Rockaway Beach area. Given the older properties, small population and employment numbers, and limited accessibility, demand from larger, regional-serving retailers is minimal.
Existing Retail Supply Overview
Currently, Pacifica’s retail stores are concentrated along Highway 1, as well as the northern part of the City along Skyline Boulevard. Most are located within shopping centers. Overall, there are about 11 retail centers and a total of approximately one million square feet of leasable space across the City. Many of the retail properties are older and underutilized (though some have undergone renovations). A majority of Pacifica’s retail tenants consists of small, independent retailers anchored by one or several national brand establishments. The smaller service-oriented businesses periodically change ownership, but the mix of businesses in the City tends to stay the same. In other words, the market position and orientation of Pacifica’s retail has remained relatively static. The lack of diverse retail opportunities limits the City’s regional retail draw.
In addition to the neighborhood centers, the City also has a cluster of tourist-oriented retail, mainly around Rockaway Beach. These businesses consist of arts and craft stores, specialty retail, lodging, and restaurants and eateries. For the most part, these establishments are not attractions in their own right but rather cater to “spill-over” traffic from regional tourism and overnight accommodations. Palmetto Avenue also has a mix of local-serving and visitor-serving retail and services, including antique shops, salons, and cafes.
Retail Sales Trends, Household Spending, and Capture Rate Pacifica has relatively weak per-capita retail sales, likely the result of competitive retail clusters in Daly City and Colma. Based on household and income data, a gain of $337 million of additional potential retail sales could be theoretically supportable within the City. In 2016, the City’s retail stores generated $167 million in taxable sales, representing only 48 percent of the retail spending power. A large proportion of the City’s retail sales potential is lost to retailers outside of the City as Pacifica residents travel to other jurisdictions for their shopping needs. This leakage occurs in nearly all retail categories, the only exceptions being food stores and service stations (see Figure 2-1).
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Figure 2-1: Retail Sales and Estimated Household Demand, 2016 Source: BLS Expenditure Survey 2016-2017, CA Board of Equalization Taxable Sales 2016.
The leakage of retail sales potential can be traced to limited retail gain in Pacifica. Daly City has a regional shopping mall, Serramonte Center, and regional retail centers with big box retailers. Located northeast of Pacifica, Colma also has a number of regional retail centers with big box retailers. Additionally, to the east in San Bruno, the Tanforan Mall is another regional shopping center.
Future Retail Demand
Retail demand can be disaggregated into spending from local sources, such as residents and employees and spending from outside sources, such as commuters, tourists, and other visitors. Spending from local sources is largely determined by demographic and economic variables, such as population, income, and employment. Spending from outside sources is determined by such factors as regional commute patterns, local destinations or tourist attractions, and the quality/character of the retail supply itself. The performance of the City’s retail market in general may also be affected by national changes in consumer behavior (e.g., online sales,) as well as regional competition.
The current median household income in Pacifica is $125,500 per household, which is slightly greater than the median household income in San Mateo County as a whole (See Table 2-5)7). If the level of household income grows over time, the purchasing power of Pacifica households could increase and boost retail demand independent of population growth.
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000
Apparel Stores General
Merchandise
(2)
Home
Furnishings
and Appliances
Bldg. Matrl.
And Farm
Implements
Auto Dealers
and Auto
Supplies
Other Retail
Stores (2)
Food Stores (3) Eating and
Drinking Places
Service
Stations
Aggregate HH Retail Exps. ($1,000s) Retail Sales in Pacifica ($1,000s) (1) Sales f or this category are not published because of the limited number of retailers. In order to maintain the sales of indiv idual retailers conf idential, the sales f or this category are included in Other Retail Stores. (2) Includes specialty stores; packaged liquor stores; second-hand merchandise; f uel and ice dealers; mobile homes, trailers, campers; boat, motorcy cle, and plane dealers; and business and personal serv ices. (3) Ty pically , only 35% of grocery purchases are taxable. SBE sales tax has been adjusted to ref lect total retail sales.
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Table 2-5: Current Median Household
Income
2019
Pacifica $125,500
San Mateo County $122,641
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015-2019 Five-year Estimates Given the population and employment trends and the City’s relatively small employment base, there is little support for additional retail space. However, additional retail demand could be generated by increased capture of local spending and spending by tourists, commuters, and other nonresident population groups.
INSERT Photo 02 DSCN3220
Most of Pacifica’s retail is located in 11 retail centers with a total of almost 600,000 square feet of leasable space.
INSERT Photo 03 Mountain View_IMG_3636
Many cities, including Mountain View, have downtown retail areas. Palmetto Avenue has potential to develop as a vibrant main street for Pacifica.
INSERT Photo 04 6-05 DSCN3241
With its scenic setting along Highway 1, south of San Francisco, Pacifica has potential for more tourism-based retail.
Local-Serving Retail and “Town Center” Concept
One retail concept that may present an opportunity for Pacifica is that of a “town center.” Cities often have clusters of retail surrounding their core or destination areas, supported by a concentrated presence of employment, historic or “main street” features, convenient or centrally located transportation hubs, welltraveled thoroughfares, and/or high density of population. Currently, Pacifica has no distinct downtown area; rather, the City’s retail tends to be dispersed within a number of neighborhood-based submarkets.
Palmetto Avenue, the “backbone” of the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area, has potential to expand its function as a town center retail district. Building on improvements as part of the Palmetto Avenue Streetscape Plan, the General Plan Land Use Diagram designates Palmetto Avenue for mixed use development to produce ground-floor retail and other commercial uses with a pedestrian orientation as well as upper-story housing.
With targeted public investments in the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area, retail opportunities are likely to emerge from new local small businesses and incremental and fine-grained improvements to existing properties with a focus on creating a differentiated experience that provides residents and visitors with a unique sense of place. To support the potential town center area, key opportunity sites near the Palmetto corridor are designated Mixed Use Center. Higher-intensity residential development along the Highway 1 corridor directly adjacent to and well-linked to Palmetto Avenue would provide a regular customer base for shops and restaurants along Palmetto, and signal to passersby the presence of an active center.
Continued public and private investments can contribute to the development of Palmetto Avenue into a
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town center retail district. If successful, Palmetto Avenue then could help the City capture more of the local expenditure potential without drawing sales away from existing retailers. Policies in this element, the Land Use element, and the Sharp Park Specific Plan support this objective.
Tourism-Based Retail
San Francisco and San Mateo Counties are major tourist destinations, attracting domestic as well as international travelers. As shown in Table 2-6, the nine-county Bay Area region accounts for close to 30 percent of the visitor-generated tax receipts in California. Of the counties in the Bay Area, San Mateo County had the third highest visitor-generated tax receipts per household at $1,860, behind Napa and San Francisco counties at $3,160 and $2,620, respectively. Both San Mateo and San Francisco counties rank well above the statewide per household average of $810.
Table 2-6: Visitor-Generated Tax Receipts by County
County
2017 Receipts
(in millions)
Receipts per
Household
% of California
Receipts
Napa $159 $3,160 1.5%
San Francisco $994 $2,620 9.2%
San Mateo $514 $1,860 4.7%
Sonoma $167 $870 1.5%
Santa Clara $545 $830 5.0%
Alameda $347 $580 3.2%
Marin $61 $570 0.6%
Solano $60 $400 0.6%
Contra Costa $152 $370 1.4%
Bay Area Total $2,999 -- 27.6%
California $10,851 $810 100.0%
Source: California Travel Impacts, 2000-2017, Dean Runyan Associates, Inc.; Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
Pacifica enjoys exposure to a number of visitors to the County’s coast, State parks, and other attractions.
Despite its advantageous position, however, the City does not currently offer a major attraction or an identifiable theme that draws significant tourism and tourist-related spending. In addition, the City has not successfully positioned or marketed itself as a major tourist destination. Tourism-related retail concepts supported by policies in this element may allow Pacifica to better leverage its coastal location and establish itself as a more successful tourist destination.
INSERT Photo 05 003_Pier
INSERT Photo 06 IMGP2913
INSERT Photo 07 Di Suvero Crissy Fld
Amenities including the Pier and the Golf Course can be linked with Palmetto Avenue through place-making features, such as public plazas and public art.
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“Placemaking”
Tourist-oriented retail districts often succeed by providing a unique mix of small-scale “boutique” stores that offer arts, crafts, and other goods or services with a distinctive local flavor. This retail strategy is not formulaic, and the actual tenant mix depends on the location. One of the key characteristics of successful tourist-oriented retail districts is its unique identity or “brand.” Similar to other beachside communities along the Pacific coastline, Pacifica could potentially focus on beach/coastal-related businesses, drawing on its very name to help establish a strong identity.
Equally important to the success of tourism-based retail are the placemaking features, such as public plazas and public art features. Placemaking features provide aesthetically pleasing, thematic design. Uniform signage and wayfinding is another aspect of placemaking. Enhancing Rockaway Beach district and extending the visitor-oriented environment into the Quarry Site could follow this model. A traditional town center district along Palmetto Avenue, linked through these place-making features to amenities (e.g., the beach and golf course), would create a unified image of the City.
Unlike local or regional shopping centers, tourism-based retail is more fluid and gradual in development.
To be successful, this strategy will require a multi-dimensional effort, including marketing, public improvements, and pursuit of specific opportunity investments through public-private partnerships.
Hotel and/or Resort Opportunities
Tourism is a significant industry in San Mateo County, attracting both domestic and international visitors.
Pacifica’s coastal location coupled with the City’s accessibility along scenic Highway 1 and its proximity to San Francisco and the San Francisco International Airport provides it with exposure to a number of visitors to the County’s coast, State parks, and other attractions. However, the City is not currently a well-known tourist destination and primarily serves pass-through travelers on their way to a primary destination elsewhere in the County or region. Another way in which Pacifica could increase its visibility, boost tax revenue, and help foster a distinctive sense of place would be to recruit a major resort hotel.
Currently, Pacifica is served by six moderately-priced hotels with a total of 282 rooms. Transient occupancy tax (TOT) revenues from these hotels have fluctuated during the past 10 years, with a general upward trend, as shown in Figure 2-2. Beginning in the fourth quarter of 2019, the TOT revenues include revenues generated by short term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO. The revenue data from short term rentals is not available at the time of this report, but is likely to increase the amount of TOT revenue going to the City.
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Figure 2-2: Transient Occupancy Tax Revenue Per Fiscal Year Source: City of Pacifica, 2019.
In terms of occupancy rate, Pacifica’s hotels have generally been underperforming relative to the County average of approximately 80 percent, as of 2019.4 However, there are market segments that have the potential to complement and/or stimulate tourist-related demand. These include:
● Bed-and-Breakfast. A small-scale inn or bed-and-breakfast facility that is successfully operated may serve as a key attraction. As the County attracts more visitors, it is likely that Pacifica can capture some of the increase. Despite the City’s lower occupancy rate relative to the County, a highend inn or bed-and-breakfast, if able to successfully distinguish itself, may be supportable without drawing customers away from existing hotels.
● Boutique Hotel. A mid-sized hotel that provides uniquely designed accommodations also could attract visitors to the City. Boutique hotels are smaller than resort hotels, but command higher rates because of the emphasis on personal experience and high service levels. The boutique hotel may even serve as a destination, attracting new visitors to Pacifica. ● Full-Service Hotel. Pacifica is an easy drive (approximately 15 minutes) to San Francisco and San Francisco International Airport and is conveniently located on the coastal route to other wellknown destinations such as Half Moon Bay, Monterey, and Big Sur. Consequently, visitors could enjoy the natural beauty of the City and nearby natural areas and the urban attractions of San Francisco in a single day. The proximity to San Francisco would provide a comparative advantage 4 Smith Travel Research, 2018.
0 200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
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over other coastal hotel destinations in the Bay Area, such as Half Moon Bay, Point Reyes, and even Napa. A resort hotel also could provide conference facilities that could attract business groups. 2212 Beach Boulevard, the site of a former wastewater treatment plant, presents the greatest potential location for the development of a full-service hotel. With immediate beach access, proximity to the Sharp Park Golf Course, the existing Palmetto Avenue commercial area, and the open space park lands of Pacifica Beach Park, the Beach Boulevard site offers a variety of attributes typically sought by full-service hotel operators. Additionally, the development of a hotel at this site could support additional visitor-oriented commercial development, integrated with the plans for the adjacent Sharp Park district. With an increase in tourism, additional visitors to the City also could support a town center retail district along Palmetto Avenue, a key objective of the Sharp Park Specific Plan.
INSERT Photo 08 Hotel Healdsburg 7
The City may be able to support a boutique hotel without drawing customers away from existing hotels.
INSERT Photo 09 hearst-social-hall-ext
Pacifica offers a number of amenities and attributes that could potentially support a resort hotel.
INSERT Photo 10 5239234811_22be439beb
With improved signage and amenities, outdoor recreation visitors could extend their stay and patronize Pacifica businesses.
Outdoor Recreation Destinations
Beyond providing a recreational amenity, the completion of the trails system, as proposed by this General Plan, will have significant economic benefits. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) already hosts many visitors, especially to Sweeney Ridge. However, visitors to that site are unlikely to realize how close the other destinations in the City are to the park. With improved signage and amenities accompanying the trails (such as concessions, huts, and a GGNRA visitors’ center), hikers could extend their stay and patronize Pacifica businesses. At full buildout, the trail network has the potential to become an attraction in its own right, becoming one of several amenities that would encourage visitors to stay in Pacifica for a whole weekend.
For the trail system to serve as an economic driver, it must be coupled with recognizable signage, permanent maps and information kiosks, and immediate connections to commercial sites that are appealing to walkers/hikers.
Other Opportunities
Like many California communities, Pacifica has passed ordinances to allow cannabis businesses in the City.
The City currently allows cannabis retail operations, cannabis manufacturing operations, and cannabis testing operations in various designated locations.
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In 2017, Pacifica voters adopted an excise tax that would apply to the gross receipts of cannabis businesses.
The local tax, initially set at 6 percent of gross receipts for the first two years, was projected by City staff to generate $420,000 in the industry’s first full year of operation. Council retained the option to decrease or increase the rate up to 10 percent after two years. Funds from the approval of this tax could be used to offset the cost of local government services, programs, and activities.
PACIFICA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN
City Council adopted the Pacifica Economic Development Strategic Plan (PEDSP) in August 2019 and is currently developing an update called Vision 2025 to guide economic development efforts in the near term (through 2025). Both the 2019 PEDSP and this Economic Sustainability Element share common features, including identifying opportunity sites, promoting local retail, and developing Pacifica as a visitor destination. Both plans identify the revitalization of the Palmetto Avenue corridor as a destination with shops and services for residents and visitors alike, a key objective of the Sharp Park Specific Plan. Both recognize the leakage of retail spending by Pacifica residents, and propose a Shop Pacifica campaign in addition to offering a more attractive local retail environment. The Vision 2025 document is expected to build on these and other strategies.
2.4 Fiscal Sustainability
Land use and policy priorities in this General Plan have implications for the City’s economic and fiscal wellbeing. The challenge in Pacifica is to encourage a mix of uses that bring fiscal benefits to the City—through property, sales, and transient occupancy tax revenues.
Specifically, if the General Plan succeeds in attracting business investment, it may also attract residents and employers who might otherwise choose other locations in the Bay Area or beyond. An increasing employment base can, in turn, create a positive feed-back loop by boosting property values and household incomes and improving economic conditions. The City can support and encourage entrepreneurship and business growth through a range of actions, including connecting business owners and entrepreneurs to resources and funding in order to support the growth of their operations locally and streamlining regulations to support business creation and growth. In addition, encouraging local businesses to buy from one another rather than from businesses in other communities can help "keep the dollars local" and support the success of Pacifica businesses. Provision of adequate childcare is part of the social infrastructure of economic development and can help attract and retain residents as well.
Achieving these quality of life factors will boost the City’s tax base and enable further investment in public services and infrastructure needed to sustain economic growth. The City’s fiscal health also is affected by factors outside of its control, including national business cycles, state and federal budget decisions, international trade, and the performance of key local industries such as information, high-tech and biotechnology.
A balanced and integrated approach to planning future land use, investing in municipal service and facilities, and leveraging Pacifica’s unique assets is the best way to ensure sustainable growth and fiscal wellbeing.
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2.5 Economic Development Strategy
Areas in which General Plan policies can help formulate a coordinated economic development strategy include:
● Leveraging Key Locational Assets. Pacifica can invest in “place-making” and build tourism-based shopping environment over time. A true town center district and a full-service hotel would significantly advance this goal by transforming Pacifica into a higher profile travel destination. The Rockaway Beach Quarry site and Palmetto Avenue represent two potentially complementary opportunities to do this. ● Improving Shopping Areas, and Recruiting Tenants. Upgrading existing shopping centers could create an environment more conducive to attracting a broader base of customers and tenants. The City can play an active role in attracting specific businesses that enhance the vitality of the City. ● Investing in Public Infrastructure and Facilities. Streetscape improvements, a signage program, and other public infrastructure investments represent valuable assetsadvancements for property owners and developers, who stand to benefit from them.
● Branding Pacifica. A detailed marketing plan could help Pacifica shape its image as a desirable destination itself through a wide range of methods and provide a unified “look and feel” to the City, complementing place-making and visitor attraction efforts. ● Facilitating Employment Growth. The City could be proactive in recruiting for employers. Job growth in the City could improve fiscal health.
● Integrating Economic Growth and Environmental Conservation. Pacifica’s natural setting, from the coastline to the ridges, is a critical component of the City’s identity, and it shapes the City’s urban and economic development. Future physical and economic development in Pacifica can help preserve the city’s natural features, both for the broader purpose of environmental conservation as well as the economic objective of attracting visitors.
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The Rockaway Beach Quarry site and Palmetto Avenue represent two potentially complementary opportunities to advance the City’s retail and tourism sectors.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
ES-G-1 Leverage Assets. Leverage Pacifica’s coastal location and unique assets as a primary means to strengthen the local economy, focusing on increasing tourism facilities, including shops, hotels, restaurants, and hiking trails.
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ES-G-2 Maintain Fiscal Sustainability. Foster a fiscally healthy City government and enlarge the City’s revenue base as necessary to sustain and support the community.
ES-G-3 Promote a Positive Image. Promote a positive image of Pacifica as a desirable place to work, live, and visit.
ES-G-4 Support Existing Businesses. Retain and foster the growth of existing Pacifica businesses, and foster a positive relationship between the business community and the City government.
ES-G-5 Attract New Businesses and Jobs. Seek out new businesses that will employ and serve Pacifica residents, improving the City’s jobs/employed residents ratio.
ES-G-6 Ensure Environmental Protection. Ensure that economic development in Pacifica proceeds synergistically with environmental protection.
Implementing Policies
Creating a Destination
ES-I-1 Town Center. Through a combination of mixed use land use designations/zoning, streetscape improvements, targeted public investment, and marketing strategies, promote Palmetto Avenue as a pedestrian-oriented destination with shops and services for residents and visitors alike.
ES-I-2 ✳City-Owned Catalyst Projects. Use City-owned properties as catalysts for new development in the Palmetto area and elsewhere in the City.
For key opportunity sites such as 2212 Beach Boulevard, the City may issue Request for Proposals for development. Learnings from past request for qualifications (RFQ) processes for 2212 Beach Boulevard site will inform strategies to make the site more attractive and marketable as part of a future RFQ for a hotel developer.
ES-I-3 Recycling Center Relocation. Work with Recology, Inc. to identify a new location for a recycling yard to free up land for visitor-based economic development.
ES-I-4 Increase Tourism. Prepare a multi-faceted program to encourage tourism, focusing on:
● Attracting new hotels or inns, a visitor’s center or other key attraction, tourism-based shopping, and other components; and
● “Branding” and marketing Pacifica’s parks, open spaces, beaches, and other natural amenities.
ES-I-5 Enhanced Visitor Node. Create a highly distinct visitor-oriented commercial and hospitality node at Rockaway Beach and on developable portions of the Rockaway Quarry site.
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A key component of this strategy would be to pursue a boutique or high end/resort-oriented hotel and supporting tourist-oriented shopping and dining opportunities.
ES-I-6 Increase Accessibility. Improve accessibility and transit into Pacifica by partnering with transit providers (BART, SamTrans, etc.) to increase frequency and visibility of service to and from San Francisco and other destinations in the Bay Area.
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Promote Palmetto Avenue as a pedestrian-oriented destination with shops and services for residents and visitors alike.
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Support the upgrade and redevelopment of shopping centers to attract a broader base of customers and tenants.
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Implement a unified, unique signage and wayfinding program for the City’s distinct commercial and attractions.
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Fiscal Sustainability
ES-I-7 Mixed Land Uses. Promote development of a broader mix of revenue-generating land uses, including hotels, to increase the City’s fiscal benefits.
ES-I-8 Shopping Center Performance Improvement. Support existing retail center property owners’ and tenants’ efforts to improve their sales and occupancy rate performance, as feasible.
ES-I-9 Fiscal Analyses Required. Require fiscal impact analyses for major development proposals requiring a General Plan amendment to assess Citywide impacts and identify any burden such projects might create for the City as well as viable mitigation.
ES-I-10 Pursue New Funding Sources. Continue to identify and pursue federal, State, and other grants for economic development, marketing, and incentives to recruit new businesses.
ES-I-11 Development Pays its Fair Share. Continue to require new development to pay its fair share of needed community improvements.
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ES-I-12 Maintain Impact Fee Schedule. Periodically update the City’s impact fee schedule to ensure that fees are commensurate with the associated costs of facilities and services.
ES-I-13 Proportional Mix of Uses. Strive to achieve a balanced mix of retail and service uses in commercial centers and districts to support visitor- and sales tax-generating uses.
Marketing and Branding
ES-I-14 Broaden Business Marketing Efforts. Expand the City’s marketing efforts developing a comprehensive marketing plan with tools and implementation strategies, focusing on targeted industries and businesses. Actions may include:
● Advertising in industry publications;
● Publicizing local business success stories in local news outlets; ● Contracting with a professional marketing service (if feasible); and ● Preparing marketing materials, including an inventory of assets that Pacifica offers, such as available sites and buildings, development incentives, high quality of life, amenities, and others.
ES-I-15 Relationships with Business Organizations. Maintain a strong working relationship with the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce, as well as other local and regional business groups such as the Palmetto Business Association.
ES-I-16 “Shop Pacifica” campaign. Create a “Shop Pacifica” campaign to support local businesses and decrease retail sales leakage.
ES-I-17 Signage and Wayfinding. Implement a unified, unique signage and wayfinding program for the City’s distinct commercial and attractions.
Particular attention should be paid to providing clear visual linkages between separate, but proximate, areas of the City that would benefit from clearer connections. Signage and way finding could identify and link Palmetto Avenue; Sharp Park Golf Course; the future GGNRA visitors’ center; Rockaway Beach; and Pacifica State Beach.
ES-I-18 Public Realm Improvements. Invest in streetscape and public space improvements to attract visitor-oriented development and improve Pacifica’s image and the quality of life for residents.
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Public realm improvement priority areas are: Palmetto Avenue; new public space adjacent to the Pier associated with redevelopment of the 2212 Beach Boulevard site; the Rockaway Beach oceanfront; new public space and streetscape associated with development in the Quarry site; the Pacific Manor shopping area and Esplanade Avenue overlooking the ocean; the Pedro Point shopping area; lower Linda Mar Boulevard and lower Crespi Drive.
ES-I-19 Host New Events. Promote regionally recognized events as a means of increasing awareness of Pacifica as a destination and fostering a positive image of the City as a place to visit, reside, and conduct business.
Examples of community events that could draw visitors to the City—and take advantage of the City’s outdoor amenities—include group hikes, trail races, golf tournaments, surfing competitions, a Summer Concert series, as well as City celebrations such as Fog Fest, festivals, and promotional sales.
ES-I-20 Create Gateways. Create visually notable “gateways” to Pacifica, following the same design theme as the signage and wayfinding program, at major roadways where they enter the City (SR 1 at the northern and southern ends of the City, and Sharp Park Road and Hickey Boulevard at SR 35).
Local Business Support and Revitalization
ES-I-21 Shopping Center Upgrades. Support upgrading existing centers to create an environment more conducive to attracting a broader base of customers and tenants.
ES-I-22 New Business Organizations. Encourage formation of business organizations to represent business districts or industry groups where there are no support organizations.
ES-I-23 Enterprise Development Program. Create an Enterprise Development Program to provide technical support for local start-up businesses.
The City may seek assistance from the Workforce Investment Board and the San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA) to help set up a website incorporating all the tools and resources available to small local businesses and start-ups.
ES-I-24 Loan Program for Business Support. Evaluate the feasibility of maintaining a revolving City loan program for local businesses needing temporary financial support.
ES-I-25 Childcare. Encourage development of accessible, affordable, and quality childcare facilities through the following mechanisms:
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○ Streamline processing and permit regulations for childcare facilities. ○ Allow childcare facilities with a capacity 15-20 children minimum as a use in commercial areas
ES-I-26 Business-to-Business Transactions. Promote strategies to increase local business-to-business commerce.
New Employment Attraction
ES-I-27 New Business Attraction. Attract new businesses to Pacifica, focusing on those that:
● Have a high growth potential;
● Generate net fiscal benefits to the City through increased tax revenue; ● Create high-paying and/or career-oriented jobs for local residents with opportunities for advancement;
● Complement or augment existing businesses and services in Pacifica; and ● Create a minimal negative impact on the environment.
ES-I-28 Opportunity Sites Inventory. Maintain an inventory of available and “ready-to-go” development sites on the City’s website, and provide the list to interested developers and/or businesses seeking sites in the City.
The inventory of development sites should be updated periodically, depending on the pace of development, and distributed to local developers, realtors, employment recruiters, large commercial bankers, and others involved in economic development.
ES-I-29 Economic Development Website. Create a one-stop web portal for the City’s economic development activities.
The website could include:
● Information on the permitting and licensing process, and available business assistance programs, if applicable;
● A secure portal for online applications;
● A searchable GIS inventory of available sites;
● A directory of Pacifica businesses/firms and the products and services they provide; ● Testimonials from local business owners on positive experiences with the City; and
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● Links to complementary websites.
ES-I-30 Public/Private Partnerships. Explore the use of public/private partnerships to aid new small businesses with initial capital costs.
ES-I-31 Incentives for Locating in Pacifica. Create a list of incentives as part of a package to approach “target businesses” to encourage their location in Pacifica.
Possible incentives may include Enterprise Development Program assistance (see Policy ES-I-23), expedited permit review and approval, and floor area or density bonuses.
ES-I-32 Investment in Infrastructure. Continue to invest in public infrastructure improvements, including landscaping, signage, lighting, and roadways.
The Economy and the Environment
ES-I-33 GGNRA Visitor Center. Work with the GGNRA to establish a Visitor Center off SR 1 near Mori Point. Connect with the Rockaway Beach and Sharp Park districts with signage, roadway improvements, and pedestrian- and bicycle improvements.
ES-I-34 Expanded Commercial Recreation. Foster the development of low-intensity outdoor commercial recreation uses on sites near Pacifica State Beach and at the northern end of Palmetto Avenue.
ES-I-35 Preserve the Experience of the Natural Environment. Ensure that new development projects do not disrupt view corridors from prominent points or otherwise interfere with residents’ and visitors’ experience of Pacifica’s natural areas and amenities.
ES-I-36 Appropriate Site Design. Ensure that development projects adjacent to protected natural areas are designed to minimize impacts on those areas by employing low impact development techniques for stormwater management, using native/non-invasive landscaping, and minimizing nighttime lighting and glare.
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The Community Design Element focuses on enhancing the image and everyday livability of Pacifica. It presents a vision for the City’s overall form and image, and provides guidance for preserving and enhancing the qualities that support that urban structure. Specifically, the Community Design Element discusses compatible infill development; pedestrian-oriented, mixed use districts; views to hillsides, coastal bluffs and the ocean; and sustainable design. This chapter identifies certain areas where additional standards and guidelines may be needed, and provides policies at a citywide scale, as well as key goals defining distinct areas within the City.
3.1 Urban Structure
Pacifica has a strong physical identity as a stretch of dramatic coastline punctuated by ridges. Its boundaries are very distinct on three sides, with the Ocean on the west, the crest of Sweeney Ridge and Skyline Boulevard on the east, and San Pedro Mountain on the south. The northern edge narrows almost to a gateway entered along Highway 1. As an urban place, Pacifica presents itself as a collection of valley and coastal neighborhoods nestled in the topography.
As envisioned here, the basic components of Pacifica’s existing structure—its open spaces, neighborhoods, activity centers, and transportation corridors—are built upon to establish a more coherent overall form, pictured in Figure 3-1: Urban Structure. Key features are described below.
INSERT Figure 3-1: Urban Structure
BALANCE OF URBAN AND UNDEVELOPED LAND
Pacifica is striking for its high proportion of both parks and undeveloped land, which comprises twothirds of the Planning Area, and for the way its neighborhoods and rugged, open ridges alternate along the length of the City.
Hillsides and Ridges
The crest of the Coast Range forms Pacifica’s eastern boundary. This crest rises toward the south as Sweeney Ridge. Five lateral ridges extend westward from Sweeney Ridge to the ocean. From north to south, these are Milagra Ridge, Gypsy Hill, Mori Ridge, Cattle Hill, and Fassler Ridge. At the south end, San Pedro Mountain extends to the coast at Pedro Point Headlands. This dramatic terrain is a defining feature of the city.
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Neighborhoods
Pacifica’s neighborhoods lie in valleys between the ridges, and along hillsides. • Fairmont, Fairmont West, and Westview-Pacific Highlands. In this northernmost section of the city, the coastal neighborhoods are linked with urbanized uplands: the Fairmont West, Fairmont and Westview-Pacific Highlands neighborhoods to the north and east. • Edgemar-Pacific Manor. The Pacific Manor shopping district is the hub of the West and East Edgemar-Pacific Manor neighborhoods, north of Milagra Ridge. • Sharp Park. The East and West Sharp Park neighborhoods lie in the bowl between Gypsy Hill and Milagra Ridge, north of Sharp Park (the park).
• Vallemar. Near the geographical center of the city, the Vallemar neighborhood is located in a narrow valley along upper Calera Creek. The stream’s western end travels through the quarry site at the base of Mori Point.
• Rockaway and Rockaway Beach. The Rockaway neighborhood extends down the narrow valley between Fassler Ridge and Cattle Hill, and culminates in the seaside Rockaway Beach district. • San Pedro Valley and Pedro Point. The San Pedro Valley, in the far south, includes the neighborhoods of Linda Mar, West Linda Mar, Park Pacifica, and the coastal Pedro Point neighborhood.
Pacifica developed first as a string of coastal communities and later as a suburban extension of San Francisco; this has created unusual patterns. Development in the newer neighborhoods has occurred on a larger scale, often with significant grading to provide access and construction pads, whereas older development was generally one or a few houses at a time with minimal change to the existing terrain. This quality will lessen over time as context-sensitive infill housing is developed, older housing is replaced, and vegetation matures.
BALANCE OF ACTIVITY CENTERS
Unlike many cities, Pacifica has no single downtown, but rather an assortment of activity centers. West Sharp Park has a concentration of public uses and a small business district. However, it is balanced by the shopping hubs of West Linda Mar to the south and Pacific Manor to the north, while a tourist atmosphere is captured more clearly at Rockaway Beach. Other small activity centers are at Fairmont Shopping Center, Park Mall, Eureka Square, and small business districts at Crespi Drive, Adobe Drive, and Vallemar.
Pacifica’s multi-centered quality will continue to be part of its identity, but each activity center will become more distinct and more vibrant, especially the area within the Sharp Park Specific Plan. The three primary activity centers will be at West Sharp Park, Rockaway Beach, and Linda Mar, associated with Pacifica’s three accessible beaches. Smaller mixed-use activity centers will grow at Pacific Manor and Park Mall. Each activity center will be distinguished by its land use mix, built form, and public realm enhancements, as well as by district-specific signage.
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HIGHWAY 1
Highway 1 is a unifying element for the city, connecting all of its neighborhoods and key sites to one another and to the region. The sequential experience created by the Highway will be strengthened as each activity center becomes more distinct, and as coastal and hillside views are enhanced. The highway also divides neighborhoods and influences access to and use of various commercial centers.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
CD-G-1 Identifiable City Structure. Reinforce a clear city structure, characterized by a progression of ridges, neighborhoods, and activity centers.
CD-G-2 Distinct Activity Centers. Create primary activity centers at West Sharp Park, Rockaway Beach, and Linda Mar, and neighborhood centers in Pacific Manor and Park Pacifica (at and around the Park Mall site). Create primary activity centers, each distinguished through land use, built form, public realm enhancements, and signage.
Implementing Policies
CD-I-1 Primary Activity Centers. Create primary activity centers at West Sharp Park, Rockaway Beach, and Linda Mar, and neighborhood centers in Pacific Manor and Park Pacifica (at and around the Park Mall site).
• The Sharp Park Specific Plan Area will be the City’s mixed use core. The Sharp Park Specific Plan will serve as the guide to enhance Palmetto Avenue between Paloma Avenue and Clarendon Road as a vibrant, mixed-use main street, with strong connections to the Ocean. Sharp Park’s character will be signaled by higher-intensity buildings along the Highway 1 corridor, including at the Eureka Square site. • Rockaway Beach will be the visitor-oriented center. Its charming coastal character will be strengthened by new development and the district will be extended with a connective street pattern onto the flat portion of the Quarry site. It may gain a new, defining feature such as a destination hotel or conference center.
• Linda Mar will be a center for recreation and community. Crespi Drive, in particular, will become a more diverse center of activity, including visitors to the beaches and trail system; seniors, youth, and families at an expanded community center park; and mixed-use, transitoriented development. Linda Mar and Pedro Point Shopping Centers are also part of this center.
CD-I-2 Neighborhood Activity Centers. Support smaller-scale neighborhood centers at Pacific Manor and at and around the Park Mall site, enabling them to become walkable, mixed use districts catering primarily to Pacifica residents.
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CD-I-3 ✳Sharp Park Specific Plan Design Standards and Guidelines. Within the Sharp Park Specific Plan Area, adhere to urban design standards guidelines outlined in the Sharp Park Specific Plan to promote a walkable, pedestrian-oriented community center.
3.2 Neighborhoods and Districts
This section explores the characteristics of Pacifica’s residential, mixed-use and commercial neighborhoods, and the community design considerations for each type. Residential districts and commercial areas are treated separately.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
Pacifica’s earliest development occurred with the construction of the Ocean Shore Railroad in 1905, as land speculators subdivided and developed a series of coastside communities, including Edgemar, Vallemar, Sharp Park, Rockaway Beach, and Pedro Point. These communities grew out in the 1920s and 1930s, primarily with small, one-story houses, often with detached one-car garages, on narrow lots. Sharp Park Golf Course was developed during this time. After World War II, larger housing tract development began to take place, including Linda Mar, Fairway Park, Pacific Manor and Westview.
The most notable residential developments in recent years have occurred on former school sites and on hillside parcels. School sites have tended to yield compact neighborhoods including a mix of detached and attached housing. Development of hillside sites has been clustered, and resulted in areas of permanently preserved open space.
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS
The various stages of Pacifica’s development produced different street patterns, lot dimensions, typical housing types and densities. In West Sharp Park, single-family houses on narrow lots and multi-family housing are intermixed, and a grid street pattern prevails. Other early communities, including Pedro Point, Vallemar, and Rockaway/Rockaway Beach, developed in narrow valleys and on hillsides, with a mixture of lot sizes and irregular street patterns.
The early postwar neighborhoods of Fairmont, Fairmont West, Westview-Pacific Highlands, Fairway Park, and West Linda Mar, are typified by 5,000 square foot single-family lots, and curvilinear street patterns. A suburban street pattern with larger lots and lower densities is typical in the later development of Linda Mar and Park Pacifica.
West Edgemar-Pacific Manor has evolved to contain a high concentration of multi-family housing along Esplanade Avenue. Multi-family housing is also clustered around Hickey Boulevard and Gateway Drive; along Oddstad and Terra Nova Boulevards; and mixed in with single-family houses in West Sharp Park.
At community forums held during the General Plan Update, participants expressed the desire to preserve neighborhood character. Pacifica’s neighborhoods are largely built out, with a scattering of vacant lots providing limited opportunities for infill development. The General Plan supports continued investment
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in existing neighborhoods and development of a greater variety of housing types, while ensuring that new development is compatible in scale and density and respectful of neighbors.
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In West Sharp Park, single-family houses on narrow lots and multi-family housing are intermixed, on a grid pattern.
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The early postwar neighborhoods are typified by 5,000 square foot single-family lots, and curvilinear street patterns.
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Multi-family development accounts predominates in West Edgemar-Pacific Manor.
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Linda Mar Shopping Center is Pacifica’s largest.
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The General Plan envisions the Rockaway Beach district growing into a more distinct and highprofile visitor destination.
COMMERCIAL AND MIXED USE DISTRICTS
Pacifica has a variety of shopping centers and small mixed-use business districts. Upgrading the appeal of existing shopping centers and providing new opportunities for mixed use development were high priorities expressed by community members during the General Plan Update. The General Plan seeks to guide future development so that each commercial area becomes more distinct and more vibrant. Figure 3-2 illustrates how new mixed-use development on a shopping center site could be done with attention to the building form and to the relationship between buildings, parking areas, streets, and public spaces.
INSERT Figure 3-2: Illustrative Urban Form Perspective: Eureka Square
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
CD-G-2CD-G-3 Neighborhood Conservation. Preserve the unique qualities of each of Pacifica’s residential neighborhoods.
CD-G-3CD-G-4 Enhanced Mixed Use Areas. Create distinctive mixed-use areas by ensuring good building form and building-sidewalk interface, and providing pedestrian-oriented streets and public spaces.
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Compatible new houses help to preserve neighborhood character.
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Larger buildings should be varied in form, setback, height, color, and materials.
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Fine-grained development that engages the pedestrian is essential in mixed use and commercial districts.
Implementing Policies
CD-I-4 Support Infill and Redevelopment. Support compatible residential infill on vacant lots, and redevelopment of under-utilized commercial properties, and continue to use the City’s Design Guidelines in evaluation of proposals that don’t meet all development standards in residential districts.
Pacifica’s Design Guidelines identify building form strategies including locating higher portions of the house to be less visible, “stepping down” the house toward adjoining lots, and breaking up the building mass into smaller sections. Good site planning should accommodate necessary parking without allowing parking to dominate the house frontage or front yard.
CD-I-5 High-Quality Multi-Family and Senior Housing. Support attached, multi-family, and senior housing that relates positively to the street and surrounding areas, is accessible on foot to community amenities including transit, shopping and services, and offers residents a range of amenities, and provide updated, illustrated Design Guidelines.
Larger buildings should vary in form, setback, height, color, and materials. Landscaping plays a role in defining spaces, creating interplay with building forms, and screening parking and utilities. Access and parking should be designed to minimize traffic impacts on residential streets. Buildings and open spaces should be oriented to maximize sunlight.
CD-I-6 Accessory Dwelling Units. Facilitate the creation of accessory dwelling second units that contribute to the variety of available housing and do not disrupt neighborhood character.
Update the Zoning Ordinance and Design Guidelines to address the integration of accessory dwelling units into the neighborhood fabric.
CD-I-7 Commercial and Mixed Use Building Form. Seek to ensure that new commercial and mixed use development creates an attractive and human-scaled built environment. Update the Zoning Ordinance and Design Guidelines to address mixed use access, building form, the building-sidewalk relationship.
• Buildings should be varied to provide visual interest, while having a unified theme within each project.
• Building form should be responsive to context, including stepping down to adjacent, lower-scale uses, and establishing a fine-grained scale at street level.
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• Commercial buildings and ground-floor commercial uses in mixed-use areas should have active frontages characterized by building windows and entrances supporting activity on the sidewalk.
Illustrated Design Guidelines should show how a fine grain of development offers more opportunities for public spaces, greater visual interest at the street level, a feeling of safety, and a diverse character. Chapter 4: Land Use discusses the need to update the Zoning Ordinance to create new zoning districts and provide development standards corresponding to each commercial and mixed use General Plan land use classification.
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Redevelopment of certain sites should incorporate small new plazas or public gathering spaces.
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Require pedestrian-oriented amenities and design in mixed use areas, including wider sidewalks, curb bulb-outs at key intersections, outdoor seating, and public art.
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For new development at the Quarry site or Park Mall site, streets should be designed to maximize connectivity, including mid-block pedestrian connections.
CD-I-8 Parking in Higher-Intensity Mixed Use Areas. Update parking standards to require parking areas to be located behind buildings, in the center of blocks, or tucked under development, and update the Design Guidelines to cover parking issues in higher-intensity, mixed-use areas.
If development of above-grade structures is economically viable, the interaction of the parking structure with the street is a key element of design. The design and location of parking directly affects the viability of commercial areas, safety for all road users, and the quality and character of the street and pedestrian environment.
CD-I-9 Parking Districts. Within mixed-use and commercial areas, establish parking districts that facilitate parking once to reach all destinations.
CD-I-10 New Public Spaces as Part of Redevelopment. Incorporate into the redevelopment of the City’s 2212 Beach Boulevard property; Eureka Square Shopping Center; and Park Mall and/or the Sanchez Branch Library site small new plazas or public gathering spaces.
