The Pedro Point Basin

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The Vision

Imagine a five-acre, outdoor, visitor-serving destination nestled between the Bay Area's most accessible surf break, a commercial kitchen, four restaurants, and a historic community center with a community-built playground.  This is the Pedro Point basin, the heart of our Community. 

The PPCA welcomes commercial recreational opportunities such as kayak and bike rentals, for-profit community spaces and outdoor events such as outdoor movie nights consistent with the current land use designation and conditions on the ground.

Proposed Changes Would Add 70 New Homes and Restrict Public Coastal Access

The Proposed General Plan Update would change the land-use designation from very low density visitor-serving commercially-viable recreational uses to the development of high-density (at least 70 homes, pre-density bonuses) housing on this property, despite strong opposition from the Pedro Point Community and state regulatory agencies.  The community welcomes dialogue, projects, and proposals consistent with state law.  Come join us at our quarterly meetings!

For questions  contact PPCA Vice President joannegold@yahoo.com

The PPCA has been, and remains committed to ensuring that any new projects, and in particular, large-scale land-use changes are sustainable and consistent with State Law.  We have a vision, compatible with existing land uses, for this critical parcel as a bridge between Pacifica State Beach, the Bay Area's only accessible beginner's surf break, and the Pedro Point Headlands, via an ADA-Accessible Coastal Trail.  The Pedro Point basin can be a vibrant community corridor connecting recreational commercial tourism and job opportunities that make use of existing environmental assets, and do not require extensive non-permeable paved areas and roofed buildings.  
Examples of existing opportunities which align with Pacifica's economic development and the region's recreational needs and the environment include SparkSocialSF, Half Moon Bay Kayak Company, an outdoor family-friendly party destination, a bicycle rental and repair shop, or Outdoor movies.  Any changes to land-use designations must take into account the present geologic and biological realities of this parcel.

A Desired Commercial Asset:
Rejected by the City and Land-Owner
History: Despite Persistent Illegal Infill and Ditching, the Basin Was--and Remains--a Wetlands
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Historically, the Pedro Point Field has been a wetlands owned by the Archdiocese of San Francisco, which was leased out for recreational uses such as a golf driving range.  These uses are compatible with the seasonal flooding inherent in a coastal wetlands.

In 1996 and 1997 this property was acquired in three private transactions by "Calson Ronald W", "Calson Ronald W & Sheryl W", and "Calson Ronald W & Sheryl W Trs." for $550,000, total.  (Ron Calson of RC & Associates in Millbrae has represented the Archdiocese of San Francisco in past real estate transactions.)  The designated land use at the time of the acquisition was--and remains--Commercial Recreation. 

Subsequent, persistent, illegal diking, dumping, and infill events have eroded the native plant species and habitat in this designated Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area, but opportunities for restoration abound, consistent with State law, which requires cities to identify natural infrastructure that may be used for adaptation projects including the restoration of wetlands and coastal floodplains 

"Upzoning" this key parcel without adequate environmental review will severely impact the quality of life and coastal access rights of Pacifica's citizens and visitors to the Coast, while endangering future homeowners who are unwittingly purchasing new homes built on a FEMA-Designated flood plain and historical wetlands temporary protected by coastal armament built for the short-lived Ocean Shore Railroad.

Kayaking the Flooded Basin in 1950. 
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Flooding in October, 2021.
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The City and current owner propose a change to 70 new houses (105 with density bonuses) in the Pedro Point Field top along with some token commercial businesses, as taken from the developer's own (untrue) lobbying materials.  The owner acknowledges this property had previously been a golf driving range, a compatible use of this site.
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1995 Community Plan  "…Pedro Point residents have registered strong support for preserving a major portion of the Archdiocese property in some form of open space. It would be a major setback to the entire Pedro Point community if any development calling for intensive coverage of the land with buildings and pavement were to take place without a generous reservation of land for open space use. The community would look with favor on an adequate provision for open space and a compatible mix of visitor-serving uses appropriate to the Point’s oceanside setting."

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2011 Letter in Opposition to the Proposed Land Use Designation Change 

The Pedro Point Community Association rejected the Draft GPU's proposed Land Use Designation change, and recommended that it adopt "Commercial-Recreational," the designation most similar to the existing land use.  The PPCA also supported a change in the land use designation to Open Space. 

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2013 Letter in Support of Commercial-Recreational Uses: In 2012, the PPCA again, after extensive discussions which included inviting the current-land owners to serve on the PPCA board, voted for the field to remain in its current zoning of Commercial-Recreational. The proposed Commercial Recreation designation in the current Draft General Plan is intended for land use that would remain in a primarily undeveloped state but would allow for limited commercial establishments supporting recreational uses in keeping with the enjoyment of the beach and community character.

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2014 DOCUMENTS: In 2014, the PPCA unanimously voted to hire experts and an attorney, citing deficiencies in the City's General Plan Update and draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR).  The Proposed Land Use change did not pass, and the approved Land Use Designation remained Commercial Recreation.

The PPCA Has Supported Low-Intensity Visitor-Serving Light-Duty Uses in the Pedro Point Basin
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As part of the Plan Pacific Process, the City hosted feedback meetings during the summer of 2019, including one at Soul Grind Cafe in Pedro Point.
The purpose of these sessions were ostensibly to receive public feedback.  The neighborhood was represented by Realtors, the land-owners, and many citizens.  Yet, the overwhelming preference in Pedro Point was for a community that is Sustainable, Natural, and has Open Space, to support Pacifica as a vibrant destination for recreation.
This feedback, at right, taken from the City's own hired consultants, was ignored in the the City's own recommendation.
Neighbors submitted 82 pages of opposition to the proposed land use change.   

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2019 Request For a Neighborhood-Specific Study to consider the robust community input and evidence presented thus-far.  This request was denied by the City without cause, though funding to consider a Sharp-Park Specific plan was approved.

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2020 Letter of Support of California Coastal Commission Comments on the City of Pacifica's draft Local Coastal Plan citing the many deficiencies and fatal flaws.

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2022 General Plan Draft EIR Comments: in 2022 the City again ignored the law, existing conditions, and neighborhood input, and proposed a change to accommodate 70+ new homes.  Volunteers from the neighborhood passed the hat again to hire experts to point out the DEIR's fatal flaws.

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