COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

 

Date:

December 31, 2001

Set Time:

9:00 a.m.

Hearing Date:

January 15, 2002

 

To:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

From:

Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services

Subject:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Consideration of an appeal of the Planning Commission's decision to approve a Coastal Development Permit, a Resource Management-Coastal Zone Permit and a Stable Permit to allow legalization of a 3-horse stable, tractor shed, agricultural barn, replacement of one 8,000-gallon water tank with two 5,000-gallon water tanks, and a mobilehome as an affordable housing unit. The project is located at 1589 Higgins Canyon Road in the unincorporated Half Moon Bay area of San Mateo County. This project is appealable to the California Coastal Commission.

   

RECOMMENDATION

Deny the appeal and uphold the Planning Commission's decision to approve Coastal Development Permit, Resource Management-Coastal Zone Permit, and Stable Permit, County File No. PLN 1999-00079, by making the required findings and adopting the conditions of approval identified in Attachment A of this report.

 

PROPOSAL

The project involves legalization of a 3-horse stable, a tractor shed, an agricultural barn, replacement of one 8,000-gallon water tank with two 5,000-gallon water tanks and designation of a mobilehome as an affordable housing unit. The 1,440 sq. ft. stable structure consists of a tack room, three horse stalls and a bathroom and is located approximately 125 feet north of the existing residence. The 12-foot high stable structure consists of composition shingle roof and "rustic" redwood exterior walls. Two 8-foot high water tanks have been relocated approximately 200 feet southeast of the main residence. The tractor shed, agricultural barn and mobilehome are clustered in the eastern portion of the parcel. The 1,200 sq. ft., single-story mobilehome is composed of composition roof with aluminum siding. The 2,460 sq. ft. tractor shed and 200 sq. ft. agricultural barn are composed of metal roofs with plywood siding.

 

The project is located at 1589 Higgins Canyon Road and is within the Higgins-Purisima County Scenic Corridor.

 

On November 14, 2001, the Planning Commission considered the project and unanimously approved the project.

 

SUMMARY

The proposed project, as conditioned, complies with all applicable General Plan Policies and Local Coastal Program Policies specifically those related to visual impacts. All structures proposed to be legalized except for the stable structure are not visible from either Higgins Canyon Road or Cabrillo Highway. The stable structure is partially visible; however, given the distance from the road and highway, staff believes the visual impacts are not significant.

 

The project is also consistent with all applicable Resource Management-Coastal Zone and stable regulations.

 

The key issue of the appeal is a request to the County that before the permit is approved, the applicant should pay the violation fees, submit a revised site plan that includes all elements of the project and that be confirmed by County staff in-field and that the applicant obtain septic permit for legalization of the septic system serving the affordable housing unit. Both appellants mention a Press Release advertising the property. The house size quoted in this Press Release is bigger than the house size approved by the County. The appellants request that this discrepancy be investigated.