The role and character of public spaces in new development should be addressed in updated Design Guidelines.
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3.3 Hillside and Coastal Development
INSERT Figure 3-3: Visual Resources
HILLSIDE PRESERVATION
To protect important views from public areas and the sensitive terrain of hillside areas, the City has special development regulations for the Hillside Preservation District (HPD), which requires submission of development plans, grading plans, and other documentation. Hillside development also receives special consideration in the Design Guidelines, which are used to evaluate proposed projects. The key issues for hillside development are slope stability, grading, and visual impact.
Prominent ridgelines are identified based on their visual importance or scenic quality. Owners must focus development on suitable portions of their property off the ridges, to protect the scenic quality of ridgelines, except where ridgelines are the only buildable portions of the property. Prominent ridgelines are shown on Figure 3-3.
COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
The sensitive natural and visual resources of hillsides also apply to the undeveloped coastal bluffs and promontories, including the Northern Coastal Bluffs, the Quarry site uplands, and Aramai Point (also known as Rockaway Headlands). Developed coastal areas also require special attention, not only because of their natural features but also for their potential as visitor destinations. The City’s Coastal Zone Combining District (CZ) ensures that the goals and policies of the California Coastal Act are followed.
These goals include the protection and enhancement of the coastal environment, including its visual resources. Coastal development is also among the special issues treated by Pacifica’s Design Guidelines.
Three promontories dominate Pacifica's Coastal Zone and visually represent the coastal character of Pacifica. These landforms—Pedro Point Headlands, Aramai Point, and Mori Point (including the Quarry site uplands)—are shown on Figure 3-3. While much of this area has been permanently preserved, development may occur on Aramai Point or the Quarry site.
Views to the ocean and along the panoramic coastline are an integral part of Pacifica’s character, and a part that must be preserved for the future. Of primary importance are views of the ocean, landforms, and special coastal communities from public roadways, trails, and vista points. Important coastal view corridors are identified on Figure 3-3.
INSERT Photo f DSCN3241
Views to the ocean and along the panoramic coastline are an integral part of Pacifica’s character, and a part that must be preserved for the future.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
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Guiding Policies
CD-G-4CD-G-5 ✳Hillsides and Prominent Ridgelines. Maintain development standards that ensure that new development does not detract from the visual qualities of Pacifica’s hillsides and visually prominent ridgelines.
CD-G-5CD-G-6 ✳Scenic and Visual Amenities of the Coastal Zone. Protect the City’s irreplaceable scenic and visual amenities in the Coastal Zone by protecting landforms, vegetation, special communities, and important viewsheds.
Implementing Policies
Hillside Development
CD-I-11 ✳Minimize Visual Impacts of Hillside Development. Require new development to employ innovative site planning, engineering and design techniques that:
• Seek first to avoid impacts on hillside landforms through site planning and design; • Minimize grading and conform with natural landforms to the greatest extent possible;
• Design structures so that they follow contours and limit their downslope exposure; and
• Use landscaping to screen and integrate buildings with the natural environment.
CD-I-12 ✳Protection of Ridgelines. Protect visually prominent ridgelines from residential and commercial development.
Local access roads and trails may be allowed on visually prominent ridgelines provided they follow contours, minimize grading, and are unobtrusive in their design.
CD-I-13 ✳Hillside Preservation District Requirements. Continue to implement the requirements of the Hillside Preservation District (HPD), including submission of siting and grading plans.
Update the HPD to ensure that all steep slopes are covered and that sites on other terrain are not included.
CD-I-14 ✳Design Review. Continue to use Design Guidelines to evaluate proposed projects in Planned Development, Hillside Development, and Special districts.
INSERT 08 DSCN3279
Unlike the example of Oceana High School, future hillside development is required to conform with natural landforms and design structures into the landscape.
INSERT Photo 09 DSCN3252
New development at the Quarry site should enhance the visual character of the Coastal Zone.
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INSERT Photo 10 IMG_236
Protect coastal viewsheds characterized by natural landforms and coastal bluffs.
Coastal Development
CD-I-15 ✳Minimize Impacts of Coastal Development on Landforms. Ensure that negative visual impacts resulting from new development in the Coastal Zone are minimized. In areas characterized by bluffs and landforms. Strategies to implement this policy include:
• Prohibiting development on slopes in excess of 35 percent and highly visible tops of prominent landforms;
• Requiring blufftop development to minimize impacts on the view from the ocean and beach below by implementing a setback from the bluff edge; • Requiring that development be clustered and contoured into the existing slope; and
• Requiring that new development be scaled and designed to be subordinate to landforms in the Coastal Zone.
CD-I-16 ✳Minimize Impacts of Coastal Development on Vegetation. Continue to require that disturbance to vegetation be minimized in new development and that graded areas be promptly replanted with native vegetation.
CD-I-17 ✳Headlands Special Area. In the zoning codeZoning Ordinance, update the Headlands Special Area for the Rockaway HeadlandsAramai Point, to specify very low-intensity visitorserving use such as hikers' huts and kiosks. A view restaurant may be appropriate if access can be created without harming biological or scenic resources.
CD-I-18 ✳Rockaway Quarry Site. Development on the Quarry site should be prioritized in the “flats” and should connect with the adjacent Rockaway Beach district. Development in areas of the Quarry site that would impact the visual qualities of surrounding hillsides or ridgelines should be avoided to the greatest extent feasible.
CD-I-18 In the Zoning Ordinance, update and rename the Mori Point Special Area to facilitate visitorserving development on the portion of the Quarry site determined to be appropriate for development.
CD-I-19 Visitor-oriented development on the Quarry site “flats” should be connected with the adjacent Rockaway Beach district. If a hotel is built, it must be designed to sensitively blend with the landscape and convey a high-quality image for Pacifica.
CD-I-20CD-I-19 ✳Trail Design on Coastal Headlands and Bluffs. Develop new trails on Pedro Point Headlands, the Rockaway HeadlandsAramai Point, the Quarry site uplands, and the
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Northern Coastal Bluffs in such a way that native vegetation is protected by limiting pedestrians to designated trails and preventing access by motorized vehicles.
CD-I-21CD-I-20 ✳Underground Utilities. Continue to require underground utilities in all new development. For existing developed areas within scenic corridors, prioritize the relocation (e.g., undergrounding) of existing above ground utilities so they do not break the viewline of a roadway vista.
3.4 Scenic Routes
The State and County have identified Highway 1 and Sharp Park Road in Pacifica as eligible for scenic highway designation. Local scenic roadway designation requires a corridor study, a program to enhance the scenic qualities, and adoption of the scenic roadway designation and its protection plan. Such a plan may be prepared in the future. For the purpose of this General Plan, what is important is that the scenic qualities of these roadways are preserved and enhanced.
VIEWSHEDS
Highway 1 plays an important role in defining the image of Pacifica, creating a visual narrative for the traveler from one end of the City to the other. Sharp Park Road also represents an important visual summary of Pacifica, drawing travelers from the ridgeline at Skyline Boulevard to the coast, with views out to the Ocean and over the Sharp Park neighborhood and Golf Course. Several specific viewsheds from Highway 1 and Sharp Park Road are shown on Figure 3-3. Other defining views include the view over the West Sharp Park district and Pacifica Pier from Highway 1; views toward Cattle Hill and Fassler Ridge from Highway 1; and the view to the ocean from Grace McCarthy Vista Point on Sharp Park Road.
ROADWAY ENHANCEMENTS
In addition to viewsheds from these roads, the character of the roadways themselves shapes visitors’ and residents’ experience of Pacifica. The appearance of the Coast Highway right-of-way in central Pacifica can be improved as part of roadway beautification projects in partnership with CalTrans. Other future improvements to the visual character of the Highway can include new and improved pedestrian overcrossings, and multi-use trails leading to the Devil’s Slide area. On Sharp Park Road, completion of bicycle improvements will improve the character of this roadway and make its scenic quality available to cyclists.
DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER IN THE HIGHWAY 1 CORRIDOR
Future development along Highway 1 will also influence the scenic qualities of the corridor. Development can create a strong presence along the Highway and harmonious transitions to adjacent neighborhoods.
All new commercial development requires site development review, assisted by the Design Guidelines.
The Guidelines will provide direction on how buildings should relate to Highway 1 at different segments of the Highway.
GATEWAYS
Pacifica is introduced to southbound travelers with the experience of coming over the hill and seeing the expansive coastal vista. Northbound travelers come through the Devils Slide Tunnel, wind around the
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forested Pedro Point Headlands, and arrive at the active intersection with Linda Mar Boulevard. Skyline Boulevard acts as a coherent eastern boundary for the City, as it travels along the crest of the ridge with mature trees along its edges. From Skyline, Pacifica is entered via Sharp Park Road, Manor Drive, and Hickey Boulevard. While the “gateways” into Pacifica are strong, entry points from the east can be made stronger, and all entries treated with a consistent signage theme. Gateway locations are shown on Figure 3-3.
INSERT Photo 11 IMG_1893
The Grace McCarthy Vista Point on Sharp Park Road helps to define Pacifica’s image.
INSERT Photo 12 IMG_1697
The completed An improved pedestrian over-crossing between West and East Sharp Park would enhances the character of the Highway 1 corridor.
INSERT Photo 13 IMG_1673
Pacifica is introduced to southbound travelers with an expansive coastal vista.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
CD-G-6CD-G-7 ✳Views from Scenic Routes. Ensure that viewsheds from Highway 1 and Sharp Park Road are preserved and enhanced. These views are an essential part of Pacifica’s identity.
CD-G-7CD-G-8 Gateways. Create strong entrances and preserve the quality of experience of movement along primary travel routes, in particular along the coast.
Implementing Policies
CD-I-22CD-I-21 ✳Roadway Enhancements. Coordinate with Caltrans in an effort to ensure that future changes to the Coast Highway will also upgrade the appearance of the right-of-way.
Improvements should include landscaping and roadway design, as well as trails and visuallyappealing pedestrian over-crossings.
CD-I-23CD-I-22 ✳Scenic Corridor Plans. Seek grant funding to develop local scenic corridor plans for Highway 1 and Sharp Park Road.
CD-I-24CD-I-23 ✳Parallel Trails for Non-Motorized Travel. Improve walking, riding, and biking trails along roadways with the State scenic highway designation.
CD-I-25CD-I-24 ✳Other Scenic Trails. Improve pedestrian routes along corridors that provide access to locations of significant scenic quality, recreation, historic and cultural importance in Pacifica.
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CD-I-26CD-I-25 ✳Vehicle Access Points. Maintain and improve existing scenic turnouts, public parking areas, access to regional parks, beaches and other recreation areas.
CD-I-27CD-I-26 ✳Roadway Design. Ensure that any proposed new roads or modification to existing roads which traverse scenic areas minimize visual impacts to views from scenic routes.
Where possible, the physical form of structures, grading and alignment should be integrated into the natural setting. Views to and from ridges should be protected.
CD-I-28CD-I-27 ✳High-Quality Design at Key Points. Ensure that new development directly adjacent to Highway 1 in West and East Sharp Park helps to create a strong image of Pacifica's cultural and civic core, and that new development in the Rockaway Quarry site has a visual quality that enhances the natural setting and draws travelers in from the highway.
CD-I-29CD-I-28 ✳ Highway Frontage Design Guidelines. Update the Design Guidelines to provide direction on how new buildings relate to Highway 1, both in its freeway and highway configuration.
CD-I-30CD-I-29 ✳Gateway Signage. Create unified gateway signage, for entrances along Highway 1, Sharp Park Road, Manor Drive, and Hickey Boulevard.
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INSERT Photo 01 IMG_1911
The purpose of this chapter is to describe existing and planned land use in the Planning Area and present the policy framework that will guide the City on development decisions. The chapter forms the core of the General Plan and its policies articulate the community’s land use and growth priorities through 2040. It includes the Land Use Diagram, land use designations, standards for density and intensity, and limitations on development expressed by the policies. The land use framework for each sub-area is then provided in greater detail. is then provided in greater detail.
Guiding and implementing policies aim to define the Planning Area’s physical development and reinforce its commitment to balancing needs for open space and habitat conservation; housing opportunities; economic development; neighborhood character; and other issues.
4.1 Existing Land Use
BACKGROUND
Before visitation by the Portola expedition in 1769, Pacifica was home to the Costanoans, now known as the Ohlone, who were stewards of the land for thousands of years. Originally visited by the Portola expedition in 1769, Pacifica remained primarily agricultural until after the San Francisco Earthquake in 1906. Land speculators, stimulated by the construction of the Ocean Shore Railroad in 1905, subdivided and developed a series of small, coastside communities, including Edgemar, Salada Beach, Vallemar, Rockaway Beach, and Tobin (San Pedro Terrace-by-the-Sea.) and the areas now known as Sharp Park, Pedro Point, and Rockaway Beach. These communitiesneighborhoods, together with Pacific Manor, Westview, Fairway Park, and Linda Mar, incorporated in 1957 as the City of Pacifica. The city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and most of its current housing—56 percent as of 2020—was built during those decades.1 Growth slowed in the 1970s, and then slowed further in the following decades, owing to the scarcity of developable land and infrastructure constraints. While growth increased again in the 1990s, housing production and population growth has been modest from 2000 onward. About 730 units currently standing were built in the 1990s, dropping to 480 units built between 2000 to 2009, with the total amounting to 1,215 units over the 20 years between 1990 and 2009. From 2009 to 2019, Pacifica has added approximately 100 units.
INSERT Figure 4-1: Existing Land Use
1 US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015-2019.
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CURRENT LAND USE PATTERN
Parks and Open Space
The Planning Area covers 7,665 acres, not including road rights-of-way. Over 3,600 acres (47 percent) of this land is preserved as open space. Most of Pacifica’s rugged ridges are part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) or Sharp Park. Sharp Park Golf Course, San Pedro Valley County Park, and Pacifica State Beach represent other important public open space holdings. Parks and open space are discussed in further detail in the Open Space and Community Facilities chapter.
Residential
Residential use makes up 26 percent of the Planning Area and 70 percent of developed land2 in the Planning Area, covering 1,984 acres. As shown in Figure 4-1, residential land is the predominant land use in the neighborhoods that occupy Pacifica’s five valleys, along the coast, and in the highlands bordering Daly City and South San Francisco. Most residential land in Pacifica (90 percent) contains single-family housing, which is typical in nearly all neighborhoods. Multi-family housing is mainly located around Hickey and Skyline Boulevards; along Terra Nova and Oddstad Boulevards in the Park Pacifica neighborhood; interspersed among single-family houses and commercial uses in the West Sharp Park neighborhood; in the East Sharp Park neighborhood along Talbot Avenue; and along the coast in the West Edgemar-Pacific Manor neighborhood.
Commercial, Industrial, and Mixed Use
The Planning Area includes 125 acres of commercial uses, including a small amount of mixed-use development. Commercial land is located at the City’s shopping centers (Linda Mar, Pacific Manor, Fairmont, Eureka Square, Park Mall, Pedro Point) and at smaller shopping centers and districts at Rockaway Beach, Crespi Drive, Palmetto Avenue, and along the Highway 1 corridor. Pacifica has a small amount of mixeduse development along Palmetto Avenue in West Sharp Park, in Rockaway Beach and in Pedro Point. Overall, West Sharp Park has the greatest mix of uses throughout the neighborhood. Hotels, along with most visitor-serving commercial uses, are primarily in the Coastal Zone in the Rockaway Beach neighborhood.
There are only 4 acres of office use in Pacifica. Finally, the City has a small amount of industrial land (17 acres), mainly located along Palmetto, north of the West Sharp Park commercial area.
Public and Institutional Uses
Public, community, and institutional uses occupy 398 acres of land. Of this, about 70 percent is school land and buildings, including the campuses of Oceana and Terra Nova high schools. Other significant public land holdings—not including parks and open space—include the two library sites; the Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant; police and fire stations; and former school sites now used for other purposes.
Agriculture and Recreation
There are about 360 acres of land used for agriculture or private recreation. About 260 acres of this are within City limits, at Millwood Ranch, the former Park Pacifica Stables on Cape Breton Drive, and properties directly north of Sharp Park and along Linda Mar Boulevard. About 104 acres are outside City Limits 2 Developed land includes all land uses except for Open Space, Agriculture, or Vacant/Undeveloped.
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at Shamrock Ranch between San Pedro Creek and Highway 1. Most land in this category involves horse boarding and trail riding and has a rural character.
Undeveloped and Vacant Land
Vacant and undeveloped land totals 1,141 acres or 15 percent of land in the Planning Area. About 15 percent of this land is outside City limits, within the Sphere of Influence. Large parcels of undeveloped land are present along the northern coastal bluffs, Milagra Canyon, Gypsy Hill, the Rockaway Quarry site, the face of Cattle Hill, Fassler Ridge, and the slope of Montara Mountain. Smaller vacant “infill” lots are scattered in neighborhoods. Given environmental factors such as slope and sensitive species, there are constraints on the development potential of many of these sites. Figure 4-1 maps the City’s land use pattern, while Figure 4-2 charts the relative distribution of uses in the Planning Area.
INSERT Photo 02 IMGP2870
Sharp Park Golf Course and Mori Point. Over 3,600 acres in the Planning Area are preserved as open space.
INSERT Photo 03 DSCN3280
Single-family houses comprise three-quarters of Pacifica’s housing.
INSERT Photo 04 Pacifica 126
Commercial land is concentrated at shopping centers and small neighborhood commercial areas.
INSERT Photo a IMG_1902_cr
Large pieces pieces of undeveloped land are present on Gypsy Hill (pictured) and many other hillsides.
INSERT Photo b Pacifica 117
Smaller vacant “infill” lots are scattered in neighborhoods.
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Figure 4-2: Current Land Use Distribution
4.2 Land Use Framework
INSERT Figure 4-3: Land Use Diagram
The Land Use Diagram, (Figure 4-3 and the foldout in the back of this plan) illustrates the community’s vision for land use in 2040. This Diagram reflects planning themes presented in Chapter 1. The land use designations depicted indicate the use and form of development. Planned land use will be guided by Plan policies and programs for hillside and open space preservation; and in-fill housing, commercial, and mixeduse development.
LAND USE DIAGRAM
The Land Use Diagram is a graphic representation of planned land use designations; it will be used in conjunction with policies established in the Plan to review and approve, modify or deny proposed development projects. The Land Use Diagram includes a legend that shows land use categories whose densities and allowable uses are specified in the Land Use Designations below.
LAND USE DESIGNATIONS
Land use designations establish allowed uses, maximum density and intensity, and the type and character of development that is expected. Details on development standards are established in the zoning ordinance, and more than one zoning district may be consistent with a General Plan land use designation. The Implementing Policies of this Chapter may contain more specific guidance on the use of individual sites. 47%
5%
26%
1%
0%
0%
5%
16%
Open Space
Public/ Community/
Institutional
Residential Uses
Commercial Uses
Mixed Use
Industrial Uses
Agriculture
Vacant/ Undeveloped
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According to State law, the General Plan must establish standards of population density and building intensity for each land use designation. The Plan stipulates residential densities in housing units per gross acre; population density can be obtained by applying average persons per housing unit1 to the housing unit densities. For nonresidential uses, the Plan specifies a maximum permitted ratio of gross floor area to site area (Floor Area Ratio or FAR). Recommended density and intensity standards do not imply that development projects must be approved at the maximum intensity specified for each use. Zoning regulations consistent with General Plan policies and/or site conditions may reduce development potential within the stated ranges. Table 4-1 shows gross density standards for residential categories and FAR standards for the other uses.
Residential
The six residential designations provide for a range of densities, consistent with neighborhood character and planned land use.
Transitional Open Space/Residential
In the Transitional Open Space Residential (TOSR) designation, residential and recreation uses are allowed at a gross density of up to one unit per 10 acres (or 0.1 units per gross acre). Existing legal lots less than 10 acres in area shall be allowed to develop one dwelling unit consistent with all other applicable zoning and development standards. The density assumed for buildout calculations is 0.08 units per gross acre.
Open Space/Agriculture/Residential
In the Open Space/Agriculture/Residential/ (OSAR) designation, residential, agriculture, and recreation uses are allowed at a gross density of up to one unit per five acres (or 0.2 units per gross acre). Farm worker housing may be permitted on sites zoned for agriculture uses, consistent with state law, and shall not be included in density calculations for a site. The allowable density on a site will be determined by slope, geology, soils, access, availability of utilities, public safety, and open space values.The density assumed for buildout calculations is 0.15 units per gross acre.
Very Low Density Residential
The Very Low Density Residential (VLDR) designation provides for development of 0.2 to 2.0 units per gross acre (or 0.5 to 5.0 acres per dwelling unit). Residential care facilities, schools, and community uses are permitted. The density assumed for buildout calculations is 1.5 units per gross acre.
Low Density Residential
The Low Density Residential (LDR) designation provides for development of three to nine dwelling units per gross acre. Single-family residential is the primary use intended for LDR areas. Residential care facilities, schools, and community uses are permitted. Clusters of small-lot development as well as standard subdivisions may be allowed. Buildout is calculated at 6.5 units per gross acre. 1 Based on 2015-2019 U.S. Census data, the number of persons per total housing units is 2.8.
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Medium Density Residential
The Medium Density Residential (MDR) designation is intended for a mix of housing types, including small-lot single-family, attached single-family, apartments, duplexes, townhomes and mobile home parks at densities of 10 to 15 units per gross acre. Residential care facilities, schools, and community uses are permitted. Buildout is calculated at 12.5 units per gross acre.
High Density Residential
The High Density Residential (HDR) designation is intended for multi-family apartments, condominiums and townhomes, in multi-story buildings located near shopping areas and transit. Sites with 5,000 square feet of area or greater will have an allowable density between 16 to 21 dwelling units per gross acre, except that sites of 0.5 acres or more in size may develop up to 30 dwelling units per gross acre. For lawful nonconforming sites less than 5,000 square feet in area, the allowable density shall be 10 to 15 units per gross acre. Residential care facilities, schools, and community uses are permitted. Buildout is calculated at 25 units per gross acre. units per gross acre.
Mixed Use
The General Plan provides three mixed-use designations to create areas where housing and active commercial uses may be integrated. Visitor-oriented commercial uses are allowed as-of-right in all mixed-use areas within the Coastal Zone.
Coastal Residential Mixed Use
The Coastal Residential Mixed Use (CRMU) designation is intended for sites in the Coastal Zone with residential mixed use development potential, including mixed-use with housing and retail, and/or small-scale visitor-oriented commercial uses such as retail, vacation rental, or time-share units. Residential uses are allowed in the same building as commercial uses above the ground floor (vertical mixed-use) and in other locations attached to or detached from commercial uses on the same site (horizontal mixed use). Hotels are not permitted. Coastal access and public open space must also be provided, and environmental resources must be evaluated and protected. Sites may be developed up to an overall density of up to 15 units per gross acre, with clustering and sensitive site planning. Non-residential development may have an FAR up to 0.5 FAR. The total FAR (residential and non-residential) cannot exceed 1.0. Buildout is calculated at 15 units per gross acre and 0.10 FAR of non-residential use.
Mixed Use Neighborhood
In the Mixed Use Neighborhood (MUN) designation, new development may include multi-family housing and building with ground-floor retail, restaurant or service uses and housing or offices. Residential uses are allowed in the same building as commercial uses above the ground floor (vertical mixed- use) and in other locations on the same site (horizontal mixed use). Public or community uses and hotels may be permitted at appropriate locations. The MUN designation allows a density range of 16 to 26 units per gross acre and non-residential development with an FAR up to 1.0 on sites with 5,000 square feet of area or greater. Sites of 0.5 acres or more in size may develop up to 30 dwelling units per gross acre and a non-residential development FAR up to 1.0. For lawful nonconforming sites less than 5,000 square feet in area, the allowable density shall be 10 to 15 units per gross acre and a non-residential development FAR up to 0.5. The total FAR (residential and non-residential) cannot exceed 2.0 on sites with 5,000 square feet of area or greater, and cannot exceed 1.0 on sites with less than 5,000 square feet of area. Buildout is calculated based on a 0.25 FAR for non-residential uses and 25 residential units per gross acre.
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Mixed Use Center
The Mixed Use Center (MUC) designation is intended for high-density mixed-use development, including public or community uses and hotels. Allowable uses include ground-floor retail, restaurant or service uses and housing or offices. The MUC designation permits housing at a density range of 30 to 50 units per gross acre and a 2.5 FAR of non-residential development, provided the overall FAR does not to exceed 2.5. For lawful non-conforming sites less than 5,000 square feet in area, the allowable density shall be 16 to 26 units per gross acre and a non-residential development FAR up to 0.5. Buildout is calculated at an FAR of 0.35 for non-residential uses and 25 units per gross acre for housing.
INSERT Photo 05 Avalon on the Alameda San Jose
New development in Mixed Use Neighborhood areas should include mixed commercial and residential uses.
INSERT Photo 06 Mountain View Downtown Office
The Mixed Use Center designationdesignation is intended for high-density mixed use development.
INSERT Photo 07 Palo Alto Garden Court Hotel
The Visitor-Serving Commercial designationdesignation promotes concentrated development of commercial uses with visitor appeal.
Commercial Uses
The General Plan establishes five commercial designations to accommodate a variety of potential commercial activities. Visitor-oriented commercial uses are allowed as-of-right in all commercial areas within the Coastal Zone.
Retail Commercial
The Retail Commercial (RC) designation is intended for retail, restaurant, and service uses, typically in single-or two-story buildings within shopping centers or on sites in the Highway 1 corridor. New development will be pedestrian- oriented. Offices may be located above the ground floor. The maximum FAR is
1.0. Buildout is calculated with an FAR of 0.25.
Office/Commercial
The Office/Commercial (OC) designation permits offices as well as retail and service uses typically in single or two-story buildings. The maximum FAR is 1.5; buildout is calculated with an FAR of 0. 35.
Service Commercial
The Service Commercial (SC) designation is for industrial and heavy commercial uses, such as auto repair, equipment rental, storage, and materials salvage. The maximum FAR is 0.6; buildout is calculated with an FAR of 0.25.
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Visitor-Serving Commercial
The Visitor-Serving Commercial (VC) designation is intended to foster and protect areas that attract and cater to visitors, including hotels or a visitor attraction, such as an interpretive center or conference center, restaurants, retail and services, commercial recreation, or other compatible uses. Larger sites, with developable areas of two acres or larger, shall require a hotel, lower-cost overnight accommodation, or visitor attraction as part of new development. The maximum FAR is 3.0. Buildout is calculated with an FAR of 0.35.
Low-Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial
The Low-Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial (LIVC) designation allows uses that create public access to the coastal setting and are adaptable to changing environmental conditions: campgrounds, rustic lodging, concession stands, warming huts, outdoor event sites, and similar uses. Existing permitted businesses that do not conform to the description of LIVC may remain until voluntarily redeveloped by the property owner or abandonment of the use has occurred pursuant to the nonconforming use zoning provisions of the Pacifica Municipal Code (cessation of the use for 12 months, under current zoning provisions). In these areas, the designation indicates the long-term goal of transition to recreation-oriented land uses. Development may occur at up to 0.20 FAR, but must have an overall very low-intensity character on sites of more than one acre. Buildout is assumed at 0.05 FAR, recognizing the large land areas and minimal building expected to support recreational uses.
Public and Community Uses
Designations for public uses such as schools, civic buildings, utilities, and public parking areas are designated on the Land Use Diagram, and summarized below. Public park land is covered separately in the following section.
Public and Semi-Public
The Public and Semi-Public (PSP) designation indicates public or private schools, libraries, police and fire stations, and other civic and community uses. In the case that public facilities are converted or sold for new uses, Plan land use designations shall be updated. If a public school is discontinued, any proposed new use should be compatible with the adjacent neighborhood. The maximum FAR in this district designation is
1.0. Buildout is assumed at 0.35 FAR.
Beach and Commuter Parking
The Beach and Commuter Parking (BCP) designation applies to areas where the priority use is public parking to serve beach visitors and/or transit users. Sites are located adjacent to Pacifica State Beach and at Crespi Drive and Highway 1. Beach parking at the City’s Beach Boulevard property serving Pacifica Pier and Sharp Park should be conserved as part of development of that site.
Utilities
The Utilities (U) designation indicates the location of water tanks, communications facilities including wireless communication facilities, and other utilities serving the City. The maximum FAR in this designation is 1.0.
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Parks and Open Space
The Planning Area is defined in large part by its open space system, and additional land is designated for conservation or ridgeline protection. These categories are detailed below.
Park
The Park (P) designation is applied to public land either now currently developed for active recreation use or intended for future recreation development. The designation applies to city parks as well as to park or open space whose primary character is undeveloped and natural, or that is managed for use by residents of the larger region and beyond. The City does not have permitting authority on lands owned by other public agencies.
Conservation
The Conservation (C) designation takes the place of the Greenbelt designation from the previous General Plan. It may apply to publicly- or privately-owned open areas not intended for development.
Non-structural development, such as trails and viewing areas, is allowed. These areas may include:
• Watershed lands;
• Sandy beach areas;
• Land which is physically unsuitable for development due to geotechnical hazards, excessive steepness, wetlands, Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA) or other environmental constraints, or lies within stream channels; • Areas to remain undeveloped as a result of density transfer or clustered development, or covered by open space, recreational or scenic easements;
• Open areas providing a physical and visual buffer between developed or open areas; and • Open space required as mitigation for environmental impacts.
Urban Reserve
The Urban Reserve (UR) designation is created to apply to private lands outside of City limits but within the Planning Area. The City does not have permitting authority in this area. The Pacifica General Plan intends for agriculture and residential development with a minimum site area of 10 acres per unit to be the predominant uses on land designated Urban Reserve. Existing legal lots less than 10 acres in area shall be allowed to develop one dwelling unit consistent with all other applicable zoning and development standards.
Sites within the Urban Reserve land designation that are annexed into the City of Pacifica should receive a land use designation consistent with the applicable density prior to annexation. For sites larger than 50 acres, the City should work with San Mateo County LAFCo to ensure that subdivision and development be considered in the context of a Plan Update.
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Table 4-1: Land Use Designations and Density and Intensity Standards Land Use1
Residential Density
(gross units per
acre): Range2, 3
Non-Residential Intensity
(FAR): Maximum4
Residential
TOSR Transitional Open Space/Residential Up to 0.1
OSAR Open Space/Agriculture/Residential Up to 0.2
VLDR Very Low Density Residential 0.2 to 2
LDR Low Density Residential 3 to 9
MDR Medium Density Residential 10 to 15
HDR High Density Residential 16 to 21
305
Mixed Use
CRMU Coastal Residential Mixed Use 10 to 15 0.5
MUN Mixed Use Neighborhood 16 to 26
305
1.0 MUC Mixed Use Center Up to 50 2.5
Commercial
RC Retail Commercial 1.0
OC Office/Commercial 1.5
SC Service Commercial 0.6
VC Visitor-Serving Commercial 3.0
LIVC
Low-Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial 0.2
Public and Community Uses
PSP Public and Semi-Public 1.0
U Utilities 1.0
BCP Beach and Commuter Parking -
Parks and Open Space and Urban Reserve
P Park
C Conservation
UR Urban Reserve Up to 0.1
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Table 4-1: Land Use Designations and Density and Intensity Standards Land Use1
Residential Density
(gross units per
acre): Range2, 3
Non-Residential Intensity
(FAR): Maximum4
Notes:
1. All land use designations are shown except those in the Parks and Open Space category. No development is projected in these areas.
2. Density ranges are rounded to the nearest whole number, except where less than 1 unit per acre. Allowances for increased density under the Density Bonus Program may affect the maximum density allowed in certain land use designations.
3. For mixed use designations, the following maximum total FAR, including both residential and non-residential uses, is established:
CRMU: 1.0 FAR maximum; MUN: 2.0 FAR maximum; MUC: 2.5 FAR maximum
4. For conforming lots smaller than 5,000 sf in the HDR, MUN, and MUC designations, the density range of the tier below applies. For example, an MUC site less than 5,000 sf would have a density comparative to MUN (16- 26 du/ac); an HDR site less than 5,000 sf would have a density comparative to MDR (10-15 du/ac). Parcels less than 5,000 sf may merge and quality for the allowable density range.
5. Sites of 0.5 acres or more in size may develop up to 30 dwelling units per gross acre.
Source: City of Pacifica, Dyett & Bhatia, 2021.
COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
The General Plan and LCLUP aim to ensure that the goals of the California Coastal Act are furthered by land use actions and policies that affect land within the Coastal Zone as defined by the California Coastal Commission.
The City’s zoning code features a Coastal Zone (CZ) Combining District, with development regulations based on Coastal Act goals. These include the provision of public access to the shoreline and recreational opportunities, the protection and enhancement of the coastal environment, and the prioritization of coastal-dependent and visitor-serving uses. The Coastal Zone requirements supplement the underlying zoning regulations on all property subject to the LCLUP. Following adoption of the General Plan and LCLUP, the CZ District will be updated to be consistent with the new guidance provided here.
General Plan and LCLUP Policies that promote visitor-oriented development are in Chapter 2. Policies to protect scenic resources are in Chapter 3. Provisions for public shoreline access and recreation are provided in Chapter 6. Policies to protect water quality, sensitive habitats, and natural resources are in Chapter 7.
Policies to protect against seismic hazards, erosion and flooding, and other natural hazards are in Chapter
8. This chapter covers how this Plan supports Coastal Act priorities for development.
LAND USE STRATEGIES TO PROTECT NATURAL AND SCENIC RESOURCES Hillside Preservation District
The Hillside Preservation District (HPD) covers many of the city’s ridges and open spaces, as an “overlay” district on top of base zoning and in most cases requires rezoning to the P-D (Planned Development) zoning district as part of the development review process. The HPD aims to ensure that development of highly sensitive slopes does not endanger the public or harm the environmental or scenic values of the site, and to
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encourage high-quality site planning and design that enhances the beauty of the landscape. Figure 4-4 shows Pacifica’s existing Hillside Preservation District, and identifies the general area where site status should be reviewed based on slope stability (including sites in the HPD, and sites to be added to the HPD).
Other sites may also be reviewed. Development regulations for hillsides are covered in Chapter 3 as they pertain to community design and in Chapter 8 as they pertain to safety.
INSERT Figure 4-4: Hillside Preservation
Transfer of Residential Development Rights
Transfer of development rights (TDR) is established to provide a mechanism to relocate potential residential development from areas where environmental or land use impacts could be severe to other areas more appropriate for development, and to preserve significant open space resources. Owners of environmentally sensitive sites may transfer residential development rights to other sites where higher-density development can be supported, or from one part of a site to another. As in the Hillside Preservation District, clustered housing is encouraged to preserve the most sensitive portions of a site. The zoning code identifies eligible “sending areas” and “receiving areas.” TDR may also be used to shift development within a site which has more than one zoning or General Plan designation, or between commonly owned parcels which have more than one zoning or General Plan designation and are planned as a unit. The City should update its TDR regulations to encourage broader use by property owners.
INSERT Photo 08 Pacifica 100…
New development along the coast is required to provide public access, unless the City determines public access would pose safety issues or there is adequate access nearby.
INSERT Photo 09 DSCN1192
Clustered development is encouraged to preserve open space areas and protect sensitive hillsides.
INSERT Photo 10 DSCN1255_cr
The development of accessory dwelling units, compatible with their neighborhood context, is encouraged.
LAND USE PROGRAMS TO FACILITATE HOUSING
The City providesspecial regulations and incentives to facilitate development of housing affordable to moderate- and low-income households while preserving neighborhood character. These programs help to bring about concentrated development in transit-supportive areas, in keeping with Sections 30250 and 30252 of the Coastal Act and other State law.
Density Bonus
Developments providing rental units, affordable housing, or housing for elderly or disabled persons may exceed the maximum density allowed by the General Plan or zoning, consistent with State Density Bonus law.
Below Market Rate Program
In Pacifica, residential developments or subdivisions of eight or more units must set aside at least 15 percent of units as Below Market Rate housing, with affordability provisions in place for at least 45 or 55 years for
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for-sale units and rental units, respectively. With approval from the Planning Commission, developers may meet the program goals by building units off-site, dedicating land to the City, or paying into the City’s housing in-lieu fund.
Accessory Residential Dwelling Units
Accessory dwelling units may be built in areas zoned to allow residential uses pursuant to State law. The City’s zoning code provides additional standards depending on ADU type: detached, attached, created within existing floor area, and multi-family. Off-street parking is not required for most ADUs, except certain ADUs located within a mapped coastal access parking area within the Coastal Zone.
SUB-AREAS AND SPECIFIC SITES
Figure 4-5 shows 15 sub-areas. Sub-areas may be referred to as neighborhoods at times. The “sub-area” designation is not intended to correspond with any jurisdictional boundaries, but to help readers understand the way the General Plan affects Pacifica’s distinct geographic areas. Figure 4-5 also identifies specific sites within sub-areas that are the subject of General Plan policies. This chapter contains land use policies for specific sites. Policies on open space, parks and coastal access are in Chapter 6. Policies on environmental resources are in Chapter 7, with visual resources covered in Chapter 3. Policies on hazards are in Chapter
8. Figure 4-5 also serves as a key map for the four maps that follow, showing sub-areas and specific sites at a larger scale. These maps show General Plan land use at the parcel level, as well as coastal access points; park opportunity sites; coastal view corridors; trails and proposed trail improvements. The area maps, and the sub-area descriptions below, are intended to demonstrate how various aspects of the General Plan—including land use, parks and recreation facilities, coastal access, and environmental resources and hazards—work together in the more localized context. The maps do not show different information than is contained in other General Plan maps.
INSERT Figure 4-5: Sub-Areas and Specific Sites
INSERT Figure 4-6: Pacifica, North
Northern Pacifica
Figure 4-6 covers all of Pacifica north of Sharp Park, including the following sub-areas or neighborhoods:
• Fairmont West; West Edgemar-Pacific Manor; and West Sharp Park in the Coastal Zone; • Fairmont; Westview-Pacific Highlands; East Edgemar-Pacific Manor; and East Sharp Park, east of SR Highway 1.
This sub-area includes Palmetto Avenue, the Pacifica Pier and Promenade, the Pacific Manor shopping area, the northern coastal bluffs, Oceana High School, Milagra Ridge and Gypsy Hill. The summaries below begin with the three coastal sub-areas, followed by the four inland sub-areas.
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Fairmont West
Fairmont West is a small residential area in northwestern Pacifica between Highway 1 and the Pacific Ocean, extending from Daly City along the Northern Coastal Bluffs. It is separated from inland neighborhoods by the highway and a significant grade change. Fairmont West is composed mainly of single-family houses, with a condominium development and a neighborhood park. Palmetto Avenue is Fairmont West’s principal roadway, and provides open views of the Pacific Ocean. The National Park Service owns approximately 14 acres of land on the northern coastal bluffs along the west side of Palmetto Avenue as part of the GGNRA.
Given the extraordinary natural and scenic value, the interest of public access, and the potential erosion hazards, undeveloped land on the northern coastal bluffs is designated Open Space/Agriculture/Residential, and identified as a priority for permanent conservation. Sensitive, clustered development could occur on the east side of Palmetto.
GGNRA plans to continue to manage its land along the northern coastal bluffs as a “natural zone” emphasizing protection of habitat and natural coastal processes. No formal beach access exists or is planned. Undeveloped land west of Palmetto Avenue contains areas of Coastal bluff scrub, which is considered a special status community of high value, important for stabilizing sand dunes. The entire bluff-top area is currently undeveloped and offers an open, highly scenic view of the entire length of Pacifica's coastline.
West Edgemar-Pacific Manor
West Edgemar-Pacific Manor is an established coastal neighborhood extending from north of the Oceanaire Apartments (formerly Land’s End Apartments) to south of the San Francisco RV Park between Highway 1 and the ocean. The area is centered on the Pacific Manor shopping center. Multi-family development accounts for over 90 percent of the area’s approximately 870 housing units. West Edgemar-Pacific Manor’s residential areas have the highest density in Pacifica.
As envisioned by the Plan, redevelopment and/or shopping center improvements will enhance the area’s walkability, help integrate the commercial center with its coastal setting, and improve the area’s visual appeal. The City-owned bluff-top land along the west side of Esplanade Avenue may present an opportunity to develop a small park, if this can be done without aggravating slope instability. Esplanade Avenue is also identified as a future bluff-top coastal access point, which may be achieved by redesigning the Esplanade right-of-way to enhance views and pedestrian access. Progressive coastal erosion has led to demolition of residential structures in the 300- and 500-blocks of Esplanade Avenue, and remains an important factor when considering future development potential of sites located along the bluff-top.
West Sharp Park
Sharp Park is one of Pacifica’s original beach communities. Its western and eastern portions are divided by Highway 1. The northern half of West Sharp Park includes some of Pacifica’s only industrial and service commercial uses. The southern half of the neighborhood has a mixture of single-family and multi-family housing, with retail commercial uses prevailing along Palmetto Avenue, and commercial and civic buildings along Francisco Boulevard. A majority of the neighborhood’s approximately 900 housing units are in multifamily buildings. West Sharp Park includes many of Pacifica's community facilities, including a branch of the San Mateo County Library, the Pacifica Resource Center, City Hall, and Council Chambers. The neighborhood features the Pacifica Pier and Beach Boulevard Promenade, and public parking for the Pier, Promenade, and Sharp Park Beach. The General Plan will implement the Sharp Park Specific Plan, which includes
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this area plus the Eureka Square shopping center, and provide additional detailed information on the vision for the area regarding land uses, mobility, urban design and development standards, utilities and public services, community facilities, the environment, and implementation.
