For the Record...

Recently, the lower Linda Mar area experienced two documented roadway flooding issues including an area where water levels came up over the curb to just past the back of sidewalk at Anza and Arguello. The highest water level documented during the storms was at 2 feet in height in the roadway gutter. This area and some other locations of lower Linda Mar are part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Special Flood Zone and have experienced past flooding issues. Many homes in this area employ sump pumps that pump high groundwater to the street from under their homes and this area requires homeowners to carry special flood insurance. The City continually works to minimize flooding in this area including employing storm water pumps at the Linda Mar and Anza pump stations and keeping storm drain inlets and pipes clear of debris. Although the Linda Mar pump station is fully automated, fire damage to the Anza pump station in March of 2020 required replacement of the equipment with a temporary system that is manually operated. Staff has been working closely with the California Coastal Commission on permitting that would allow for a permanent automated system to be installed and has recently issued a request to the Commission to be allowed to move forward on an emergency basis.

The most recent roadway flooding occurred late on December 23, 2021. At this time, both the Anza and Linda Mar pump stations were operating and managing storm water appropriately. The roadway flooding occurred following an intense rain downpour. The City’s pipe sensor (located in the storm drain inlet at the Anza and Arguello intersection) showed that during the downpour the pipe had additional capacity, however, the intensity of the downpour caused roadway water to back up at the inlet due to large water flows down the street.

Please click the link below for a Factsheet, updated July 23, 2021:

Oversized Vehicle Ordinance Factsheet, updated July 23, 2021

The City of Pacifica has installed OSV (Oversized Vehicle) parking restriction signs throughout the City based on an engineering safety review, which determined where OSVs could park in the City without impacting the safety of roadway users. These signs are located at roadway entrances into the City, entrances to specific neighborhoods and along stretches of specific City roadway. Many streets where OSVs cannot park without impacting driver safety have sign restrictions in place; however, not every prohibited street has signage.

June 22, 2021

This information is being provided in “For the Record” to clarify information regarding a statement in the June 9, 2021 Pacifica Tribune publication titled “Pacifica City Council Hears Capital Improvement Projects, Pier Troubles.” The Tribune article noted that the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) included a project that would change Sharp Park Road to one lane in each direction to accommodate bike lanes.

Although the Sharp Park Road Separated Bike Lane project is listed in the City’s 5-year CIP program as a potential future project, it is not funded and there is no scheduled date for this project. The project is listed in the CIP because it was included in the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) that was adopted by the City Council in February of 2020. The development of the City’s BPMP included extensive public outreach, including public workshops, multiple presentations, popup events, social media outreach and online participation with interactive web maps. This public engagement process resulted in hundreds of in-person and online comments that shaped the development of the BPMP.

However, a project of this magnitude would entail significant additional public engagement, a pilot study, and a robust traffic study prior to bringing the project forward for public input, City Council discussion and decision.

The BPMP includes separated bicycle lanes, with one shown on Sharp Park Road. Separated bicycle lanes are on-street bicycle facilities that are physically separated from vehicle traffic. These types of bicycle lanes were desired by the community because of the level of comfort they provide to less experienced cyclists. Less experienced cyclists are willing to use separated bicycle lanes because of this increased feeling of comfort, thereby greatly increasing the number of bicyclists who will travel on a roadway.

This is a response to the op ed recently submitted by Ms. Christine Boles in the Pacifica Tribune, which can be found here, regarding application of the Hillside Preservation District (HPD) standards generally and how they were applied to a specific project under construction on Fassler Ave. One message of Ms. Boles’ piece appears to encourage citizen involvement in the development review process, which City Staff also encourages. An open and transparent public process to review development proposals provides an opportunity for the decision-makers to consider all viewpoints regarding the project, including from the applicant, staff and the public before the project is approved. However, Ms. Boles’ analysis of HPD regulations is not completely accurate and she leaves out some critical information about the Fassler project. Additionally, she states that the Planning Commissioners and City Council were misled. This is false and necessitates providing this “For the Record” response.

Dear Community Member,

Pacifica resident Mike Mooney has done a great service for the Pacifica community and visitors by creating and maintaining his “Liberty Garden” on City property along the Calera Creek Trail in the former quarry nearly two decades ago in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy. His dedication to beautifying this area at the entrance of the Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant, as well as his passion for the symbolism of the garden, have been acknowledged by the community, City of Pacifica staff, as well as City Councilmembers over the years, and his garden has been featured in news coverage and more.

Gradually, voluntary garden plots started being planted adjacent to Mike’s Liberty Garden. And in recent months, many more plots began, now totaling more than 50 gardens beyond the original Liberty Garden. Recently, when the City’s irrigation pipe that supplies water to the Liberty Garden broke, the City learned the irrigation had been extended to some plots without permission and that some gardeners have been taking water out of the creek, which is prohibited by law unless that removal is permitted by the State. Additionally, removal of water from the creek for irrigation could cause the City to be in violation of various regulatory permits. The City has posted a sign advising people that water should not be taken out of the creek and is working to repair the irrigation pipe this week.

The Calera Creek area near the City’s Water Recycling Plant, including the areas where gardens have been planted, is a sensitive habitat area for certain species of animal and is subject to an extensive permit held by the City from the California Coastal Commission from when the treatment plant was built. The City is in the process of assessing the permit conditions and other relevant information to ascertain whether any of the gardens established since the original Liberty Garden can remain.

This Pacifica Pier update is being provided in “For the Record” to inform the public about the facts and timeline regarding the recent damage to the pier, the closure required for public safety, the assessment of damage performed, and the timeline for next steps.

On January 14, 2021, a combination of high tides and large waves damaged a forty-foot section of the Pacifica Municipal Pier’s west facing deck and concrete railing. The City’s Public Works Engineering Division assessed the Pier damage and determined the Pier was unsafe for users and visitors until further notice. The City released a Press Release at that time stating the Pier would be closed for a month or longer until a structural assessment of the Pier railing could be completed.

Following the closure, City Engineering staff pursued proposals from structural engineering consultants on an expedited basis for a safety assessment of the Pier railing and above deck elements. Based on the proposals received, GHD, who is the City’s coastal engineering consultant on the Beach Boulevard Infrastructure Resiliency project, was selected to complete the work due to their alignment of proposed scope with the project need and extensive coastal engineering experience. The agreement with GHD and the City was signed by the City Manager on February 12, 2021.

A final draft structural assessment report from GHD was received by the City on March 18, 2021 and City Engineering staff completed their review on March 26th. The report will be released to the public the week of March 29, 2021.