CITY OF PACIFICA
540 Crespi Drive • Pacifica, California 94044-3422
(650) 738-7341 • www.cityofpacifica.org
MAYOR
Tygarjas Bigstyck
MAYOR PRO TEM
Sue Vaterlaus
COUNCIL
Sue Beckmeyer
Mary Bier
Christine Boles
Scenic Pacifica
Incorporated Nov. 22, 1957
February 28, 2023
Assemblymember Marc Berman
721 Colorado Avenue, Suite 101
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 324-0224
Senator Josh Becker
1528 South El Camino Real, Suite 303
San Mateo, CA 94402
(650) 212-3313
Subj: Letter of Sponsorship for Assembly Bill 612 (AB 612) for Acquisition of Excess Caltrans Property Located in the Pedro Point Neighborhood of the City of Pacifica The Honorable Marc Berman and The Honorable Josh Becker:
On behalf of the City Council of the City of Pacifica (“City”), I write to express appreciation and support for our sponsored bill, Assembly Bill 612 (AB 612) that would direct the transfer of ownership of an approximately 15,612-square foot parcel located in the Pedro Point neighborhood of Pacifica to the California Department of Parks and Recreation (referenced as Caltrans Director Deed No. DD-028801-01- 0, “Parcel”). AB 612 would expand coastal access around Pacifica State Beach and support a future California Coastal Trail (CCT) extension in Pacifica. It would also reinforce prior State investments in the Pedro Point area such as a Habitat Conservation Fund grant that helped the City acquire a five-acre parcel in the Pedro Point Headlands to create a continuous publicly-owned connection between Devil’s Slide Trail to the south and Pacifica State Beach to the north.
The Parcel has significant potential for long-term public recreational use. It is located immediately adjacent to an approximately 2,000-foot gap in the CCT between the southern end of Pacifica State Beach and publicly-owned lands in the Pedro Point Headlands to the south. The City, in partnership with other public agencies, plans to make improvements to close this gap in the CCT. The California Coastal Conservancy completed a feasibility study in 2019-2020 and found the Parcel to be an ideal location for CCT trailhead parking. Furthermore, on fair weather days, the Pacifica State Beach parking lots at the north end of the CCT gap become full and parking frequently spills over into nearby residential streets.
The availability of the Parcel for transfer from Caltrans presents an opportunity to support development of additional Pacifica State Beach parking in the near term and a CCT trailhead parking lot over a longer term once improvements are made to eliminate the CCT trail gap.
Public access to open space and natural amenities are major priorities for the City Council and residents of Pacifica. Passage of AB 612 would align with these priorities and reflect the long history of collaboration between the State and the City for preservation and improvement of public beaches, trails, and other open space areas.
2 Sincerely,
Tygarjas Bigstyck
Mayor