The Plan envisions the northern area west of Palmetto Avenue transitioning to Low-Intensity Visitor Serving Commercial uses over time. The transition is necessary to account for progressive coastal erosion which has advanced into many bluff-top sites along Palmetto Avenue in this area. Coastal erosion is an important factor to consider when reviewing future development of sites located along the bluff-top.
INSERT Photo: DSC_0054
The “Bowl” site is designated as a receiving area in the City’s Transfer of Development Rights regulations.
could be a good candidate for clustered housing to avoid potential hazards.
INSERT Photo: Pacifica 098
Multi-family development accounts for over 90 percent of West Edgemar-Pacific Manor Pacifica’s housing.
INSERT Photo: IMGP2910_cr
The service commercial and industrial businesses on the west side of northern Palmetto may transition over time toward Low-Intensity Visitor Serving Commercial usesrecreation.
Fairmont
The Fairmont sub-area, between Highway 1, Skyline Boulevard and the ravine formed by the San Andreas Fault, was primarily developed during the 1950s and 1960s. City-owned parks and greenbelts lie along the ravine, including Fairmont Park and Imperial Park. The predominant land use is single-family residential on small lots (less than 5,000 square feet in area), with multi-family housing around Fairmont Shopping Center, which provides convenience shopping and services.
The Plan reinforces existing development patterns, while facilitating creation of new public open space as part of any redevelopment of the closed Fairmont Elementary school site, and new trail connections along the greenbelts and to the coast.
Westview-Pacific Highlands
Westview-Pacific Highlands is a predominantly single-family area in Pacifica’s northern hills, lying south of the ravine formed by the San Andreas fault, west of Skyline Boulevard, and north of Milagra Canyon.
There is a small commercial center at Manor Drive and Skyline Boulevard. Two significant residential developments have been built along Skyline Boulevard: the Skyridge development on the flank of Milagra Ridge, and the Cypress Walk development on the site of the former Westview School, both of which also included public open space. Existing development patterns in the community will be preserved under the Plan, while steep hillsides and habitat value in Milagra Canyon will be protected.
East Edgemar-Pacific Manor
East Edgemar-Pacific Manor is relatively flat, with hills rising up to the north, east, and south. Manor Drive links the neighborhood to the Pacific Manor shopping area across Highway 1, and to Westview-Pacific
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Highlands uphill to the east. Oceana Boulevard serves as a frontage road to Highway 1, and is lined with commercial uses, Ocean Shore Elementary School, and the City’s Public Works offices and corporation yard. The area is composed mainly of single-family houses, with a small amount of multi-family housing.
Edgemar Park provides a small public open space for the neighborhood.
Commercial sites along Oceana are considered to have potential to redevelop during the planning period.
The Plan designates these sites primarily for continued Retail Commercial use, reinforcing the existing pattern. The playfields at Ocean Shore Elementary School may help provide additional active open space, which could be augmented by a small play area set aside as part of any development in lower Milagra Canyon.
East Sharp Park, Milagra Ridge, Gypsy Hill
East Sharp Park lies in two valleys and on the small ridge separating them. Milagra Ridge is to the north and Gypsy Hill is to the south and east. Houses are along streets that go up the valleys and along the small ridge, with a scattering of multi-family housing on the ridge along Talbot Avenue. Oceana High School occupies a 56-acre site, accessible to Pacifica’s central neighborhoods along the Highway 1 corridor. There are connections across the highway to West Sharp Park and the ocean at Paloma Avenue in the north and Clarendon Road in the south, as well as a pedestrian overcrossing from Eureka Square Shopping Center.
Eureka Square, along Oceana Boulevard facing Highway 1, has the potential for new development. The Plan identifies this site, together with land facing Francisco Boulevard on the opposite side of Highway 1, as Mixed Use Center, for higher-intensity commercial and residential development. The site’s location along Highway 1, at the base of a hill and directly across from the existing civic cluster, makes it well-suited for higher-intensity development. Over the long term, the large Oceana High School site could also support additional development. Undeveloped land on Gypsy Hill may also support appropriately-designed, smallscale development, which would be very low density and also be required to retain natural vegetation, limit building footprints, and preserve large areas of open space and support wildlife movement.
The Plan envisions a small new public open space as part of any new development at Eureka Square, and pedestrian improvements to create a good walking link through the neighborhood linking the beach to the ridgetop.
INSERT Photo: DSC_0117
The Plan designates the large Oceana High School site for continued public use, while recognizing future potential.
INSERT Photo: IMG_1902_cr
Private, undeveloped land on Gypsy Hill is designated for Residential/Open Space/Agriculture/Residential or Very Low Density Residential.
INSERT Figure 4-7: Pacifica, Central
Central Pacifica
Figure 4-7 shows the central section of Pacifica. The map includes:
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• Sharp Park Golf Course, the West Fairway Park neighborhood, Mori Point, the Rockaway Quarry, Rockaway Beach, and the Rockaway Headlands in the Coastal Zone; • Sharp Park; the East Fairway Park, Vallemar, and Rockaway neighborhoods; and Sweeney Ridge, Cattle Hill and Fassler Ridge, east of Highway 1.
This sub-area includes the Rockaway Beach district, the Police Station, and the Shelldance Nursery (the only location east of Highway 1 within the Coastal Zone).
Sharp Park Golf Course, West Fairway Park, and Mori Point The central stretch of Pacifica’s coast includes Sharp Park Golf Course, Mori Point, and the small singlefamily subdivision of West Fairway Park. Sharp Park Municipal Golf Course is part of a land bequest made to the City and County of San Francisco early in the 20th Century on the condition that the land be used for public recreation. West Fairway Park is a small single-family residential subdivision. On the south, the neighborhood meets the base of undeveloped Mori Point, managed as part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
The Plan designates Sharp Park Golf Course and Mori Point as regional park land. Current characteristics may be maintained, and environmental restoration will be a priority. The West Fairway Park neighborhood's existing land use is reinforced by the Plan’s land use designations.
Sharp Park Beach is open to the public between the Pier and Mori Point, while Sharp Park Golf Course provides a unique recreational asset. Mori Point is a spectacular section of the GGNRA. The General Plan proposes trail improvements and critical new trail segments that would link the coastal trails with the inland ridges. This segment of the Pacifica coastline includes view corridors from Highway 1 into Sharp Park Golf Course and toward Mori Point and Mori Ridge that will be preserved.
Rockaway Beach, Quarry, and Headlands
Rockaway Beach is a small, pedestrian-oriented area with shops, restaurants, and lodging and a small beach, with parking and other amenities. The vacant Quarry site occupies about 94 acres west of Highway 1 and south of Mori Point. About 30 acres of the site are on slopes of 35 percent or steeper. The Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant, at the north end of the former quarry, releases treated wastewater into Calera Creek, which has a naturalized channel, a restored riparian corridor, and a paved walking and cycling path. The Headlands is a rocky promontory separating Rockaway Beach and Pacifica State Beach, and is crossed by a scenic trail.
The Quarry site is Pacifica's most prominent potential development site. Prior to any future development, the property owner must complete reclamation of the former quarry pursuant to the State Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) and the Pacifica Municipal Code. Approximately half of the site, including the upland areas and the Calera Creek riparian corridor, is designated for Conservation. This area will remain open space, with trail improvements connecting Mori Point with Rockaway Beach. The Flats and the Pad overlooking Rockaway Beach are designated for Visitor-Serving Commercial development, supporting such potential uses as a resort hotel, boutique hotels, visitor attractions, and retail uses integrated with the Rockaway Beach district. Redevelopment of the Quarry site could expand this visitor-oriented area. Any development of the Quarry site will require detailed evaluation of biological resources to ensure that sensitive habitat and wetlands are protected; as a result, the footprint of development could be smaller than the area designated. While housing may be proposed as part of a plan for the site, Ordinance No. 391 provides
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that rezoning to allow residential uses may occur only if approved by a vote of the electorate. Figure 4-4 indicates removal of the Hillside Preservation District (HPD) overlay from the Flats portion of the site, which would also require approval by a vote of the electorate. Development in the Quarry Flats should include new public open space.
The existing Rockaway Beach district also offers opportunities for infill and redevelopment, subject to an appropriate assessment of potential coastal hazards and vulnerabilities. The General Plan envisions the Rockaway Beach district growing into a more distinct and high-profile visitor destination, with strong links to the natural setting of beaches, headlands, and ridges.
The General Plan proposes new coastal trail segments, and new trails would link the coastal trails with the inland ridges. Improvements to Highway 1 should ease travel, accommodate vehicles as well as bikes and pedestrians, and improve access into the Rockaway Beach district. Coastal views from Highway 1 toward Mori Point, Cattle Hill, and the Rockaway Headlands are important in establishing the identity of this area and Pacifica as a whole. The United States Geological Survey established the place name “Aramai Point” for the Rockaway Headlands in 2021 in recognition of the indigenous peoples that occupied the area prior to European settlement.
INSERT Photo: DSCN1395
The General Plan envisions the Rockaway Beach district growing into a more distinct and highprofile visitor destination.
INSERT Photo: DSCN1279_Fassler_N
The General Plan designates most of Fassler Ridge as Open Space/ Agriculture /Residential.
Sharp Park, East Fairway Park, and Sweeney Ridge
Sharp Park east of Highway 1 includes a portion of the Golf Course, and is primarily undeveloped at its higher elevations. Land in the vicinity of the former rifle range in Sharp Park could potentially support sports fields for school and community use. Sweeney Ridge features over 1,000 acres of preserved regional open space in the GGNRA, with the protected San Francisco watershed to the east. Mori Ridge descends toward the coast, forming the southern boundary of this sub-area. The small East Fairway Park subdivision is located between Mori Ridge and Sharp Park and Fairway Park contains several baseball fields and a small playground. An undeveloped site along Highway 1 is designated for Low Density Residential development, while a larger hillside property at the east edge of the neighborhood is designated Open Space/Agriculture/Residential.
Mori Ridge, at the southern edge of this sub-area, is part of GGNRA. The Pacifica General Plan supports the creation of a nucleus of GGNRA park activities at Shelldance Nursery, and proposes a trail connection over Highway 1 connecting Mori Point with the proposed park visitors’ center, and the trail up Mori Ridge to the Bay Area Ridge Trail system.
Vallemar, Rockaway, and Fassler
The Vallemar neighborhood follows Reina del Mar Avenue up the narrow Calera Creek valley. Around the intersection of Reina del Mar and Highway 1, there is a small commercial area as well as Vallemar School, the Pacifica School District offices, and the police station. Mori Ridge, Sweeney Ridge, and upper Cattle Hill
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are mostly protected open space, and afford recreational opportunities. Undeveloped land on the upper slopes of the valley are designated primarily for Open Space/Agriculture/Residential to ensure that new development is minimal, in recognition of environmental constraints and limited access.
Cattle Hill is the next prominent ridgeline south of Mori Ridge, between the Vallemar and Rockaway valleys. Much of the ridge is protected as permanent open space. The western face of Cattle Hill is privatelyowned, and some development may occur here in the future. The ridge is designated as Open Space/Agriculture/Residential to ensure that new development is appropriate to the rugged conditions and high scenic value of the ridge. The General Plan also proposes a public trail up Cattle Hill, providing a connection between Rockaway Beach and Sweeney Ridge, requiring an easement or dedicated public access. Potential development sites along Highway 1 at the base of the hill may be well-suited to mixed-use residential and commercial uses. Commercial development should feature attractive frontage treatment along the highway and should consider ways to mitigate traffic impacts to Highway 1.
The Rockaway neighborhood ascends from Highway 1 along Rockaway Beach Avenue up another narrow valley. There are many vacant residential lots on mapped rights-of-way on the upper slopes of the Rockaway valley to the north and south, but topography makes development challenging. There is a very small commercial area where Rockaway Beach Avenue meets Highway 1.
Fassler Avenue traverses a ridge separating Rockaway from the much broader San Pedro Valley to the south.
Fassler Ridge is mainly in private ownership and presents potential development opportunities overlooking Pacifica State Beach and Rockaway Beach. The General Plan designates most of the ridge as Open Space/Agriculture/Residential to conserve its highly-visible open space character. A new trail is proposed that would connect the site of the historic Portola camp on Crespi Drive—and Pacifica State Beach—with the San Francisco Bay Discovery Site on Sweeney Ridge.
INSERT Figure 4-8: Pacifica, Southwest
Southwestern Pacifica
Figure 4-8 shows the southwestern part of the Planning Area, including:
• Pacifica State Beach, Shelter Cove, and the Pedro Point neighborhood in the Coastal Zone; • The West Linda Mar neighborhood and areas outside City limits, east of Highway 1.
Pacifica State Beach
Pacifica State Beach, also known as Linda Mar Beach, is a long sandy beach on a small bay formed by the Rockaway Headlands and Pedro Point. Pacifica State Beach is an outstanding recreational asset for the City and attracts over one million visitors annually from the region and beyond for its surfing, beach environment and scenery in close proximity to San Francisco. Recent restoration work and improvements to parking and access have helped to ensure that the beach will remain a popular natural environment for years to come. Views from Highway 1 toward the crescent sweep of Pacifica State Beach, the Headlands, and Pedro Point are a defining element for Pacifica, and will be preserved across the protected park land.
Pacifica State Beach supports primarily wintering and/or migrating Western snowy plovers, a federally threatened bird species. The beach must continue to be managed to ensure that recreational use does not
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interfere with the species' habitat requirements. Steelhead trout from the Central California Coast Ecologically Significant Unit are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Steelhead are known to spawn in several parts of San Pedro Creek, and the City will continue to support the preservation of viable steelhead migration.
Pedro Point and Shelter Cove
The Pedro Point neighborhood sits on the slope of the promontory that marks Pacifica’s southern boundary. The neighborhood is characterized by single-family houses climbing up the slope, with some commercial development, including a small shopping center, on the flat land near the beach. The neighborhood is separated from the coastline by the berm of the former Ocean Shore Railroad. Pedro Point abuts City-, County-, and State-owned land at the Point’s higher elevations to the south. This land is within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s legislative boundary, and could be included in the park in the future. The western tip of Pedro Point descends to Shelter Cove, where another cluster of houses exists on a single 17- acre parcel. Land access to Shelter Cove has been limited to steep pedestrian trails since the former roadway to the area washed out in the 1980s.
The Plan reinforces existing land use patterns for all developed parts of the sub-area. There is potential for Pedro Point shopping center and adjacent parcels to accommodate some new retail development, which could provide local convenience shopping as well as visitor-oriented businesses. The Plan retains flexibility for any future development on the vacant site west of the shopping center, identified as the Undeveloped San Pedro Avenue Site, which could have residential and small-scale commercial and visitor-oriented uses.
Development of the site will require detailed evaluation of coastal hazards/vulnerabilities and biological resources to ensure that any sensitive habitat and wetlands that may exist on the site are protected; thus, the footprint of development could be smaller than the area designated. Future development should include a small park and access to the berm and the beach beyond. Completion of the Devils Slide Tunnel project has provided the opportunity to create a new trailhead and trails through open space land on the headlands.
INSERT Photo: DSCN3241 – ACROSS BOTH COLUMNS
The scenic Pedro Point neighborhood overlooks Pacifica State Beach.
West Linda Mar
The West Linda Mar sub-area is in the lower portion of the San Pedro Creek Valley and on the hillsides to the north. The area is almost entirely developed with single-family houses. West Linda Mar has two access points to Highway 1, at Crespi Drive and Linda Mar Boulevard. Linda Mar Shopping Center, Pacifica’s largest, is at the junction of Linda Mar Boulevard and Highway 1. Public parking for beach visitors and commuters is provided in both areas, and served by Samtrans buses. A variety of uses, including a hotel, multi-family housing, service commercial and small retail centers, Cabrillo Elementary School, the Pacifica Community Center, including Senior Services, and a post office, are clustered along lower Crespi Drive.
The Crespi Business Center is the City’s only light-industrial business park and provides a unique combination of local employment and small business opportunities for residents. A smaller commercial/office area is located at the corner of Linda Mar Boulevard and Adobe Drive. The area includes the Sanchez Adobe, the oldest structure in San Mateo County and a designated historic resource. Pacific Bay Christian School (formerly Alma Heights Christian Academy) is to the east along Linda Mar Boulevard. Oddstad Park is a large, mostly wooded park serving the area.
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The General Plan reinforces existing residential land use patterns in West Linda Mar. It proposes new opportunities for mixed-use development along lower Crespi Drive and at the Linda Mar Park-and-Ride site.
Redevelopment at these locations can help Pacifica provide a greater diversity of housing types in close proximity to transit, public amenities, and walkable commercial areas.
San Pedro Creek travels through the heart of the neighborhood. Protection and enhancement of the riparian stream corridor must be a continued priority. The General Plan envisions on-street trails along the former San Pedro Terrace Road and Rosita Road, providing a good walking route through valley neighborhoods between Pacifica State Beach and San Pedro Valley County Park.
INSERT Figure 4-9: Pacifica, Southeast
Southeastern Pacifica
Figure 4-9 shows the East Linda Mar and Park Pacifica neighborhoods in the southeastern part of the Planning Area. The map includes Park Mall, Terra Nova High School, San Pedro Valley County Park, Oddstad Park, and a section of Sweeney Ridge.
East Linda Mar and Park Pacifica
East Linda Mar includes the portion of the San Pedro Valley east of Pacific Bay Christian School and Oddstad Park, and on the southern slope of Fassler Ridge. Park Pacifica, developed mostly in the 1970s, lies in the “back of the valley” and the hilly terrain rising up to Sweeney Ridge. In the north, the area is characterized by winding residential streets and greenbelts. The valley portion includes Sanchez Park, the Pacifica Center for the Arts, and one of Pacifica’s two fire stations. Some housing exists south of San Pedro Creek, along with undeveloped or agricultural land where a limited amount of residential development may be possible. The area is served by the Park Mall shopping center on Terra Nova Boulevard, and by the adjacent Sanchez branch library and Ortega Elementary School.
Park Pacifica lies in a secluded valley and its slopes extend to the northeast of Linda Mar Boulevard along Oddstad Boulevard. As in Linda Mar, the predominant land use is low density residential, interspersed with greenbelts. Multi-family housing is developed along Terra Nova and Oddstad Boulevards, including senior housing. Park Pacifica is also home to Terra Nova High School. The neighborhood is hemmed in by topography and protected open space on Sweeney Ridge and in San Pedro Valley County Park and Frontierland Park.
Existing land use patterns in Linda Mar and Park Pacifica are reflected in the Plan. There is a considerable amount of undeveloped land within City limits on the slope of San Pedro Mountain to the south. These parcels are designated for lower density residential development than other areas of the City, in recognition of the constraints on development posed by steep slopes, the City’s hillside development standards, limited access, and location adjacent to Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones located on the periphery of Pacifica.
Park Mall is a candidate for potential new development. The Plan would facilitate a mix of retail and residential uses, including housing for seniors, and the creation of a small new public space. Very limited residential development potential may exist on existing parcelsin agricultural use, including the large Millwood Ranch and former Park Pacifica Stables properties. These are designated Open Space/Agriculture/Residential or Conservation to ensure that open space and biological resource protection is an emphasis of any development on these scenic and remote properties.
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Sphere of Influence
San Pedro Mountain and Pedro Point Headlands define the southern boundary of Pacifica’s Sphere of Influence, which includes the undeveloped 73-acre, 986-lot Tobin Park subdivision3 located outside the Coastal Zone. The area between the City and Sphere of Influence boundaries includes sloping, undeveloped land and Shamrock Ranch.
The Plan designates existing public open space in the Sphere of Influence as Park, and designates all other land as Urban Reserve. The Urban Reserve area is intended to remain largely undeveloped. Shamrock Ranch represents the area’s most significant potential future development opportunity. Any new development here should be clustered to preserve open space and maintain land that could be developed beyond the planning period to support future growth.
INSERT Photo 2-28 DSCN3234
The General Plan designates most of Fassler Ridge as Open Space/Agriculture/Residential.
INSERT Photo DSCN1300
New development at Park Mall could include a mix of retail and residential uses.
INSERT Photo 2-30 DSCN1309
Steep land in Park Pacifica is designated either as greenbelt, conservation, or for Open Space/Agriculture/Residential to ensure slope stability and visual quality.
DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY
One purpose of the General Plan and LCLUP is to ensure that the City can accommodate projected population and job growth over the planning period (to 2040). The Plan seeks to meet these needs while also satisfying other community goals and ensuring safety and environmental protection. This section estimates development potential provided under the General Plan land use framework.
Buildout
Policies in the General Plan will allow the City to meet the needs of the future residents and workers, including housing for a diversity of residents, parkland and public facilities, and adequate options for nonresidential development to provide employment opportunities and retail and services that respond to the community’s daily needs.
Potential new development through the horizon year and the corresponding growth in population and employment is referred to as “buildout.” Buildout is based on existing development and an estimated amount of potential new development in the Planning Area. Buildout estimates should not be considered a prediction for growth, as the actual amount of development that will occur through 2040 is based on many factors outside of the City’s control, including changes in regional real estate and labor markets and other longterm economic and demographic trends. Therefore, buildout estimates represent potentialities rather than definitive figures. To estimate buildout, assumptions were made about the density of development in each 3 San Mateo County Recorder’s Office, Record of Subdivision Maps, Volume 9, Page 12.
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proposed land use designation, as well as the percentage of parcels that would actually develop depending on location and land use designation. The designation of a site for a particular land use in the General Plan does not guarantee that the site will be developed or redeveloped with that use or assumed density during the planning period, as future development will rely primarily on each property owner’s initiative.
Residential Development
As Table 4-2 shows, buildout would result in an estimated 990 new housing units. Of these units, 12 percent would be single-family residential, and 88 percent would be multi-family residential including those within mixed-use developments. Assuming that average household size remains as it is today, new housing at buildout could accommodate population growth of about 2,720 and a total population of 41,050.
Table 4-2: Residential Buildout Under the General Plan
General Plan Land Use
Permitted
Density
Range (units
per acre)
Projected Density
(units per acre)2
New Housing Units at
Buildout3
Residential Designation
Transitional Open Space/Residential 0.1 or less 0.08 0
Open Space/Agriculture/Residential 0.2 or less 0.15 40
Very Low Density Residential 0.2 to 2 1.5 10
Low Density Residential 3 to 9 6.5 80
Medium Density Residential Up to 15 12.5 60
High Density Residential Up to 21 25 60
Mixed Use Designation
Coastal Residential Mixed Use Up to 15 15 70
Mixed Use Neighborhood Up to 26 25 300
Mixed Use Center Up to 50 25 380
Urban Reserve
Urban Reserve 0.1 or less 0.1 0
Net New Residential Potential* 990
* May not sum due to rounding.
Non-Residential Development
Table 4-3 shows the realistic non-residential development capacity in terms of square feet of new commercial buildings. Development capacity is based on the maximum intensity established for each designation by the General Plan, and is typically toward the middle of the allowable density range, pointing to the existence of constraints on many sites. Realistic development of opportunity sites would result in an estimated 620,300 square feet of net new non-residential building area. New development is estimated to accommodate approximately 1,470 new jobs over the planning period.
Table 4-3: Non-Residential Buildout Under the General Plan
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General Plan Land Use
Maximum
NonResidential FAR
Projected
Non-Residential FAR2
Non-Residential Sq. Ft. at
Buildout3
Mixed Use Designations
Coastal Residential Mixed Use 0.5 0.10 57,490
Mixed Use Neighborhood 1.0 0.25 182,890
Mixed Use Center 2.5 0.35 162,860
Commercial Designations
Retail Commercial 1.0 0.25 757,380
Office/Commercial 1.5 0.35 63,120
Service Commercial 0.6 0.25 21,000
Visitor-Serving Commercial 3.0 0.35 81, 840
Rockaway Quarry Site4 0.5 0.35 448,400
Low-Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial 0.2 0.05
40,550
Public Facilities and Open Space Designations
Public and Semi-Public 1.0 0.35 0
Total Non-Residential Development Potential
on Opportunity Sites
1,848,630
Existing Non-Residential Development on Underutilized Sites1,228,300 Net New Non-Residential Potential 620,330
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
LU-G-1 ✳Coastal Development. Ensure that development maximizes beach and coastal open space access and that access reflects the surroundings of the particular coastal environment in use, design, and intensity.
Policies related to coastal access are provided in Chapter 6.
LU-G-2 ✳Concentrated Development. Focus new development in or directly adjacent to alreadydeveloped areas, where it can be served by existing public services and where it will not have significant impacts on coastal or other resources.
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LU-G-3✳Future Residential Development. Limit development to sites that are not critical for open space connections or habitat preservation, and which will be in harmony with the surrounding natural setting.
LU-G-4 ✳Higher-Density Housing. Locate higher-density housing outside of Coastal Vulnerability Zones and in accessible places close to community shopping areas and transportation.
LU-G-5 ✳Commercial Area Revitalization. Facilitate the revitalization of shopping areas and the creation of distinct commercial districts in Pacifica, resulting in wider shopping and dining opportunities for residents, enhanced attractions for visitors, increased sales tax revenues, and a stronger community image.
LU-G-6 ✳Compact Mixed-Use Development. Facilitate compact mixed-use development on sites with good access to transit. Mixed-use development may include housing or office space with retail, restaurants, or personal service businesses.
LU-G-7 ✳Open Space Conservation and Habitat Protection. Protect beaches, oceanfront bluffs, wetlands, riparian corridors, Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA), ridgelines, hillside areas adjacent to existing open space, and areas that support critical wildlife habitat and special status species.
LU-G-8 ✳Changes in Density or Intensity of Land Use in Coastal Vulnerability Zones. Do not increase the density or intensity of land use designations beyond those indicated in the LCLUP for sites located within Coastal Vulnerability Zones.
Policies related to Natural Hazards and Coastal Resilience are provided in Chapter 8.
LU-G-9Citizen Participation. Continue broad-based citizen participation in the planning process.
Implementing Policies
Land Use Designations
LU-I-1 ✳Zoning Consistency. Update the Zoning Ordinance and zoning map and apply zoning to all land within the City, consistent with General Plan and LCLUP policies and land use designations.
LU-I-2 ✳ Land Divisions in the Coastal Zone. Continue to require coastal development permits for all land divisions within the Coastal Zone. Land divisions in the Coastal Zone shall be:
• Designed to minimize impacts to public access, recreation, and coastal resources. • Designed to minimize site disturbance, landform alteration, and the removal of native vegetation for development or fire safety. • Prohibited on properties that include any areas that are within or adjacent to an Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA) unless the resulting parcels are set aside for conservation, or unless the resulting parcels can be developed consistent with policies protecting sensitive habitats including but not limited to a prohibition on building or requiring vegetation clearance in the ESHA or ESHA buffer.
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• Permitted only in areas with adequate public services to serve development on the resulting parcels.
• Any land division that would result in a parcel that could not be developed in accordance with the policies of this General Plan LCLUP is not allowed.
LU-I-3 ✳ Coastal Development Permit Findings. For all development that requires a coastal development permit, continue to require written findings that it is consistent with all LCLUP policies and Implementation Plan provisions of the City’s certified Local Coastal Program.
If there is a conflict between a provision of this LCP and a provision of the General Plan, or any other City-adopted plan, resolution, or ordinance not included in the LCP, and it is not possible for the development to comply with both the LCP and such other plan, resolution or ordinance, the LCP shall take precedence and the development shall not be approved unless it complies with the LCP provision.
LU-I-4 ✳Coordinate with the County to protect the Urban Reserve. Coordinate with the County to ensure that new development in unincorporated areas occurs at a maximum density of 10 acres per unit, and request that subdivision of 50 acres or more is subject to master planning and annexation as a condition of any urban development.
Annexation would require a General Plan amendment, and an LCLUP amendment would be required for land within the Coastal Zone.
LU-I-5 Density Ranges. Ensure that development is permitted within the allowable density range for the applicable land use designations.
LU-I-6 Sphere of Influence Annexations. Permit annexation of unincorporated parcels on the condition that parcels will correspond to the Urban Reserve designation, including a minimum lot area of 10 acres per dwelling unit. Contiguous parcels or units held by the same owner in the Sphere of Influence that do not conform to the minimum parcel lor lot size shall be required to merge pursuant to Pacifica Municipal Code Title 10.
Coastal Development
LU-I-7 ✳Lower Cost Visitor and Recreational Facilities. Protect lower-cost visitor and recreational facilities in the Coastal Zone. These include recreational attractions such as Pacifica Pier and Pacifica State Beach; the public golf course at Sharp Park; the San Francisco RV Park; California Coastal Trail and other trails, and numerous beaches accessible at no cost.
LU-I-8 ✳Oceanfront Land for Recreational Use. Prioritize use of land adjacent to Sharp Park and Pacifica State Beaches as open space, accessible for low-intensity recreational use. Allowable uses should include those with a low development impact and which are readily relocated to adapt to evolving coastal conditions, such as recreation outfitters, campgrounds, rustic lodging, hikers’ huts, or view restaurants.
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LU-I-9 ✳Development Priority for Visitor-Serving and Recreational Uses. Allow visitor-oriented uses as-of-right in all areas designated for Visitor-Serving Commercial or Low-Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial, and all commercial or mixed-use designations within the Coastal Zone.
Development on Visitor-Serving Commercial sites with developable areas of two acres or larger must include a visitor attraction, hotel, conference center, or similar use, and may also include a range of retail and service uses. Smaller sites may have any visitor- or pedestrian-oriented retail or service use.
LU-I-10 ✳Walkable and Transit-Oriented Development. Facilitate higher-density, mixed-use development at specific locations along the coastline where an active, pedestrian environment is desired.
Future development along Palmetto Avenue and at the Eureka Square site; on lower Linda Mar Boulevard and Crespi Drive in West Linda Mar; at the Pacific Manor Shopping Center; and at Rockaway Beach and Quarry are easily accessible along the Highway 1 corridor and transit routes. Such development should help to make the coastline more accessible to residents and visitors.
LU-I-11 ✳Coastal-Dependent Industry. Allow new coastal-dependent industry only if alternative locations outside the Coastal Zone are infeasible or more environmentally damaging or because to do otherwise would adversely affect the public welfare, and potential impacts to visual resources, sensitive species and habitat, water quality are mitigated to the maximum extent feasible.
Future development of oil and gas facilities, refineries or petrochemical facilities, or thermal electric generating plants may be permitted only according to the terms established in Sections 30262, 30263, and 30264 of the Coastal Act, and Conditions of Approval to ensure consistency with all Coastal Act policies.
LU-I-12 ✳Aquaculture. If oceanfront land is found to be suitable for coastal-dependent aquaculture, give such use priority over non-coastal-dependent uses.
LU-I-13 ✳ Public Service Priorities. Ensure that needs generated by development or uses permitted over the planning period are adequately served by existing and planned public works facilities.
In the event that existing or planned public works facilities can accommodate only a limited amount of new development, services to coastal dependent land use, essential public services and basic industries vital to the economic health of the region, state, or nation, public recreation, commercial recreation, and visitor-serving land uses shall not be precluded by other development.
INSERT Photo 11 DSCN1341
Major stretches of the Pacifica coastline along Sharp Park and Pacifica State Beaches are protected as open space, and accessible for recreational use.
INSERT Photo 12 Pacifica 036
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The General Plan facilitates mixed use development at specific locations along the coastline where an active environment is desired, including Palmetto Avenue.
INSERT Photo 13 DSCN1262
The Hillside Preservation District helps to ensure careful site planning on steep terrain.
Land Use Strategies to Protect Natural and Scenic Resources LU-I-14 ✳Hillside Preservation. Update the Hillside Preservation District on the zoning map to ensure that all steep and sensitive terrain is subject to these regulations. The Hillside Preservation map (Figure 4-4) should be used as a guide.
LU-I-15 ✳Transfer of Development Rights. Amend the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program to reflect the following changes:
• Use the City’s TDR ordinance to relocate development rights from Coastal Vulnerability zones and other hazardous areas (sending sites) to receiving sites outside of Coastal Vulnerability zones or other hazardous areas. Identify areas where densities and heights may be increased using TDR credits, including to facilitate affordable housing.
• Apply receiving status to sites designated for mixed-use development in addition to the residential land use categories.
The TDR Program provides a mechanism to relocate potential development from areas where environmental or land use impacts could be severe to other areas more appropriate for development.
Land Use Strategies to Facilitate Housing
LU-I-16 Density Bonus. Continue to facilitate housing affordable to moderate-, low- and extremelylow-income households by providing a density bonus of up to 50 percent over the maximum allowed by zoning.
Specific density bonus provisions in the zoning ordinance should be adjusted as needed to support housing types that are most needed based on regional housing needs allocations or local goals.
LU-I-17 Accessory Dwelling Units. Maintain the zoning ordinance to ensure that regulations governing accessory dwelling units conform with current State requirements.
Accessory dwelling units are an important component of the City’s strategy to provide housing for moderate- and low-income households.
LU-I-18 Parking Requirements. Update commercial and mixed-use parking requirements as appropriate based on best practices. Provide for shared parking between commercial uses; car-sharing availability for residential uses; reductions for transit-accessible locations; and other strategies.
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LU-I-19 Height Limit. Replace a single citywide height limit with height limits that vary by neighborhood, topography, or other relevant factors, based on community input. These may allow greater heights for buildings in the Mixed Use Center and Visitor-Serving Commercial designations.
Policies for Specific Sites
LU-I-20 ✳Northern Coastal Bluffs. Maintain the Planned Development zoning district for the private, developable land on the northern coastal bluffs to allow for the consideration of development standards that consider the potential environmental and scenic resources on the site.
Allowable density should be consistent with the Open Space/Residential/Agriculture designation. Where coastal bluff scrub vegetation is present, further analysis will be required prior to any development. Work with public agencies and others to facilitate permanent conservation of scenic resources in this area.
LU-I-21 ✳Bowl Site. Establish appropriate zoning for the “Bowl” site along the east side of Palmetto Avenue in Fairmont West for Planned Development to ensure site planning that clusters development, avoiding potential flooding or geotechnical hazards and protecting open space resources.
Allowable density should be consistent with the Medium Density Residential designation.
LU-I-22 ✳Pacific Manor. Facilitate Retail Commercial improvements and Mixed Use redevelopment in the Pacific Manor shopping district.
Redevelopment or improvements should enhance the area’s walkability and visual appeal, and should include pedestrian realm improvements that help to integrate the district with its coastal setting.
LU-I-23 ✳Esplanade. Establish appropriate zoning for privately-owned, undeveloped land on the west side of Esplanade Avenue to ensure minimal development consistent with the General Plan land use designation. New development shall preserve the view corridor to the ocean along Bill Drake Way and shall be sited and designed to ensure that any proposed development could withstand erosion resulting from a 100-year seismic or storm event and in accordance with LCLUP Policy CR-I-44 and preserve the view corridor to the ocean along Bill Drake Way.
LU-I-24 ✳ Northern Palmetto. Support the transition to low-intensity visitor-serving commercial uses over time along the west side of Palmetto Avenue in northern West Sharp Park, and require improvement of the visual appearance of permitted older industrial uses when improvements are proposed to these uses.
Geotechnical studies are required to determine the “net developable area.” New uses are required to provide appropriate setbacks along the coastal bluffs to protect new structures from loss during their design life, and to provide public access to and along the shoreline.
INSERT Photo 14 Pacifica 082
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Redevelopment or improvements of Pacific Manor Shopping Center should enhance the area’s visual appeal and integrate the district with its coastal setting.
INSERT Photo 15 Pacifica 008
Redevelopment of the city-owned 2212 Beach Boulevard property should provide an anchor for Palmetto Avenue and enhance the beachfront experience.
INSERT Photo 16 IMGP2910_cr
The Quarry site could support hotels and other visitor-serving uses and complement the natural setting. Any development of the Quarry site must ensure that sensitive habitat is protected.
LU-I-25 ✳Rockaway Quarry Site. Enable the responsible development and environmental conservation of the Quarry Site.
Preparation of a specific plan for the Quarry site could achieve the desired development outcomes. Allowable development should provide City revenues, substantial public open space, and commercial uses and public spaces attractive to both visitors and local residents.
Uses may include an inn or hotel; shops and restaurants; performance or conference spaces; and public uses. Ordinance No. 391 provides that residential uses are only authorized after a vote of the electorate. Development should be integrated with the Rockaway Beach district, to create an expanded visitor-oriented area in a memorable natural setting.
Environmental protection is a priority at this site and includes preserving upland areas as open space, preserving the riparian corridor along Calera Creek, and preserving critical habitat. Any development of the Quarry site will require detailed evaluation of potential geotechnical hazards and biological resources to ensure safe use of the site and that sensitive habitat and wetlands are protected; the likely footprint of development could be much smaller than the area designated.
LU-I-26 ✳ Rockaway Beach. Facilitate continued improvements in the Rockaway Beach district and promote infill development emphasizing active ground-floor and visitor-oriented uses and links to the Quarry site.
An updated Specific Plan for the Rockaway Beach area should be prepared, possibly as part of a Specific Plan that also covers the Quarry site.
LU-I-27 ✳Aramai Point. Facilitate very low-intensity visitor-serving commercial use on Aramai Pointbetween Rockaway Beach and Pacifica State Beach. Maintain the Coastal Trail connecting the two beaches. Any use on this site must recognize the limited opportunity for vehicular access.
Potential uses should have a low development impact and able to be readily relocated to adapt to evolving coastal conditions, such as rustic lodging, hikers’ huts, or similar uses.
LU-I-28 ✳Pedro Point Shopping Center. Facilitate improvements to the existing Shopping Center that result in an improved orientation to the coastal environment and that result in more efficient use of the property with regards to parking, while enhancing its appeal for both neighborhood residents and visitors. Maintain beach access along Shoreside Drive.
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LU-I-29 ✳Undeveloped San Pedro Avenue Site. Establish a Coastal Residential Mixed Use zoning district to allow small-scale visitor-oriented commercial uses as a stand-alone project without any residential development, or small-scale visitor-oriented commercial uses with residential development at a density range of three to five units per gross acre. Housing may be clustered, and uses may be mixed. vertically or horizontally. Residential uses may be constructed attached to or detached from commercial uses, provided the overall site contains both commercial and residential uses. Development must include public coastal access and must provide public open space.
A wetland survey conducted according to the requirements of Coastal Commission regulation 13577 (Title 14, California Code of Regulations) is required to delineate potential wetlands on the site as part of the development application and environmental review process. An assessment of potential geotechnical hazards must also be part of the development application and environmental review process, including assessment of the Ocean Shore railroad berm under hazard and vulnerability scenarios consistent with policies in Chapters 7 and 8.
LU-I-30 ✳ Pedro Point Upper Slopes. Maintain zoning for the upper slopes of Pedro Point to ensure that any new development is at a density appropriate to the steep slopes.
If any portion of the property is designated as official habitat for California red-legged frog, a biological resources survey must be conducted and development will be required to avoid habitat areas.
LU-I-31 Upper Monterey Road. Extend the Hillside Preservation District zoning to steep sites along upper Monterey Road and limit new development to a density that is consistent with the Open Space/Residential/Agriculture designation.
LU-I-32 Milagra Canyon. Ensure that land along Milagra Canyon south of Manor Drive occurs at a density consistent with the Open Space/Agriculture/Residential designation, is clustered to minimize environmental impacts, and resulting open space is permanently preserved.
LU-I-33 Eureka Square. Facilitate high-quality redevelopment for the Eureka Square Shopping Center using policies in the Sharp Park Specific Plan.
The site’s position along Highway 1, beneath a ridge and backed by multi-family housing make it well-suited for higher-intensity development, which would also reinforce the area as Pacifica’s center. A small plaza should be included as part of redevelopment.
LU-I-34 Gypsy Hill. Require sensitive site planning in accordance with the Hillside Preservation District for upper portions of Gypsy Hill.
Clustered development can preserve open space and maintain the area’s function as a wildlife movement corridor.
LU-I-35 East Fairway Park Hillside. Ensure consistency with the Open Space/Agriculture/Residential designation on the slope above Fairway Park to ensure that any new development occurs at a very low density and meets standards of the Hillside Preservation District.
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LU-I-36 Cattle Hill and Fassler Ridge. Ensure consistency with the Open Space/Agriculture/Residential land use designation on Cattle Hill and Fassler Ridge, as shown on the General Plan Land Use diagram, to ensure that new development is appropriate to the physical conditions and high scenic value of the ridge.
Certain locations are designated for Low Density Residential development; site planning in these areas should be subject to the Hillside Preservation District to provide clustered development. The Royce water tank site will retain a Utilities designation. Trail easements should be negotiated with land owners based on the Parks and Open Space map (Figure 6-1).
