The Midcoast has a unique character that makes it a desirable place to live. Although it is only a few miles from the more heavily urbanized Bayside, the Midcoast has a coastal, semi-rural, small town, diverse character that residents value and want to preserve. It is a collection of five distinct communities (Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, Princeton and Miramar), each with individual neighborhoods differing in architecture, size, scale and character. The individuality of each community is vital to the overall character of the Midcoast. Residents and visitors enjoy the area’s many natural amenities, including the beaches and bluffs, creeks and streams, hillsides and mountains.

The Midcoast Design Standards aim to encourage new single-family homes and additions that have their own individual character while ensuring they are complementary with neighboring houses, the neighborhood character of each Midcoast community, and the surrounding natural setting.