Montara Coast - Public Access & Views
Caltrans right-of-way
vegetation management
Community priorities to preserve and enhance public ocean views and bike/pedestrian safety and mobility on Highway 1 in Montara: MCC presentation 3/14/18 — MCC request to Caltrans 3/18/18
Public coastal views from Highway 1 at Point Montara: MCC letter 5/25/16 - Caltrans reply
County rights-of-way
Most of Montara’s spectacular rocky shoreline is only visible to the public from the ends of county streets west of Highway 1, but in the past, the Dept of Public Works had allowed the coastal ends of 7th St and Seacliff to be walled off, like boarded-up picture windows. In Oct 2012 MCC began a multi-year effort to get the County to place a higher priority on protecting this public resource and require removal of private encroachments into the public right-of-way that block coastal access and views.
Overview presentation 2012
Online petition has 400+ signatures, including many personal comments.
Seacliff Ct
In 2013, the County agreed to remove the fence blocking the coastal end of Seacliff, replacing it with a more appropriate guardrail for vehicle safety and restoring public views. The Local Coastal Program (LCP) Table 10.6, Recommendations for Shoreline Destinations, states: “Keep open ends of residential streets in Montara such as Seacliff Court and develop them as viewpoints.”
7th St
2/18/15: 7th St. coastal access at Planning Commission Feb 25
10/17/15: Resolution near for 7th St fence?
Feb 2016: 7th St fence finally removed
Paper streets
While road construction is not needed or feasible on 4th, 5th, 8th, and 9th Streets west of Highway 1, these rights-of-way must be preserved for public non-motorized use to access the coastal bluff. MCC asks the County to protect this access and public views from private encroachment via structures, plantings, or private property signage. These are not dead-end streets leading nowhere. These are public coastal access points.
5th Street right-of-way
Private encroachments installed 2011-2012 without permits include walls, landscaping and private property sign, yet County does nothing to protect non-motorized public coastal access to enjoy the blufftop views — Oct 2013 MCC presentation.
>>> In May 2021 a 6-ft-tall gate closed any public access to 5th St.
See updated slide presentation
Correspondence
12/12/12 MCC meeting minutes
3/21/13 Memo from Deputy County Mgr Peggy Jensen
4/10/13 MCC letter to Board of Supervisors
4/4/13 Memo from Deputy County Mgr Peggy Jensen
Documentation
5th Street was dedicated by Farallone City subdivider and accepted by the County for public use (1907 subdivision map & Board Resolution).
5th Street has NOT been vacated (abandoned) by the County, including where it intersects with Pacific Ave Extension (1978 Board Resolution) and Ocean Shore Railroad property. 1969 survey map shows detail of 5th Street right-of-way extending across the railroad property, fee title of which was later transferred to Burr (2000 survey).
"The owner of a subdivided lot typically holds fee title to the center of the abutting street, but has no right to possess or occupy that area." (SMC Policy on Vacation of Streets, Legal Foundation 1-b, 2/8/2000)
1992 County Counsel answers MCC question if public has the right to non-motorized access to a 60-ft-wide county road easement which was not in the county-maintained road system (portion of Pedro Mountain Rd): “…they do… This road is still a County owned right-of-way, never having been abandoned… No action taken by [property owner] can ever extinguish the public status of the roadway… If any obstructions have been placed in the right-of-way, the County could compel removal of these obstructions…”
1977 Minutes of County Planning Commission Hearing on UP-20-77 for restaurant at Montara Beach which required the use of the 1st Street right-of-way for a parking lot. Staff erroneously reported that the County had never accepted the dedication of 1st Street and thus had no rights (1st St. accepted by 5/20/1907 Board Resolution). Nevertheless, District Attorney/County Counsel McCracken stated “he works on the presumption that the public has the right of access which cannot be taken away.”
1974 DPW letter which serves as basis for existence of 7th St fence encroachment permit.