LU-I-37 Lower Cattle Hill. Any project proposed on Lower Cattle Hill should perform detailed transportation impact studies and implement measures to minimize impacts to vehicular traffic flow on Highway 1, and to ensure maximum alternatives to single-occupant vehicle trips, including but not limited to establishing on-site transit services and providing a pedestrian overcrossing to the west side of Highway 1.
LU-I-38 Lower Crespi Drive. Establish zoning provisions to facilitate compact, mixed-use redevelopment of older commercial and residential properties along lower Crespi Drive, consistent with the Mixed Use Center and Mixed Use Neighborhood designations.
Redevelopment adjacent to the Community Center, Skate Park, and Pacifica State Beach should provide a core for the southern portion of the City, a greater diversity of housing types, and a walkable commercial area appealing to both locals and visitors.
LU-I-39 Crespi Business Center. Protect existing land uses at the Crespi Business Center to support local employment and small business opportunities for residents. Ensure zoning allows the continuation of light-industrial and research and development uses that would not generate significant noise and odors, or use significant quantities of hazardous materials, that may be incompatible with mixed-use residential development on the site or nearby sites.
LU-I-40 Linda Mar Shopping Center and Park-and-Ride. Allow redevelopment of the Linda Mar Shopping Center with additional commercial development along the Linda Mar Boulevard frontage. Facilitate mixed-use development on the north side of Linda Mar Boulevard while also accommodating the existing park-and-ride use, and improving the pedestrian-transit interface.
LU-I-41 Linda Mar and Park Pacifica Hillsides. Ensure Linda Mar and Park Pacifica hillsides are developed consistent with the Open Space/Agriculture/Residential land use designation and are subject to the Hillside Preservation District.
LU-I-42 Park Mall Area. Facilitate mixed-use redevelopment at the Park Mall and Sanchez Library sites and adjacent vacant land, with retail uses concentrated along Oddstad and Terra Nova Boulevards.
Upper story housing over retail may be provided, along with attached, multi-family housing, and senior housing. Redevelopment should include a small public open space and public viewing areas at San Pedro Creek.
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LU-I-43 Former Park Pacifica Stables. Ensure development of the former Park Pacifica Stables is consistent with the Open Space/Agriculture/Residential land use designation, to provide opportunities related to Pacifica’s natural setting, including continuing equestrian use, or open space and minimal residential development.
LU-I-44 Shamrock Ranch. Coordinate with San Mateo County to ensure that any new development at Shamrock Ranch is clustered to preserve open space.
Shamrock Ranch is the largest parcel in the sphere of influence outside of City limits. Any subdivision of greater than ten lots or development of more than ten housing units or 40,000 square feet of non-residential space should occur through a master planning process and may involve annexation into the city. Such subdivision and/or development may result in a new neighborhood, employment area and/or open spaces for Pacifica, and will require an amendment to the General Plan.
INSERT Photo San Mateo_Bay Meadows
INSERT Photo 17 IMG_1695
The General Plan allows higher-intensity mixed use redevelopment, as in the example at top, at Eureka Square (middle).
INSERT Photo 18 IMG_0209
Redevelopment along lower Crespi Drive should provide a walkable commercial area appealing to both locals and visitors.
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INSERT Photo 01
The Circulation Element provides a framework to guide management and improvements to Pacifica’s transportation-related infrastructure over the next 20 years. A safe and efficient transportation network is an important contributor to a community’s quality of life and economic vitality. The circulation system enables access to the City’s neighborhoods, employment and educational opportunities, public services, commercial and recreational areas, and regional destinations. It provides for travel by automobile, transit, walking, and cycling.
5.1 Circulation Framework
TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE
State law recognizes the close relationship between transportation and land use and requires that policies for the two topics are related and mutually beneficial. By integrating transportation policies with land use, the General Plan ensures that there will be sufficient roadway capacity to accommodate traffic generated by future planned development. Additionally, by integrating transportation and land use planning so that a greater percentage of short trips can be accomplished by walking, cycling, or transit, the City can reduce the air quality impacts and greenhouse gas emissions associated with automobile use.
COMPLETE STREETS
Pacifica’s Circulation Element also responds directly to the State requirement of planning for “Complete Streets.” In response to the California Complete Streets Act, all cities and counties are required to plan for the development of multimodal transportation networks in their general plans. According to the Act, jurisdictions must “plan for a balanced, multimodal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways for safe and convenient travel in a manner that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context of the general plan.”1 The “users of streets, roads, and highways” refers to bicyclists, pedestrians, children, motorists, persons with disabilities, the elderly, users of public transportation, and commercial goods movers.
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
The transportation planning and policy set forth in the Circulation Element is also an important component of Pacifica’s responsibility toward meeting the requirements of the Sustainable 1 California Government Code Section 65302(b)(2).
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Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008. This Act requires that metropolitan planning organizations in California prepare a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) for meeting their greenhouse gas reduction targets, through coordinating planning for land use, transportation, and housing. While the SCS is a regional plan, thoughtful land use and transportation planning in Pacifica is one part of a larger effort.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), and Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) adopted the “Plan Bay Area in 2013,” which serves as the SCS for the region. An update, Plan Bay Area 2040, was adopted in 2017 and forecasts transportation needs through the year 2040. Plan Bay Area 2050 will focus on four key issues—the economy, the environment, housing and transportation—and will identify a path to make the Bay Area more equitable for all residents and more resilient in the face of unexpected challenges. MTC and ABAG adopted Plan Bay Area 2050 in October 2021.
BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN
The City of Pacifica Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Update 2020 establishes a long-term vision for improving walking and bicycling in Pacifica through policy, program, and project recommendations. The four criteria used to prioritize bicycle projects and pedestrian improvements include enhancements to safety; connectivity; accessibility; and feasibility. This Circulation Element includes policies that are consistent with the goals of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and that support its implementation.
This chapter sets forth a circulation plan that strengthens Pacifica’s transportation network, provides more choice of travel modes, identifies needed improvements, and works in tandem with land use changes.
5.2 Existing Travel Patterns
Existing travel patterns are analyzed in terms of trip type, travel mode, and geography using information from the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) travel demand model. In Table 5-1, “home-based work trips” are distinguished from other trips such as recreation-, shopping-, and school-related trips, and trip types are shown by the geography of residential location and work or other attraction location.
Table 5-1 Daily Travel Patterns
Destination
Percent of Trips by Trip Type
Home-Based
Work Trips All Other Trips Total Trips
Trips from Pacifica
Within Pacifica 10% 52% 41%
San Mateo County (not Pacifica) 38% 35% 35%
San Francisco 41% 11% 19%
Other Counties 11% 2% 5%
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Total 100% 100% 100%
Trips to Pacifica
Within Pacifica 28% 64% 59%
San Mateo County (not Pacifica) 39% 27% 29%
San Francisco 23% 6% 9%
Other Counties 9% 3% 4%
Total 100% 100% 100%
Source: DKS Associates, 2021.
Home-based work trips from Pacifica (Pacifica residents) to San Francisco or to other parts of San Mateo County account for 79 percent of the trips in this category, with only 10 percent of such trips staying in Pacifica. In other words, the great majority of Pacifica’s resident workforce commutes out of the City. Alternatively, 28 percent of commuter trips to jobs in Pacifica originate in Pacifica, representing the second largest source with the first being the remainder of San Mateo County with 39 percent%. The majority of home-based work trips to and from Pacifica are nonlocal however.
On the other hand, 52 percent of all “other” trips that begin in Pacifica have local destinations and 64 percent of “other” trips with Pacifica destinations also begin there. This indicates that well over half of recreation-, shopping- and school-related trips are local. Altogether, about half (41 percent of trips from Pacifica, 59 percent of trips to Pacifica) of all trips are made entirely within the City.
Table 5-2 details the share of trips to and from Pacifica made by transit. Three percent of trips made by Pacifica residents are made by public transit. For trips from Pacifica, more people drive to Caltrans Caltrain and BART. Trips to San Francisco employment and other attractions are the most likely to be made by transit. Transit accounts for only a small fraction (0.12 percent) of trips within Pacifica. Trips made by residents of locations outside Pacifica to Pacifica employment and other attractions are much less likely to be made by transit.
Table 5-2 Transit Mode Share of All Trips
Destination Drive-Access
to Transit1
Walk-Access to
Transit2
Total Access Trips
to Transit
Trips from Pacifica
Pacifica 0.00% 0.12% 0.12%
San Mateo County (not
Pacifica)
0.17% 0.61% 0.78%
San Francisco 10.47% 3.97% 14.45%
Other Counties 0.94% 0.62% 1.56%
Total 2.12% 1.05% 3.17%
Trips to Pacifica
Pacifica 0.00% 0.12% 0.12%
San Mateo County (not
Pacifica) 0.05% 0.44% 0.48%
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San Francisco 0.01% 1.36% 1.37%
Other Bay Area Counties 0.18% 0.69% 0.88%
Total 0.02% 0.34% 0.36%
Notes: 1) Includes Park-and-Ride trips and “Kiss and Ride” (drop off) trips to bus and BART or Caltrans stations; 2) Transit stop is reached by walking
Source: DKS Associates, 2021.
5.3 Roadway Network and Planned Improvements
Three major routes connect Pacifica to the rest of the region. State Route (SR) 1 (Coast Highway) traverses the City from north to south, connecting Pacifica to Daly City and San Francisco to the north, and to Half Moon Bay and the San Mateo County coastline to the south, and providing continuous access to the Pacifica coast. SR 35 (Skyline Boulevard) generally runs along the eastern edge of Pacifica, and is a major north-south route connecting to Santa Clara County and San Francisco. Sharp Park Road follows a southwest-northeast route through the center of Pacifica, connecting SR 1 with SR 35. It continues east of SR 35 in South San Francisco as Westborough Boulevard. Each of these major roadways intersects with I-280, an eight-lane major regional freeway on the Peninsula located between one-half and two miles from the Planning Area.
INSERT Photo 02
SamTrans provides a Park & Ride lot on Linda Mar Boulevard. Only about 1.5 percent of trips beginning or ending in Pacifica are made using public transportation.
INSERT Photo 03
SR 1 is a two-lane highway south of Linda Mar Boulevard, a four-lane highway between Linda Mar and Sharp Park, and a four-lane divided freeway north of Sharp Park.
INSERT Photo 04
Arterials such as Terra Nova Boulevard serve relatively high volumes of vehicles, but are also important links for bicycle and pedestrian movement.
ROADWAY CLASSIFICATION
Pacifica’s roadway network is comprised of freeways, highways, arterials, collector streets and local streets. Each classification reflects the character of the roadway as well as its function within the context of the circulation system. Figure 5-1 illustrates the roadway network with street classifications.
Freeways and Multi-Lane Highways
Freeways typically have speed limits of 55 and 65 miles per hour (mph) and four to eight lanes, with physical medians and uninterrupted flow. Multilane highways generally have posted speed limits between 40 and 55 mph.
2 Unlike freeways, multilane highways are interrupted by 2 City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG), 2007 Congestion Management Program, Appendix A.
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intersections or driveways. These roadway types serve high volumes of high speed regional vehicle traffic, including automobiles and trucks. Bicycles and pedestrians are prohibited. In Pacifica, SR 1 north of Linda Mar Boulevard and SR 35 both have segments that are freeways and segments that are multilane highways.
Two-Lane Highways
The 2011 C/CAG Congestion Management Program defines a two-lane highway as a two-lane roadway with one lane for use by traffic in each direction. In Pacifica, SR 1 is considered a twolane highway south of Linda Mar Boulevard.
Arterials
In Pacifica, arterials are classified as roadways that are wider, accommodate higher volumes of traffic, or may provide access to the state highway system. Arterials generally provide important connections between different areas of Pacifica. They have frequent intersections and points of access, and may pass through pedestrian-intensive commercial areas. These roadways serve relatively high volumes of vehicles, but are also important links for bicycle and pedestrian movement. Most arterials in Pacifica have existing or planned bike lanes. In most cases, arterials are also the location of bus service in Pacifica. Along certain arterials, notably Palmetto Avenue, Esplanade Avenue, and sections of Oceana Boulevard, Paloma Avenue and Manor Drive, the pedestrian environment should be prioritized.
Collectors
In Pacifica, collectors have slower permitted speeds than arterials, serve short, local trips, and accommodate travel between residential neighborhoods and arterials. Collectors are generally larger streets in residential areas but have smaller widths than arterials. Collectors have moderate volumes of vehicular traffic, and accommodate equally automobiles, bicycles, and pedestrians within the right-of-way. Transit use, if any, is incidental, and pedestrians are provided with continuous sidewalks on both sides of the street, to the greatest extent feasible. On-street parking is allowed and encouraged.
INSERT Figure 5-1 Roadway Network and Planned Improvements Mode Priorities
Table 5-3 shows generally how vehicle modes of travel are accommodated on each type of roadway with the City. This table provides a guide for how future roadway improvements should help to produce a complete streets network in Pacifica, with different roadways balancing needs differently to create a system that functions optimally for all users.
Table 5-3 Mode Priorities By Roadway Type
Facility Transit Bicycles Pedestrians Trucks Automobiles Freeways and Multilane Highways X X
Two-lane Highways
Arterials
Collectors
Local X
= Dominant
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p = Accommodated
= Incidental
X = Prohibited
1 Transit has priority over bicycles on Arterials, where conflicts exist.
STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS IN PEDESTRIAN PRIORITY AREAS
Pedestrian Priority Areas (PPAs) are areas within proximity to one or more schools, trailheads, and a crossing of Highway 1 that have potential to generate substantial volumes of pedestrians.
While pedestrian improvements are not limited to within these areas, areas with highest needs include the Manor, Sharp Park, Vallemar/Fairway Park, and Linda Mar PPAs. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan provides specific recommendations for each PPA, but pedestrian infrastructure improvements fall into six general categories, including pavement markings; pedestrian-actuated beacons; street furniture; sidewalks, trails, and medians; intersection and street design; and studies.
The City of Pacifica has made public realm improvements in Rockaway Beach and completed the first phase of street scape improvements for Palmetto Avenue from Clarendon Road north to Paloma Avenue in 2017. Improvements included additions of new bikeways with green pavement markings, landscaping and bulbouts, lighting, and undergrounding utilities. The Sharp Park Specific Plan includes several policies to further enhance the comfort, atmosphere, and navigability of the streetscape for pedestrians and bicyclists within the Sharp Park neighborhood, such as those shown in Figure 5-2.. During the planning period, additional attention will be paid to streetscape improvements in the City’s mixed use centers and other visitor-oriented commercial areas.
INSERT Figure 5-2: Palmetto Avenue Streetscape Improvements The first phase of streetscape improvements included mid-block and corner sidewalk extensions, a class II bikeway, undergrounded utilities, and cohesive lighting. The Sharp Park Specific Plan includes recommendations for trees, landscaping, and furnishings along Palmetto to further enhance the street.
ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND COMPLETE STREETS
Roadway improvements will follow design standards for each roadway classification that take into account a facility’s relation to the larger circulation system; appropriate travel speeds; surrounding land uses; conditions for managing local access; safety; and mode priority, as described in this chapter. These standards will be based on “Complete Streets” concepts, and State and federal requirements for “routine accommodation” of cyclists and pedestrians. They will be flexible enough to adopt the latest and best ideas, and allowing for adjustment to existing right-ofway and special circumstances.
Many roadways in Pacifica offer opportunities for redesign of the existing right-of-way to balance the needs of all users and create a safer and more attractive public realm. Roadway improvements that do not require adjustments to curbs may involve the narrowing of travel lanes to a more compact 10 or 11 feet to accommodate bicycle lanes, or the conversion of four-lane streets to three lanes, with one travel lane in each direction and a continuous center left-turn lane. Figure
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5-3 illustrates two examples of how arterial and collector roadways may be retrofitted to function as a complete street. The first example, a segment of Linda Mar Boulevard in a residential neighborhood context, requires only restriping. The second example, a segment of Crespi Drive in a mixed-use center context, includes extending the sidewalk and building a median. Specific roadway retrofits will require additional future analysis.
INSERT Figure 5-3: Illustrative Roadway Retrofits
Note: Roadway retrofits will require additional analysis.
LEVEL OF SERVICE STANDARDS
Level of Service (LOS) is a measure of the degree of vehicle congestion that occurs during peak travel periods and is the traditional measure of roadway and intersection performance. Level of Service can range from “A” representing free-flow conditions, to “F” representing extremely long delays. LOS B and C signify stable conditions with acceptable delays. LOS D is typically considered acceptable for a peak hour in urban areas. LOS E is approaching capacity and LOS F represents conditions at or above capacity.
The City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG) has LOS standards for highways (see Table 5-4).
Table 5-4 C/CAG Level of Service Descriptions
LOS Freeways and Multilane Highways Two-Lane Highways
A Highest quality of service with free-flow
conditions and a high level of maneuverability.
Free-flow conditions with a high level of
maneuverability. Passing is easy to
accomplish.
B Free-flow conditions, but presence of other
vehicles is noticeable. Minor disruptions easily
absorbed.
Stable operations with passing demand
approaching passing capacity.
C Stable operations, but minor disruptions cause
significant local congestion.
Stable operations, but with noticeable
increases in passing difficulty.
D Borders on unstable traffic flow with ability to
maneuver severely restricted due to
congestion.
Approaching unstable traffic flow.
Passing demand is high while passing
capacity approaches zero.
E Unstable operations with conditions at or near
capacity. Disruptions cannot be dissipated and
cause bottlenecks to form.
Unstable operations. Passing is
virtually impossible and platooning
becomes intense.
F Forced or breakdown flow with bottlenecks
forming at locations where demand exceeds
capacity. Speeds may drop to zero.
Heavily congested traffic flow with
traffic demand exceeding capacity.
Speeds may drop to zero.
Source: C/CAG, San Mateo County Congestion Management Program, 2011.
In Pacifica, the most critical congestion occurs on SR 1 and SR 35, where certain intersections and roadway segments currently operate at LOS E or F during peak periods. (See Table 5-67) As established in this General Plan 2040, the City’s policy is to limit further deterioration of traffic conditions by evaluating the significance of impacts of new development on highway congestion and requiring improvements to maintain, if possible, LOS D for City streets and the LOS standards set by the City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG) for roadway segments included in the San Mateo County Congestion Management Program (CMP).
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Multi-Modal Level of Service
To apply the Complete Streets framework, this Circulation Element identifies qualitative indicators that may be used to prioritize improvements and evaluate projects, for all users, including transit riders, pedestrians, and cyclists, based on the National Cooperative Highway Research Program.3 An LOS grade is established for each mode, based on the user’s perceptions of the quality of service provided by the street. These grades correspond to numerical scores, which are calculated using a variety of inputs that cover the facility design, facility controls, and volumes by mode. The thresholds for each grade are shown in Table 5-5 and described below. 3 National Cooperative Highway Research Program. “Multimodal Level of Service Analysis for Urban Streets” Report 616. Washington, DC: 2008.
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Table 5-5 Definition of Multi-modal Level of Service Indicators LOS Transit Bicycle Pedestrian
A
(Good walk access to bus
stops, frequent service, good
bus stop amenities.)
(Few driveway and cross street
conflicts, good pavement
condition, ample width of outside
lane, including parking and bike
lanes.)
(Low traffic volumes, wide buffer
separating sidewalk from traffic,
numerous street trees, and high
parking occupancy.)
B
C
D
E
F
(Poor walk access to bus stops,
infrequent service, poor
schedule adherence, no bus
stop amenities.)
(Poor pavement condition, narrow
width of outside lane, frequent
driveways and cross streets.)
(High traffic volumes, limited
buffer separating sidewalk from
traffic, few street trees, low
parking occupancy.)
Source: Dowling Associates, 2010.
The Bicycle LOS is a weighted combination of the bicyclists’ experience at intersections and on street segments in between the intersections. The numerical score is dependent on:
• Presence of conventional (striped) bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, cycle tracks, or wide outside travel lanes;
• Pavement condition; and
• Vehicle speeds and volumes.
Pedestrian LOS is based on pedestrian density and a weighted combination of factors related to pedestrians’ experience on the street segment and at intersections as well as roadway crossing difficulty. The numerical score is dependent on:
• Width of the buffer;;
• Presence of parking lane and/or bike lane;
• Number of street trees;
• Parking occupancy;; and
• Traffic volumes.
For transit LOS, the numerical score is dependent on:
• Average scheduled headway and on-time performance;
• Bus speed and perceived travel time;
• Bus stop amenities; and
• Pedestrian LOS (e.g. pedestrian volumes, intersection controls).
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PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS
The City currently has one roadway improvement project in the planning stage within the Planning Area. This improvement is related to the Manor Drive Overcrossing project, described below and shown in Figure 5-1. Other improvements to the roadway network are expected to be needed during the planning period to achieve a balance between existing and future land use and traffic carrying capacity. Major street improvements planned or programmed for Pacifica are described below.
Manor Drive Overcrossing
The Manor Drive overcrossing is planned to be widened and coordinated signal control is recommended to be added at the intersections of Manor Drive with Oceana Boulevard and Palmetto Avenue. This project includes a new on-ramp to SR 1 from Oceana at Milagra Drive.
Potential Additional Improvements to Accommodate Buildout Additional improvements are justified based on the analysis of existing and projected future traffic conditions with projected growth during the planning period, compared to the City’s level of service standards. These potential additional improvements should be considered in coordination with Caltrans and the County of San Mateo. • SR 35: By 2040, SR 35 would operate at LOS F during PM peak hour between Hickey Boulevard and Timberhill Court in the absence of improvements. While most of this traffic is not related to the expected employment and residential growth in Pacifica, an additional lane of travel in the northbound and southbound directions will improve the roadway segment LOS to an acceptable level B or better. Widening would need to occur on the east side of the roadway only to allow for planned development. • Intersection of Hickey Boulevard and SR 35: Signal timing optimization is required, specifically for the 2040 PM peak hour volumes, to ensure that the intersection operates at an acceptable LOS of D during both AM and PM peak hours. • Intersection of Paloma Avenue and Oceana Boulevard: This intersection currently operates at LOS F during the AM peak hour and meets a peak hour signal warrant. (See Table 5-9). Signalization of this intersection would improve the operation to LOS D during the AM peak hour and would maintain LOS C during the PM peak hour, consistent across existing and build scenarios, with slightly increased delay for the build PM scenario. Further analysis should be conducted to determine if signalization is appropriate and improves bicycle and pedestrian safety in concert with improved vehicular traffic movement.
• Intersection of SR 1 and Reina del Mar: The limited right of way and high volumes at the intersection result in no easy improvements to reduce delay to acceptable levels.
Reducing green time for underutilized approaches is feasible and reduces delay to acceptable levels if the pedestrian phase is removed with installation of a pedestrian overcrossing allowing for safe grade-separated crossing of pedestrians across SR 1. This improvement will result in operations maintaining LOS E during both AM and PM periods for the build scenario, respectively.
• Intersection of SR 1 and Fassler Avenue: By 2040, the intersection of SR 1 and Fassler Avenue will operate at LOS E during the PM peak hour. Signal timing optimization will improve operations to LOS D.
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INSERT Photo 07
Some Pacifica neighborhoods contain streets that were not built to current standards or have deteriorated and need improvements.
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
Intersection Operating Conditions
Of the 13 study intersections, five are located along roadway segments included in C/CAG’s Congestion Management Program (CMP) for San Mateo County. Four of these are located along Highway 1 (SR 1) and one is located along Skyline Boulevard (SR 35). As shown in Table 5-67, one of the four five CMP intersections along SR 1 currently operates at the CMP standard LOS E during the AM peak hour (Reina Del Mar and SR 1), and the rest operate at LOS D or better during both AM and PM peak hour, while the Reina del Mar and SR 1 intersection operates at LOS D during the PM peak hour.at an unacceptable LOS during the AM peak hour (Reina Del Mar and SR 1), and none of the five intersections operate at an unacceptable LOS during the PM peak hour. Also, with the exception ofexcept for the intersection of Paloma Avenue and Oceana Boulevard during the AM peak hour, none of the seven non-CMP intersections currently operate at an unacceptable LOS (defined as LOS E or F by this General Plan) in the AM and/or PM peak hours.
With buildout of the General Plan, all of theintersections along CMP roadway segments would continue to operate at LOS E or better, consistent with the CMP standard. However, LOS would degrade from LOS D to LOS E at the Reina del Mar and SR 1 intersectiontwo of the five CMP intersections would operate at unacceptable LOS during the study peak hours. As proposed in the Plan, replacing the existing pedestrian crosswalk with a pedestrian overcrossing at the intersection of SR 1 and Reina del Mar Avenue would help with the excessive delay, however, it still remains at LOS E. Also, optimizing the signal timing at the intersection of SR 1 and Fassler Avenue would reduce delay and improve intersection operations during PM peak hour but the intersection would continue to operate at LOS D.
Regarding the non-CMP intersections, two intersections (i.e., intersection of Manor Drive and Palmetto Avenue and intersection of Manor Drive and Oceana Boulevard) would operate at unacceptable LOS F and LOS E, respectively, during the study peak hours with building of the General Plan.mostly operate at unacceptable LOS during peak hours.
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Table 5-67: Peak-Hour Intersection Operations Summary – Existing and Plan Buildout Conditions
Peak
Hour
Existing Plan Buildout (2040)
Intersection Control Delay
1 LOS
2 Delay1 LOS2
CMP Intersections
1 Hickey Boulevard / SR 35 Signalized
AM 41.7 D 50.8 D
PM 39.1 D 50.8 D
10 Reina del Mar Avenue / SR
13 Signalized
AM 61.0 E 69.6 E
PM 35.5 D 58.2 E
11 Fassler Avenue / SR 13 Signalized
AM 35.5 D 38.8 D
PM 47.8 D 37.0 D
12 Crespi Drive / SR 1 Signalized
AM 12.2 B 14.7 B
PM 7.1 A 9.7 A
13 Linda Mar Boulevard / SR 1 Signalized
AM 17.3 B 28.0 C
PM 27.2 C 43.6 D
Non-CMP Intersections
2 Manor Drive / Oceana
Boulevard4
AWSC5
Signalized
Build
AM 18.0 C 63.1 E
PM 23.2 C 44.3 D
3 Manor Drive / Palmetto
Avenue4
AWSC5
Signalized
Build
AM 32.1 D 96.9 F
PM 23.0 D 71.7 E
4 Paloma Avenue/
Oceana Boulevard
AWSC5
Signalized
Build
AM 66.6 F 48.4 D
PM 15.4 C 23.5 C
5 Paloma Avenue/
Francisco Boulevard AWSC
AM 11.2 B 17.5 C
PM 9.8 A 13.2 B
6 Paloma Avenue/
Palmetto Avenue AWSC
AM 12.4 B 20.8 C
PM 12.3 B 28.7 D
7 Clarendon Road/Oceana
Boulevard AWSC
AM 12.4 B 17.1 C
PM 12.3 B 15.1 C
8 Clarendon Road/
Francisco Boulevard AWSC
AM 9.8 A 11.9 B
PM 10.2 B 11.6 B
9 Francisco Boulevard/ SR
1 AWSC5 AM 5.0 A 5.0 A
PM 5.0 A 5.0 A
Notes:
1 Delay is in seconds per vehicle. For signalized intersections, delay is based on average stopped delay. For unsignalized intersections, delay is based at the worst approach for two-way stop controlled intersection. 2 LOS = Level of Service
5 AWSC = All-way stop control
Source: DKS Associates, 2021.
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INSERT Photo 08
SR 35 from Hickey Boulevard to Timber Hill Street operates at LOS B or better with the planned improvement during both AM and PM peak-hours, and its intersection with Hickey Boulevard also operating at LOS D during both peak periods.
Roadway Segment Operating Conditions
As shown in Table 5-78, 106 of the 126 CMP study roadway segments studied are CMP roadway segmentscurrently operate at or above the threshold of LOS E. Seven of these roadway segments would change to below the CMP LOS E standard or result in further deterioration of an existing LOS F segment during AM or PM peak hours under buildout of the General Plan.Three northbound segments of SR 1 currently operate at LOS F in the AM peak hour, and three southbound segments operate at LOS F during the PM peak hour. Bottlenecks exist at areas along SR 1 as a result of an increase in traffic control devices and at-grade intersections between Westport Drive and Linda Mar Boulevard.
At Plan buildout, six CMP segments would operate at LOS F during the AM and PM peak hours if no improvements were made. The CMP requires the City to take steps to ensure development projects reduce their impacts on the CMP transportation network, such as through implementation of transportation demand management (TDM) measures identified in the CMP.
None of the local roadway segments would operate at LOS E or F during the AM or PM peak hours at Plan buildout.
Table 5-78 Peak Hour Roadway Segment Operations Summary – Existing and Plan Buildout Conditions
Peak
Hour
Existing 1
Plan Buildout
(2040)
Roadway
Segment Class Location
Measur
e of
Effectiv
eness
(MOE)
MO
E1 LOS2 MOE1
LOS
2 State/CMP
Routes
SR 35 Type I From South of SR 1 to
Hickey Blvd
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.60 A 0.64 B
PM 0.72 C 0.85 D
SR 35 Type I From Hickey Blvd to
South of SR 1
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.71 B 0.75 C
PM 0.58 A 0.68 B
SR 35 Type I From Hickey Blvd to
Timber Hill St
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.90 D 0.53 A
PM 0.90 D 0.67 B
SR 35 Type I From Timber Hill St to
Hickey Blvd
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.87 D 0.51 A
PM 0.88 D 0.64 B
SR 1
2-Lane
Highwa
y
Between Old San
Pedro Ave and Linda
Mar Blvd
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.27 C 1.03 F
PM 0.20 B 1.05 F
SR 1 4-Lane From Linda Mar Blvd to V/C AM 0.61 C 0.67 C
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Table 5-78 Peak Hour Roadway Segment Operations Summary – Existing and Plan Buildout Conditions
Peak
Hour
Existing 1
Plan Buildout
(2040)
Roadway
Segment Class Location
Measur
e of
Effectiv
eness
(MOE)
MO
E1 LOS2 MOE1
LOS
2 Highwa
y
Crespi Dr Ratio PM 0.43 B 0.58 C
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Crespi Dr to
Linda Mar Blvd
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.30 B 0.43 B
PM 0.69 C 0.79 D
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Crespi Dr to Sea
Bowl Ln
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.76 D 0.90 E
PM 0.68 C 0.68 C
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Sea Bowl Ln to
Fassler Ave3
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.78 D 0.90 E
PM 0.52 C 0.68 C
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Fassler Ave to
Crespi Dr3
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.36 B 0.52 C
PM 0.83 D 0.97 E
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Fassler Ave to
Reina del Mar Ave3
V/C
Ratio
AM 1.17 F 1.30 F
PM 0.70 D 0.87 E
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Reina del Mar
Ave to Fassler Ave3
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.59 C 0.76 D
PM 1.16 F 1.35 F
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Reina del Mar
Ave to Mori Point Rd3
V/C
Ratio
AM 1.23 F 1.37 F
PM 0.72 D 0.89 E
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Mori Point Rd to
Reina del Mar Ave3
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.66 C 0.84 D
PM 1.24 F 1.42 F
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Mori Point Rd to
Ave to Westport Dr3
V/C
Ratio
AM 1.23 F 1.37 F
PM 0.72 D 0.89 E
SR 1
4-Lane
Highwa
y
From Westport Dr to
Mori Point Rd3
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.66 C 0.84 D
PM 1.24 F 1.42 F
Local
Roadways
Hickey
Blvd Type II From SR 35 to Gateway
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.26 A 0.25 A
PM 0.57 A 0.27 A
Hickey
Blvd Type II From Gateway to SR 35
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.45 A 0.40 A
PM 0.33 A 0.31 A
Reina del
Mar Ave Type I From SR 1 to Lauren Ave
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.34 A 0.40 A
PM 0.27 A 0.31 A
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Table 5-78 Peak Hour Roadway Segment Operations Summary – Existing and Plan Buildout Conditions
Peak
Hour
Existing 1
Plan Buildout
(2040)
Roadway
Segment Class Location
Measur
e of
Effectiv
eness
(MOE)
MO
E1 LOS2 MOE1
LOS
2 Reina del
Mar Ave Type I From Lauren Ave to SR 1
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.36 A 0.42 A
PM 0.22 A 0.26 A
Fassler
Ave. Type I From SR 1 to Ebken St V/C
Ratio
AM 0.21 A 0.22 A
PM 0.38 A 0.39 A
Fassler
Ave. Type I From Ebken St to SR 1 V/C
Ratio
AM 0.39 A 0.40 A
PM 0.20 A 0.20 A
Crespi Dr Type II From SR 1 to Roberts
Rd
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.11 A 0.13 A
PM 0.20 A 0.25 A
Crespi Dr Type II From Roberts Rd to SR
1 V/C
Ratio
AM 0.18 A 0.24 A
PM 0.15 A 0.18 A
Linda Mar
Blvd Type II From SR 1 to De Solo Dr
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.22 A 0.23 A
PM 0.42 A 0.41 A
Linda Mar
Blvd Type II From De Solo Dr to SR 1
V/C
Ratio
AM 0.30 A 0.29 A
PM 0.29 A 0.30 A
Source: DKS Associates, 2020.
Notes:
1 MOE = Measures of Effectiveness. MOE is measured in v/c ratios (volume to capacity ratios).
2 LOS = Level of Service is based on 2007 C/CAG of San Mateo County Final Congestion Management Plan criteria
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Traffic Signal Warrant Analysis
Eight unsignalized intersections were investigated to determine whether traffic signals were warranted (see Table 5-89). At Plan buildout (2040), the intersection of Manor Drive and Oceana Boulevard, West Manor Drive and Palmetto Avenue, and Paloma Avenue and Oceana Boulevard would meet the signal warrant criteria for the AM and PM peak hours. The West Manor Drive and Palmetto Avenue intersection would meet the signal warrant analysis for the PM peak hour, but not for the AM peak hour because the 2040 C/CAG model indicates that traffic volumes for this intersection will decrease between the existing study year and 2040.
Table 5-89 Existing Conditions Signal Warrant Analysis
Existing Plan Buildout (2040)
Intersection
AM Peak
Hour Warrant
Met?
PM Peak
Hour Warrant
Met?
AM Peak
Hour Warrant
Met?
PM Peak
Hour Warrant
Met?
Manor Drive / Oceana Boulevard Yes Yes Yes Yes
W. Manor Drive / Palmetto Avenue Yes Yes Yes Yes
Paloma Avenue/ Oceana Boulevard No No Yes Yes
Paloma Avenue/ Francisco Boulevard No No No Yes
Paloma Avenue/ Palmetto Avenue No No No No
Clarendon Road/Oceana Boulevard No No No No
Clarendon Road/ Francisco Boulevard No No No No
Francisco Boulevard/ SR 1 No No No No
Source: DKS Associates, 2021.
The intersections of Manor Drive and Oceana Boulevard, and West Manor Drive and Palmetto Avenue, and Paloma Avenue and Oceana Boulevard may need to be modified in terms of traffic control (traffic signalization), efficiency (widening of the overcrossing to provide shoulders and flaring curb returns without changing the existing number of lanes), and Highway 1 access (adding the Milagra Drive onramp). The City’s planned improvements to the two intersections as well as the overcrossing and Milagra Drive on-ramp as part of the Manor Drive overcrossing project will allow traffic to flow through the area in a much better manner, by remaining on the intended streets and reducing the diversion to side streets and neighborhoods.
POLICIES
Guiding Policies
CI-G-1 ✳Comprehensive Circulation System. Create a comprehensive, multi-modal transportation system with streets and highways; transit facilities; a continuous network of sidewalks and bicycle routes.
CI-G-2 ✳Serve All Users. Plan, design, build, and maintain transportation improvements to support safe and convenient access for all users with priority for “complete streets” projects that facilitate walking, bicycling and transit use wherever possible.
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CI-G-3 Safety. Make safety a primary objective in street planning and traffic regulations.
CI-G-4 Level of Service (LOS) for All Modes of Travel. Assess the performance of the transportation system by measuring how well pedestrians, bicycles, and transit vehicles as well as automobiles are able to move within and through the community.
CI-G-5 Vehicle Miles Traveled. Strive to reduce overall vehicle miles travelled by developing higherdensity, mixed use areas, designing pedestrian-oriented streets, and improving transit options and efficiency.
CI-G-6 ✳Context Sensitivity. Plan, design, and build transportation improvements so that they respect the design and intensity of the surrounding environment.
CI-G-7 ✳Congestion on Highway 1. In consultation with Caltrans, seek solutions to ease the traffic congestion that occurs on Highway 1 near the Reina Del Mar, Fassler Avenue, and Linda Mar Boulevard intersections. Strive for the greatest benefit with the least environmental impact possible.
CI-G-8 Congestion on Hickey and Skyline. Improve travel to and from Pacifica’s northern neighborhoods by easing congestion on Hickey Boulevard through coordinated signalization or other changes, and working with the County to improve operations on SR 35 (Skyline Boulevard).
CI-G-9 ✳Coordination of Local and Regional Actions. Coordinate local transportation planning and improvements with State, Regional and County agencies to ensure consistency with the Regional Transportation Plan, the Congestion Management Program, and other regional actions.
CI-G-10 ✳ Abandonment of Public Rights-of-Way. Ensure that abandonment or vacation of public rights-of-way does not adversely impact coastal access.
Implementing Policies
Complete Streets Implementation
✳Connective Street Network. Require new streets created as part of new development to continue existing street patterns, and include stub access points to adjacent undeveloped areas.
✳Complete Streets Design Approach. Update the City’s engineering design standards to implement Complete Streets concepts, and include Complete Streets design principles in the planning of all circulation improvement projects. These principles include, but are not limited to:
• Maximizing connections with the existing circulation network; • Minimizing ingress and egress points and consolidating entries; • Providing public transit facilities and improvements;
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• Providing bicycle and pedestrian facilities (bike lanes and sidewalks); • Minimizing pedestrian crossing distances by providing curb extensions; medians with safety refuges, and other treatments;
• Improving safety by providing lighting and traffic calming devices for residential streets; • Including landscaping (trees, medians, key intersections and gateways); • Providing appropriate signage, including street signs, entry signs, directional signs, and coastal access identification signs;
• Providing street furniture; and
• Maintaining on--street parking.
Any proposed development or transportation project that does not adequately incorporate complete streets concepts should be supported by findings of why all travel modes have not been accommodated. The Complete Streets approach should be applied to new roadway construction as well as to retrofit projects.
✳Complete Streets in the Project Development Process. Incorporate complete streets concepts at each stage of the development process for projects affecting the right-of-way, including the following:
• As part of design review, both at Phase I and Phase II, require documentation of how the “routine accommodation” of bicyclists and pedestrians has been satisfied in planning and design.;
• During project review and approval, ensure that the objectives and purpose are consistent with MTC directives on Complete Streets and Routine Accommodation; • For projects subject to MTC’s Resolution 3765, as amended, work with MTC to secure approval of the Complete Streets checklist and submittal to MTC of all required documents.
Integrating Complete Streets considerations should require only minor additions to normal design, acquisitions, and approval guidelines.
✳Roadway Retrofits. Identify opportunities to retrofit existing roadways to create complete streets, giving priority to arterial and collector streets where travel lanes may be narrowed or where four lanes may be converted to three, including a center left turn lane, with bicycle facilities added in both cases.
Linda Mar Boulevard, Terra Nova Boulevard, Fassler Avenue, Palmetto Avenue, Esplanade Avenue, Monterey Road, Hickey Boulevard, Rosita Road, Crespi Drive, Oddstad Boulevard, Everglades Drive, Alicante Drive, Talbot Avenue, Inverness Drive, and Gateway Drive may all present opportunities for roadway retrofits. Roadway retrofits will also help to complete the bicycle network, as described in Section 5.4, and provide safety for cyclists. Ten- and elevenfoot travel lanes are often acceptable for auto and transit use, respectively, without adversely affecting capacity. Roadway retrofits will require additional analysis.
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✳Streetscape in Mixed Use Areas. Require pedestrian-oriented amenities and design in visitor-oriented commercial and mixed use areas, including wider sidewalks, curb bulbouts at key intersections, outdoor seating, and public art.
Priority streetscapes include Palmetto between Paloma and Clarendon; Montecito, Santa Rosa, and San Jose Avenues in West Sharp Park; Rockaway Beach Avenue and Dondee Way in Rockaway Beach; lower Crespi Drive and Linda Mar Boulevard in Linda Mar; Manor Drive and Aura Vista Drive in West Edgemar-Pacific Manor; and Oddstad and Terra Nova Boulevards and new streets created as part of redevelopment of the Park Mall site. ✳Block Size and Maximum Street Spacing. For new development at the Quarry site or Park Mall site, require streets to be designed to maximize connectivity for automobiles, cyclists, and pedestrians, with blocks between 200 and 600 feet in length. Provide midblock pedestrian connections where blocks exceed 500 feet in length.
The intent of these standards is to prevent development of introverted neighborhoods, provide flexibility in circulation, and promote access for bicyclists and pedestrians. ✳Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Create and solicit input from a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees (BPAC) on planning and funding for transportation improvement projects.
Roadway Improvements to Ease Congestion and Improve Level of Service ✳SR 1 Improvements Between South of Fassler and North of Reina del Mar. Continue to work with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) to improve operations along SR 1. Strategies could include installation of a pedestrian overcrossing, allowing for safer grade-separated crossings of pedestrians.
