COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

Date:

April 10, 2002

Set Time:

10:00 a.m.

Hearing Date:

April 30, 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 to authorize exploratory geotechnical work for the proposed Devils Slide Tunnel. This project is appealable to the California Coastal Commission.

RECOMMENDATION

Deny the appeal and uphold the decision of the Planning Commission to approve the Coastal Development Permit, County File No. PLN 2001-00799, by adopting the required findings and conditions of approval listed in Attachment A.

PROPOSAL

In 1996, the applicant, CalTrans, prepared a geotechnical investigation of the proposed tunnel alignment to determine the feasibility of such a project. The tunnel has since become the applicant's preferred alternative to address the Devils Slide problem. The applicant is now proposing additional boring and trenching to further evaluate and characterize soil and geologic conditions at the north and south tunnel portals, along the tunnel alignment, and at the proposed disposal area. Improvements to existing paths, trails, and dirt roads, and the creation of additional paths and trails, are proposed to provide vehicular and foot access to the boring and trenching sites. All areas disturbed by the proposed project will be restored upon the completion of the geotechnical work. The overall project consists of three distinct parts: investigative borings for the north portal bridge, borings and trenchings along the proposed tunnel alignment and borings within the proposed disposal site.

PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION

The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to approve this project. In doing so, the Commission adopted the proposed findings and conditions as presented by the Planning Division in Attachment A of the staff report.

SUMMARY

The appellant filed an appeal with the Board of Supervisors regarding this project on March 27, 2002. This letter is included as Attachment B. The letter states that the Coastal Family Alliance is appealing the granting of this Coastal Development Permit based upon reasons which are to be explained later in the letter. The appellant then discusses at great length the history of the Devils Slide Tunnel and what he believes are the problems with that project. However, at no time does the appellant state what his point of appeal is about this permit. The pros and cons of the Tunnel project are not under consideration at this time.