County Executive’s Office

Important note: The following recommendation was approved by the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 9, 2016:

To:            Honorable Board of Supervisors

From:       Marlene Finley, Parks Director

Subject:   Measure A Funding to the City of Pacifica

Recommendation:

Adopt a resolution authorizing Measure A funding award of $80,000 to the City of Pacifica toward the acquisition of five acres of undeveloped land known as the Colt property for permanent conservation and future development of the California Coastal Trail in the Pedro Point Headlands.

Background:

In March 2015, the Measure A Subcommittee reviewed all the letters of intent and made recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. San Mateo County Parks received $5.0 million for FY 2015/2016 and for FY 2016/2017 from Measure A. Parks was asked to include a prioritized list of grantees’ projects for six grants totaling $2,632,000 in the two-year budget. This funding request is the last of the six Measure A grants brought to your Board.

Discussion:

The Pedro Point Headlands is a large promontory located on the southern edge of the City of Pacifica. For over 25 years, the California Coastal Conservancy and City of Pacifica have been acquiring parcels in the Pedro Point Headlands for open space preservation and recreational use. These decades of effort have been undertaken and supported by the local community, regional land trusts, local, state and federal agencies. Today 255 acres have been permanently protected. This 5-acre Property is the final parcel needed for the alignment of a future segment of California Coastal Trail.

The Headlands host healthy communities of local coastal plant and animal species and is adjacent to Devil’s Slide County Park and near to other protected open spaces and protected lands owned by California State Parks and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The Pacifica Land Trust, another recipient of Measure A funds, has been stewarding the Headlands to reduce erosion and vegetation loss from historic off- highway vehicle use and to create safe and sustainable pedestrian and bicycle trails.

Acquisition of the Colt Property eliminates the gap between two trail systems providing an opportunity to link the Devil’s Slide Trail to the south and seven miles of City of Pacifica trails to the north through the Pedro Point Headlands. This future section of California Coastal Trail enhances public safety by diverting bicycle and pedestrian traffic from the shoulder of Highway 1. The acquisition also enables permanent conservation of undeveloped lands as part of a 255-acre Pedro Point Headlands.

In early December 2015, the City of Pacifica purchased the Colt Property in fee simple. County Parks, Real Property, and County Counsel have visited the property, reviewed the appraisal, title report and grant deed.

Measure A funds will be used in FY 2015/2016 to support the acquisition costs of $609,070 for the five-acre Colt Property in the Pedro Point Headlands by the City of Pacifica. Other sources of funding for the acquisition included $304,535 from a California State Parks and Recreation’s Habitat Conservation Fund grant program and $224,535 from the San Mateo County Transportation Authority’s Measure A grant program.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.

Approval of this resolution will contribute to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of an Environmentally Conscious Community as the five-acre Colt Property in Pedro Point Headlands will be acquired and preserved as parkland and will enable the completion of a future segment of California Coastal Trail.

Fiscal impact:

The award is for a not-to-exceed amount of $80,000 for use toward the acquisition of  the undeveloped five-acre Colt property in the Pedro Point Headlands. Funding for this award comes from the Parks Measure A List previously approved by your Board. There is no impact to the General Fund.

Important note: This is a copy of the official report -- item 24 on the Board's agenda.