Improvements to SR 1 should alleviate traffic congestion between north of Reina del Mar and south of Fassler Avenue while improving pedestrian comfort, minimizing environmental impacts and impacts to adjacent land uses, ensuring adequate local access, and enhancing the community’s image.
✳Manor Drive Overcrossing Improvements. Complete planned improvements to the Manor Drive overcrossing to facilitate traffic movement across SR 1 for all modes.
Improvements should include widening of the overcrossing, possible signal control at the intersections of Manor Drive with Palmetto Avenue and Oceana Boulevard, and a new onramp to SR 1 from Oceana Boulevard at Milagra Drive.
SR 35 Improvements. Work with San Mateo County to evaluate, design and implement improvements to SR 35 to relieve congestion along this roadway within Pacifica.
Improvements that would mitigate regional growth may include adding an additional travel lane in either direction, or widening on the east side of the roadway only.
Most growth in traffic along SR 35 is unrelated to expected growth in Pacifica.
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SR 35 and Hickey Boulevard Intersection Improvements. Add signal timing optimization to the SR 35 and Hickey Boulevard intersection.
Paloma Avenue and Oceana Boulevard Improvements. Add signal control to the intersection of Paloma Avenue and Oceana Boulevard to improve pedestrian safety and facilitate traffic movement.
Hickey Boulevard and Gateway Drive Intersection Improvements. Add signal control to the intersection of Hickey Boulevard and Gateway Drive, with signal timing to facilitate traffic movement.
✳Strategies to Reduce School-Related Peak Hour Auto Congestion. Work with Pacifica School District and Jefferson Union High School District to promote adoption of staggered hours, car-pooling, and use of transit to reduce traffic congestion during peak hours.
This policy applies especially to Vallemar School and the Pacifica School District offices, where trips contribute to traffic congestion around SR 1 and Reina del Mar Avenue.
Level of Service Standards
Multi-modal Level of Service (LOS) Performance Measures. Develop performance measures for LOS for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users, based on the criteria in this chapter and on “best practices.”
Measures may be both quantitative (for example, sidewalk width) and qualitative (perceived safety and attractiveness.)Measures should use data that is readily available or can be readily collected, while providing an accurate assessment.
LOS for Pedestrians, Cyclists and Transit Users. Strive to maintain LOS C or better for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users on all roadways, and impose mitigation measures as needed to achieve multi-modal service objectives.
Vehicle Level of Service on Roadways Included in the Congestion Management Program. Accept an LOS E on SR 1 and SR 35, consistent with the C/CAG Congestion Management Program (CMP), in planning improvements.
Vehicle Level of Service for Other Roadways and Intersections. For all roadways and intersections not included in the CMP network, strive to balance reducing VMT with maintaining LOS D for vehicles during peak periods. Allow level of service to exceed this threshold under the following circumstances:
• Constraints on development as would be required to achieve or maintain these standards would adversely impede achievement of this Plan’s economic, land use and community development, and environmental goals and policies;
• Mitigation of congestion would negatively affect transit, bicycle or pedestrian circulation, or would conflict with General Plan goals for these alternative modes of circulation, for
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example by increasing crossing distances, increasing pedestrian safety risk, or restricting bicycle or transit access;
• Traffic congestion is a result of an effort to reduce VMT through promotion of transit ridership and/or access, including the development of higher-density development in mixed use areas; or
• A demonstrated significant increase in transit modes that reduce single-occupant vehicle trips, such as transit ridership, carpooling, bicycling, and/or walking is achieved.
Interim Standard for Intersection of Linda Mar Boulevard and SR 1 and Hickey Boulevard and SR 35. Accept LOS F at the intersections of Linda Mar Boulevard and SR 1 and Hickey Boulevard and SR 35 as an interim standard until feasible traffic improvements can be designed, funded and constructed.
Monitor Traffic Congestion at Key Intersections and Roadway Segments. Periodically monitor levels of service at intersections and roadway segments where existing LOS is E or lower.
Funding for Improvements
Transportation Improvement Funding. Establish funding mechanisms to ensuree that new development pays its proportionate share of the costs of new and improved transportation facilities as a result of the development.
Improvements for Existing Facilities. Maintain and upgrade local streets, sidewalks, utilities, and other City infrastructure in a manner that prevents deterioration and corrects existing deficiencies.
Safety
Design for Safety. Incorporate safety measures in improvement designs for intersections, roadways, pedestrians, transit, and bicycle facilities.
Development on Unimproved Streets. Continue to require a Site Development Permit for development on lots with unimproved streets to ensure off-site improvements meet City standards.
This policy will protect the visual and natural resource qualities of the hillsides and minimize adverse impacts on existing neighborhoods, drainage, traffic, land stability, and natural resources.
Emergency Access. Require all developers to incorporate emergency access needs consistent with Title 10 of the Municipal Code.
See Chapter 8: Safety for related policies.
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5.4 Pedestrian and Bicycle Network
PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
Walking is a basic and often overlooked part of all trips that also involve transit or automobiles. Walking can be ideal for short, local trips for shopping, school, and recreation. Adequate facilities for pedestrians help to ensure access to and along the coast. Chapter 6: Open Space and Community Facilities includes a section devoted to Pacifica’s trail system, and how it should be enhanced during the planning period. This section focuses on pedestrian facilities that support comfortable and safe day-to-day pedestrian travel.
Sidewalks and Crosswalks
Where sidewalks are present in Pacifica, they are generally between five and ten feet wide and in good condition. Crosswalks are provided at all studied intersections with appropriate striping and, where appropriate, pedestrian signals. However, there are streets within Pacifica that do not have sidewalks, which force pedestrians to walk in the road and navigate around parked cars. Under the General Plan 2040, pedestrian facilities will be improved and enhanced, especially within the four Pedestrian Priority Areas identified in the 2020 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan: Manor, Sharp Park, Vallemar/Fairway; and Linda Mar. Pedestrian improvements include pavement markings; pedestrian-actuated beacons; street furniture; sidewalks, trails, and medians; intersection and street design, and additional studies.
Within city limits, there are thirteen crossings of Highway 1. Each crossing type has a unique set of challenges associated with it. There are five at-grade crossings (ground level with intersections), five above-grade (overpasses) crossings, and three below-grade crossings (underpasses and tunnels).
Pedestrian/bicycle overcrossings are located at Milagra Drive and San Jose Avenue, with an undercrossing at Sharp Park Golf Course.
Hiking and Pedestrian Trails
Pacifica has a network of trails along the Pacific Ocean and on inland ridges. Some are paved and allow for cycling and pedestrians, while others are unpaved and only accommodate pedestrians. Some are open to horseback riders.
A brief summary of existing trails follows:
• The Coastal Trail is a seven-mile coastal trail starting from Sharp Park Beach, crossing Mori Point, passing through Rockaway Beach, and ending at Pacifica State Beach near the Linda Mar district.
• Milagra Ridge, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), has paved paths for hiking and bicycles and unpaved paths for hiking only. • Mori Point, an addition to the GGNRA, now an elevated trail with wooden decking leading to a viewing platform overlooking a new habitat pond; an accessible trail loop; and a new link in the Coastal Trail.
• GGNRA’s Sweeney Ridge Trails includes Mori Ridge Trail, connecting Shelldance Nursery at Highway 1 with Sweeney Ridge; Baquiano Trail, from the top of Fassler Avenue eastward to the Portola Discovery Site; Sneath Lane from San Bruno west to the Discovery Site, and Sweeney Ridge Trail, extending along the crest and connecting these trails.
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• Sweeney Ridge Trail, a part of the larger Bay Area Ridge Trail, which continues along the Fifield and Cahill Ridges to the south. To the north, it is interrupted at Milagra Ridge.
INSERT Photo 09
INSERT Photo 10
Streets in “Pedestrian Priority Zones” should be designed to emphasize pedestrian comfort and access. Redevelopment around Crespi Drive (middle) would be supported by streetscape improvements such as those at Rockaway Beach (top).
INSERT Photo 11
SR 1 presents a barrier to pedestrian movement in Pacifica.
INSERT Figure 5-4 Existing and Proposed Bicycle Network
BICYCLE CIRCULATION
Pacifica’s highly scenic setting, recreational amenities, and connections to major regional open spaces and trails make it ideal for recreational bicycle riding, and for local trips along the coastline or in the valley neighborhoods. However, the network of bicycle routes is inconsistently developed and not always well marked. The 2020 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan updates existing plans and identifies needs and opportunities to improve walking and bicycling on city streets as well as trail and beach access.
The proposed bicycle network, shown in Figure 5-4, is a critical component of the circulation network. It shows both bicycle routes and improved signage to improve access and safety. It provides bicyclists with a complete network of continuous and safe access along the coastal corridor and between neighborhoods.
These designations support the 2020 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
Thebicycle network in Figure 5-4 includes four types of bikeway classifications, consistent with Chapter 1000 of the Caltrans Highway Design Manual:
• Class I facilities (bike paths or trails) have exclusive right-of-way, are separated from roads, and exclude general motor vehicle traffic.
• Class II facilities (bike lanes) are marked by painted stripes on the roadway. While the striping provides preferred space for bicycles, they are still part of the paved road and are not exclusive for bicycles.
• Class III facilities (bike routes) share traffic lanes with automobiles and are only identified by signage.
• Class IV facilities (separated bikeways) are for the exclusive use of bicycles and includes a separation required between the separated bikeway and the through vehicular traffic. The separation may include, but is not limited to, grade separation, flexible posts, inflexible posts, inflexible barriers, or on-street parking.
INSERT Photo 12 A Class I bicycle trail and walking path were built along a restored portion of lower Calera Creek in the 1990s, providing an alternative to cycling along SR 1 for this stretch of the Coastal Trail.
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North-South Bikeways
Within Pacifica, there are 11 miles of bicycle facilities. Existing facilities are broken into two primary categories: on-street bikeways and trails. The Coastal Trail is the centerpiece of Pacifica’s trail network and accounts for most of the system’s mileage. The Coastal Trail and Palmetto Avenue are the primary active transportation north-south spines of Pacifica’s active transportation network, both are west of Highway 1. Highway 1 and the side path (about 10-feet wide), where present, also provides north-south connectivity, but in a higher-stress environment. Currently, bike lanes are primarily on three corridors:
Linda Mar Boulevard, Palmetto Avenue, and the uphill side Sharp Park Road. The Palmetto and Linda Mar facilities provide access to schools, and the Sharp Park facility connects to the Milagra Ridge Trail.
However, many of the shared-use paths within Pacifica lack comfortable bikeways along major arterials and gaps at barriers and may leave people who want to bike disconnected from the many destinations within Pacifica.
A series of additional bikeways are proposed to serve the Sharp Park, Vallemar, Rockaway Beach, Linda Mar, and Pedro Point neighborhoods. These routes are planned to provide convenient access to most Pacifica residents, to connect to Pacifica amenities and attractions, to follow streets with gradual slopes, and to use through streets with adequate right-of-way for bicycle facilities where possible. The type of bikeway class should be appropriate to the context of each street while maximizing safety, separation from vehicles, traffic calming, and network/destination connectivity.
Bicycle Parking and Facilities
Facilities are an essential component of Pacifica’s bicycle network. End-of-trip facilities include bicycle parking (short-term and long-term parking), self-repair stations, and lockers and changing areas in existing or new buildings. Outdoor facilities, especially bicycle parking, is an important factor because potential users may be less likely to complete a trip by bicycle if they do not believe they have a safe and secure location to lock their bike.
Current bicycle parking is limited in Pacifica. Bike racks are close to most major destinations along the two bike routes, but are not present at Rockaway Beach, the beach access location at the end of Esplanade Avenue, in the Pedro Point area, at some of the public schools, or in the Pacific Manor commercial area.
Improved parking and facilities will increase the comfort and appeal of biking in Pacifica during the planning period.
POLICIES
Guiding Policies
CI-G-11 ✳Bicycle and Pedestrian Routes. Establish trails, bike routes and pedestrian amenities connecting neighborhoods to major shopping, public transportation, recreation, and public facility destinations, and fill in gaps in the existing network.
CI-G-12 Walkable Neighborhoods. Improve pedestrian amenities to create more walkable neighborhoods, especially in mixed-use activity centers and around schools.
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CI-G-13 ✳Recreational Access. Provide recreational access to coastal resources and public open space in keeping with Pacifica’s natural environment, with links to regional trails and bicycle corridors.
See Chapter 6 for additional Trail System policies.
CI-G-14 ✳Mobility for All Users. Create a safe and attractive pedestrian environment accessible for all users, particularly persons with disabilities, seniors, and younger residents and visitors.
CI-G-15 ✳Connections Across Highway 1. Enhance under- and over-crossings of Highway 1 for pedestrians and bikes to improve accessibility and connect neighborhoods to each other and to the coast.
CI-G-16 ✳Coastal Trail and North-South Bikeway. Complete the Coastal Trail and the north-south bikeway from the north to south end of the City parallel to Highway 1, providing clear, safe and efficient means to traverse coastal Pacifica.
Implementing Policies
Pedestrian Access
✳Pedestrian-Oriented Street Improvements. Implement Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan recommendations to improve pedestrian-oriented safety and comfort. Priority locations for pedestrian-oriented design improvements include:
• Pedestrian Priority Areas (including Manor, Sharp Park, Vallemar/Fairway Park, and Linda Mar PPAs,) which include mixed use and higher-intensity areas; • Streets that are part of Pacifica’s proposed trail system improvements; • Streets adjacent to schools; and
• Locations where pedestrian-automobile collisions have occurred. ✳Sharp Park Specific Plan Streetscape. Complete and implement streetscape improvements in the Sharp Park Specific Plan to widen sidewalks, provide bike lanes, landscaping, and make other improvements that will upgrade the appearance of the area and make it more attractive to pedestrians.
✳Additional Pedestrian Facilities on Large Sites. Enhance the pedestrian network with an interconnected system of walkways, continuous sidewalks on both sides of the street, and pedestrian crossings as part of higher-intensity redevelopment of large sites.
Safe Routes to Schools. Partner with Pacifica School District and Jefferson Union School District to develop and implement a Safe Routes to Schools program. ✳Universal Design. Require all pedestrian facilities to be ADA compliant and accessible to persons with disabilities.
Bicycle Facilities
INSERT Photo 13
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INSERT Photo 14
A consistent Class 1 shared use path on SR 1 between Reina del Mar Avenue and San Pedro Creek will complete a direct north-south bikeway (top). Routes to the east and west feature Class II and Class IV facilities that provide greater comfort and scenic value (bottom). ✳Neighborhood Bikeways. Develop a system of bikeways connecting all neighborhoods to the City's north-south pathway consistent with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
Class II Facility Design. Wherever Class II facilities are designated, make bike lanes at least 5 feet wide along local streets and at least 6 feet wide on arterials or highways.
Separate Class II facilities from vehicle traffic with a solid stripe and mark them with bike lane symbols.
A one-foot buffer strip between the bike lane and vehicle traffic should be provided wherever feasible to increase safety. Raised or two-way cycle tracks or other forms of bikeway should also be considered where appropriate.
Class III Facility Design. Demarcate Class III bicycle facilities by painting “sharrows” on streets, where appropriate.
Signage Program. Develop and implement a signage program for the bikeway system in order to:
• Alert motorists to the presence of cyclists on the road; • Alert cyclists to route turns junctions, and changes in the class of bicycle facility; and • Provide a clear identity for each bicycle route, and periodically provide distance to key destinations.
Obstructions. Align designated bikeways to avoid obstructions such as light posts, signage, trees, and curb cuts, and relocate or modify these obstructions as necessary.
Priorities for Improvements. Make designated bicycle routes a priority for pavement repair, as needed, and for regular maintenance to remove sand, gravel or other debris.
Improved Bikeway Visibility. Use strategies to improve bikeway visibility, including but not limited to:
• Using visual cues such as brightly-colored paint on bike lanes or a one-foot painted buffer strip;
• Upgrading a Class III facility to Class II and providing additional signage; and • Removing on-street parking, if feasible.
✳Bicycle Lockers at Public Parking Lots. Replace existing bicycle lockers at the public parking lot on Crespi Drive, and add lockers at the park-and-ride lot on Linda Mar Boulevard.
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✳Bicycle Parking at Recreation Areas. Provide bicycle parking at the following locations, when feasible:
• Park and beach access at the northern end of Esplanade Drive (Lands End Apartments); and
• Pedro Point Headlands/Devil’s Slide.
✳Bicycle Parking Requirements for New Development. Continue to require bicycle parking facilities in new non-residential development.
✳Bicycle Parking at Schools and Workplaces. Work with the school districts and employers to provide adequate bicycle parking at all schools and workplaces with 30 or more employees.
Bicycle Education. Distribute appropriate informational material to all schools in Pacifica in conjunction with bicycle education campaigns. ✳Funding for Bicycle Facilities. Designate a portion of the City’s annual street construction and improvement budget to fund bikeway design and construction, and continue to pursue potential funding from MTC and San Mateo County Transportation Authority, as well as appropriate Federal and State programs. ✳Eligibility Criteria for Improvements. Review eligibility criteria for funding for improvements from the State, to obtain additional funding for bicycle facilities.
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5.5 Public Transportation and Transportation Demand
Management
Pacifica’s location at the edge of the metropolitan area and its relatively low density makes extensive transit service or use challenging. Just one percent of all trips to or from Pacifica are made using transit.
While as much as four percent of trips between Pacifica and San Francisco are made by transit, only a fraction (under 0.5 percent) of trips within Pacifica are transit trips. Growth during the planning period is expected to be limited, but the General Plan aims to concentrate new development in mixed use, transitaccessible locations.
TRANSIT SERVICE
The San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) provides bus service throughout San Mateo County and into San Francisco and Palo Alto. SamTrans provides local service in Pacifica as well as service to and from BART and Caltrain stations.
Bus Routes
As of 2019, nine SamTrans bus routes serve Pacifica (see Figure 5-5). • Routes 14 and 16 make loops through the southern and northern areas of Pacifica serving shopping areas, schools, and services.
• Routes 19 and 49 provide service on school days to serve students. Route 19 makes loops through southern Pacifica and up to Ingrid B Lacy Middle School, and Route 49 connects northern Pacifica to Terra Nova High School.
• Routes 110 and 112 provide service between the Highway 1 corridor in Pacifica and the Daly City and Colma BART stations, respectively. Both terminate at Linda Mar Shopping Center. • Route 118 provides service to Colma BART station during the AM and PM peak hour periods of weekdays.
• Route 121 runs through Pacifica’s northern upland neighborhoods, serving Fairmont Shopping Center and providing connections to Skyline College in San Bruno, Serramonte Shopping Center and Seton Medical Center in Daly City, and the Daly City and Colma BART stations. • Route 140 connects the Pacific Manor shopping center on Palmetto Avenue and Manor Drive to Skyline College and the San Bruno BART station to the east. It extends to Terra Nova High School on school days to serve students.
• Route 17 connects the Linda Mar Park and Ride to Half Moon Bay and the Hillsdale Caltrain station in San Mateo.
INSERT Photo 15
SamTrans provides bus service within Pacifica and to and from BART and Caltrain stations.
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INSERT Figure 5-5 Existing Transit Routes
BART and Caltrain
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) provides rail rapid transit to Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties. The Colma, Daly City, San Bruno, and South San Francisco BART stations are accessible to Pacifica residents via bus connections or by car.
Caltrain provides commuter service over a 77-mile route between downtown San Francisco and Gilroy, through San Jose and along the San Francisco Peninsula. The San Bruno station is approximately eight miles east of Pacifica, while the South San Francisco station is approximately six miles east. Dial-a-Ride Service
All SamTrans buses are accessible to persons with disabilities. The San Mateo County Transit District also operates dial-a-ride (or paratransit) service for persons who cannot use fixed-route bus service.
Paratransit service in the Planning Area is called RediCoast.
Planned Transit Improvements
In Summer 2019, SamTrans launched Reimagine SamTrans, a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) to redesign the entire SamTrans bus system. COAs are in-depth studies that analyze transit agency services. Reimagine SamTrans began its work by evaluating every element of the SamTrans system to identify improvements to local and regional travel connections, route design, how often buses run, best practices for operations and public health, and more. Reimagine SamTrans utilized data and public input to pinpoint the strengths and challenges in the current bus system. The recommended SamTrans changes are slated to be adopted in Winter 2021 and implemented in summer 2022. Changes include shortening of Route 112 to provide more streamlined service; elimination of the FLX Pacifica route, to be covered by Route 110; and direct service on Route 118 to/from Daly City BART only. Neither BART nor Caltrain have planned improvements that would change service levels in the vicinity of Pacifica.
POLICIES
Guiding Policies
CI-G-17 ✳Improved Public Transit. Advocate for SamTrans and other public transit providers to improve transit service and facilities, to enable trips to be made without use of a car. In particular, advocate for the expansion of public transit services and facilities to improve public access and recreation opportunities along the coast.
CI-G-18 ✳Transportation Demand Management (TDM). Support TDM strategies to reduce congestion and single-occupant vehicle travel.
Implementing Policies
✳Service Optimization. Continue coordination efforts with transit agencies (i.e., SamTrans) to maintain transit service that is safe and efficient, provides convenient connections to high-use activity areas and key destinations outside the City, and responds to the needs of all passengers, including seniors, youth, and persons with disabilities.
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✳Improved Transit Stops. Work with transit agencies to improve transit stops and access to facilities.
INSERT Photo 16
The Linda Mar Park & Ride lot (top) is a hub for transit in Pacifica.
INSERT Photo 17
The City should work with transit agencies to improve transit stops to create a more pleasant, comfortable, and safe waiting environment for transit users (bottom). ✳Park-and-Ride Locations and Attributes. Work with Samtrans to identify changes that would improve the convenience and functionality of Park-and-Ride facilities, and result in increased ridership.
✳Transit-Oriented Development. Work with Samtrans to facilitate transit-oriented development at all appropriate locations where existing or projected future rider demand will support it.
✳Promotion of Transit Use. Promote transit use and reduce reliance on the private automobile in order to reduce congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve quality of life.
✳Transportation Demand Management Measures. Incorporate conditions of approval for development projects that exceed the Congestion Management Program (CMP) threshold for impacts to the CMP transportation network to require adoption of transportation demand management (TDM) measures authorized by the CMP to make measurable reductions in their trip generation and to require a monitoring plan to determine if established trip reduction targets are met or exceeded. Require TDM measures for development projects below the CMP threshold whenever feasible, but do not require a monitoring plan for these smaller projects.
✳Local Transportation Services. Support expanded funding for local transportation services tailored to the schedules and destinations of students, seniors, and recreational visitors. tailored to the schedules and destinations of students, seniors, and recreational visitors. ✳Age-Friendly Community. Support mobility programs and improvements that enable mobility for all people, including seniors and people with disabilities.
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5.6 Truck Movement
In addition to moving people, the roadway system in Pacifica carries trucks moving goods. Trucks move well through the City and to destinations in the City, particularly in commercial areas. However, there is very little industrial activity in the Planning Area, and locally-originating truck trips are minimal.
SR 1 and SR 35 are State-designated truck routes, including their segments in the Planning Area. The routes allow truck traffic to pass through the City with minimal impact on residential neighborhoods, local vehicular traffic and pedestrians. They also aim to discourage the use of Sharp Park Road for through truck traffic because of its sharp curves and grade change. Designated truck routes do not prevent trucks from using other streets as needed for local trips.
POLICIES
Guiding Policy
CI-G-19 Truck Movement and Quality of Life. Balance commercial goods movement with the health and quality of life priorities of the community.
Implementing Policy
Truck Route Identification. Ensure that clear identifying signage is provided for trucks on SR 1 and SR 35.
5.7 Parking
Parking policies are intended to accommodate parked vehicles used by occupants, visitors, customers, clientele, and employees of a variety of buildings in the City. These policies seek to provide accessible, attractive, secured parking facilities, and to ensure adequate access to beaches and recreational open spaces along the coastline.
ON-STREET PARKING
On-street parking is an important contributor to a street’s functionality. On-street parking is permitted on most residential streets in Pacifica. It is allowed and encouraged on collector streets, and on most arterials in pedestrian-oriented commercial areas. On-street parking can complement both automobile and pedestrian use, and provide a buffer between the two. On-street parking is not permitted on high-traffic roadways such as SR 1, SR 35, Sharp Park Road, and small, limited sections of Linda Mar Boulevard and Fassler Avenue. On these roadways, smooth traffic flow is prioritized.
OFF-STREET PARKING
The City requires off-street parking and loading facilities for all new developments.
Off-street parking is available in public lots in the Planning Area that serve commuters, beach visitors, and visitors to recreational open space areas.
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• Commuter parking is provided at the park-and-ride lot on Linda Mar Boulevard. • Public parking lots for beach visitors exist at Pacifica State Beach, Rockaway Beach, and Sharp Park Beach and Promenade. The public parking lot on Crespi Drive serves the Community Center as well as beach visitors.
• The Northern Coastal Bluffs and the Esplanade bluff are publicly protected open space with limited trail or beach access, and are served by on-street parking. • Trailhead parking is provided on GGNRA land at Milagra Ridge and Shelldance Nursery. Parking serving GGNRA open spaces in Pacifica is also provided at Skyline College just east of the Planning Area. Parking also exists at San Pedro Valley County Park. • Public pParking lots exist at Fairmont Park, Fairmont West Park, Oddstad Park, Sanchez Park, and Frontierland Park.
Commuter lots are shown on Figure 5-5: Transit Routes and Facilities. Trailhead parking for open space and beach users is shown on Figure 6-2: Trail System. Table 5-10 provides a current inventory of offstreet parking for commuters and beach visitors in the Planning Area.
Table 5-10 Commuter and Beach Visitor Parking
Type and Location
Capacity
(approx.)
Park-and-Ride Lots
Linda Mar 70
Subtotal 70
Beach Visitor Lots
Crespi Drive 110
Pacifica State Beach (south) 54
Pacifica State Beach (north) 135
Rockaway Beach (south) 50
Rockaway Beach (north) 54
Sharp Park Beach Promenade/Pier 53
Subtotal 456
Source: Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.
INSERT Photo 18
Pacifica aims to ensure good access to beaches and recreational open spaces along the coastline.
In summer 2013, Pacifica State Beach began a parking program, wherein a parking receipt or pass is required to park in both the north and south Pacifica State Beach parking lots on Highway 1, the Crespi Drive lot, and SR 1 adjacent to the Pacifica Community Center. Recently constructed parking areas include a lot at the north tunnel entrance at Devil’s Slide, enhanced visitor services at Shelldance Nursery
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provide access to GGNRA lands. In the future, the public parking area at Sharp Park Beach/Pacifica Pier may be reconfigured as part of redevelopment of the former Wastewater Treatment Plant site.
The City should support the development of centralized off-street parking facilities in areas with multiple attractions or where pedestrian and bicycle circulation patterns should be prioritized. Centralized offstreet parking facilities can increase the efficiency of parking for visitors to attractions and can minimize the number of curb cuts for driveways which can disrupt safe pedestrian and bicycle circulation. One tool to accomplish development of centralized off-street parking facilities is payment of in-lieu parking fees by developers. In 2020, the City Council updated the fee for the Rockaway Beach Specific Plan area and enacted a new in-lieu parking fee for the Sharp Park Specific Plan area.
POLICIES
Guiding Policies
CI-G-20 ✳Private Parking. Ensure adequate off-street parking in all new development.
CI-G-21 ✳Public and Visitor Parking. Facilitate beach and recreational use by providing safe and well-located public parking.
CI-G-22 Commuter Parking. Facilitate transit use by providing safe, well-located park-and-ride lots.
Implementing Policies
Parking Lot Design. Set standards for the size and design parking lots to minimize environmental impact.
✳On-Street Parking. Revise the zoning code to preserve on-street parking by limiting the number and location of curb cuts.
Off-Street Parking. Update parking requirements in the zoning code based on “best practices,” including provisions for reduced parking and, if acceptable, parking maximums.
Shared Parking. Facilitate efficient use of parking areas by allowing uses whose primary activity occurs at different times of day or days of the week to share parking, and provide less than the sum total of parking spaces each use would be required to provide individually. Require a shared parking agreement and approval of the Planning Director. ✳Accessible Parking. Require convenient and accessible parking facilities for persons with disabilities, consistent with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
Parking Districts. Within mixed-use and commercial areas, monitor parking supply and availability and explore methods to alleviate parking shortages, including through increasing efficiency of on-street parking, shared parking arrangements, and need/feasibility of parking districts.
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In-Lieu Parking Fees. Allow developers to meet their minimum parking requirements via shared parking between uses, payment of in-lieu fees, or off-site parking within a reasonable walking distance.
Environmental Benefits. Amend the Zoning zcOrdinance to establish “green” parking design standards that have multiple benefits, including photovoltaic panels to generate energy for parking lot lighting, and pervious paving to improve groundwater recharge.
See also policies on stormwater management and sustainable planning and design in Chapter
7. See Chapter 3: Community Design for additional policies on designing parking to create a strong urban fabric.
✳New and Enhanced Trailhead Parking. Support GGNRA, the Coastal Conservancy and others in developing and enhancing new public parking for recreational users at Devil’s Slide and Shelldance Nursery.
✳Parking at Sharp Park Beach. Ensure that adequate and well-located public parking is preserved for Sharp Park Beach, the Promenade and Pier as part of any redevelopment of the City-owned 2212 Beach Boulevard property.
✳Signage for Visitor-Serving Parking. Undertake a citywide program for improving signs for public visitor-serving parking. This may include incorporating smart parking technology for high-demand parking lots to alert drivers to the location of available parking.
✳Parking Enforcement. Continue to make parking enforcement a priority at public visitor parking areas.
INSERT Photo 19
On-street parking contributes to compact and pedestrian-friendly commercial districts and neighborhoods.
INSERT Photo 20
Public parking at Sharp Park Beach/Pacifica Pier will be preserved.
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INSERT Photo 01 Pacifica 009
Open space is a defining feature of the Pacifica Planning Area, an extraordinary resource, and a priority for the community. Parks, schools, and public utility services are a vital part of a livable and sustainable Pacifica. The purpose of this chapter is to document existing public open space and community facilities and infrastructure, identify priority improvements, and ensure that they meet the needs of community members. The close relationship between open space, parks, recreation, and schools is highlighted.
Parks, Beaches, and Open Space
Parks and recreation facilities provide community gathering places, opportunities for relaxation, passive and active recreation, enjoyment of the natural environment, and a break from the stresses of everyday life.
Public open space in Pacifica also defines neighborhoods, establishes urban edges, creates scenic vistas, protects coastal resources, and protects rare and endangered or threatened plants and animals and their habitats.
Nearly half of the Planning Area land is protected open space or park land. In addition to large areas of preserved open space along ridgelines, Pacifica has over six miles of coastline and beaches, offering recreation opportunities that include isolated beach experiences, outstanding fishing, surfing, tide-pooling and diving. Trails provide public access along the Planning Area’s ridges and coastline. Pacifica also provides City parks in a variety of sizes for local residents and visitors, maintains a partnership with local school districts making certain recreational facilities available for community use, and has a historic coastal public golf course. Both existing parks and proposed improvements are shown on Figure 6-1, Parks and Open Space System.
INSERT Figure 6-1: Parks and Open Space System
CITY PARKS AND PLAYFIELDS
City parks and playfields provide active use areas and areas for local passive enjoyment for Pacifica residents. These include district parks, neighborhood parks, pocket parks, special facilities, and school grounds. As Table 6-1 shows, Pacifica's City parks and playfields total just over 240 acres, providing 6.3 acres per 1,000 Pacifica residents in 2020.
District Parks
Pacifica has one park whose size and range of amenities translates to a service area larger than the immediate neighborhood. Frontierland Park, at the eastern edge of the Park Pacifica neighborhood,
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comprises 63 acres. It features a picnic area, sports fields, a children’s play area, and undeveloped hillside land.
Neighborhood Parks
Pacifica has six neighborhood parks ranging in size from about four to 20 acres for a total of 55 acres.
These parks are summarized below, from north to south.
• Fairmont West Park covers five acres and includes a soccer field, basketball hoops, and public restrooms. • Fairmont Park comprises six acres and includes a parking area, a small community building, and a playground.
• Imperial Park, with 13 acres, is steeply sloping and largely unimproved. It has a play area accessible from Imperial Drive. • Fairway Park provides three baseball diamonds.
• Oddstad Park occupies a mostly wooded 20 acres on a ridge in Linda Mar, with one access point, from Crespi Drive, two parking areas, a basketball court, and a building used by a theater company, and another building used by a performing arts school. • Sanchez Park occupies about half of the 8.8-acre site of the former Sanchez School, now used as an arts center. The park contains two t-ball fields and a soccer field.
Pocket Parks
Pacifica has 11 small parks that provide playlots or public use areas serving the immediate vicinity.
Edgemar Park, Skyridge Park, and Pomo Park are the largest of these, at one to two acres each. Other pocket parks include the City-owned Horizon, Brighton, Palmetto, and Portola Mini-Parks, and privatelydeveloped mini-parks in the Connemara, Cypress Walk, and Timber Hill subdivisions and on Monterey Road.
Special Facilities
Beach Boulevard Promenade is located above the seawall in the West Sharp Park neighborhood. It is served by public parking, and is popular for walking and jogging. The Promenade provides picnic tables and access to the Pacifica Pier and Sharp Park Beach.
Pacifica Municipal Pier is one of the Bay Area’s most popular places to fish. The pier is adjacent to the Promenade and picnic area along Beach Boulevard. A café is located at the foot of the pier.
The Grace McCarthy Vista Point, on Sharp Park Road, features a sheltered viewpoint with benches overlooking the Sharp Park neighborhood, the Pier, and the Ocean.
Pacifica Skate Park opened in 2005, and is located adjacent to the Pacifica Community Center on Crespi Drive.
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School Playfields
Schools provide recreational resources used by the community, including playing fields, at nine sites with a total of 112 acres. With the exception of the Oceana High School pool, the City does not have a joint-use agreement with either Jefferson Union High School District or Pacifica School District to operate fields on evenings or weekends.
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Table 6-1: City Parks and Playfields
Park Acres1 Park Acres
District Parks Special Facilities
Frontierland Park 63 Grace McCarthy Vista Point 2.6
Subtotal 63 Pacifica Skate Park 1.4
Neighborhood Parks Rockaway Beach Promenade 0.1
Fairmont Park 6.4 Beach Boulevard Promenade and Pier 1.3 Fairmont West Park 4.9 Subtotal 5.4
Fairway Park 6.9 School Playfields3
Imperial Park 12.8 Cabrillo School 10.0
Oddstad Park 19.9 IB Lacy Middle School 4.0
Sanchez Park 4.5 Linda Mar School 4.0
Subtotal 55 Ocean Shore School 4.0
Pocket Parks Oceana High School 19.0
Brighton Mini-Park 0.1 Oddstad School 5.0
Connemara Mini-Park2 0.3 Ortega School 17.0
Cypress Mini-Park2 0.5 Sunset Ridge School 11.0
Edgemar Park 1.2 Terra Nova High School 33.0
Horizon Mini-Park 0.1 Vallemar School 5.0
Monterey Mini-Park2 0.6 Subtotal 112
Palmetto Mini-Park 0.1 Total 242
Pomo Park 0.8 Current Parks Ratio4 6.3
Portola Mini-Park 0.2
Skyridge Park 1.9
Timber Hill Mini-Park2 0.3
Subtotal 6.3
Notes:
1. Acreage subtotals and totals may not add up due to rounding.
2. Private parks created as part of development, these are not counted as City parkland.
3. Owned and operated by Pacifica School District or Jefferson Union High School District.
4. Acres of publicly-owned land per 1,000 residents, at 2020 population of 38,330.
Sources: San Mateo County Assessor's Office, 2019; City of Pacifica, Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.
Park Standards
The City’s park standards, shown in Table 6-2, are intended to meet the needs for active and passive recreation and enjoyment of Pacifica residents and visitors over the planning period. For local-serving parks, the General Plan provides standards for park size, service area, and distribution. The table compares these standards to existing park land, and presents a range of park land needs to keep pace with population growth through the planning period.
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Size Range and Service Area
All residents should be within a short walk (one-quarter to one-half mile) of either a neighborhood park or usable outdoor area at a school site, but not necessarily both. This flexibility underlines the importance of maintaining outdoor play areas at school sites for community use after school hours.
Most Pacifica neighborhoods fall within the service area standards for neighborhood parks or school play fields. However, Pedro Point, Rockaway Beach, Rockaway, West Fairway Park, and parts of West and East Sharp Park, West and East Edgemar-Pacific Manor, and West Linda Mar do not meet the General Plan’s service standard in this category. Areas where active play areas are not readily accessible should be priorities for future improvements, even if those are as simple as exercise stations and a playground.
Beaches may reasonably make up for this park shortage in some areas. Meanwhile, only the southern portion of the City is currently within three miles of Frontierland Park, Pacifica’s only “district park.” While an opportunity to change this is not likely, it may become possible in the long term to convert a portion of Sharp Park or the Oceana High School campus to a district park with multi-use characteristics.
The General Plan does not specifically establish acreage standards for regional parks, and no longer identifies a classification for large City parks of 100+ acres, as this is neither feasible nor needed.
Distribution (Acres per 1,000 Residents)
Pacifica requires developers to dedicate land or pay an in-lieu fee to provide park land at a ratio of five acres per 1,000 residents. The citywide ratio (6.3 acres per 1,000) includes school grounds. Distribution standards by park type are provided in ranges to give the City flexibility to respond to opportunities and adapt to potentially changing circumstances.
Recreation Facilities and Needs
Athletic Fields and Courts
City parks include five baseball fields and two soccer fields. School sites provide another 15 tennis courts, 10 baseball or softball fields, eight soccer fields, four football fields, three gyms, two full tracks, and two swimming pools. The Jean E. Brink Pool, located at Oceana High School, is home to the City of Pacifica’s aquatics program. The pool at Terra Nova High School is not open to the public. Pacifica’s two high schools have renovated athletic facilities at both campuses.
Pacifica youth participate at high levels in league sports, including two soccer and three baseball leagues.
Currently, local sports leagues may use the City’s fields for free but may take responsibility for maintenance. The leagues pay a fee to the school districts for use of those fields, often using grant money from parent organizations. There is a shortage of fields for both organized play and general community use.
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Table 6-2: Park Standards
General Plan Standards
Existing
Parkland
Existing Ratio
(Acres/1000
persons)
New Acres
Needed Classification1 3 Size Range Service Area
Acres/1000
Persons2
District Parks 20 – 100 acres 1/2 to 3 miles 1.5 to 2.25 63 1.5 0 to 27 Neighborhood Parks 3 – 20 acres 1/4 to 1/2-mile 1.5 to 1.75 55 1.3 4 to 14 Pocket Parks 2500 sq. ft. - 1 acre Subneighborhood 0.15 to 0.25 6.3 0.2 0 to 4 Special Facilities NA City 0.15 to 0.25 5.4 0.1 0 to 5
School Playfields 4 - 30 acres 1/4 to 1/2-mile 2.0 to 3.0 112 2.7 0 Total 6.34 242 6.3 20.7
Notes:
1. The Planning Area also includes 2,937 acres of regional park land and beaches.
2. Total park land acreage standard assures future development will provide new park land at 5 acres per 1,000 residents.
3. Assumes population of 41,050 in 2040, and 5 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents provided for new development.
Sources: City of Pacifica, 2020; San Mateo County Assessor's Office, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.
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Playgrounds
Pacifica currently has 13 playgrounds within its district, neighborhood and pocket parks. West EdgemarPacific Manor, much of West Sharp Park, West Fairway Park, Rockaway Beach, and Pedro Point, as well as much of Linda Mar and Park Pacifica, are not within walking distance of a playground.
Other Amenities
Many parks have fields where dogs can play or be walked on-leash, and an off-leash dog park has been developed at Sanchez Park. Dogs also are allowed off-leash at Esplanade Beach. A bocce ball court has been built at the community center, with donated funds and services. 02a IMG_0205
Oddstad Park occupies a mostly wooded 20 acres on a ridge in Linda Mar.
INSERT Photo 02 Pacifica skate park
Pacifica Skate Park could become part of an enhanced community gathering place with diverse attractions.
Parks and Recreation Priorities
According to the California Parks and Recreation Society, the most valued feature of parks is the preservation of and access to outdoor spaces, particularly minimally-developed areas in a nearly natural state and areas with facilities for children’s play and for exercise and group sports. Parks also provide a sense of social connectedness.1 The desire for natural areas is abundantly met in Pacifica.
While Pacifica has a good inventory of park land, some built-out neighborhoods with limited existing parkland may experience increasing in-fill density, leading to unique park needs. Additionally, fiscal constraints make park maintenance a challenge in the future. Pacifica is likely to focus on solutions to address park access in built-out neighborhoods, such as rooftop parks or public plazas, enhancing existing parks, and evaluating opportunities to create new parks on underused public land and as part of new development. Opportunity sites for new parks and park improvements are shown in Figure 6-1.
REGIONAL PARKS AND BEACHES
Regional Parks
Regional parks and beaches, totaling approximately 2,930 acres, are listed in Table 6-3. This park land is owned and managed by various agencies, including the National Park Service, the State of California, San Mateo County, the City and County of San Francisco, and the City of Pacifica. The City does not have permitting authority over park land owned by other public agencies. While the California red-legged frog and the endangered San Francisco garter snake are noted within the Mori Point and Sharp Park areas, these or other sensitive species may also be present in other regional park or beach areas. 1 California Park & Recreation Society. Market Research to Support CRPS Building the Brand Initiative. March 2009.
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Table 6-3: Regional Parks and Beaches
Park Name or Category Owner Acres
Regional Parks
Golden Gate National Recreation
Area National Park Service or Others1 1,958
Sharp Park22 City and County of San Francisco 397
San Pedro Valley County Park San Mateo County 521
McNee Ranch State Park3 State of California 22
Subtotal 2,888
Beaches
Sharp Park Beach City and County of San Francisco, State of California14 Rockaway Beach Private 5
Pacifica State Beach State of California, City of Pacifica 21 Subtotal 40
Total 2,937
Notes:
1. As of 2021, some GGNRA land is owned by the City of Pacifica, and the California Coastal Conservancy.
This includes 5 acres of land, known as the Colt Property in Pedro Point, currently owned by the City of Pacifica.
2. Portion of Sharp Park Beach within Sharp Park is calculated separately below.
3. Only a small portion of McNee Ranch State Park is within the Planning Area.
Source: San Mateo County Assessor's Office, 2019; City of Pacifica, 2021; Dyett & Bhatia, 2012.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Sweeney Ridge, Mori Point, Milagra Ridge, and land on Pacifica’s Northern Coastal Bluffs are part of the National Park Service’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), which extends in segments from Point Reyes, through San Francisco, to the Santa Cruz Mountains. Additional land owned by the California Coastal Conservancy and the City of Pacifica on Pedro Point Headlands and Sweeney Ridge is may be added to the GGNRA in the future. As of 2018, GGNRA estimated approximately 17 million visitors to the Recreation Area as a whole. Protected ridges and coastal bluffs in and adjacent to the GGNRA are features of major local and regional significance as well as being vantage points for impressive views of the coast and bayside ridges and valleys.
Northern Coastal Bluffs
GGNRA manages approximately 17 acres of bluffs along the ocean in the far northern end of Pacifica, nearly contiguous with GGNRA-managed coastal land around Mussel Rock in Daly City. This land offers wide open views from Palmetto Avenue. There is currently no improved public access. GGNRA intends to preserve and enhance the natural and scenic value, with some public access.
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Sharp Park
The 400-acre Sharp Park is the result of a 1917 land bequest by the Sharp family to the City and County of San Francisco, on the condition that the land remains in recreational use. Sharp Park contains an 18-hole public golf course, with 14 of those holes located in the Coastal Zone and occupying 128 acres between the ocean berm and Highway 1. Sharp Park Golf Course was established in 1932 and designed by British golf course architect, Alister MacKenzie. Sharp Park Golf Course provides low-cost golf to the general public, with reduced greens fees for Pacifica and San Francisco residents. Sharp Park Golf Course also includes habitat for the California red-legged frog and the endangered San Francisco garter snake. In 2009, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission adopted a restoration plan that would retain the golf course, while also creating more habitat by realigning parts of the course.
Milagra Ridge
The 245-acre Milagra Ridge area provides habitat to the federally-protected Mission Blue Butterfly and the San Bruno Elfin Butterfly, which are considered sensitive to human disturbance. The park unit also offers spectacular views and historic resources. GGNRA manages Milagra Ridge with the primary goal of protecting and restoring natural habitat, while still providing public access. Access to the park is from a parking lot at the end of College Drive north of Sharp Park Road. A housing development on lower Milagra Ridge, Connemara, included the preservation of 35 acres of open space that could be transferred to an appropriate public or private land steward.
Sweeney Ridge
At 1,470 acres, GGNRA's Sweeney Ridge is the largest public open space tract in Pacifica. The park, reaching an elevation of 1,220 feet, offers views to Mount Tamalpais to the north, Mount Diablo to the east, Montara Mountain to the south, and the Farallon Islands to the west on clear days. Trailheads are at Skyline College, Shelldance Nursery off Highway 1, and Sneath Lane off Skyline Boulevard. Under GGNRA's management, Sweeney Ridge's natural landscape will be protected and trail amenities will be enhanced, including efforts to improve connections to the regional trail network and surrounding public lands. The City of Pacifica acquired 331 acres on upper Cattle Hill directly adjoining Sweeney Ridge on the west, and seeks to transfer the land to an appropriate public or private land steward.
The San Francisco Bay Discovery Site, where the Portola Expedition crossed over Sweeney Ridge in 1769 and for the first time came to view the Bay, is located on Sweeney Ridge. It is a National Registerdesignated historic site. Access to this landmark will be improved, and a hikers’ hut added as part of a system of huts proposed for the Bay Area Ridge Trail.
Shelldance Nursery, just off Highway 1 at the base of Sweeney Ridge, features a display of orchids, bromeliad, and stag head ferns. The site also provides shared-use trailhead parking for access to Sweeney Ridge and is used for park maintenance. GGNRA’s plans for Shelldance Nursery include new visitor facilities, a community stewardship/education center, enhanced trailhead parking, and an improved trail connection to Mori Point.
Mori Point
Mori Point, a 106-acre promontory between Sharp Park and Rockaway beaches, was added to the GGNRA in 2002. Mori Point is accessible from the Coastal Trail along Calera Creek, from the Sharp Park levee at Clarendon and Beach Boulevard, or from Mori Point Road in the West Fairway Park neighbor2.d Packet Pg. 719 Attachment: Attachment D - Redline Edits to Draft General Plan (5015 : General Plan Update and Sharp Park Specific Plan Recommendation to Chapter 6: Open Space and Community Facilities
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hood. The San Francisco garter snake and California red-legged frog are found on Mori Point, and the unit is managed for the protection of these species, while trail enhancements are also being provided.
Pedro Point Headlands
Pedro Point Headlands is the coastal extension of San Pedro Mountain, jutting into the Pacific west of Highway 1 north of Devil's Slide. Most of Pedro Point Headlands within the Planning Area are now owned by the State of California or the City of Pacifica. In 2016, the City of Pacifica added five acres of land, known as the Colt Property, to the Headlands using funds granted by Measure A and the State of California Habitat Conservation Fund. The construction of the Devil’s Slide Tunnel allowed the bypassed highway segment to be converted to a trail in 2014. Parking areas and trailheads are also now available at this segment, and new trails have been developed to link the trailhead at the north end with trails on Pedro Point Headlands The Headlands will be managed for habitat protection and public enjoyment.
San Pedro Valley County Park
The Middle and South Forks of San Pedro Creek flow year-round through the 1,150-acre San Pedro Valley County Park, providing spawning habitat for migratory Steelhead salmon. The park entrance is reached from the south end of Oddstad Boulevard in Pacifica; near the entrance the park offers two group picnic areas and a small visitors’ center. During rainy winter months, visitors can see Brooks Falls, which has a three-tiered, 175-foot drop. Ten miles of trails offer both easy walks and challenging climbs to the ridges, with views to the ocean. Approximately half of the park is within the Planning Area.
McNee Ranch State Park
McNee Ranch State Park adjoins San Pedro Valley County Park to the west. Trail connections between the parks allow hikers beginning in Pacifica to reach the summit of 1,900-foot North Peak and the ocean at Montara State Beach or Gray Whale Cove. Just 22 acres of this park are within the Planning Area.
INSERT Photo 03 Sweeney Ridge
Nearly 2,000 acres of land in the Planning Area are preserved as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, including Sweeney Ridge.
INSERT Photo 04 IMGP2913
A restoration plan would retain Sharp Park Golf Course while also creating more habitat.
INSERT Photo 05 DSCN1341
Pacifica State Beach is one of the most popular surfing spots in the San Francisco area.
Beaches
Pacifica State Beach
Pacifica State Beach, stretching more than a half mile between Pedro Point and Aramai Point, is one of the most popular surfing spots in the San Francisco area. By a 2005 estimate, more than one million visitors use Pacifica State Beach every year. Most of the beach and dunes are owned by the State and are part of the state parks system, but are managed by the City of Pacifica. Improvements completed in 2004 included rehabilitation of the Linda Mar Sewage Pumping Station, wetlands restoration, shoreline protection, dune restoration, improvements to the Coastal Trail, and new public restrooms.
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Rockaway Beach
Rockaway Beach lies on a small bay between rocky headlands. The south end of the beach may be accessed from a seafront plaza at the end of Rockaway Beach Avenue. A parking lot connects the south end of the beach to a new segment of the Coastal Trail crossing the Headlands between Rockaway Beach and Pacifica State Beach. The new section of Coastal Trail along Calera Creek can be reached from the north end of Rockaway Beach.
Sharp Park Beach and Pacifica Pier
Sharp Park Beach extends from Mori Point along the west side of the Sharp Park levee to the West Sharp Park neighborhood. The southern section is owned by the City and County of San Francisco as part of Sharp Park, while the northern portion is owned by the State. The beach is open to the public, and is popular for walking. It is reached from the south from a small trailhead at Mori Point, and from the north at the Beach Boulevard Promenade, where public parking is available. The Promenade also provides access to Pacifica Pier.
Other Protected Open Space
State planning law (Government Code Section 65560) provides a structure for the preservation of open space by identifying open space categories. These are:
• Open space for public health and safety;
• Open space for the preservation of natural resources; • Open space for resource management and production;
• Open space for outdoor recreation;
• Open space for the protection of Native American sites.
As summarized in Table 6-4, over 3,600 acres in the Planning Area are protected open space. The majority of this is in large regional parks. This parkland serves more than one of the open space functions above:
it may shelter sensitive habitat and feature steep slopes that present landslide hazards, while also providing opportunities for recreation.
The Planning Area also includes protected open space that does not have public access or provide recreational opportunities, but is preserved in keeping with one of the other state-identified open space categories. These protected open spaces are shown on Figure 6-1 as “Other Protected Open Space.” Table 6-4: Open Space Inventory
Open Space Type Category
Acre
s
Regional Parks and Beaches Outdoor Recreation, Natural Resources, Health & Safety
2,937
City Parks Outdoor Recreation 130
Other Protected Open Space
Greenbelts, Coastal Uplands and Bluffs Public Health and Safety 170 Riparian Corridors Natural Resources 17
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Peninsula Watershed Natural Resources 434
Total 3,683
Source: San Mateo County Assessor's Office, 2019; City of Pacifica, 2020; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.
Greenbelts, Coastal Uplands and Bluffs
The General Plan designates certain land for Conservation because it would be unsafe to develop due to slope failure, other seismic hazards, or coastal erosion, and may be considered “Open Space for Public Health and Safety.” These include the greenbelts along the San Andreas Fault corridor in the West Fairmont, Fairmont, and Westview-Pacific Highlands neighborhoods in the north, the greenbelts along steep slopes in the Linda Mar and Park Pacifica neighborhoods in the south, and land on the steep bluffs along Esplanade Avenue. Nearly all of this land is owned by the City of Pacifica. The rugged uplands of the Rockaway Quarry site and the cliffs around Rockaway Headlands are also designated for conservation and presented as Other Protected Open Space on Figure 6-1. Overall, protected greenbelts and coastal bluffs total approximately 170 acres.
Riparian Corridors
Calera Creek’s riparian corridor through the Rockaway Quarry site is owned by the City of Pacifica and preserved for its habitat value. Portions of Calera Creek in the Vallemar neighborhood and San Pedro Creek in Linda Mar and West Linda Mar are also set aside for permanent conservation.
Watershed Lands
The City and County of San Francisco owns 434 acres of land within the Planning Area directly east of GGNRA land on Sweeney Ridge, as part of its much larger Peninsula Watershed. The land is managed to protect this critical natural resource.
INSERT Figure 6-2: Protected Open Space Identified by the Open Space Task Force Report Open Space Task Force Recommendation
An Open Space Task Force, convened by City Council in 1984 “to identify, prioritize, and seek means for long-range preservation of significant open space in Pacifica,” identified 51 properties as priorities for preservation. Preservation strategies include public acquisition of land or conservation easements; General Plan and zoning changes; use of Transfer of Development Rights; and action by a local land trust. The Open Space Task Force recommendations include land that has been permanently preserved since the Report was produced. Land on Mori Point, Pedro Point Headlands, the Northern Coastal Bluffs, Esplanade Bluff, Sharp Park Beach, Pacifica State Beach, and upper Cattle Hill were acquired by land trusts, the City of Pacifica, the California Coastal Conservancy, or the National Park Service for conservation. Land on Milagra Ridge has been permanently conserved as part of the Skyridge and Connemara developments, as well as a portion of the Harmony @1 development (now known as Ohlone Point) south of Rockaway Beach, providing models for conservation with development.
Open Space Priorities
The General Plan identifies land on the Northern Coastal Bluffs and the bluffs along Esplanade Avenue as priorities for permanent conservation because of the presence of sensitive natural communities and the
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risks of development along the coast. Land may be managed by GGNRA, the City, or others, with development rights transferred with use of the City's TDR program.
On a variety of other sites shown on Figure 6-1 as “Partial Conservation with Development,” open space is expected to be preserved as part of development.
Open Space Conservation with Development
Land identified for “Partial Conservation with Development,” as shown on Figure 6-1, includes portions of Gypsy Hill, the Quarry, and Fassler Ridge where conservation areas should be determined based on habitat needs and site conditions. Having Conservation will use strategies such as clustered development, conservation easements, and transfer of development rights.
This land is designated for very low-density or low-intensity development, and permanent open space protection is expected to occur along with development. Habitat and other natural resources also will be protected by federal and State laws that protect wetlands, water quality, and Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHAs) in the Coastal Zone. Development on steep or unstable sites also will be limited to safe areas based on Chapter 8, Safety.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
OC-G-1 ✳Development of City Parks. Create and enhance neighborhood and pocket parks and plazas to provide access to local recreational space to all Pacifica residents.
OC-G-2 ✳Recreation Facilities. Enhance outdoor recreation facilities and services in local parks, in coordination with youth and adult leagues and community groups with priority given to sports fields and off-leash dog play areas.
OC-G-3 Community Gathering Place. Create or enhance one or more public plazas or central gathering places where all Pacifica residents come together. This place or places should be connected with concentrated, mixed use areas.
OC-G-4 ✳School Playfields. Continue to cooperate with the school districts to make school play fields available for public use after school hours.
OC-G-5 ✳Open Space Preservation. Preserve open space that protects natural resources, visual amenities, and public health and safety.
The top priority areas for conservation are beaches, oceanfront bluffs, ridgelines, hillsides areas adjacent to existing open space, and areas that support critical wildlife habitat and endangered species. See Figure 6-1.
OC-G-6 ✳Coastal Areas Suited for Water-Oriented Recreation. Continue to protect coastal areas suited for water-oriented recreational activities.
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This policy applies to, but is not limited to, the following: fishing at Pacifica Pier, surfing and other water recreation at Pacifica State Beach.
Implementing Policies
City Parks and School Playfields
OC-I-1 ✳Park Land Dedication or In-Lieu Fees. For new land divisions and residential development, continue to require the dedication of land or payment of in-lieu fees to provide park land at a ratio of five acres per 1,000 residents.
OC-I-2 ✳Park Development to Meet Park Standards. Develop new parks in a timely manner using in-lieu fees or land dedicated as part of new development, to ensure that Citywide park and recreation space is available to the community at a ratio of 6.4 acres per 1,000 residents by 2040.
OC-I-3 ✳Community Use of School Grounds and Recreation Facilities. Explore joint-use agreements and seek to strengthen these as needed to ensure community use of play areas and indoor recreation facilities at school sites.
OC-I-4 Emphasize Park Maintenance and Improvements. Enhance existing parks to improve the quality and usability of Pacifica’s park land, and make improvements such that park facilities are equitably distributed throughout Pacifica. In particular:
• Improve existing sports fields in partnership with local non-profit youth and adult athletic groups;
• Add playgrounds or expand play areas at Fairway, Imperial, and Oddstad parks; • Convert parking area to park space at Oddstad, and make improvements at the park’s entrance.
• Provide an off-leash dog area at a location in the northern part of the City.
INSERT Photo 06 DSCN3269
The City must work to ensure community use of recreation facilities at school sites.
INSERT Photo 07 DSC_0095
Dedication of land or payment of in-lieu fees to provide park land at a ratio of five acres per 1,000 residents has resulted in pocket parks such as this one on Timber Hill Street.
INSERT Photo 08 DSC_0203
The General Plan emphasizes improvements to enhance the quality of existing parks, including Sanchez Park.
OC-I-5 Sanchez Park Improvements. Target Sanchez Park for improvements so that it functions as a complete neighborhood park, with a playground and passive use areas, including a viewing area at San Pedro Creek. Integrate the arts center in the former school building into the park.
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OC-I-6 Multi-Use Park Site. Pursue opportunities to provide a district-scale park, using existing public open space, that would be a hub for group sports and athletic facilities. Potential locations may include:
• Oceana High School recreation facilities transferred from or shared with JUHSD, with City park improvements;
• New facilities developed on and around the former rifle range in the upland portion of Sharp Park; and
• Park land with a coastal setting on developable portions of the Quarry site.
OC-I-7 Community Center Park. Pursue development of a park with diverse and unique features, around and including the existing Community Center and Skate Park, with easy access by all modes of travel.
New features could include a more prominent interpretive setting for the historic Portola campsite; visitor orientation and restrooms; a playground and picnic area; and a viewing area facing adjacent wetlands.
OC-I-8 Sanchez Adobe Park. Work with San Mateo County to pursue development of a more parklike setting for the Sanchez Adobe while preserving historic and cultural resources, following the 2007 Master Plan.
OC-I-9 ✳Parks as Part of Future Development. Create future public spaces, accessible to the community, as part of the redevelopment of publicly-owned sites and of larger privately-owned sites, including the Rockaway Quarry site, the undeveloped San Pedro Avenue site, and the Milagra Canyon site.
OC-I-10 ✳Pocket Park Opportunity Sites on Public Land. Explore opportunities to develop pocket parks on public land that is not otherwise needed as neighborhood gathering places and play areas.
Potential sites are on street stubs or right-of-way not needed to serve future development, and within easy walking distance to adjacent residences. Amenities should include, but not be limited to, play or exercise equipment in park-deficient areas, and benches or picnic tables at scenic overlook points.
OC-I-11 Parks Landscaping. Promote landscapes with native vegetation, which requires little maintenance, little water, makes good wildlife habitat, and is fire resistant, in landscaping of City parks.
OC-I-12 Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Department. Continue to support the varied activities of the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department. Periodically review their activities to ensure that programs are meeting public needs.
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Regional Parks and Beaches
OC-I-13 ✳Public Access Improvements and Habitat Restoration. Support GGNRA in implementing habitat restoration and public access improvements at its park units in the Planning Area, including Sweeney Ridge, Milagra Ridge, Mori Point, and the Northern Coastal Bluffs.
OC-I-14 Cattle Hill. Complete the planned transfer of City-owned land on Cattle Hill to an appropriate public or private land steward to coordinate park land management and trail access and improvements.
OC-I-15 ✳Pedro Point Headlands. Complete the planned transfer of City-owned land on Pedro Point Headlands to an appropriate public or private land steward, and pursue land and/or trail easement acquisition if necessary to connect Headlands trails with the Coastal Trail in Pacifica.
OC-I-16 ✳Northern Coastal Bluffs. Promote the permanent conservation of private land on the Northern Coastal Bluffs to protect sensitive natural communities and protect against coastal erosion. Managed protected land together with adjacent GGNRA land.
OC-I-17 ✳Sharp Park. Support the continued operation of golf at Sharp Park Golf Course consistent with resource protection, natural hazard, and coastal vulnerability policies, and support development of additional recreational uses in upland portions of the Park located outside the Coastal Zone east of Highway 1.
The long-term management approach should protect existing development from hazards; protect and restore habitat; and maintain public access to and along the beach.
OC-I-18 ✳Sharp Park and Pacifica State Beaches. Maintain partnership with the State of California in ownership and management of Sharp Park Beach and Pacifica State Beach, balancing public access with protection of habitat and shoreline conditions.
OC-I-19 ✳Rockaway Beach. Ensure that public access to Rockaway Beach (from Points 17 and 19 through 20 on the Coastal Access map, Figure 6-3) is maintained.
INSERT Photo 09 DSCN1294
Greenbelts along steep slopes are designated for permanent conservation.
INSERT Photo 10 DSC_0063
Permanent conservation of private land on the Northern Coastal Bluffs would protect sensitive natural communities and protect against coastal erosion.
INSERT Photo 11 DSCN1240
Future development on sites identified as “Partial Conservation with Development” should include conservation areas based on habitat needs and site conditions.
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Other Protected Open Space
OC-I-20 Partial Conservation with Development. On sites shown on Figure 6-1 as “Partial Conservation with Development,” require that high-value open space be protected as part of any development.
Protected open space need not be publicly accessible, but trail easements may be required to complete trail segments identified in the General Plan.
OC-I-21 Development Strategies to Preserve Open Space. Continue to promote density-open space trade-offs, such as clustering development, transferring development rights from sensitive to less sensitive land, and dedication or protection of open space through covenants or consecutive easements.
OC-I-22 Open Space Restoration. Continue to support local volunteer or community service organizations in implementing revegetation programs or invasive species removal on the City’s greenbelts or elsewhere to reduce erosion potential and enhance the visual quality of these areas for adjacent neighborhoods.
6.2 Trail System
EXISTING TRAILS IN THE PLANNING AREA
The Planning Area has 67 miles of trails through GGNRA land in San Pedro Valley County Park, and along the coast, including segments along City streets. Historically, the City has sought to create a system that includes a coastal trail, a ridgeline trail, and lateral trails connecting the ridgeline to the coast, as shown in Figure 6-2.
INSERT Figure 6-2: Trail System
Coastal Trail
Pacifica's Coastal Trail currently runs almost the length of the Planning Area, from the Daly City boundary to Pedro Point Shopping Center. The route follows Palmetto Avenue alongside the Northern Coastal Bluffs, turns onto Esplanade Avenue through the West Edgemar-Pacific Manor neighborhood, and follows Palmetto again through West Sharp Park. The trail then branches into two parallel routes. The western route travels along the levee between Sharp Park Golf Course and Sharp Park Beach, and then east along the north side of Mori Point. The eastern route follows Francisco Boulevard south, meeting the other trail at the Mori Point trailhead. From this point, the Coastal Trail follows a path alongside Highway 1 and then arcs west along the restored section of Calera Creek in the Rockaway Quarry site. After a short on-street segment in the Rockaway Beach district, the trail follows a path over Aramai Point and then along the inland side of the dunes at Pacifica State Beach. The trail currently comes to an end at the south end of the beach.
The City in 2015 acquired an approximately five-acre parcel in the Pedro Point Headlands, known as the Colt Property, which provided a critical link to other publicly-owned land in the Headlands. As a result, it
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should be possible to construct a trail west of Highway 1 to extend the Coastal Trail from its current terminus southward through the Pedro Point Headlands to connect with the Devil’s Slide Trail.
Ridge Trails
The Sweeney Ridge trail, a segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, extends from the Portola Gate at the boundary of the Peninsula Watershed in the south to Milagra Ridge in the north. Lateral trail connections exist along Mori Ridge and Cattle Hill to the west, and the Sneath Lane right-of-way to the east. Trailheads with parking lots are at Milagra Ridge and Skyline College to the north and northeast, Shelldance Nursery off of Highway 1 to the west, and Sneath Lane off of Skyline Boulevard to the east. There is also a trailhead at the top of Fassler Avenue where the City completed parking and access improvements in 2020.
Milagra Ridge has a three-quarter mile hiking trail on paved road and/or dirt trail, bringing visitors to overlook points. Access to the trails is from a parking lot at the end of the College Drive extension north of Sharp Park Road. A new trail, the Milagra Battery Trail, was completed in 2016 and provides access west across the lower Milagra Ridge from a small parking lot at the end of Connemara Drive.
INSERT 12 Photo IMG_0228
The Coastal Trail runs nearly the length of the City, including this segment along the dunes at Pacifica State Beach.
County and State Park Trails
In the San Pedro Valley County Park, approximately ten miles of trails offer both easy walks and challenging climbs to the ridges, with views to the ocean. The park entrance at the south end of Oddstad Boulevard has parking, a small visitors' center, restrooms, and picnic areas.
In McNee Ranch State Park trail connections allow hikers beginning in Pacifica to reach the summit of 1,900-foot North Peak and the ocean at Montara State Beach or Gray Whale Cove.
Pedro Point Headlands
Trails at Pedro Point bring hikers from a trailhead on Highway 1 to an overlook point and to Pedro Summit. They are minimally improved, although the trailhead created with the opening of the Devil’s Slide Tunnel in 2014 has created a new public parking lot. As mentioned above, a trail connection is planned to fill the gap in the Coastal Trail between Pedro Point Shopping Center and Devil’s Slide Trail.
Trailheads and Parking Areas
Existing trailheads are located at the Beach Boulevard Promenade; Mori’s Point Road; Shelldance Nursery; Rockaway Beach; Crespi Drive at Highway 1; Pacifica State Beach; San Pedro Valley County Park; Milagra Ridge; and Fassler Avenue. Planning Area trails also can be reached from trailheads outside the City Limits to the east at Skyline College and at Sneath Lane, and to the south on Highway 1 approaching Devil’s Slide.
PRIORITIES FOR ENHANCING PACIFICA'S TRAIL SYSTEM
Developing an integrated trail system, as proposed in this Plan, will enhance access to and enjoyment of Pacifica's natural resources for both residents and visitors. It will make possible a variety of loop walks
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taking in a diversity of scenery and connecting large open spaces with Pacifica’s activity centers. The trail system will function both as a system with a Pacifica identity, and as a link in regional and state trail systems.
The Plan proposes four areas of improvement. First, new trail segments are needed to connect the Coastal and Ridge trails and to provide better access to and through Pacifica's neighborhoods. Second, new and improved crossings of Highway 1 are needed to make the new trail connections work. Third, new trailheads and improvements are needed to assure access at locations that reinforce existing activity centers. And fourth, a signage and wayfinding program is proposed to make the overall system legible both as a Pacifica system and as part of the California Coastal Trail and Bay Area Ridge Trail.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳. See also policies in Section 5.4: Pedestrian and Bicycle Network.
Guiding Policies
OC-G-7 ✳Trail System Expansion. Expand the trail system in Pacifica to create a connected trail network with communitywide links to open space and recreation facilities, as shown on Figure 6-2.
Implementing Policies
OC-I-23 ✳New Segments of California Coastal Trail in Pacifica. Create new trail segments through Rockaway Quarry uplands and the Pedro Point Headlands as part of development or as separate Coastal Trail initiatives.
OC-I-24 ✳Coastal Trail at Devil’s Slide and Between Pacifica and Devil’s Slide. Work with involved agencies and property owners to achieve a trail connection west of Highway 1 between Pedro Point Shopping Center and the Devil’s Slide north trailhead.
OC-I-25 ✳Pedro Point Headlands Trails. In coordination with GGNRA and the California Coastal Conservancy, support trail improvements on Pedro Point Headlands, and extension of these trails to the new trailhead at the north end of Devil’s Slide.
OC-I-26 ✳Pedestrian Improvements on Palmetto and Esplanade. Make sidewalk and streetscape improvements along Coastal Trail segments of Palmetto and Esplanade Avenues a priority.
Streetscape improvements for Palmetto Avenue will also support a pedestrian-oriented mixed use district in West Sharp Park and may provide for a separated path along the Northern Coastal Bluffs.
OC-I-27 ✳Lateral Ridge Trail Extensions. In coordination with GGNRA, pursue lateral ridge trail extensions, providing new connections between the Coast and Sweeney Ridge. • Extend the Baquiano Trail and Ahni Trail down Fassler Avenue and across private land to Crespi Drive and Highway 1 as part of the Ohlone-Portola Heritage Trail. This would
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connect the Portola Expedition Camp with the San Francisco Bay Discovery Site on Sweeney Ridge, giving visitors the experience of this historic route. • Extend the Farallon View Trail spur west on a new easement with a new trailhead on Caltrans land, or a shared parking agreement with the church at the base of the hill. • Extend the Milagra Ridge trail west across preserved land on the lower ridge. • Provide a safe and attractive connection between the foot of the Milagra Ridge Trail and the coastal access point north of the San Francisco RV Park.
INSERT Photo 13 IMG_1894
Develop a direct pedestrian route between the Beach Boulevard Promenade and upper Sharp Park Road.
INSERT Photo 14 IMG_0210
Connect the Portola Expedition Camp with the San Francisco Bay Discovery Site on Sweeney Ridge, giving visitors the experience of this historic route.
INSERT Photo 15 IMG_1918
Support the development of a new Highway 1 over-crossing at Mori Point, enhancing the Shelldance Nursery location as a central point from which to explore Pacifica’s trail system.
OC-I-28 ✳Highway 1 Over-Crossing at Mori Point. Support the development of a new over-crossing between Shelldance Nursery and Mori Point, in coordination with GGNRA and Caltrans to enhance visitor facilities in Pacifica. As an interim alternative, strengthen signage and safe connections to the existing Sharp Park Golf Course undercrossing in the East Fairway Park neighborhood.
OC-I-29 Sharp Park Trail. Encourage GGNRA, San Francisco Recreation and Parks or others to create a new trail from Rifle Range Road to the Sweeney Ridge Trail to enhance recreational use of Sharp Park and provide public access in a wooded area unique in Pacifica.
OC-I-30 ✳Harry Dean Trail. Improve and extend existing trails connecting City-owned parks and open spaces in Pacifica's northern neighborhoods to reach Skyline Boulevard on the east and Westline Drive along the Northern Coastal Bluffs.
OC-I-31 ✳Pier to Ridge Trail. Develop a direct pedestrian route between the Beach Boulevard Promenade and upper Sharp Park Road, also connecting the West and East Sharp Park neighborhoods. Improvements should include:
• A new trail extending east from the top of Talbot Road to Sharp Park Road, with a public access easement; and
• Pedestrian improvements and trail signage along Talbot Road and San Jose or Santa Rosa Avenue.; and
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OC-I-32 San Pedro Valley Trail. Develop a pedestrian route between Pacifica State Beach and San Pedro Valley County Park through the Linda Mar and West Linda Mar neighborhoods, including enhancement of the San Pedro Terrace right-of-way; sidewalk improvements and signage along Rosita Road; and connections to the Sanchez Adobe and Old San Pedro Mountain Road.
OC-I-33 ✳Enhanced Visitor Services at Shelldance Nursery. Support the proposal for enhanced visitor services at the Shelldance Nursery site, including an education/visitors’ center, additional parking, and better access, to be implemented by GGNRA.
Shelldance Nursery may become the hub of Pacifica’s trail system, with direct access to coastal and ridge trails, visitor amenities, and proximity to visitor-oriented commercial areas.
OC-I-34 ✳Hikers’ Huts, Campgrounds, and Related Amenities. Support the development of hikers’ huts, kiosks, or cabins for hikers on Sweeney Ridge and at Rockaway Headlands, and the development of campgrounds on sites where sufficient management and services can be provided by the property owner or operator.
OC-I-35 ✳Signage and Wayfinding. Develop the overall image and accessibility of Pacifica’s natural assets, through a program of consistent and attractive signage for the trail system. • Provide wayfinding signage along all on-street portions of the trail system; at junctions of off-street trails; and at trailheads. • Provide interpretive signage to identify landforms visible from viewpoints; provide information about the natural environment and sensitive species; information about historical and cultural points of interest; information about unique features of Pacifica; and other subjects.
Each trail should have an identity as part of the Pacifica trail system (e.g., Trail 1—Coastal Trail). Where routes are shared with the California Coastal Trail or the Bay Area Ridge Trail, these should also be identified.
OC-I-36 ✳Pacifica Parks and Trails Map and Guide. Develop a map of Pacifica’s parks and trails to support recreation activities, marketing and outreach efforts.
6.3 Coastal Access
The 1976 California Coastal Act requires that coastal jurisdictions maintain coastal land use plans, including a public access component to coordinate public and private access improvements. The General Plan identifies coastal access points in Pacifica; these are listed in Table 6-5, and shown in Figure 6-3.
Some of the access points are privately-owned, while others are on public land. Two types of access points are distinguished: those that provide beach access, and those that provide bluff-top access or views.
INSERT Photo 16 DSCN3240
The public has continuous access to the beach at Pacifica State Beach, and to other beaches in the City.
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INSERT Figure 6-3: Coastal Access
Coastal Access Points with Beaches
Public access to beaches in Pacifica exists at Sharp Park Beach, Rockaway Beach, and Pacifica State Beach.
The shore can also be reached by a wooden stairway at Lands End Apartments in the West EdgemarPacific Manor neighborhood, and a public easement on the south side of the San Francisco RV Park.
Coastal Access Points at Bluff-tops or Overlook Points
Bluff-top or promontory access with views over the coastline exists at Mori Point and on the Northern Coastal Bluffs. Direct views to the Ocean are provided at Esplanade Avenue; along Beach Boulevard; at Rockaway Beach; and from the Ocean Shore Railroad berm and the top of Kent Road in the Pedro Point neighborhood. A multi-purpose trail was constructed in 2006 at the south end of Esplanade directly north of the RV Park.
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Table 6-5: Coastal Access Points
Map Name Beach
Access?
Ownership Detail Proposed Improvement
1 North City Boundary No GGNRA Bluff top. Isolated beach access using informal trails. Erosion concerns.
Support bluff trail
development on GGNRA
land.
2 West Fairmont
Foredune
No GGNRA Bluff top. Isolated beach access using
informal trails. Erosion concerns.
Support bluff trail
development on GGNRA
land.
3 Pacific View Villas
Condominiums
No Private Bluff top. Accessible from Palmetto Avenue
or from trail at Oceanaire Apartments.
4 Lands End Apartments Yes Private High bluffs. Path and stairway to beach available to public, privately maintained.
5 Esplanade at Manor No City Steep bluffs. Coastal erosion has resulted in loss of houses, and fencing across entire
stretch.
Pursue small public park and
trail on bluff-top in 400-block
of Esplanade Avenue if
feasible
6 San Francisco RV Park No Private Bluff top. Lateral trail connects to 500-block of Esplanade Avenue.
7 South of San Francisco
RV Park
Yes Private (public
easement)
Coastal bluffs. Beach accessible by informal
path. Off-street parking provided. Erosion
concerns.
Improve public access and
restore bluff conditions.
8 Cottages at Seaside No Private Bluff top. Lateral trail along bluff. 9 Northern Beach
Boulevard
No City Seawall along Beach Boulevard and armored
bluff shoreline. No parking.
10 Pacifica Pier and Vicinity Yes City Access to beach at San Jose, Montecito Avenues across armored bluffs, and to Pier
at end of Santa Rosa Avenue. Popular
fishing area. Erosion concerns. Parking at
City-owned lot.
Maintain public parking as
part of redevelopment of Cityowned 2212 Beach
Boulevard property
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Table 6-5: Coastal Access Points
Map Name Beach
Access?
Ownership Detail Proposed Improvement
11 Beach Boulevard
Promenade
Yes City and State Low bluffs between beach and park. Popular for walking, jogging, fishing, ocean viewing,
beachcombing. Parking available along
Beach Boulevard.
12 Clarendon Road Yes City and State Access to long beach across very low bluffs, protective berm. Parking available along
Beach Boulevard.
13 Sharp Park, South End Yes City/County of SF Beach access from south end of berm.
Access point is reached by GGNRA's Mori
Point Trail.
14 Mori Point No GGNRA Steep rocky bluffs, subject to rockfalls. Trail improvements and habitat restoration in
progress.
15 Mori Point Public Parking
Lot
Yes GGNRA Small parking lot at Mori Point Rd. &
Bradford Way. Mori Point Trail provides
access to beach and bluff top trails.
16 Calera Creek Public
Parking Lot
Yes City Small parking lot west of Reina del Mar &
Highway 1 intersection. Calera Creek Multiuse Trail provides access to Rockaway Beach
17 Rockaway Beach, North
End
Yes City, private Low armored bluffs to sandy beach. Informal beach access. Public parking lot provides
access to beach, most of which is privatelyowned
Ensure public access.
18 Rockaway Beach
Seawall
No City Promenade above seawall provides ocean
views. Parking available in private lots or onstreet.
19 Rockaway Beach, South
End
Yes Private Gentle slope to sandy beach. Popular for
surfing, ocean viewing. Served by public
parking lot for 60 vehicles. Also a trailhead
Ensure public access to the
beach.
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Table 6-5: Coastal Access Points
Map Name Beach
Access?
Ownership Detail Proposed Improvement
for Coastal Trail.
20 Aramai Point No Private Headlands with steep cliffs descending to cobble beach. No formal access. Erosion
concerns.
Provide public trail to
overlook point as part of
development or land
conservation.
21 North End of Pacifica
State Beach
Yes State Unrestricted access along beach and
Coastal Trail. Nearest parking at public lot at
Crespi Drive.
22 Central Pacifica State
Beach
Yes State Unrestricted beach access, and access to
Coastal Trail. Public lot across Highway 1 at
Crespi Drive provides 175 parking spaces,
restrooms and changing facilities/
Provide additional signage
and amenities at Crespi Drive
parking lot in relation to
proposed extension of
Baquiano Trail.
23 South End of Pacifica
State Beach
Yes State Unrestricted beach access and access to
Coastal Trail. Public parking for State Beach
provided in two parking lots, accessed from
Highway 1 and San Pedro Avenue.
24 North Side Pedro Point
Shopping Center
Yes Private Informal trail access, and customer parking at shopping center.
Improve new segment of
Coastal Trail along former
railroad berm.
25 Oceanshore Railroad
Berm
No Private Narrow sandy beach backed by private
residences and the old Oceanshore Railroad
berm, about 80-100 feet in height.
26 Shelter Cove No Private Steep bluff. Access by steep, informal trail on private land. High-up views over Shelter
Cove, Pedro Point.
27 Pedro Point Headlands No Public Headlands with steep cliffs. Limited trail access exists from trailhead at Highway 1.
Trail and access
improvements Access
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Table 6-5: Coastal Access Points
Map Name Beach
Access?
Ownership Detail Proposed Improvement
improvements expected as a
result of proposed
construction of the Coastal
Trail between Pedro Point
Shopping Center and the
Devil's Slide north trailhead..
expected under land steward
management; new trails
should provide coastal views.
Source: City of Pacifica General Plan, 1980; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.
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Coastal Access Improvements
General Plan policies identify additional coastal access improvements. These include enhanced access to the shore south of the RV Park and enhanced access to bluffs and viewing areas along the Northern Coastal Bluffs, Pedro Point and Rockaway Headlands.
Coastal Access with Development
According to the Coastal Act, new development is required to provide maximum beach access from the nearest public roadway to the shoreline and along the shoreline, except where specific conditions apply.
This provision does not apply to all types of new development, including reconstruction of a single family house or improvements to structures which do not change the intensity of use (California Public Resources Code Section 30210-30214).
INSERT Photo 17 DSC_0064
Promote potential trail improvements by GGNRA to create controlled public access to the bluffs while protecting Northern Coastal scrub and other vegetation.
INSERT Photo 18 Pacifica 075
The City is planning improvements to the public access point south of the San Francisco RV Park.
INSERT Photo 19 IMGP4857
Ensure permanent public access to Rockaway Beach, and pursue opportunities to enhance it.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
OC-G-8 ✳Coastal Access and Recreational Opportunities. Provide maximum coastal access and recreational opportunities for all people consistent with public safety and the need to protect public rights, rights of property owners, and natural resource areas from overuse, including access at each point identified on Figure 6-3.
OC-G-9 ✳Management of Public Access. Regulate the time, place, and manner that public access is provided, based on such factors as topographic and site constraints; the fragility of natural resources; public safety; and the privacy of adjacent residential uses.
OC-G-10 ✳Distribution of Public Coastal Facilities. Continue to distribute public facilities, including parking areas or facilities, so as to mitigate against the impacts of overcrowding or overuse by the public of any single area.
Implementing Policies
OC-I-37 ✳Public Shoreline Access. Continue to ensure that new development does not interfere with the public’s right of access to the sea where public access to the sea has been acquired through
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use or legislative authorization, including, but not limited to, the use of dry sand and rocky coastal beaches to the first line of terrestrial vegetation Formalized public access locations are shown on the Open Space and Trails map in the General Plan and in the Public Access and Recreation chapter of the Local Coastal Land Use Plan.
OC-I-38 ✳New Development and Coastal Access. Require that new development along the coastline provide public access from the nearest public roadway to the shoreline and along the coast, and be designed to minimize impacts to public coastal access and recreation. Ensure that impacts are mitigated through the dedication of access or trail easements or the provision of improvements to other public access points.
The City may grant exceptions to this requirement where public access would pose a safety risk or threat to fragile resources, or where adequate access exists nearby.
OC-I-39 ✳Private Roads and Gates. Prohibit gates and other barriers designed to regulate or restrict access on private roads where such barriers have the potential to impede access to public trails and recreational areas.
OC-I-40 ✳Maintenance of Public Coastal Access. Require a public or private entity to be responsible for required public access ways. Until such an entity agrees to be responsible for liability and maintenance of such access ways, they are not required to be open for public use. Dedicated public access ways should be designed to provide views as well as access connections to or along the shore.
OC-I-41 ✳Impediments to Public Access. Prohibit restrictions on public parking that would adversely affect public access to beaches, trails, or other recreational lands along the coast except where necessary to protect public safety. Such restrictions include the installation of “private beach” and “private parking” signs, landscaping, and painting red curbs in the public right-ofway.
OC-I-42 ✳Structures on Public Beaches. Limit structural development on public beaches to that which is necessary for public access or safety, such as lifeguard towers, waste receptacles, or wheelchair accessways. Such development shall be able to be removed or relocated, and shall be sited and designed to minimize adverse impacts on public access, recreation, and coastal resources.
OC-I-43 ✳Adjustment of Lateral Shoreline Easements. Require that new lateral shoreline easements, where required, automatically adjust as needed to move in response to changes to the shoreline (“rolling easements”).
New development must demonstrate that lateral access can be maintained for the expected life of the project, including consideration of effects from sea level rise. Alternatively, the City may determine that lateral public access is not necessary where public access would pose a safety risk or threat to fragile resources, or where adequate access exists nearby.
OC-I-44 ✳Temporary Events. Ensure that temporary events minimize impacts to public access, recreation, and coastal resources through the Parks, Beaches, and Recreation special events per2.d Packet Pg. 738 Attachment: Attachment D - Redline Edits to Draft General Plan (5015 : General Plan Update and Sharp Park Specific Plan Recommendation to Pacifica General Plan – Public Review Draft
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mitting process. Consistent with Coastal Commission Guidelines, a Coastal Development Permit shall not be required unless the event meets all of the following criteria:
• Is held between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day;
• It occupies all or part of a public sandy beach area; and, • It involves a charge for general public admission or seating where no fee is currently charged for use of the same area (not including booth or entry fees.) OC-I-45 ✳Fees and Time Restrictions. Ensure that public beaches and parks in the Coastal Zone maintain free and lower-cost user fees and parking fees, and minimize parking lot and beach curfews to the extent feasible in order to maximize public access and recreation opportunities.
OC-I-46 ✳Northern Coastal Bluffs. Promote potential trail improvements by GGNRA to create controlled public access to the bluffs, while protecting Northern Coastal scrub and other vegetation. (See Points 1 and 2 on Figure 6-3.) OC-I-47 ✳Esplanade at Manor. Develop a small public park or viewing area and a trail on Cityowned bluff top land along the 400-block of Esplanade Avenue (Point 5 on Figure 6-3), if such improvements are feasible.
OC-I-48 ✳Coastal Access Point South of RV Park. Complete planned improvements to public access along the easement south of the RV Park (Point 7 on Figure 6-3), including trail improvements and natural restoration.
OC-I-49 ✳Beach Boulevard. Ensure that public access to the coast at the Promenade and Pier (Points 9 and 10 on Figure 6-3) is maintained and enhanced by redevelopment at the City-owned 2212 Beach Boulevard site, including continuation of public parking.
OC-I-50 ✳Rockaway Beach. Ensure that public access to Rockaway Beach (from Points 17 and 19 on Figure 6-3) is maintained.
OC-I-51 ✳ Rockaway Headlands. On the Headlands south of Rockaway Beach, create public access to coastal views (Point 20 on Figure 6-3).
OC-I-52 ✳ Pedro Point Headlands. Extend trails on Pedro Point Headlands to a coastal overlook point. (See Point 27 on Figure 6-3.)
OC-I-53 ✳Rockaway Quarry. If a safe public route can be developed on the Quarry uplands, create coastal access along a new trail connecting Rockaway Beach with Mori Point, as part of a conservation proposal or new development.
Schools and Community Facilities
INSERT Figure 6-4: Schools and Community Facilities
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SCHOOLS
Kindergarten through eighth grade students in Pacifica are served by Pacifica School District, while Jefferson Union High School District provides public schools for 9th through 12th grade students. The City is also home to three private schools.
Facilities and Enrollment
Pacifica School District
Pacifica School District (PSD) currently operates two K-5 elementary schools, Sunset Ridge and Ortega, three K-8 schools, Ocean Shore, Vallemar, and Cabrillo, and one middle school, Ingrid B. Lacy. The Linda Mar Education Center provides pre-school and Kindergarten classes, special education, and support space for home-schooled children. See Figure 6-4. PSD closed several schools in the 1980s and 1990s, and currently has two school buildings not being used as full school sites (Linda Mar, and Oddstad). The PSD sold the former Fairmont Elementary School site to St. Ignatius College Preparatory in 2018 for use as athletic fields. St. Ignatius began demolition of the school building in 2021 and it is expected to be complete in early 2022. The PSD has identified the former Oddstad Elementary School for redevelopment into workforce housing.
PSD enrollment increased from 2008-09 through 2012-13, then declined back to around the original enrollment by 2018-19. Overall, schools are at 91 percent of capacity (see Table 6-6). PSD offers open enrollment at all schools, allowing families to enroll children at the school of their choice based on specific preference factors. This policy gives families the choice between sending children to a traditional elementary and middle school or to a K-8 school.
Jefferson Union High School District
Jefferson Union High School District (JUHSD) enrolls just under 5,000 high school and high-schoolequivalent students in Brisbane, Colma, Daly City, and Pacifica. The district has two high schools in Pacifica: Terra Nova High School, with a 2018-2019 enrollment of 812 students, and Oceana High School, with 599 students in an alternative college preparatory program. JUHSD offers open enrollment at all schools, allowing students to enroll at the school of their choice.
Both Oceana and Terra Nova high schools have large campuses (56 acres and 43 acres, respectively) with football and soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tracks, tennis courts, and auditoriums. The facilities are adequate to handle current enrollment, and excess capacity exists at Oceana. JUHSD bond-funded modernization projects include conversion of science labs to new classrooms at Terra Nova; and improvements to existing buildings.
Table 6-6: Pacifica Schools by Enrollment and Capacity
School (Grade Levels)
2018-19
Enrollment Capacity
Enrollment as
Percent of Capacity
Pacifica School District
Ortega (K-5) 481 522 92%
Sunset Ridge (K-5) 539 568 95%
Cabrillo (K-8) 562 569 98%
Ocean Shore (K-8) 432 461 94%
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Vallemar (K-8) 514 541 95%
Ingrid B. Lacy (6-8) 544 570 95%
Subtotal 3,120 3,378 92%
Jefferson Union High School District (Schools in Planning Area)1 Oceana (9-12) 619 1,000 65%
Terra Nova (9-12) 914 1,550 74%
Subtotal 1,533 2,550 60%
Notes:
1. JUHSD also operates three high schools in Daly City, enrolling 3,234 students in 2018-2019. Some Planning Area residents attend these schools.
Sources: California Dept. of Education, 2018-2019; Pacifica School District, 2019; Jefferson Union High School District, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.
INSERT Photo 20 DSCN1306
Ortega Elementary School.
INSERT Photo 21 IMGP2942
As of 2018-2019, Pacifica School District enrolls about 3,120 students in kindergarten through 8th Grade. Enrollment has grown slowly in recent years.
Projected Enrollment
According to the California Department of Finance, school enrollment in San Mateo County is projected to decrease over the planning period. PSD’s Facilities Master Plan indicates that enrollment District-wide is expected to be generally flat or negative based on population growth forecasts, though there is likely to be period of overcapacity due to larger incoming kindergarten classes. Given the small projected enrollment gains overall and the flexibility provided by using standard or portable classrooms, existing facilities are adequate to meet future needs.
JUHSD projects enrollment growth based on school enrollment in local districts, and historic trends. The District’s current facilities—with planned renovations—are sufficient to accommodate future need.
Private and Parochial Schools
There are three private schools in the Planning Area. Pacific Bay Christian School, in the Linda Mar neighborhood, expanded to a second campus across Linda Mar Boulevard in the 1970s, and added a high school in the late 1980s. Good Shepherd School, in East Sharp Park, enrolls students in grades K-8. Montessori School of Linda Mar serves pre-school-aged children.
LIBRARIES
Pacifica is served by the San Mateo County Library (SMCL), a system with 12 branch libraries. San Mateo County Libraries is governed by the San Mateo County Library Joint Powers Authority (Library JPA). The Library JPA was established in 1999 and is comprised of the cities of Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Millbrae, Pacifica, Portola Valley, San Carlos, Woodside, and the unincorporated areas of the county. Per the Library JPA Agreement, members own and are responsible for
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maintenance of library buildings and the Library JPA is responsible for library operations and maintaining minimum service levels.
Pacifica is the only member of the Library JPA with two library branches. The Pacifica-Sharp Park Library is located in West Sharp Park in the northern part of the City, while the Pacifica-Sanchez Library is adjacent to the Park Mall shopping center in the south (see Figure 6-4). Per the Library JPA Agreement the City of Pacifica is responsible for the cost of maintaining Pacifica’s two library facilities. The Library JPA provides 60 hours of service hours per week that are currently evenly divided between the two Pacifica Libraries. Characteristics of Pacifica’s libraries are shown in Table 6-7.
Table 6-7: Characteristics of Pacifica Libraries
Sanchez
Branch
Sharp Park
Branch
Pacifica
Libraries Total
Library
JPA System Total
Collection Size 25,604 29,847 55,451 463,895
Library Space (square feet) 4,444 6,080 10,524 132,290
Library Space per Service Area Resident2 N/A N/A 0.26 0.44 Notes:
1. Service area population was 38,124 for Pacifica, 285,149 for Library JPA in 2017.
Source: San Mateo County Library, 2017.
Library Needs
Pacifica’s current libraries do not meet library standards for seating, public access computers, and selfhelp equipment, core parts of today’s library service expectations. As Table 6-7 shows, Pacifica’s two existing libraries combined provide approximately 10,524 square feet, translating to 0.26 square feet per service area resident, considerably less than the average for the San Mateo system as a whole, and far below the one square foot per resident recommended by the American Library Association. Pacifica’s libraries also have unresolved problems related to layout, parking, acoustics, shelving space, study rooms, and computers.
Pacifica Library Modernization Project
The City of Pacifica has been working toward building modern library facilities to meet the community’s needs for almost two decades. In November 2015 the City Council directed staff to take several actions toward constructing a New Pacifica Public Library culminating with the formation of a Library Advisory Committee (LAC) in July 2016, and placement of a construction funding bond measure on the November 2016 ballot, which did not receive a two-thirds majority to pass. In March 2017, City Council directed the LAC to collect community input, conduct a needs assessment, revisit site options and analysis, and develop and analyze service model options. In January 2018, Council selected a two-branch library system strategy, with one large full-service branch at Sharp Park, and one smaller, self-service “open access” model branch with Community Center Annex at Sanchez.
INSERT Photo 22 IMGP2881
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Pacifica’s two libraries combined provide 0.26 square feet per resident, below what is recommended.
INSERT Photo 23 IMGP2850
Pacifica’s City Hall and Municipal Services building could be replaced by a new civic center.
INSERT Photo 24 DSCN3244
The Pacifica Community Center on Crespi Drive is a multi-purpose venue that hosts special events, classes, and daily programming for seniors.
CITY OFFICES AND FACILITIES
Pacifica’s City Hall and Municipal Services building are located at Santa Maria Avenue and Francisco Boulevard in West Sharp Park, adjacent to the historic Little Brown Church. The City also uses the second floor of the former Sharp Park Wastewater Treatment Plant, located a few blocks away at Palmetto and Montecito Avenues, for City Council and Commission meetings. The City has temporarily relocated City Hall staff and services to the Community Center as of August 2021 while renovations of the City Hall campus are undertaken.
Several City functions are spread across other sites. The Engineering & Field Services Division of the Public Works Department and the Corporation Yard are located three-quarters of a mile north on Milagra Drive in the East Edgemar-Pacific Manor neighborhood. The Police Department and Wastewater Division of the Public Works Department operate from their station and plant, respectively, on opposite sides of Highway 1 north of Reina del Mar Avenue. The Senior Services division is housed in the Pacifica Community Center on Crespi Drive. See Figure 6-4.
Creating a New Civic Center
A new civic center could be a “one-stop” facility for delivery of public services, while also helping to support “place-making” and a positive civic image. The current site at Francisco Boulevard could support a new facility with a strong civic presence and reinforce public investment goals of the Sharp Park Specific Plan.
As noted above, the City has temporarily relocated City Hall staff and services to the Community Center while renovations of the City Hall campus are undertaken. The renovations will restore historical features of the City Hall building, a local historic landmark, and will comprehensively update the exterior of the adjacent Planning and Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Building (“P+P Building”). The renovation will also include extensive alterations to the interior floor plans of both buildings to improve their flexible use and ability to provide high-quality public services. The renovation project will also involve consolidating Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Department staff at the Community Center and moving engineering services of the Public Works Department to the P+P Building to better integrate the City’s development review and permitting processes, a step toward a “one-stop” concept for residents and other customers.
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SERVICES FOR SENIORS, YOUTH AND FAMILIES
Pacifica Community Center
The Pacifica Community Center, located on Crespi Drive, is a multi-purpose venue that hosts special events, ongoing recreation classes, and daily programming for seniors, and provides meeting rooms for groups or public meetings. The center provides a daily nutritious lunch at the Community Center and serves 13,000 meals annually to seniors in Pacifica including the Meals-on-Wheels program. The Community Center also provides information and referrals concerning such issues as health insurance and legal assistance, and peer counseling. Funding comes from federal and County grants, the City general fund, and private contributions, including volunteer hours.
Pacifica Boys & Girls Club
Boys & Girls Clubs is a national organization that provides a broad range of activities and aims to promote child development and well-being. Pacifica is home to a Boys & Girls Club on Yosemite Drive, as well as school-based clubs at two schools. The clubs are open eight to 11 hours a day during weekdays, and six hours a day on weekends during the school year. The cost to join is nominal, and program fees are low.
Pacifica Resource Center
Pacifica Resource Center provides assistance to those in need in the community from a space on Palmetto Avenue in West Sharp Park. Its services include comprehensive needs assessment, emergency food and transportation, homelessness prevention services, budget planning, infant needs, and other direct and referral services. The Resource Center became an independent organization in 2004 but receives financial contributions from the City and San Mateo County as well as private donations.
CULTURAL FACILITIES
Pacifica Center for the Arts
Pacifica Center for the Arts is located in the former Sanchez elementary school on Linda Mar Boulevard, and is comprised of studios, galleries, classroom space and a performance venue. The Arts Center is run by a non-profit funded by foundations, donations, and proceeds from classes, studio leases, and art sales.
Art Guild of Pacifica, a 50-year old organization with 500 members, is based in the Pacifica Center for the Arts, and members often exhibit their work there. Pacifica Performances, the other main partner in the Center, programs weekend concerts in a 175-seat hall.
Pacifica Spindrift Players
Pacifica Spindrift Players is a non-profit theater company using a City-owned building in Oddstad Park.
The company also operates an arts education program, Tthe Spindrift School of the Performing Arts The Spindrift School of the Performing Arts (SSPA) offers , which offers classes for all ages and a youth summer camp at a privately-owned building also located in Oddstad Park, subject to a land lease from the City of Pacifica.
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POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
OC-G-11 Optimize Public Facilities. Ensure that public facilities are adequate to meet needs, and plan for opportunities that help to meet goals of school districts and the City.
OC-G-12 Community Services and Youth Activities. Continue to provide services to seniors and others in need, either directly or through support to other organizations, and provide expanded options for youth in Pacifica.
OC-G-13 Cultural Facilities. Foster the expansion and creation of programs and facilities for the visual and performing arts and the study and appreciation of natural resources.
Implementing Policies
OC-I-54 High-Quality Schools. Support Pacifica School District (PSD) and Jefferson Union High School District (JUHSD) in maintaining high-quality schools.
OC-I-55 School Site Reuse and Redevelopment. Identify appropriate future land uses for unused school sites that are compatible with existing neighborhoods.
OC-I-56 Linda Mar School. Encourage PSD to maintain Linda Mar school site to meet future needs and potential enrollment growth.
OC-I-57 Oceana High School. Encourage JUHSD to optimize the mission and space needs of the Oceana High School program.
OC-I-58 Civic Center. Develop a new Civic Center to provide adequate space for long-term needs and enhance the City’s image.
INSERT Photo 25 PHCH-evening arcade
A new City Hall should provide “one-stop” delivery of City services and create a strong civic presence (Pleasant Hill City Hall, left).
INSERT Photo 26 Pacifica 006_Old WWTP
A new library or other civic use could anchor redevelopment of the Beach Boulevard property and a revitalized Palmetto Avenue.
OC-I-59 Library/Learning Center. Support San Mateo County Library and local efforts to create a two-branch library system strategy, with a large full-service branch at Sharp Park, and one smaller, self-service “open access” model branch with Community Center Annex at Sanchez.
OC-I-60 Youth Programs. Continue to support the City’s youth and teen programs and seek funding for new facilities or enhancements to existing facilities to provide a teen center or an indoor sports facility in a highly-accessible location.
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Gathering space for teens is included as part of the full-service Sharp Park Library. A teen center could be integrated with the existing Community Center, accessible by all modes of transportation and adjacent to other activities.
OC-I-61 Senior and Community Services. Continue to use available funding sources to maintain and enhance the City’s Senior Services program, including meal services, transportation, and counseling. In addition, continue to support non-profit service providers in offering other needed community services.
OC-I-62 Medical Services. Encourage Seton Medical Center or another organization to provide an outpatient clinic in Pacifica.
OC-I-63 New Cultural Facilities. Support the location or relocation of cultural facilities as part of redevelopment of the Rockaway Quarry site or in the West Sharp Park neighborhood, where such uses could generate economic benefits.
OC-I-64 Future Use of City Hall. Explore the possibility of attracting cultural uses to the new Civic Center.
New uses could be coordinated with activities at the neighboring Little Brown Church.
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INSERT Photo 01: Pacifica 093
This chapter provides policy guidance to conserve Pacifica’s environmental, scenic, natural and cultural resources. Topics covered in this element include water resources; biological resources; forest, agricultural, and soil resources; air quality; energy and greenhouse gases; and cultural and historic resources.
7.1 Water Resources
Pacifica’s water resources are unique and numerous, and they provide important benefits to the city, including wildlife habitat, scenic natural corridors, and flood control. Careful management of urban waterways ensures maintenance of water quality, preservation of ecological functions, and safety of surrounding development. Understanding Pacifica’s surface water and groundwater resources provides a context for policies for hydrology, water quality, and management.
SURFACE WATER
The Planning Area is located within all or part of nine watersheds, shown on Figure 7-1, Hydrology. The Planning Area largely drains west towards the Pacific Ocean. From north to south, the major watersheds are Milagra Creek, Sanchez Creek (also known as Sharp Park Creek), Calera Creek, and San Pedro Creek.1 A small portion of the Planning Area drains to the east, contributing to the upper basin of San Mateo Creek watershed.
INSERT Figure 7-1: Hydrology
Milagra Creek
Milagra Creek watershed drains approximately 460 acres. The drainage area has varied land cover types, including undeveloped portions of the GGNRA and residential and commercial development along Highway 1. The lower reaches of Milagra Creek have been altered and the channel hardened between Highway 1 to the ocean.
1 Other watersheds shown on Figure 7-1 (North Globe, Big Inch, etc.) are not associated with specific creeks.
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Sanchez Creek
Sanchez Creek watershed, located almost entirely within the City, drains approximately 1,070 acres. Most of the steep hillsides and higher elevations are GGNRA-protected open space, while valley bottoms and flatter portions of the hillsides include residential development, Highway 1, and Sharp Park Golf Course.
Sanchez Creek has intermittent flow in most years.
At its mouth within the Coastal Zone, Sanchez Creek flows through Horse Stable Pond and exchanges water with Laguna Salada within the Sharp Park Golf Course. Creek flow is then conveyed through a levee to the ocean via a system of pipes. The discharge point of the pipe(s) is often buried in beach sands and is occasionally excavated to allow for free drainage. During high flows, water from the golf course is pumped over the levee into the ocean. There are also several depressional and formerly estuarine wetlands near the mouth of Sanchez Creek at Horse Stable Pond and Laguna Salada.
Calera Creek
Calera Creek drains 16,000 acres in the central portion of the City, flowing onto the north end of Rockaway Beach. Land use in the basin is dominated by residential neighborhoods with some businesses along main roads. The contributing area of Calera Creek is altered along the valley bottom and near the mouth.
The lower reach of Calera Creek was part of a significant restoration project implemented in 1997 and 1998, which included excavation of a new stream channel and restoration of 16 acres of wetlands and 12 acres of uplands. The restoration site receives additional tertiary-treated wastewater from the Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant (CCWRP), adding approximately 3.6 million gallons per day (mgd) to the lower reach. The amount of flow generated by the CCWRP varies with rainfall and usage. The creek is now perennial in the lower reach due to the input from the CCWRP. The creek was likely intermittent in at least some years, and is still intermittent with residual pools above the CCWRP discharge point.
Rockaway Creek
Rockaway Creek is south of Calera Creek in the larger Calera Creek watershed. Rockaway Creek parallels Rockaway Beach Avenue, and flows into the southern end of Rockaway Beach. The upper portions of the watershed are primarily open space, while the valley bottom is comprised of a small residential area, which follows the creek.
INSERT Photo 02, 03
The lower reach of Calera Creek was part of a significant restoration project involving the excavation of a new stream channel and habitat restoration. The site receives tertiary-treated wastewater from the City’s new Water Recycling Plant.
San Pedro Creek
San Pedro Creek watershed is the largest within Pacifica, draining approximately 5,300 acres. The watershed extends north to Sweeney Ridge, east to Spring Valley Ridge, and south into the slopes of
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Montara Mountain. San Pedro Creek has several tributaries extending past the City boundaries. These tributaries include the South Fork, Middle Fork, North Fork, and Brooks/Sanchez Creek.
San Pedro Creek supports anadromous steelhead trout, a federally-listed endangered species. This creek also has one of the only functioning estuaries between the Devils Slide area and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Wetlands along San Pedro Creek provide habitat for the threatened California red-legged frog.
The upper watershed is largely undeveloped, while the lower portion is highly developed with residential subdivisions and commercial shopping centers at Park Mall and near Highway 1. Alterations from urban development historical agriculture and more recent urban development have resulted in a deep channel with steep banks. Channel downcutting and erosion throughout the reach has threatened roads and structures, as many residential lots back up against the creek. In order to protect the banks, formal and informal bank stabilization techniques have been installed over the years.
The City and stakeholders (including the San Pedro Creek Watershed Coalition, California Coastal Conservancy, Go Native, the Pacifica Land Trust, the California Department of Fish and Game, the Army Corps of Engineers, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the Pacific Beach Coalition) have implemented restoration projects and clean-up efforts along the creek resulting in reduced flooding of homes and businesses, reduced erosion of Pacifica/Linda Mar State Beach, and conservation of habitat for steelhead trout.
Other creek restoration efforts included:
• Earthwork and planting completed in 2000 which established a more natural channel, improved flood storage, and restored ecosystem functioning.
• Installation of rock weirs in 2005 to stabilize the degrading channel bed, smooth the longitudinal profile, and improve fish passage further upstream at the Capistrano bridge.
INSERT Photo 04
San Pedro Creek has undergone numerous restoration projects along its reach through the Planning Area, addressing fish passage, flood control, and water quality.
San Mateo Creek
A small portion of the Planning Area (600 acres) drains east into the upper San Mateo Creek watershed.
This area is within National Park Service and San Francisco watershed lands and is undeveloped.
GROUNDWATER
The 700-acre San Pedro Valley Groundwater Basin lies within the City. Alluvial deposits consisting primarily of clays, sands, silts, and some gravels are found throughout the majority of the basin and are
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the primary water-bearing formation in the Planning Area. 2 These deposits are approximately 150 feet
thick or more. Water quality, groundwater level, and groundwater storage data for the basin is minimal.
The outflow of water from the aquifer occurs by evapotranspiration and seepage to streams, springs, and the ocean. The water table fluctuates seasonally.
In a 1992 study, groundwater wells in the City were monitored to determine the location of seasonally shallow groundwater. The groundwater was mapped for three depths below the ground surface: less than
1.5 feet; less than 3.0 feet; and less than 6.0 feet. Communities with seasonally shallow groundwater include Pedro Point, Park Pacifica, Vallemar, Fairway Park, Linda Mar, and Sharp Park.
Due to the existing development pattern in Pacifica where urbanized land uses are located in close proximity to creeks and streams, there are few areas outside of the creekbeds and streambeds themselves to establish groundwater recharge sites. Existing flood corridors such as lower San Pedro Creek and the surrounding riparian habitat have been designed through previous flood control projects to manage flood flows until water recedes, but have not been designed to retain flood water for the purpose of groundwater recharge. The sloping topography of much of the City also presents challenges to identifying suitable areas for stormwater collection and recharge of groundwater storage areas. The largest area of public land that may be topographically suitable to accommodate stormwater and floodwater for purposes of groundwater recharge and stormwater management is the Sharp Park Golf Course, owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco. The Laguna Salada is an existing water feature with varying water levels throughout the year. However, the recreational uses of the remainder of the site preclude their function as a dedicated groundwater recharge site. There are no rivers located in Pacifica.
WETLANDS
The Coastal Act defines wetlands as “lands within the coastal zone which may be covered periodically or permanently with shallow water and include saltwater marshes, freshwater marshes, open or closed brackish water marshes, swamps, mudflats, and fens” (Section 30121). Areas where the water table is at, near, or above the land surface at some time during each year may be identified as wetlands. The criteria for wetland boundary determinations are detailed in California Code of Regulations section 13577(b).
Seasonal wetlands occur in smaller drainages and localized depressions, forming ponds or flowing water, and are underlain by saturated soils during the winter and spring. Seasonal wetlands also occur along the banks and sediments that accumulate in creeks.
Wetlands in Pacifica are found along riparian areas, drainages, along the coast, and as fresh and brackish water marshes (such as on the Sharp Park Golf Course). The National Wetlands Inventory (USFWS, 2020) has identified different types of wetlands within the Planning Area (Cowardin et al., 1979). These include estuarine and marine wetlands, freshwater emergent wetlands, and freshwater pond. 2 Department of Water Resources (DWR), 2004.
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IMPAIRED WATER BODIES
The federal Clean Water Act requires a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) be established for the pollutants identified as causing the impairment of surface water quality. TMDL refers to the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards. Generally, TMDL is the sum of the loads of a single pollutant from point and nonpoint sources. In Pacifica, San Pedro Creek is listed as impaired by coliform bacteria, and San Mateo Creek and Pacifica State Beach is listed as impaired by diazinon (insecticide) (see Table 7-1).
The Environmental Protection Agency approved the TMDL for San Pedro Creek and Pacifica State Beach on August 1, 2013.
Table 7-1: Impaired Water Bodies
Water Body Pollutant Potential Source
Status of TMDL
Preparation and
Approval1
San Pedro Creek Coliform bacteria Urban runoff/storm sewers Approved (2013) San Mateo Creek Diazinon Urban runoff/storm sewers Approved (2007)
1. The date of planned TMDL completion is provided in the 303(d) lists from the SWRCB.
Source: SWRCB, 2007
INSERT Photo 05
Pacifica’s potable water supply is stored and delivered via a system of tanks at high points throughout the city.
STORMWATER
Pacifica’s storm drainage system consists of a collection system and two pump stations. This drainage system acts to convey drainage to area creeks or the ocean. Two areas in the City, Linda Mar and lower Sharp Park, are too low to allow drainage to a creek or the ocean, and are served by pump stations to prevent street flooding. Overall, the City maintains 290,000 linear feet of storm drain pipes and 9896 inlets.
San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program The San Mateo County Water Pollution Prevention Program (SMCWPPP) was established in 1990 with the assistance of the San Mateo County City/County Association of Governments. The primary goal seeks to reduce pollution carried by stormwater, and to maintain compliance with the San Francisco Bay Municipal Regional Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
Participating agencies, including the City of Pacifica, must comply with the NPDES Permit by ensuring that municipal operations, new development and redevelopment, industrial and commercial site controls, and construction site controls mitigate water quality impacts to stormwater runoff during construction and operation phases of projects. As part of the NPDES permit requirement, the City of Pacifica completed a Green Infrastructure Plan in 2019, which describes how low impact development (LID)
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drainage design will be incorporated into public and private streets, parking lots, building roofs and other facilities to achieve water quality, flow reduction and other environmental and community benefits.
Stormwater Management and Site Planning
New development and redevelopment projects are subject to NPDES permit requirements, and are grouped into categories based on project type. Depending on their category, projects are required to include stormwater controls, including site design measures, source controls, treatment measures, low impact development, hydromodification management, and construction best management practices (BMPs).
Construction BMPs include scheduling grading and excavation work in dry weather only; installing temporary erosion controls until vegetation is reestablished; effectively managing all run-off within the site and from off-site. Post-construction stormwater treatment measures that remove pollutants from stormwater during project operations include rain gardens, bioretention areas, and flow-through planters.
POTABLE WATER SUPPLY
The North Coast County Water District (NCCWD), an independent water purveyor, supplies water to Pacifica and part of San Bruno. The district gets its water from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) through the Hetch Hetchy system. The District also has rights to a limited amount of surface water from the South Fork of San Pedro Creek for six months of the year. Pacifica’s water is pumped from San Andreas Lake and the Harry Tracey Water Treatment Plant in Millbrae via a main distribution line under Skyline Boulevard, to the Milagra Ridge storage tank. From there, water for northern Pacifica is pumped to the Christian Hill tank on Skyline Boulevard and then distributed by gravity to smaller tanks and to customers. Water for southern Pacifica is piped from the Milagra Ridge tank to the Royce tank, off Fassler Avenue, and then to smaller tanks and to customers. Overall, the system is divided into 31 pressure zones, each separated by pressure-reducing valves.3 The NCCWD has
adopted a 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) that describes its water supply and distribution system; past, current, and projected water use; and, water conservation targets, among other water resource information.
Water Capacity and Usage
The NCCWD system’s 11 storage tanks have a total capacity of 18.3 million gallons, enough to supply the service area with water for 5.8 days at the District’s average daily usage rate of 2.43 million gallons per day (mgd).4 The District’s contract with SFPUC allows for a maximum purchase of 3.84 mgd. 3 Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA). BAWSCA Annual Survey-FY 2019-2020. March 2019.
Accessed at http://www.bawsca.org,
4 Ibid
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Water Conservation
Water use in the District has steadily declined in recent years due to conservation programs and infrastructure repairs. Water conservation will continue to be important in coming years. In 2018, two laws were passed to aid California in making water conservation a way of life: SB 606 and AB 1668. These two laws highlight water efficiency and conservation and are meant to outline certain roles and actions to be carried out by the California Department of Water Resources, the State Water Resource Control Board and water suppliers. Each urban water supplier, starting in November of 2023, will calculate its own objective based on the water needed in its service area for efficient indoor residential water use, outdoor residential water use, commercial, industrial and institutional (CII) irrigation with dedicated meters and reasonable amounts of system water loss from leaks, the fact sheet states. In determining their objectives, water suppliers will also consider other unique local uses and credits for potable water reuse, based on standards adopted by the state water board. A coordinated response by the City and the NCCWD will help Pacifica meet the requirements of this legislation in the future.
The District also receives a portion of the total amount of tertiary recycled water produced annually from the Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant (CCWRP), under an Agreement between the City and the District. INSERT Photo 06
Treated recycled wastewater from the Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant is used to irrigate the Sharp Park Golf Course.
Infrastructure Modernization
Pacifica’s water pipes and storage reservoirs are aging and in need of modernization. NCCWD’s current Capital Improvement Plan focuses on pursuing additional sources of supply, addressing water storage deficits by increasing tank size or adding new tanks, and pipe upgrades. Replacement of the pipeline on Palmetto Avenue was identified as the highest priority in the 2016 Long-Term Water Master Plan and was completed as part of Phase I of the Palmetto Avenue Streetscape improvements. Beyond these modernization efforts, Pacifica and NCCWD are dependent upon the safety and durability of the Hetch Hetchy system.
Water Quality
SFPUC monitors water at the source and at local water treatment plants for turbidity, organic and inorganic chemicals, microbial quality, mineral content, and radiological quality. NCCWD monitors water as it enters the District’s system, and takes weekly water samples from various locations. Pacifica’s water is consistently high-quality and safe to drink, meeting all standards set by the California Department of Health Services and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.5 5 NCCWD. Website http://www.nccwd.com, accessed May 2009.June 2021.
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WASTEWATER
The City operates a wastewater treatment plant, sewage lift stations, and stormwater pump stations, as well as the citywide system of sewer mains and lateral pipes that connect to homes and businesses. Waste water flows through some 106 miles of main pipes to five sewer pump stations, and on to the Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant. The City’s topography prevents gravity flow to the plant, and requires pump stations at Rockaway Beach, Linda Mar and Sharp Park.
In 2011, the City was issued a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and was ordered to eliminate insufficient capacity caused by sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) from the sanitary sewer collection system. In response, the City has made significant new wastewater infrastructure investments, including development of the Wet Weather Equalization (EQ) Basin Project to reduce SSOs and major sewer line replacement projects.
Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant
The Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant (CCWRP), located on the south flank of Mori Point, is a tertiary treatment plant, brought online in 2000 to replace the old Wastewater Treatment Plant in West Sharp Park. The new plant uses ultraviolet disinfection, which allows effluent to be released to wetlands without residual chlorine. The plant has facilitated the creation and restoration of wetlands along Calera Creek, bringing year-round flow to a naturalized stream channel. The NCCWD began receiving recycled water from the plant and has been delivering the tertiary recycled water to recreational and institutional customers for irrigation use since August 2013, and residential customers since 2015.
Testing at the Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant indicates that discharges generally meet applicable water quality standards, although there have been some isolated instances of non-compliance.
Usage and Capacity
The CCWRP has a dry weather capacity of 4.0 million gallons per day (mgd), a peak hourly dry weather capacity of 7.0 mgd, and a peak hourly wet weather capacity of 20 mgd.6 Because of Pacifica’s projected
slow growth, the Plant will have adequate capacity for the next 15 to 20 years.
The City’s sanitary sewer collection system is subject to infiltration and inflow (I/I) of extraneous ground water and storm water. In May 2011, The City was issued a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and was ordered to eliminate insufficient capacity caused sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) from the sanitary sewer collection system by January 1, 2019. In response, the City developed the Wet Weather Equalization (EQ) Basin Project to reduce SSOs, which required construction of a 2.1-million-gallon-capacity EQ basin at the Pacifica Community Center parking lot and underground conveyance piping along Linda Mar Blvd and Arguello Blvd during high-flow storm events, completed in 2019.
6 RWQCB, 2006.City of Pacifica. Accessed at https://www.cityofpacifica.org/depts/pw/wwt/caleracreek/default.asp, 2019.
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Planned Improvements
The City intends to undertake the following projects:
• Sharp Park Station Odor Control Upgrade, to make the site compatible with future redevelopment;
• Upgrading the Sharp Park pump station;
• Relocation of the mainline and forcemain at the Sharp Park pump station; • A feasibility study for an U ultraviolet (UV) treatment system at the CCWRP; and • Phase II of the Sewer System Master Plan Update. As part of this update, an Inflow and Infiltration study will determine improvement needs in the collection system and serve as a basis for project priorities and future master planning. An Inflow and Infiltration study will determine improvement needs in the collection system. This will serve as a basis for project priorities and future master planning. In 2021, the City completed Phase II of the Sewer System Master Plan Update. An Inflow and Infiltration study determined improvement needs in the collection system at Crespi Drive, Linda Mar Boulevard, Fremont Avenue, and Catalina Avenue.
INSERT Photo 07 DSCN3256
Pacifica’s plan review and code enforcement are responsible for ensuring compliance with the NPDES permit administered by the Regional Water Quality Control Board.
INSERT Photo 08
Low impact development techniques, such as permeable pavers, allow stormwater to filter into the earth on-site, minimizing runoff.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
CO-G-1 ✳Water Quality. Support the improvement of Pacifica’s water quality, including both surface water and groundwater, through Best Management Practices (BMPs) for stormwater management, stream restoration, and riparian habitat restoration.
CO-G-2 ✳Watershed Management. Recognize the interrelated nature of Pacifica’s hydrology system, its watersheds, and development in the Planning Area, and protect water resources through comprehensive management of entire watersheds.
CO-G-3 ✳Maintain Hydrological Features as a Resource. Ensure both access to and ecological functionality of the hydrological features in Pacifica.
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CO-G-4 ✳Retain Natural Processes. Enable natural processes to occur on developed sites, and utilize these processes to enhance the built environment and users’ experiences of it.
CO-G-5 ✳Water Conservation. Work with the NCCWD to meet water conservation objectives as required by State law.
Pacifica’s water conservation efforts will include water efficient landscaping requirements, incentives for water conservation, and expansion of a system to use recycled wastewater.
CO-G-6 ✳Wastewater Treatment. Ensure that the City maintains adequate capacity to handle wastewater, and continue to expand wastewater recycling.
Implementing Policies
Creeks, Wetlands, and Coastal Waters
CO-I-1 ✳Creek Protection and Restoration. Maintain, protect, and restore Pacifica’s creeks, including San Pedro, Rockaway, Calera, Sanchez, and Milagra creeks, as environmental and aesthetic resources. Actions will include, but are not limited to:
• Continuing restoration efforts along San Pedro Creek to improve conditions for steelhead by removing obstacles to fish passage, placing rock weirs to facilitate fish passage, and by monitoring the effectiveness of these projects; • Partnering with local organizations, such as the San Pedro Creek Watershed Coalition, Go Native, the Pacifica Land Trust, and others, on restoration efforts; • Exploring opportunities to collaborate with other agencies and organizations on stream restoration and riparian habitat restoration along Sanchez and Calera creeks; • Enforcing restrictions on the planting of invasive species near creek areas; • Identifying and working with property owners to take advantage of unique opportunities where human active use (e.g., through trail development) would enhance creek appreciation without disrupting ecological function; • Requiring a minimum of 100-foot setbacks from the top of creek banks, or from the outer edge of riparian vegetation, where it exists, for development proposed adjacent to creeks, in keeping with City regulations and Best Management Practices.
Exceptions to such buffer requirements should be supported by a biological report demonstrating that the adjusted buffer, in combination with incorporated siting, design or other mitigation measures, shall prevent impacts that significantly degrade the creek. Buffer adjustments should also be limited to where the entire subject legal
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lot is within the buffer or where it is demonstrated that development outside the buffer would have a greater impact on the creek.
CO-I-2 ✳Improvement of Impaired Waterways. Strive to improve water quality in San Pedro Creek, which is listed on the Clean Water Act 303(d) list of impaired water bodies, and any other waterway that may be listed as impaired in the future.
CO-I-3 ✳Funding for Creek Maintenance. Establish a funding mechanism to require property owners with land adjacent to creeks to pay a proportionate share of creek improvements and maintenance.
CO-I-4 ✳Wetlands Preservation. Prohibit new development in existing wetlands except as allowed under the federal Clean Water Act and the California Coastal Act. Continue to require formal delineations wetlands subject to State or federal regulations prior to any proposed development project in an area where potential wetlands have been identified. If impacts on wetlands are unavoidable, compensation measure should be in line with the State’s no-netloss goal regarding wetlands.
CO-I-5 ✳Limitations on Diking, Filling or Dredging. Only permit the diking, filling, or dredging of open coastal waters, wetlands, and lakes for the following purposed where there is no feasible, less environmentally damaging alternative, and where feasible mitigation measures have been provided to minimize adverse environmental effects:
• New port, energy, and coastal-dependent industrial facilities, including commercial fishing facilities.
• New boating facilities and the placement of structural pilings for public recreational piers that provide public access and recreational opportunities. • Incidental public service purposes, including, but not limited to, burying cables and pipes or inspection of piers and maintenance of existing intake and outfall lines. • Mineral extraction, including extraction of sand, except in environmentally sensitive areas.
• Restoration activities;
• Nature study, aquaculture, or similar resource-dependent activities.
CO-I-6 ✳Minimize Disruption of Dredging. Require any proposed dredging and spoils disposal to be planned and carried out in a way that will avoid significant disruption to marine and wildlife habitats.
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CO-I-7 ✳Maintain Functional Capacity of Wetlands. Ensure that any diking, filling, or dredging in existing wetlands maintains or enhances their functional capacity.
Any alteration of coastal wetlands identified by the Department of Fish and Wildlife or as defined by the Coastal Commission shall be limited to very minor incidental public facilities, restorative measures, or nature study.
CO-I-8 ✳Continued Movement of Sediment and Nutrients. Allow sediment removed from erosion and flood control facilities to be placed at appropriate points on the shoreline, where environmental effects will be minimal.
Stormwater Management
CO-I-9 ✳Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program. Continue to participate in the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program.
The Program represents a collaborative effort amongst the County and its municipalities, consisting of five major areas of water pollution prevention and control:
• Municipal maintenance activities
• Industrial and illicit discharge
• Public information and participation
• New development and construction controls
• Watershed monitoring
CO-I-10 ✳Stormwater Discharge. Ensure compliance with the Municipal Regional Permit, the Construction General Permit, and the Construction Dewatering Permit, which regulate stormwater discharge from new and existing development.
These permits are established by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and administered by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. They require that new development incorporate Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Green Infrastructure Plan requirements in site design, construction, and management to minimize storm water runoff rates and volumes, control water pollution, and maximize infiltration.
CO-I-11 ✳Protect Water Quality through Best Management Practices. Continue to require the use of best management practices to reduce water quality impacts from construction and development. Measures include:
• Site Design and Source Control. Ensure that all new development incorporates site design and source control BMPs into the project design in order to preserve the infiltration, purification, and retention functions of each site’s natural drainage systems,
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and to prevent or minimize the runoff of pollutants, sediments, waste, and pathogens from the site.
• Construction Pollution Control. Require all construction projects to adopt measures to avoid when possible, or minimize erosion and runoff of pollutants and sediments from construction-related activities, and to limit activities that result in the disturbance of land or natural vegetation.
Construction projects will be required to use appropriate erosion prevention techniques, sediment control measures, and best management practices in accordance with City specifications and the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program. • Treatment Control. Require that new development implement treatment control BMPs (or structural treatment BMPs) where the combination of site design and source control BMPs is not sufficient to protect water quality and comply with applicable water quality permits.
Stormwater treatment systems must meet the numeric sizing criteria established in the NPDES Permit, and must be operated and maintained in compliance with the NPDES Permit.
• Green Infrastructure. Require development projects to provide or pay for their share of new stormwater infrastructure or improvements necessitated by that development as required by the C.3 requirements of the MRP and the city’s Green Infrastructure Plan.
CO-I-12 ✳Infrastructure and Water Quality. Ensure that the design and construction of new infrastructure elements does not contribute to stream bank or hillside erosion or creek or wetland siltation, and incorporates site design and source control BMPs, construction phase BMPs, and treatment control BMPs to minimize impacts to water quality, in compliance with the NPDES Permit.
CO-I-13 ✳Erosion Control. Manage erosion in the Planning Area, particularly in watershed areas, though on-site erosion control.
Construction projects will be required to use appropriate erosion prevention techniques, sediment control measures, and best management practices in accordance with City Specifications and General Conditions of Approval and the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program.
CO-I-14 ✳Minimize Site Disturbance. Require use of best practices during development design and construction to preserve natural resources, such as soil, trees, native plants, and permeable surfaces.
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CO-I-15 ✳Reduce Impervious Surfaces. Enable natural drainage by reducing the amount of impervious surfaces on a development site, whenever feasible.
Techniques that help accomplish this objective:
• Designing development projects to share driveways;
• Placing parking lots under buildings, whenever feasible; and • Using permeable paving materials on walkways and driveways, whenever feasible.
CO-I-16 ✳On-site Stormwater Management. Continue to require all small projects and detached single-family home projects, as defined under the NPDES Permit, to incorporate site design measures that facilitate groundwater recharge and natural hydrological processes, allowing stormwater to infiltrate the ground on-site and/or be collected for reuse in landscaping and designated to on-site stormwater detention facilities.
Techniques for on-site stormwater management include use of:
• “Rain gardens” or bioretention areas in yards, parks, and parking lots; • Landscaped drainage swales along roadways;
• Green roofs;
• Permeable pavers for walkways and parking areas;
• Rain barrels for harvesting runoff from rooftops;
• Tree box filters for on-street filtration;
• Parking areas that direct stormwater flow into vegetated areas; • Grading that lengthens flow paths and increases runoff travel time to reduce the peak flow rate; and
• Cisterns or sub-surface retention facilities that capture rainwater for use in irrigation and non-potable uses.
CO-I-17 ✳Prevent Contaminated Runoff. Ensure that new parking lots and commercial development incorporate BMPs designed to prevent or minimize runoff of oil, grease, solvents battery acid, coolant, gasoline, sediments, trash, and other pollutants from the site.
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Runoff from areas serving vehicle traffic, structures, landscaping, loading areas, repair and maintenance bays, fueling areas, vehicle/equipment wash areas, outdoor material storage areas, and waste storage areas should be prevented or minimized.
CO-I-18 ✳Oil and Hazardous Substance Spills. Provide protection against the spillage of crude oil, gas, petroleum products, or hazardous substances in relation to any development of transportation of such materials.
For any accidental spills that do occur, the City will require immediate and effective containment and cleanup facilities and procedures.
Water Supply and Conservation
CO-I-19 ✳Water Supply. Support the Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency in advocating for reliable and fairly priced water from the San Francisco regional water system.
CO-I-20 ✳Incentives for Water Conservation. Encourage the NCCWD to continue and expand its water conservation incentive programs, including free water-efficient fixtures and rebates for water-efficient appliances.
CO-I-21 ✳Water Recycling. Continue to support implementation and expansion of NCCWD’s water recycling project, involving new pipes and pumping stations, to allow treated wastewater from the Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant to be used for irrigation of landscaped areas.
The feasibility of expanding this project to include other potential uses of recycled water such as linkages with fire hydrants will be evaluated.
CO-I-22 ✳Water Storage. Support the NCCWD in its efforts to provide adequate emergency water storage in Pacifica.
Wastewater Collection and Treatment
CO-I-23 ✳Wastewater Treatment Capacity. Continue to monitor wastewater generation rates so decision-makers are aware of the impacts on the treatment plant on new development, and plan for additional capacity in advance of projected need.
CO-I-24 ✳Sewer System Connections. Require all new development to be connected to the City's sewer system.
CO-I-25 ✳Sanitary Sewer Discharge. Ensure that discharges of treated wastewater from the Calera Creek Wastewater Recycling Plant continue to comply with the Sanitary Sewer System Permit.
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The City will manage the release of treated wastewater as part of habitat restoration along Calera Creek, and pursue the use of recycled water for irrigation and other uses.
7.2 Biological Resources
Pacifica contains some of the most natural habitat on the San Francisco Peninsula, providing for a wide variety of plant and animal species and natural communities. Some of these species and communities, both plant and animal, have special legal status, having been listed under the federal or state Endangered Species Acts, or having been identified as sensitive in the California Natural Diversity Database. Portions of the Planning Area have been noted for high habitat values (providing important resources to plants and wildlife), use as a migration corridor, or their potential to be designated an Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA)7 under the California Coastal Act.
PLANT COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE HABITATS
Plant communities and habitats found in Pacifica are briefly described below and depicted in Figure 7-2, Vegetation. The General Plan EIR includes a more detailed description of each of these communities and habitats. Species identified with various plant communities or habitats are not necessarily present in the Planning Area. Some of these communities are recognized as “special status communities,” or provide critical habitat for special status species.
INSERT Figure 7-2: Vegetation
Annual Grasslands/Prairie
Annual gGrasslands in Pacifica Grasslands/Coastal Prairie in Pacifica occur at Milagra Ridge, Sweeney Ridge, Cattle Ridge, Mori Point, Aramai Point (formerly Rockaway Headland), San Pedro Valley Park, the San Pedro Mountain hills and Pedro Point Headlands and often grow in a mosaic with coastal scrub. occur most often in a mosaic with coastal scrub and are dominated by non-native annual grass species and a variety of other non-native weeds. Grasslands attract reptiles and amphibians including several lizard species and the western rattlesnake. GAnnual grasslands are important foraging grounds for bats and other mammals such as coyote, black-tailed deer, jackrabbits, and various rodents. Small rodents attract raptors (birds of prey) including hawks, owls, and turkey vultures. The grasslands in Pacifica are of limited and highly disturbed nature, having been damaged through unauthorized vehicle activity that has created off-road trails on hillsides.
Over the past thirty years extensive work has been accomplished to protect, preserve and restore native, perennial grasses and forbs at Pedro Point Headlands (PPH), Aramai Point, Mori Point and Milagra Ridge. The Pedro Point Headlands restoration was supported by a grant awarded by California State Parks and Recreation Division to the Pacifica Land Trust to repair off- highway vehicle damage. 7 Public Resources Code § 30107.5.
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Grassland and prairie are being protected in other publicly managed lands as well. Unprotected grassland/prairie remnants continue on Harmony 1, Rockaway Rock, the Quarry, Cattle Hill, along Fassler, Esplanade, Palmetto, and Fish and Bowl.
Special-Status Species in Grassland Habitats
Special-status species8 that have the potential to occur in grassland habitats around Pacifica include the Mission blue butterfly, San Bruno elfin butterfly, Crystal Springs fountain thistle, Marin western flax, San Mateo thorn-mint, white-rayed pentachaeta, Crystal Springs lessingia, pappose tarplant, and San Francisco owl’s clover.9
Coastal Bluff Scrub
Coastal bluff scrub, found along Highway 1, consists of a mosaic of open sand, native low growing shrubs and herbaceous perennials. Native species present include dwarf coyote brush, silver bush lupine, yellow bush lupine, seaside woolly sunflower, bunchgrass, buckhorn plantain, beach evening primrose, beach bur, yellow sand verbena, beach saltbush, and beach morning glory. Other exotic species are Italian ryegrass, bull thistle, and fennel1011Non-native iceplant (Carpobrotus edulis) New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) have been virtually eradicated and replaced with appropriate natives grown and planted by volunteers.
Special-Status Species in Coastal Bluff Scrub Habitat
Special-status species that may be found in this habitat around Pacifica are bumblebee scarab beetle, sandy beach tiger beetle, Hickman’s cinquefoil, blue coast gilia, coast yellow leptosiphon, coastal marsh milk-vetch, coastal triquetrella, compact cobwebby thistle, Franciscan thistle, Point Reyes horkelia, rose leptosiphon, San Francisco Bay spineflower, and short-leaved evax. Bank swallows, double-crested cormorants, and big free-tailed bats may use cliff sides for nesting. 8 “Special-status” plant and animal species are defined in more detail in the Special-status Species section of this chapter. Briefly, they are:
• Species listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, California Endangered Species Act, California Fish and Game Code, and the Native Plant Protection Act as endangered, threatened, or depleted; species that are candidates or proposed for listing; or species that are designated as rare or fully protected • Locally rare species defined by CEQA Guidelines Sections, which may include species that are designated as sensitive, declining, rare, locally endemic, or as having limited or restricted distribution by various federal, state, and local agencies, organizations, and watch lists.
9 John Northmore Roberts & Associates et al., 1992; State of California Department of Parks and Recreation, 1990. 11 State of California Department of Parks and Recreation, 1990; ESA surveys, 2008
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Northern Coastal Scrub
Northern coastal scrub habitat is found on undeveloped slopes, often in a mosaic with annual grasslands.
Northern maritime chaparral, a special-status community, is included in this category. Northern coastal scrub is dominated by either coyote brush or California sagebrush, depending on slope aspect. North facing slopes support a greater diversity of shrub species and canopy cover than south facing slopes.
Coastal scrub habitat, often interspersed with other habitats, provides foraging and nesting habitat for species that are attracted to edges of plant communities. These include various bird species, including hummingbirds; small mammals including skunks, rabbits, gophers, and rodents; larger predators such as fox, coyotes, bobcat and mountain lions; and small reptiles.12 Special-Status Species in Northern Coastal Scrub Habitat Special-status animals that may use northern coastal scrub around Pacifica include merlins, dusky-footed woodrat, Mission blue butterfly, and San Bruno elfin butterflies. Special-status plants with the potential to occur include: Pacific manzanita, Presidio manzanita, San Bruno manzanita, San Francisco lessingia, Choris’ popcorn-flower, Davidson’s bush-mallow, fragrant fritillary, Kellogg’s horkelia, Montara manzanita, Oregon polemonium, pale yellow hayfield tarplant, San Francisco campion, San Francisco collinsia, and San Francisco gumplant.
Coastal Mixed Hardwood/Oak Woodland
This habitat type includes woodlands dominated by coast live oak, black oak, blue oak, as well as other hardwood species. In addition to birds, wildlife commonly associated with woodlands in general includes the ringneck snake, California newt, and California slender salamander. Seeds and fruit provide food for black-tailed deer, jays, and woodpeckers, while tree branches and cavities can provide areas for nesting.
This community is not found in the Pacifica Coastal Zone.
Special-Status Species in Coastal Mixed Hardwood/Oak Woodland Habitat Special-status species that are likely to use coastal mixed hardwood/oak woodland habitat in Pacifica are the hoary bat, San Mateo woolly, bent-flowered fiddleneck, Diablo helianthella, Franciscan onion, Hillsborough chocolate lily, and Indian Valley bush-mallow.
Eucalyptus
This habitat type is dominated by planted Eucalyptus species, primarily blue-gum eucalyptus. Groves of eucalyptus are dense and form a closed canopy, restricting other native overstory trees to clearings.
Eucalyptus trees have allelopathic properties, releasing chemicals into the soil to reduce or inhibit growth of other plants. In addition, they produce extensive leaf and bark litter which further inhibits the growth of understory plants. Eucalyptus trees provide perching, roosting, and nesting sites for larger birds, such as crows, ravens, red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, and barn owls. The migratory monarch butterfly frequently roosts in eucalyptus trees in the winter. 12 John Northmore Roberts & Associates et al., 1992
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Monterey Cypress
Small patches of Monterey cypress occur throughout the Planning Area in planted stands surrounded by a mosaic of scrub and grasslands. The largest stand occurs at the north end of the Planning Area. Although the small patches of Monterey cypress found in Pacifica are unlikely to support significant wildlife populations, they complement surrounding habitats by providing nesting and roosting substrates for birds as well as shelter for other animals.
Riparian Mixed Hardwood
Areas with riparian mixed hardwood habitat occur along San Pedro Creek, Rockaway Creek, Calera Creek, and Laguna Salada. Native trees that are found include red alder, various willow species, and creek dogwood. Riparian areas also host native herbs and emergent vegetation, as well as various nonnative ivies, grasses, blackberry, and other plants.13 Riparian areas provide foraging ground for birds and small mammals, and habitat for small reptiles and amphibians.
Special-Status Species in Riparian Mixed Hardwood Habitat Special-status wildlife that could be present in the riparian corridor includes tricolored blackbirds, raptors such as Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and great blue heron.
Willow Riparian Scrub
Willow riparian scrub in Pacifica is dominated by arroyo willow, with red willow and dogwood. This habitat occurs in the upper reaches of San Pedro Creek, in San Pedro Valley County Park. Where an overstory is present it is dominated by non-native trees. Species found in upper reaches of San Pedro Creek are bluegum eucalyptus, Monterey pine, coast redwood, French broom, cape ivy, common periwinkle, Algerian ivy, and wax myrtle. In San Pedro Valley County Park the species include arroyo and red willow, alder, coastal wood fern, lady fern, western sword fern, and alumroot.
Seasonal Wetlands and Ponds
Seasonal wetlands occur in smaller drainages and localized depressions, forming ponds or flowing water, and are underlain by saturated soils during the winter and spring. Seasonal wetlands also occur along the banks and sediments that accumulate in creeks. Wetlands in Pacifica are found along riparian areas, drainages, along the coast, and as fresh and brackish water marshes (such as on the Sharp Park Golf Course). Vegetation and wildlife found in wetlands varies with water characteristics, inundation patterns, surrounding habitat, and level of disturbance.
Special-Status Species in Seasonal Wetlands and Ponds
The California red-legged frog, San Francisco garter snake, Leech’s skyline diving beetle, San Francisco forktail damselfly, Tomales isopod, western pond turtle, and bristly sedge are special-status species that 13 San Pedro Creek Watershed Coalition, 2005
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may be found in wetlands around Pacifica. The wetlands in Sharp Park are also known to support saltmarsh common yellowthroat. Seasonal wetlands and ponds at Mori Point and Sharp Park Golf Course support the California red-legged frog as well as the San Francisco Garter Snake.
Streams
Streams are important habitat features in Pacifica as they can function as movement corridors as well as providing protective cover. Wildlife species that are associated with stream habitat include river otters, great blue heron, snowy egret, belted kingfisher, dark-eyed junco, and black phoebe. Black-tailed deer, raccoon, opossum, and grey fox may use the creeks as movement corridors. Fish species present include the prickly sculpin, the Pacific lamprey, and the threespine stickleback.
Special-Status Species in Streams
The federally threatened steelhead trout use parts of San Pedro Creek for spawning, including the main portion parallel to Linda Mar Boulevard, as well as the middle and south forks in San Pedro County Park.
14 This is the only stream with a steelhead population between the Golden Gate Bridge and Half Moon Bay. Lower Calera Creek on the Quarry site supports the federally-threatened California red-legged frog and the Endangered San Francisco garter snake.
INSERT Photo 09
San Pedro Creek is the only perennial stream in the planning area and provides important habitat for steelhead trout, a federally listed species.
Beach/Intertidal
Significant expanses of continuous sandy shoreline occur along the San Mateo coastline, including in Pacifica. Beaches are dynamic systems that change with wind and waves; generally, sand is eroded from beaches in the winter and re-deposited in the summer, resulting in annual changes in beach slope and width.
Beach habitats can be divided into supratidal, intertidal, and subtidal. The supratidal tidal beach fauna consists of sand crabs, California beach flea, amphipods, polychaete worms, flies, and isopods that feed on detritus; these species in turn are fed on by a variety of birds. The by-the-wind sailor, a jellyfish-like colony of organisms, frequently washes up on the upper beach areas. Exposed rocks or cobble, especially at the lower intertidal areas, can have attached algae, mussels, and barnacles. Intertidal areas are home to the Pacific egg cockle and spiny mole crab. The Subtidal zone is primarily inhabited by fish such as surf perch, striped bass, salmon, anchovies, sanddabs, California halibut, and the starry flounder. 15 14 San Pedro Creek Watershed Coalition, 2005
15 BLM, 1981; State of California Department of Parks and Recreation, 1990
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Special-Status Species in Beach/Intertidal Habitat
Some special-status species may be found in the shallow waters off of Pacifica. Harbor seals and sea lions haul out on isolated beaches and sands spits. The endangered black abalone may be present in intertidal areas attached to rocks. The threatened green sturgeon may also forage in the shallow waters off of Pacifica. Both the gray whale and southern sea otter use the nearshore waters, and the California brown pelican is also frequently observed. Pacifica State Beach in the 1970s hosted nesting Western Snowy Plovers, a Federally listed threatened species. Since 2003 volunteers have regularly surveyed and monitored the plovers and have seen only wintering plovers in declining numbers. ESHA is required on the north half of the beach where plovers roost and feed.
SENSITIVE AND CRITICAL HABITAT
INSERT Figure 7-3: Sensitive & Critical Habitat
The Planning Area hosts numerous areas of sensitive, critical, and special-status habitats and natural communities. These areas are those with unique, rare, or sensitive biological characteristics and/or possess special legal status.
16 Critical Habitat
Critical habitat areas are for species listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act. These areas contain features that are essential for the conservation of the species and may require special management and protection.
Critical habitat for the California red-legged frog has been designated in the southeast portion of the Planning Area (see Figure 7-3, Sensitive and Critical Habitat). This area contains both aquatic and upland areas with suitable breeding and non-breeding habitat. A final ruling was issued in March 2010 to expand the critical habitat from 450,288 acres to 1,636,609 acres statewide, including additional parts of the Planning Area, including on Pedro Point Headlands.
17 San Pedro Creek is known to support steelhead trout, a federally listed threatened species. They spawn in the main portion of the creek that runs parallel to Linda Mar Boulevard, as well as the middle and south forks in San Pedro County Park.18 However, conditions in parts of the creek limit its suitability for steelhead habitat, including barriers to fish passage at main stem road crossings, low base flows, 16 A “special-status natural community” is a natural habitat community that is unique in its constituent components, restricted in distribution, supported by distinctive soil conditions, considered locally rare, potentially supporting special-status plant or wildlife species, and/or that receives regulatory recognition from municipal, county, state, and/or federal entities such as the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB).
17 Fish and Wildlife Service, 2010.
18 San Pedro Creek Watershed Coalition, 2002.
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mobilization and accumulation of fine sediments in the main stem, deterioration of water quality, disturbance, and exploitation.
Nearshore marine areas off of Pacifica are part of the Green Sturgeon Critical Habitat. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that this area, which includes Pacifica’s shoreline, is of high conservation value.
Special-Status Communities
The California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) indicates that there is an area of northern maritime chaparral at the south end of the Planning Area, in San Pedro Valley County Park and on Whiting Ridge and Montara Mountain. This community is fairly open chaparral, with about 50–80 percent cover, and it is dominated by Manzanita or Ceanothus species.
19 An area of coastal bluff scrub has been identified at the north end of Pacifica. Coastal bluff scrub communities are found on steep, exposed bluffs along the ocean and are dominated by low shrubs and ground-hugging herbaceous species. It is particularly important for stabilizing sand dunes. Both bluff and northern coastal scrub habitat has been damaged by unauthorized vehicle activity and pedestrian use.
Potential Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas
Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas are defined by the California Coastal Act as “any area in which plant or animal life or their habitats are either rare or especially valuable because of their special nature or role in an ecosystem and which could be easily disturbed or degraded by human activities and developments.”20 These areas are to be protected against any significant disruption of habitat values, and only uses dependent on those resources are to be allowed within those areas. Development in areas adjacent to environmentally sensitive habitat areas must be sited and designed to prevent impacts which would significantly degrade those areas, and be compatible with the continuance of those habitat and recreation areas.
Figure 7-3 identifies potential ESHAs in the Planning Area. Potential ESHAs include all designated critical habitat for Endangered or Threatened Species; special status communities21; areas designated as “other potential Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas.” Areas around Mori Point, coastal bluffs, and Sharp Park Golf Course are likely to qualify as an Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area. 20 Public Resources Code § 30107.5.
21 A “special-status natural community” is a natural habitat community that is unique in its constituent components, restricted in distribution, supported by distinctive soil conditions, considered locally rare, potentially supporting special-status plant or wildlife species, and/or that receives regulatory recognition from municipal, county, state, and/or federal entities such as the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB).
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Any proposed development on land designated on the Sensitive and Critical Habitat map (Figure 7-3) as having potential to include an ESHA requires a site-specific evaluation by qualified biologists. The site evaluation will determine the precise location and extent of sensitive resources, if any, and establish appropriate development setbacks and standards to ensure that resources are protected.
INSERT Photo 10
Portions or all of the area around Mori Point and Sharp Park Golf Course supports the California red-legged frog and the San Francisco garter snake, and are a potential ESHA under the California Coastal Act.
Wildlife Movement Corridors
Wildlife movement corridors link together areas of suitable habitat that are otherwise separated by rugged terrain, changes in vegetation, or by areas of human disturbance or urban development. They allow wildlife to access additional areas with food, water, and other resources such as shelter that would otherwise be blocked by impenetrable barriers such as highways. Topography and other natural factors in combination with urbanization can fragment or separate large open-space areas, creating isolated “islands” of vegetation that may not provide sufficient area to accommodate sustainable populations of animals or plants. Movement corridors mitigate the effects of fragmentation by allowing animals to move between remaining habitats. This allows depleted populations to be replenished and promotes genetic exchange with separate populations.
Natural wildlife corridors in Pacifica include riparian corridors and drainages such as San Pedro Creek, canyons, ridgelines, and corridors across valley floors where impermeable barriers have not yet eliminated options for wildlife movement. An area on the south side of Sharp Park Road may function as a viable corridor between Milagra and Sweeney Ridges. This area has also been identified as part of the Mission Blue butterfly migration corridor.
22 While a wildlife movement corridor is needed somewhere within the area designated on Figure 7-3, the entire area need not be designated as a wildlife movement corridor. Corridors typically range from 100 to 400 feet in width, within which habitat is continuous and suitable for wildlife movement. Other wildlife corridors could occur in areas of potentially sensitive habitat, or areas threatened by habitat fragmentation, areas with high habitat value, or critical habitat areas, INSERT Photo 11
Milagra Ridge provides high habitat value for endangered or threatened species, and is at risk of becoming fragmented by development, which would isolate its inhabitants from other populations of the same species.
22 NPS, 2005
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SPECIAL-STATUS SPECIES
Several species known to occur in the vicinity of the Planning Area are accorded “special-status” because of their recognized rarity or vulnerability to various causes of habitat loss or population decline. Some of these receive specific protections defined in federal or state endangered species legislation. Others have been designated as “sensitive” by state resource agencies or organizations with acknowledged expertise.
For purposes of this General Plan, special-status species include:
• Plant and animal species designated as rare, threatened or endangered under the federal or state endangered species acts (ESA);
• Species that are candidates for listing under either federal or state law; • Species designated by the USFWS as species of concern or species of local concern, or by CDFG as species of special concern;
• Species protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-711); • Bald and golden eagles protected by the federal Bald Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668); and • Species such as candidate species and CNPS List 1 and 2 species that may be considered rare or endangered pursuant to Section 15380(b) of the CEQA Guidelines.
Of particular interest are the Mission Blue Butterfly and the San Francisco garter snake, federally listed as Endangered; the California red-legged frog and the Central California Coast Steelhead trout, federally listed as Threatened; the Western snowy plover, which is federally listed as Threatened and a California Species of Special Concern; and Myrtle’s Silverspot big free-tailed bat, a California Species of Special Concern. Known occurrences of these species have been identified and documented in California Natural Diversity Database. A comprehensive list and description of species that are either known or presumed to be in the Planning Area based on suitable habitat is in the EIR.
INSERT Photos 12, 13
The California red-legged frog (CRLF) and the San Francisco garter snake are two Special Status Species known to occur in Pacifica.
Special-Status Wildlife Species
In addition to these species, additional migratory birds, raptors, and common bat species are subject to general protections provided by state and federal regulations.
Special-Status Plant Species
The large number of special-status plants and the severity of their population declines are reflective of the degree of habitat loss that has occurred throughout the San Francisco Peninsula. Outside of San Bruno Mountain, Pacifica encompasses the northernmost natural habitat on the peninsula. Due to extensive coastal development throughout neighboring counties, beach and bluff species have also become rare.
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Of the special-status plant species listed in the EIR, 38 special-status plants have the potential to occur within the Planning Area. These species have been recorded in the vicinity and/or may be present in suitable habitat on site.
PROTECTED TREES
Certain trees within the city limits are also protected, including heritage trees and street trees. Heritage trees are currently defined as any trees in the City that have a trunk with a circumference of 50 inches or more, at 24 inches above grade, excluding eucalyptus. The City Council may also designate any tree or grove of trees, including eucalyptus, with historical, environmental, or aesthetic value, as Heritage Trees.
Heritage Trees generally require special permits for removal, substantial trimming, or construction within its drip-line; in some cases, a Tree Protection Plan prepared by a qualified arborist, landscape architect, or horticulturalist may be required prior to project approval. The City is in the process of updating the Heritage Tree ordinance found at Chapter 12 of Title 4 of the Municipal Code.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
CO-G-7 ✳Wildlife and Critical Habitat. Conserve and protect indigenous threatened, endangered, and other special status species by preserving critical habitat.
Habitat can be protected by allowing very limited or no development, by identifying habitat areas as top priorities for permanent conservation, and by managing public land to ensure species protection.
CO-G-8 ✳Coastal Environment and Special Status Communities. Conserve and protect beaches, sand dunes, coastal bluffs, and special status communities, particularly the Coastal bluff scrub on the northern bluffs.
CO-G-9 ✳Creeks and Riparian Areas as Habitat. Protect year-round creeks and their riparian habitats.
San Pedro Creek has been designated an “impaired waterway” by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and provides critical habitat to a federally-listed threatened species, the California coast population of steelhead.
CO-G-10 Trees. Conserve trees and encourage native forestation and planting of appropriate trees and vegetation.
CO-G-11 ✳Other Environmentally Sensitive Areas. Protect other potential ESHAs, high habitat value areas, and wildlife movement corridors from development that would significantly disrupt habitat values.
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Implementing Policies
CO-I-26 ✳Protection of Biological Resources with New Development. Protect sensitive habitat areas and special-status species through implementation of the following measures:
1) Discourage development and/or buildout in critical habitat of special status species during the development review process.
2) Pre-construction plant and wildlife surveys: Project applicants shall engage a qualified biologist to conduct presence/absence biological surveys for sensitive plant and wildlife species prior to construction adjacent to or within identified special status communities and other sensitive areas identified in Figure 7-3 of the proposed General Plan. If special status species are identified, the qualified biologist shall consult with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and establish no-disturbance buffers around special status species to avoid disturbance and direct impacts to these resources during construction. If no special status species are detected during surveys, then construction-related activities may proceed. Nesting birds, in particular, are protected by two means; they receive protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and nesting raptors (in the order Falconiformes or Strigiformes) are protected under the State Fish and Game Code, §3503.5.
3) Require biological resource assessments be conducted prior to approval for any development within 300 feet of creeks, wetlands, or other sensitive habitat areas shown on Figure 7-3 of the General Plan.
4) Require on-site monitoring of biological resources by a qualified biologist throughout the duration of construction activity.
5) Require compensatory mitigation by means of habitat preservation, restoration, and enhancement; for the loss of any critical habitat and/or special status communities.
The City will coordinate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Regional Water Quality Control Board in providing project applicants with the best guidance to avoid impacts to special status species and habitat areas including creeks, wetland features, woodlands, or other sensitive natural features.
CO-I-27 ✳Verification of ESHA. Prior to any proposed development in an ESHA or potential ESHA, require that a habitat survey be conducted by a qualified botanist or biologist. The habitat survey will verify whether the site is an ESHA, and document the extent of the sensitive resources, document potential negative impacts to the habitat, and recommend appropriate mitigation measures. Verification of an ESHA shall be based on the following considerations:
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• Presence of natural communities identified as rare by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (determined by a state rarity ranking of S1 to S3). • Recorded or potential presence of plant or animal species designated as rare, threatened or endangered under State or federal law.
• Recorded or potential presence of plant or animal species for which there is compelling evidence or rarity, such as a designation of 1B (rare or endangered in California or elsewhere) or 2 (rare, threatened, or endangered in California, but more common elsewhere) by the California Native Plant Society. • Presence of coastal waterways.
• Integrity of the habitat and its connectivity to other natural areas.
CO-I-28 ✳Management of ESHA. If the area qualifies as an ESHA under the California Coastal Act, the following regulations apply:
• No new development shall be allowed within primary habitat areas with the exception of resource-dependent uses that can be demonstrated to have no significant adverse impact.
• Buffer areas shall be established around all sensitive resources, providing a minimum of 100 feet, and varying as needed to account for feeding, breeding, nesting, and other habitat requirements. New buildings in buffer areas shall be allowed only if there are no other feasible development areas on the parcel. Exceptions to such buffer requirements should be supported by a biological report demonstrating that the adjusted buffer, in combination with incorporated siting, design or other mitigation measures, will prevent impacts that significantly degrade the ESHA and will be compatible with the continuance of the ESHA. Buffer adjustments should also be limited to where the entire subject legal lot is within the buffer or where it is demonstrated that development outside the buffer would have a greater impact on the ESHA. Development shall be sited and designed to prevent impacts that would degrade adjacent habitat areas, taking into account drainage, vegetation, topography, and other considerations.
• Alteration of landforms, removal of vegetation, impervious surfaces, noise, light, and glare shall be minimized.
CO-I-29 ✳Fencing. Any fencing or barriers located within riparian ESHAs or wildlife corridors shall permit the free passage of wildlife.
CO-I-30 ✳Fuel Modification. Ensure that new development is sited and designed to minimize the need for fuel modification and vegetation clearance in order to avoid or minimize the disturbance or destruction of habitat and existing hydrology while still providing for fire safety as necessitated by the North County Fire Authority’s Vegetation Management Program. Prohibit new development that would require fuel modification within ESHAs.
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CO-I-31 Habitat Preservation. Require a habitat survey be prepared by a qualified botanist or biologist for any development proposed for the following areas, as shown in Figure 7-3. • Designated Critical Habitat for Endangered or Threatened Species; • Potential Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA); • High Habitat Value; and
• Wildlife Movement Corridor.
The survey will be used to determine the exact location of habitat areas and to recommend mitigation measures that minimize potential impacts.
CO-I-32 ✳Monitoring Requirements. Require a Restoration and Monitoring Proposal for any proposed habitat restoration or mitigation. The Proposal should describe the methods and practices to be employed, and include:
• A clear statement of the goals of the restoration or mitigation for all habitat types; • Sampling of reference habitat, with reporting of resultant data; • Designation of a qualified biologist as the Restoration or Mitigation Manager responsible for all phases of the restoration;
• A specific grading plan, if the topography must be altered; • A specific erosion control plan, if soil or other substrate will be disturbed during restoration;
• A weed eradication plan designed to eradicate existing weeds and control future invasion by exotic species;
• A planting plan based on the natural habitat type;
• An irrigation plan that describes the method and timing of watering and ensures removal of watering infrastructure by the end of the monitoring period; • An interim monitoring plan with performance goals, assessment methods, and a schedule; and
• A final monitoring plan to determine whether the restoration has been successful.
CO-I-33 ✳Construction during Nesting Season. If site work or construction occurs during the nesting season (February 1 through August 31), then pre-construction breeding bird surveys shall be performed by a qualified wildlife biologist prior to any site disturbance to ensure that no nests will be disturbed or destroyed during Project implementation. If an active nest is found sufficiently close to work areas to be disturbed by construction activities, then the biologist shall create a no-disturbance buffer of 250 feet around passerine nests and a 500 foot buffer around raptor nests. Work-free buffer zones shall be maintained until after the
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breeding season or until after the qualified biologist determines the young have fledged (usually late June through mid-July).
Nests initiated during active construction would be presumed to be unaffected by the activity, and a buffer zone around such nests is not necessary. However, nests shall be flagged and construction activity shall avoid killing and/or injuring nesting birds.
CO-I-34 ✳Pre-Construction Bat Surveys. Pre-construction surveys for special-status and non-listed bat species will be performed by a qualified biologist if large trees (>4 ft. diameter at breast height) are to be removed or underutilized or vacant buildings are to be demolished. A nodisturbance buffer of 100 feet shall be created around active bat roosts being used for maternity or hibernation purposes.
CO-I-35 ✳Protection of the Californian Red-Legged Frog and San Francisco Garter Snake during Construction. To minimize disturbance, require all grading activity within 100 feet of identified aquatic habitat shall be conducted during the dry season (May 1 through October 15) to protect California red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake. A qualified biologist shall conduct presence/absence surveys for California red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake prior to construction in or adjacent to riparian areas, grasslands near ponds/wetlands, or other sensitive habitat. Any individuals identified shall be treated in consultation with USFWS. Construction shall follow accepted procedures for exclusion and avoidance of California red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake and their habitat.
Additionally, the biologist shall supervise the installation of exclusion fencing along the boundaries of the work area, shall conduct environmental awareness training for construction workers, and shall be present during initial vegetation clearing and ground-disturbing activities.
CO-I-36 ✳Invasive Plant Species. Prohibit the use of invasive plant species (i.e., any California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC)-listed species with a status of high or moderate, or identified such as locally-threatened under the limited, alert, or watch status).
CO-I-37 ✳Beach Grooming. Work with the State of California, GGNRA, and other partners in the management of beaches in Pacifica to ensure biological resources are not adversely affected by beach grooming. Specifically, protect beach wrack (the piles of plant and animal debris that wash ashore), which plays an important role in the beach ecosystem.
CO-I-38 ✳Biological Productivity. Maintain—and where feasible, restore—the biological productivity and the quality of coastal waters, streams, wetlands, and lakes in order to maintain optimum populations of marine organisms and to protect human health.
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Techniques may include:
• Minimizing adverse effects of wastewater discharge;
• Controlling runoff, preventing depletion of ground water supplies and substantial interference with surface waterflow;
• Encouraging wastewater reclamation, maintaining natural vegetation buffer areas that protect riparian habitats; and
• Minimizing alteration of natural streams.
CO-I-39 Heritage Trees. Update the Heritage Tree ordinance to improve ease of City administration and clarity for applicants and surrounding residents.
CO-I-40 ✳Regulations and Incentives to Preserve Habitat. Ensure that sensitive or critical habitat is protected, maintained, enhanced, or restored.
Possible techniques include:
• Zoning for very low density and clustered development where appropriate; • Requiring the preparation of a habitat survey in certain areas; and Identifying appropriate “sending sites” in the City’s Transfer of Development Rights program.
CO-I-41 ✳Protection by Land Acquisition or Conservation Easements. Explore opportunities for public acquisition of land or conservation easements on parcels not currently designated for Conservation that have significant habitat value.
CO-I-42 ✳Public Land Management. Coordinate with GGNRA, State and County Parks, and the City and County of San Francisco to ensure that public open space lands are managed to optimize habitat protection for special status species while also providing for public access and other goals.
Key issues include maintaining viable habitat for the Mission Blue butterfly on Milagra and Sweeney ridges; for the California red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake populations associated with Mori Point and Laguna Salada; and supporting migrating Western snowy plover at Pacifica State Beach.
CO-I-43 ✳Management of Public Coastal Access. Determinations for new access points to ensure regular public access should be made on a site-specific basis by considering:
• The capacity of the access way to sustain use;
• The intensity of access that can be sustained;
• The fragility of the natural resources in the accessing, and
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• The proximity of the access to adjacent residential uses.
Innovative access management techniques include but are not limited to agreements with private organizations that would minimize management costs and the use of volunteer programs.
7.3 Land and Soil Resources
Conservation of soils and other resources in the earth, and conservation of agricultural and forestry resources are the subject of this section.
SOILS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service has mapped soils in the Planning Area. Soils are characterized according to various properties and grouped into soil associations.
These include the Barnabe-Candlestick complex, the Candlestick-Kron-Buriburi complex, Orthents Cut and Fill-Urban Land complex, and Candlestick-Barnabe Complex. In the upland regions these soils are generally shallow and found on slopes ranging from 30 to 75 percent. The Orthents and Urban Land complex soils are often located in the more gentle slopes of 0 to 30 percent. Soils found in developed areas have generally been reworked to the point that most of the native soils are only found at depth, if at all.
Hazards associated with soils, including erosion, landslides and slope failure, subsidence, and liquefaction are discussed in Section 8.1, Geologic and Seismic Hazards.
AGRICULTURE
While agricultural operations are not predominant, approximately 360 acres currently have agriculturerelated uses, mainly as horse boarding. These include the Park Pacifica Stables at the southwestern edge of Sweeney Ridge; Millwood Ranch, north of Terra Nova High School; and Shamrock Ranch south of the city limits. None of these properties are engaged in commercial food production and no land in the Planning Area is classified as farmland by the California Department of Conservation’s Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program.
FORESTRY
A significant portion of the Pacifica Planning Area is forested, including Eucalyptus, Coastal Mixed Hardwood/Oak Woodland, Riparian Mixed Hardwood, and Monterey Cypress.
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Logging
The City defines logging operations as any removal, destruction or harvesting of 20 or more trees within one year from any parcel or contiguous parcel in the same ownership, and exhibits logging operations unless one of the following conditions is met:
• Operations have received Planning Commission and/or City Council; • Operations are necessary immediately for the safety of life or property, as determined by the Director of Public Works; or
• Operations occur on city-owned property and are necessary to maintain public health and safety.
MINERAL RESOURCES
The Planning Area is a source of some mineral resources, including limestone, which is used for making cement. The Rockaway Quarry produced limestone from the early 20th century until 1987. Picardo Ranch (now Millwood Ranch) also produced limestone and chert for road construction, but the site is no longer operational. Other limestone deposits found in the southern portion of the Planning Area, underlying development, are not mined.
INSERT Photo 14
The San Pedro Creek restoration project involved augmenting the dunes at Pacifica State Beach, helping to reduce erosion.
COASTAL SEDIMENT
Coastal sediment, generally consisting of sand, gravel, silt, and clay, provides many benefits for coastal communities, providing habitat for a variety of species, creating recreational opportunities for residents and tourists, and protecting shorelines and adjacent development. Coastal sediment occurs, accumulates, and moves via natural processes (precipitation, wind, landslides, stream flow, etc.). However, urban development and flood control can disrupt these processes and alter the quantity, quality, and location of coastal sediment deposition over time. Eventually, additional intervention (such as armoring, dredging, and other methods) is required to stabilize the shoreline as the natural system is unable to do so. Such interventions often have adverse impacts on shoreline erosion downshore, and may accelerate sand loss from beaches.
Pacifica participates in the Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan (CRSMP) process for the San Francisco Littoral Cell (the stretch of coastline in which Pacifica is included). The CRSMP will establish policies for management of coastal sediment resources in the area, addressing:
• Shoreline erosion and coastal storm damage reduction; • Environmental restoration and protection, including beach nourishment, sediment transportation, and natural sediment supply to the coast; • Sea level rise;
• Coastal access and recreation;
• Water quality along beaches; and
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• Identification of beneficial uses for dredged sediment.
POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a ✳.
Guiding Policies
CO-G-12 ✳Preserve Agricultural Open Space. Promote the preservation of agricultural open space in the Planning Area.
Implementing Policies
CO-I-44 ✳Regional Sediment Management. Participate in regional approaches to protecting, enhancing and restoring coastal beaches and watersheds through the California Coastal Sediment Management Workgroup, with a goal of minimizing coastal erosion.
This approach has been formally recommended by the Sharp Park Working Group, as part of the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department’s Significant Natural Resource Areas Management Plan.